CHEM 1312 - Foundations of Chemistry IS

North Terrace Campus - Summer - 2022

Quantitative analysis of kinetics, thermodynamics and equilibria; Nernst equation; balancing redox equations under basic conditions; transition metal and coordination chemistry; quantum theory; spectroscopy/structure determination (UV, IR, 1H NMR); stereochemistry; organic mechanism (electrophilic addition to alkenes, SN1 and SN2 reactions, electrophilic aromatic substitution).

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code CHEM 1312
    Course Foundations of Chemistry IS
    Coordinating Unit School of Physical Sciences
    Term Summer
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 40 hours for the duration of the course
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites CHEM 1101 & CHEM 1201
    Incompatible CHEM 1100 & CHEM 1200 and CHEM 1101 & CHEM 1201 if completed prior to 2012
    Course Description Quantitative analysis of kinetics, thermodynamics and equilibria; Nernst equation; balancing redox equations under basic conditions; transition metal and coordination chemistry; quantum theory; spectroscopy/structure determination (UV, IR, 1H NMR); stereochemistry; organic mechanism (electrophilic addition to alkenes, SN1 and SN2 reactions, electrophilic aromatic substitution).
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Sara Krivickas

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On completion of this course, students should be able to:

    1. develop critical thinking and enhance their problem solving ability;
    2. discuss the principles of scientific methodology and collaborative work;
    3. describe the quantitative basis for the analysis of kinetics, chemical thermodynamics, equilibria and redox chemistry;
    4. balance redox equations under acidic and basic conditions;
    5. recognise and explain the chemistry of the first period transition metals, in particular their complexes and their in biological processes;
    6. describe the electronic structure of a given atom and the structure of simple diatomic molecules using a molecular orbital bonding model;
    7. determine the structure of an unknown molecule given appropriate spectroscopic data;
    8. explain the application of stereoisomerism to carbon-containing compounds;
    9. demonstrate an understanding of the principles of electrophilic addition reactions, electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions and SN1 and SN2 reactions;
    10. demonstrate proficiency in common synthetic laboratory techniques.




    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    3-9

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    1, 10

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    2, 10

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    1, 2

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    The textbook for Foundations of Chemistry IS is shown below and it is recommended that students acquire their own copy or arrange access to one.

    'Chemistry', 4th Edition, Blackman et al. (Wiley).

    Additional notes may be issued for individual sections of the course.
    Recommended Resources

    Other sources for recommended reading may be provided by lecturers on an as-needed basis.

    Online Learning
    It is important that all students maintain active communication channels with the Chemistry Discipline throughout the course. The primary communication channels from the Discipline to students are MyUni and email.

    The University's online learning management system, MyUni (https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au), will be used to provide students with a variety of learning resources, including (but not limited to) the following:
    * Lecture notes
    * Lecture recordings
    * Workshop questions and solutions
    * Links to summative assignments
    * Links to other websites that may assist learning, such as maths help

    All learning resources will be provided electronically, and no printed copies will be supplied.

    MyUni will also be used on a regular basis to post announcements about assessment deadlines and other information related to the course and to send students emails to their University-provided student email account. 
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The course consists of a series of self-directed learning activities supported by ten three-hour workshop sessions that
    build students’ knowledge of the coursework, develop problem-solving skills and encourage communication.  Two 3-hour practical sessions will develop students’ synthetic chemistry laboratory skills.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A full-time student should expect to spend, on average, a total of 48 hours per week on their studies.  This includes the formal contact time required for the course (e.g. lectures and tutorials), as well as non-contact time (e.g. reading and revision). For a 3-unit course, the expected workload would be, on average, 12 hours per week for 13 weeks.  This equates to approximately 150 hours in total for an intensive course.

    To complete their studies successfully, students are expected to complete all of the self-directed learning exercises and activities, attend all scheduled workshops, as well as commit additional time to individual study, group study and the completion of assessment tasks. Students who wish to excel and students whose background preparation for a course is poor should expect to commit additional time to that described above.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Coursework Content

    * Quantum theory of the atom
    * Quantitative analysis of kinetics, thermodynamics and equilibria
    * Nernst equation
    * Balancing redox equations under basic conditions
    * Transition metal and coordination chemistry
    * Spectroscopy/structure determination (UV, IR, 1H NMR)
    * Stereochemistry
    * Organic mechanism (SN1, SN2 reactions, electrophilic addition to alkenes)
    * Electrophilic aromatic substitution
    Specific Course Requirements
    Attendance is compulsory at all scheduled chemistry practical sessions. The learning outcomes for this course are substantially dependent on laboratory experience and practice. Therefore, missing any practical class will result in a grade of FAIL being recorded for the course . If a student is unable to attend a practical, the absence must be approved (on medical or compassionate grounds). Students will be given the opportunity to complete an alternative (but equal) assessment task if necessary.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    Assessment Task Type of assessment Percentage of total assessment Hurdle Outcomes being assessed/addressed Approximate Timing of Assessment
    Online summative assessment Summative 40% No 1-9 Throughout Course
    Workshop preparation Summative 10% No 1-9 Throughout Course
    Practicals Summative 10% No 10 In last week of course
    Examination Summative 40% No 1-9 Summer Semester Exam Period
    Concept check test Formative 0% No 1 Start of course
    Multiple choice online quick quizzes Formative 0% No 1, 3-9 Throughout course
    Mid-course multiple choice test Formative 0% No 1, 3-9 Mid-course
    Assessment Detail
    Online summative assessment: (40% of total course grade) Five summative online exercises (each worth 9% of the overall course grade) will be used to assess progressive understanding of course material. Students receive instant feedback on submission.

    Workshop preparation: (10% of total course grade) Each workshop will have one question from the set of provided problems assigned for students to complete prior to the session. This question will be marked by the workshop facilitator during the session.

    Practicals (10% of total course grade) Students will complete two practicals to support the knowledge gained in the synthetic organic chemistry section and to provide students with experience in synthetic chemistry laboratory skills.  Practical reports will be completed and submitted within the practical session and marked and made available to students within one week.

    Examination:
    (40% of total course grade) An end-of-semester examination will be used to summatively assess understanding of the course material.

    Concept check test: (0% of total course grade) Students will be provided with an online practice exercise to enable them to test their understanding of assumed knowledge concepts. Students receive instant feedback on submission and will be able to retake any question (or the exercise as a whole) as many times as they wish.

    Multiple Choice Online Quick Quizzes: (0% of total course grade) At the end of each online learning session, students will be provided with a 5-question multiple choice quiz based on the material covered. Students will receive feedback and be able to discuss their answers in the workshop session that follows.

    Mid-Course Multiple Choice Test: (0% of total course grade) A 15-question multiple choice test will be offered to students at the end of workshop 5 (halfway through the course) to provide students with the opportunity to receive feedback on their progress to date.  The test is non-compulsory.
    Submission
    Late submission of assessments

    If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply.  A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.