Laboratory

General information about the laboratory program, assessment, attendance requirements and exemptions can be found on the Chemical Laboratory page. This page only includes information relating to CHEM1108.

What you need to bring each week

All chemical apparatus necessary for the practical course will be provided by the School of Chemistry. You need to bring:

A copy of the experiment(s): preferably the Laboratory Handbook
Eye Protection - a pair of safety glasses (obtainable when you buy your laboratory book or from the Union for about $5.00).
The wearing of eye protection is compulsory at all times whilst you are in the laboratory. If you fail to wear adequate eye protection, you will be asked to leave and will receive a fail for that laboratory session. There are no exceptions.
A limited number of spare pairs of safety glasses will be available for hire from the Service Room for a non-refundable fee of $2.00. You will only be allowed to hire safety glasses a maximum of two times. After that, you will be asked to leave and will receive a fail for that session.

At the discretion of the Laboratory Supervisor, normal spectacles, not sunglasses, may be an acceptable alternative but only if they are of an adequate size - see lab notice board for minimum dimensions.
Footwear - covered footware must be worn during all lab classes. Students wearing open sandals, thongs and those with bare feet will not be permitted in the laboratory.
If you fail to wear adequate footwear, you will be asked to leave and will receive a fail for that laboratory session. There are no exceptions.

Laboratory Coat - wearing of a laboratory coat is compulsory. This must meet Australian Safety Standards: it must be white, long-sleeved, be made of cotton or a cotton/polyester mix and be long enough to offer adequate protection.

If you fail to wear a laboratory coat, have it unbuttoned or have the sleeves rolled up, you will be asked to leave and will receive a fail for that laboratory session. There are no exceptions.

Laboratory coats and glasses are available on campus in the Co-Op Bookshop and in the Wentworth Newsagency, as well as in many hardware stores. Alternatively, you can purchase a 'Faculty of Science' branded coat as well as lab glasses online via the eStore.

A hair band - if you have long hair, you must tie it back
A calculator.

Laboratory on-line pre-work

You must complete the on-line pre-work for the relevant experiments before the laboratory session. The on-line pre-work can be accessed via the Internet, either from one of the Uni Access Centres or from home. To enter the web site:

Log on to eLearning (help with using eLearning)
Follow the link to CHEM1108
Follow the link to 'Laboratory material'.

This will be explained fully in your introductory lab session and is outlined in the assessment information for this unit. Information essential to your understanding of the experiment can be found in both the on-line pre-work and in the Introduction to the experiment in the Laboratory Handbook. Completing the on-line pre-works and associated quizzes forms part of your overall assessment for the semester.

Exemption From the Laboratory Program

There are no automatic exemptions from the practical course for any students.

This page contains information on laboratory exemption in the normal semester units. For information on laboratory exemption for the Summer School units, see the 'Laboratory Exemption in Summer School' page.

There are no automatic exemptions from the practical course for any students. If you have previously taken and passed a relevant laboratory course at The University of Sydney, you may be able to claim exemption from the laboratory course. You may apply for exemption from the practical course by completing the relevant form. Applications for exemption should be submitted in the first week of semester Each case will be treated on its own merits, based on attendance records and marks obtained in the laboratory course previously. Students granted a practical exemption will receive a pro-rata mark calculated from their previous practical marks. If you apply for exemption, you will be notified of our decision by email. We will access all applications close to the start of semester. You should not assume that you have been granted exemption until you receive notification and should therefore attend your practical sessions until you receive this. We do not grant exemption from exams or quizzes (or assignments if applicable to your unit). These form an important part of the learning structure of the program.

Course fees are set by the Federal Government and exemption from the laboratory does not effect course fees, in Summer School or in normal semester.

Laboratory program

During the semester, you will cycle through the complete program. Click on the link below that corresponds to your group (the colour of your laboratory handbook) and note the experiment and its location within the First Year Chemistry Laboratories.

Pink Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Back of Laboratory D

4 E1: Properties of Gases Back of Laboratory B

5 E6: Porphyrins (No class on Friday) Front of Laboratory B

6 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

7 E6: Porphyrins (Class only on Friday) Front of Laboratory B

8 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

9 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

10 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

11 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

12 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

13 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

Blue Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Front of Laboratory D

4 E1: Properties of Gases Front of Laboratory B

5 E7: Desalination of Sea Water (No class on Friday) Front of Laboratory C

6 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

7 E7: Desalination of Sea Water (Class only on Friday) Front of Laboratory C

8 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

9 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

10 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

11 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

12 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

13 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

Silver Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E1: Properties of Gases Front of Laboratory A

4 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Front of Laboratory C

5 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry (No class on Friday) Back of Laboratory C

6 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

7 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry (Class only on Friday) Back of Laboratory C

8 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

9 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

10 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

11 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

12 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

13 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

Orange Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E1: Properties of Gases Back of Laboratory A

4 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Back of Laboratory C

5 E9: Sugar! (No class on Friday) Back of Laboratory D

6 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

7 E9: Sugar! (Class only on Friday) Back of Laboratory D

8 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

9 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

10 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

11 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

12 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

13 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

Yellow Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E1: Properties of Gases Back of Laboratory B

4 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Back of Laboratory D

5 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar (No class on Friday) Front of Laboratory D

6 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

7 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar (Class only on Friday) Front of Laboratory D

8 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

9 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

10 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

11 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

12 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

13 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

Green Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E1: Properties of Gases Front of Laboratory B

4 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Front of Laboratory D

5 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions (No class on Friday) Front of Laboratory A

6 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

7 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions (Class only on Friday) Front of Laboratory A

8 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

9 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

10 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

11 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

12 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

13 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

Red Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Front of Laboratory C

4 E1: Properties of Gases Front of Laboratory A

5 E4: The Iodine Clock (No class on Friday) Back of Laboratory A

6 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing Back of Laboratory B

7 E4: The Iodine Clock (Class only on Friday) Back of Laboratory A

8 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

9 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

10 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

11 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

12 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

13 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

Purple Group Laboratory Program

Week Experiment Location

1 No class

2 Registration, safety information and group allocation First Year Chemistry Laboratories

3 E2: Chemistry with Light - Using Photons as Reagents Back of Laboratory C

4 E1: Properties of Gases Back of Laboratory A

5 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing (No class on Friday) Back of Laboratory B

6 E6: Porphyrins Front of Laboratory B

7 E5: Chemistry of Blue Jeans: Indigo Synthesis and Dyeing (Class only on Friday) Back of Laboratory B

8 E7: Desalination of Sea Water Front of Laboratory C

9 E8: Supramolecular Chemistry Back of Laboratory C

10 E9: Sugar! Back of Laboratory D

11 E10: Acetic Acid Content of Vinegar Front of Laboratory D

12 E3: The Electrical Control of Chemical Reactions Front of Laboratory A

13 E4: The Iodine Clock Back of Laboratory A

Missed or Know You Will Miss Your Laboratory Class?

If you know you are going to miss your timetabled laboratory slot due to a pre-arranged commitment (sport, music or theatrical rehearsal, work etc), you can catch the experiment up at an alternative session by following the 'catch up' link below. It is your responsibility to plan ahead if you have a clashing sport or theatrical event!

If you miss a laboratory session due to unforeseen circmstances (illness etc), your preferred option should also be to catch up the laboratory work. You can apply for Special Consideration (choose "attendance") but unless you can demonstrate that you are unable to catch up the experiment at a later date, the most likely outcome will be an instruction to catch up your experiment within 2 weeks of getting better.

Note that most experiments are available over a large number of sessions, over many weeks. Near the end of semester, these tend to fill quickly, so you are strongly advised not leave unfinished experiments until the end of semester, and do so at risk of failing to complete the laboratory course. Without special consideration, you can book a session for up to 2 weeks after the missed experiements. With special consideration, you can contact the first year office to book a session beyond the 2 week window. The box below shows which experiments are available in which sessions and in which weeks. It does not show whether there are free workspaces available:

To organise a catch up lab session, please use the booking tool under "Missed or know you will miss your laboratory class?" in "Laboratory Program" on eLearning.

CHEM1108 - Laboratory