Module FOUN0411: CORE FOUNDATION CHEMISTRY

Department: Foundation Year [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

FOUN0411: CORE FOUNDATION CHEMISTRY

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject.
• To develop students' learning skills.
• To introduce a basic bank of knowledge on which students can build either by the process of self study or in further courses of directed study.
• To develop confidence in a laboratory situation.
• To introduce a range of equipment.
• To develop observational and interpretative skills.
• To develop a problem-solving approach.
• To develop scientific report-writing, data handling and critical evaluation.
• To develop confidence and ability in handling chemical calculations.

Content

• Atoms, molecules, elements and compounds.
• Elements of the Periodic Table.
• Atomic structure. electronic configurations.
• Atomic masses: mass spectroscopy.
• Bonding. bond polarity, electronegativity, Intermolecular forces including bonding Hydrogen bonding.
• Shapes of molecules.
• Structures of solids including diamond and graphite.
• Diffusion of gases and states of matter, gas, solid, liquid.
• Acids, bases, alkalis and indicators.
• Periodic Table: trends and patterns.
• Kinetics: collision theory, distribution of molecular energies, activation energy (qualitative), catalysis
• reversible reactions, equilibria.
• Thermodynamics: exothermic and endothermic reactions, energy level diagrams, Hess' Law, bond energy calculations.
• Fossil fuels, crude oil.
• Radioactivity.
• Laboratory experiments covering the following subject areas: structure and bonding, empirical formulae by mass, acids and alkalis, metals, periodicity, kinetics, enthalpy changes, electrochemistry, organic chemistry.
• Calculations: relative atomic and molecular masses, formulae and equations, empirical formulae from mass and from unit cell, the mole, mass/mole, molar volume, volumetric calculations from titration results, simple treatment of Hess cycle, STP.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module students will have acquired the knowledge to be able to:
• describe atomic and electronic structure, for the first 20 elements.
• describe, with examples, different bonding types and the relation of bonding to properties and structures.
• identify characteristics of metals, non-metals, acids and alkalis.
• identify and explain the factors affecting rate of reaction.
• describe exothermic and endothermic reactions.
• describe states of matter, simple Kinetic Theory.

• By the end of the module students will have acquired the skills to be able to:
• use the Periodic Table.
• work confidently and effectively in a laboratory, with due attention to safety.
• relate observations and data to underlying theory.
• write a scientific report with critical evaluation.
• select and use basic lab equipment.
• carry out chemical calculations as detailed on the syllabus.

• By the end of the module the students will:
• be able to communicate effectively in writing.
• be able to apply number both in the tackling of numerical problems and in the collecting, recording, interpreting and presenting of data.
• be able to demonstrate problem solving skills.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Theory, initial concepts and techniques will be introduced during seminars, lectures, demonstrations and practicals/workshops.
• Much of the learning, understanding and consolidation will take place through the use of structured exercises during sessions and students own time.
• Knowledge and understanding of concepts will be assessed by two written lab. reports and the written assessment.
• Knowledge and ability to use and apply concepts will be tested by the two tests.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Laboratory reports and exercises. ‘Open book’ calculation tasks.