CH30239: Introduction to computational chemistry for natural scientists
[Page last updated: 23 October 2023]
Academic Year: | 2023/24 |
Owning Department/School: | Department of Chemistry |
Credits: | 3 [equivalent to 6 CATS credits] |
Notional Study Hours: | 60 |
Level: | Honours (FHEQ level 6) |
Period: |
- Semester 2
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Assessment Summary: | CW 20%, EX 80% |
Assessment Detail: |
- Exam (EX 80%)
- Coursework (CW 20%)
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Supplementary Assessment: |
- CH30239 - Reassessment (Exam) (where allowed by programme regulations)
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Requisites: |
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Learning Outcomes: |
After studying this unit, students should be able to:
* Understand the concept of an energy surface and it relates to chemical behaviour and reactivity, and the role of computational modelling in bridging between theory and experiment.
* Demonstrate basic understanding of energy minimisation, geometry optimization, relative energies, isodesmic relations, vibrational frequencies and molecular dynamics.
* Appreciate the operational working of molecular mechanics, molecular orbital (Hartree-Fock and semi-empirical) and density functional theory methods within a typical computational chemistry software package (e.g. Spartan) and the significance of basis sets and empirical parameters in context.
* Appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of popular computational methods for different problems.
* Relate material introduced in lectures to practical applications.
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Aims: | The unit will provide an introduction to the different aspects of computational chemistry, building upon molecular and quantum mechanics to explore the range of methods available in theoretical chemistry to answer a range of chemical problems relating to inorganic and organic systems.
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Skills: | Numeracy (F, A); Problem-solving (T, A); Independent working (F).
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Content: | * Molecular mechanics and empirical force-field methods
* Potential energy surfaces, energy minimisation and geometry optimisation
* Practical application of molecular orbital and density functional methods
* Electron density, electronic charge and electrostatic potential
* Molecular vibrations, zero-point energy, free energy
* Transition structures and reactivity
* Molecular dynamics.
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Course availability: |
CH30239 is Optional on the following courses:
Department of Chemistry
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Physics stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
- USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
- USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
- USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
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Notes: - This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
- Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
- Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
- Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.
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