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CH12002: Foundations and applications of chemistry

[Page last updated: 09 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Chemistry
Credits: 20 [equivalent to 40 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 400
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: EXCB 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Closed-book written examination 1 (EXCB 50%)
  • Closed-book written examination 2 (EXCB 50%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: Describe the atom, electron, chemical bond, and hybridisation and relate these to chemical reactivity; Explain the nature of forces between molecules; Explain the role of thermodynamics (including entropy, enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, equilibria), electrochemistry and kinetics in chemistry and apply these concepts to interpret chemical behaviour and solve problems both quantitatively and qualitatively; Describe and explain the mechanisms of elimination, substitution and addition reactions in aliphatic and aromatic systems. Illustrated for example with the chemistry of carbonyl compounds, functional group interconversion and electron flow (curly arrow representation); Apply knowledge of organic synthesis concepts to map the synthesis of academically and industrially important organic compounds; Define, identify and interpret trends in the periodic table in relation to structure and bonding; Recognise the interdependence of the major branches of inorganic, organic, physical and computational chemistry.


Synopsis: This unit will advance your fundamental knowledge of chemistry and will act as a firm foundation for the concepts and theories that you will use throughout the course, covering inorganic, organic, physical and computational chemistry. Core principles (e.g. bonding, synthesis, mechanisms, reactivity, thermodynamics, kinetics, forces and periodicity) will be illustrated with real world examples from industry and academia.

Content: In this unit the following topics will be included: The atom, electron and chemical bond, including quantisation, wavefunctions, Schrödinger equation, valence bonding and molecular orbital theory; covalent bonding and hybridisation; Intra and intermolecular interactions; Shape/isomerisation and nomenclature; Thermodynamics; Electrochemisty; Kinetics; Reactivity - organic and inorganic aspects; Solid state Chemistry; Periodicity.

Course availability:

CH12002 is a Must Pass Unit on the following courses:

Department of Chemistry
  • USCH-AFB20 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry (Year 1)
  • USCH-AFB21 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKB21 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKB21 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with study abroad (Year 1)
  • USCH-AFB22 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Management (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKB22 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Management with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKB22 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Management with study abroad (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKB20 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKB20 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with study abroad (Year 1)
  • USCH-AFM20 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry (Year 1)
  • USCH-AFM21 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKM21 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKM21 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with study abroad (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKM20 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKM20 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry with study abroad (Year 1)
  • USCH-AFM22 : MSci(Hons) Chemistry with Management (Year 1)
  • USCH-AKM22 : MSci(Hons) Chemistry with Management with professional placement (Year 1)

CH12002 is Compulsory on the following courses:

Department of Chemistry
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Chemistry) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Chemistry) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry and Physics) with professional placement (Year 1)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • 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.