Chemistry 1 Life Sciences B (Advanced) - CHEM1909

This unit of study will provide students with the background necessary to understand the molecular basis of materials and transformations that occur in living systems. It will enable students to understand the chemical interactions that underlie the properties of materials and give a solid grounding in Physical and General Chemistry. Examples of the application of the chemical processes in living systems will be given throughout the unit of study.

A summary of the syllabus is available here. Note the order in which the topics are presented may be varied by the lecturer.

Students enrolling in this course must have passed CHEM1907 or CHEM1908 or equivalent.

Learning Situations

The learning situations of CHEM1909 are:

• Lectures that cover the core material of the unit.
• Background reading from the recommended text books to support the lecture material.
• Use of on-line resources including computer aided learning modules (ChemCAL), self-help problems and past exam papers.
• Completion of a weekly assignment prior to the tutorial.
• Tutorials which provide an opportunity to discuss any aspects of the preceding week's work and assignment. These will encourage group work and problem solving.
• On-line laboratory pre-work. This includes information on the theory of the experiment, the important experimental details, and an on-line quiz. The on-line quiz consists of 3 - 7 questions and tests your understanding of the theory of the experiment.
• Laboratory work, which consists of a series of experiments, is designed to teach you essential experimental techniques. Some experiments are stand alone and some are supported by the lecture material.

Additional help may be sought from the Duty Tutor, located at the back of Lab B of the Chemistry School available between 1 pm and 2 pm Tuesdays to Fridays from week 2 throughout the semester or by e-mail to dutytutor@chem.usyd.edu.au . All Chemistry School lecturers are available for consultation by appointment.

CHEM1909 is comprised of three 1 hour lectures per week, one 1 hour tutorial per week (starting from Week 2) and ten 3 hour laboratory sessions over the course of the semester. There are assignments based on problem solving and exercises relating to the practical component of the course to be completed weekly in your own time. Students are required to attend all classes. Timetable information may be found here.

A Study Program incorporating adequate time for the following tasks is strongly advised. This should allow time for:

• completion of the laboratory pre-work. This is conducted on-line, is compulsory, and forms part of your final assessment.
• completion of weekly assignments.
• progressive coverage of the syllabus in step with the lecture series. It is expected that the time spent on private study should roughly match that spent in lectures/tutorials/laboratory classes.

By the end of this unit of study, students will:

• possess a general knowledge of chemical energetics, equilibrium and the processes occurring in solution.
• be able to demonstrate an understanding of fundamental processes occurring in Physical and general Chemistry.
  
• have developed laboratory manipulative and glassware handling skills.
• have been introduced to the techniques used in research laboratories.
• be able to apply chemical principles to problem solving situations.
• be able to progress to Intermediate Chemistry.
  

Students will be able to demonstrate these outcomes in the following assessment items.

The program of assessment is as follows (with percentage of the overall total mark in brackets):

• Laboratory work (10%) comprising:
  § Continual laboratory assessment - including attendance, attitude and post-work (3%).
  § On-line laboratory pre-work quizzes (4%).
  § A Laboratory exercise (3%).
  
• Four multiple-choice tutorial quizzes, given during the semester and based on the material covered during the preceding lectures, tutorials and lab classes. The best three marks are taken (15%).
• A short-answer written paper (3 hours, 75%).

Special Consideration: You may apply for Special Consideration (which is not granted routinely and requires supporting documentation) if you miss a laboratory session, tutorial quiz or examination, or if your performance in an exam is adversely affected by illness or special circumstances. Regardless of what faculty you are enrolled in, go to the Faculty of Science website, and follow the procedures outlined. Application for special consideration must be submitted within seven (7) days of the assessment affected. If you are prevented from doing this by, for example, hospitalisation, you should contact the Faculty office immediately upon your return to University.

Supplementary examinations: Students who, because of illness or misadventure, either miss the end of semester examination or whose performance in the exam is severely affected may be granted a supplementary examination. These examinations will be held in Laboratory A at 10.00 a.m. on:

Semester 1: Monday 3rd July and Semester 2: Monday 20th November

NOTE WELL: If you apply for Special Consideration for an examination, you are applying to resit the examination. We will NOT "just give you a couple of extra marks". If Special Consideration is granted, you will be obliged to attend the supplementary examination - your original paper will be considered null and void.

All grades (High Distinction 85% and above, Distinction 75-84%, Credit 65-74%, Pass 50-64% and Fail <50%) are available in this unit of study.

The recommended texts are:

• Chemistry. The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, Martin Silberberg, McGraw Hill, 4th Edition

There are many other good Chemistry text books and specific advice on the suitability of a text that you may already possess may be obtained from your lecturer.

• You are required to possess a copy of the First Year Chemistry Laboratory Handbook for the Laboratory work. The copy you obtained in first semester will contain all the experiments covered in second semester.