Attendance at practical and tutorial classes:

• You must attend and participate in all four ONLINE practical classes to pass CHEM1001.
• You must attend and participate in at least 9 of the 12 weekly ONLINE tutorials to pass CHEM1001. Attendance and Participation will be assessed by engagement with Mastering Chemistry.
• Note: If you miss a practical class or tutorial class you are NOT entitled to a make-up class. Such an opportunity may be offered if possible, provided sufficient warning is provided.

Tutorial Assessment (20%):

• During tutorials you will be required to join Mastering Chemistry and complete a set number of questions, which will be based on the lecture material, text book and question sets available on iLearn. Your final tutorial quiz mark will be the average of 10 best individual quiz marks. In addition, you may be assigned further work to complete if the outcome of your tutorial assessment is not satisfactory. This will be done automatically via Mastering Chemistry using a method called Adaptive Learning.

Practical class exercises (20%):

• You must complete four practicals, each worth 5%. The practicals are composed of prelab exercises (40%), lab work itself (10%), the report (40%), and postlab exercises (10%) .

In-Session Test (20%):

• The In-Session Test is a hurdle assessment and you will need to get >=40% to meet the hurdle. In the event that you make a serious first attempt at the In-Session Test but fail to make the hurdle, you will be provided with an opportunity to sit a second test. The faculty define a serious attempt as a mark of 10% below the hurdle, which in this instance is a mark between 30-40%. You will NOT be given a second attempt to pass the In-Session Test if you get below 30% in your first attempt.
• The mid-session test will be held in Week 7, as this will allow failing students to withdraw without academic penalty. Note that the last day to withdraw without academic penalty is 28 April 2021.

Final Exam (40%):

• The final examination will be two (2) hours in length, with 10 minutes reading time, consisting of multiple choice and long answer questions. The final examination will cover all sections of the unit (lectures, lab practicals, workshops and assignments) and is designed to address specific understanding of all the concepts presented within the course.

Information on Supplementary exams:

• If you receive a special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled in the interval between the regular exam period and the start of the next session.  By requesting a special consideration for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure that you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application.

Your marks will be displayed on iLearn. It is your responsibility to regularly verify that the records displayed at iLearn (Tools->Grades) are correct.

If you have difficulty attending and participating in a hurdle assessment task, please contact the Unit Convenor, in ADVANCE if possible, and immediately after if not, as there may be alternatives available to make-up a missed task. If there are circumstances that mean you miss a hurdle assessment task, you may apply for a special consideration.  To support your extension, you must submit a "Special Consideration Request" request via www.ask.mq.edu.au. See the SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS web page for instructions on how to do this.  Please note that evidence must be given to support your request for an extension. You have a limited time after the event to submit a special consideration request (see SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS web page).

Decisions to approve/not approve a special consideration request are made by the university (and NOT the unit convenor).

Communication

During the semester, the CHEM1001 iLearn site will be used to communicate important information to you. In addition, email will be sent to your student email account. Please check your messages frequently.

We cannot overstate the importance of regularly checking your email and the CHEM1001 iLearn site.

Classes

See https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2021 for class times and locations.

• Lectures: Lectures will be held via Zoom. Links can be found on the iLearn site. Lecture material will be pre-recorded and made available as videos PRIOR to the lecture time.

• Tutorials: Tutorials will be help on-campus, with some online classes for those students with a valid reason for not being able to attend in person. During tutorials, we will use Mastering Chemistry, the web-based learning system that accompanies the textbook (Chemistry: The Central Science).  The problems assigned for that week’s tutorial will be undertaken during the class. For that reason, you must bring a device that can be used to give you access to the Mastering Chemistry site.

• Practicals: The practical classes for CHEM1001 are run in 14SCO 320 and 14SCO 308 (note that these rooms are connected).

It is very important that you understand that you will not be allowed to attend the laboratory if you do not have a laboratory coat (“lab coat”) and enclosed, study footwear (e.g. ugg boots are not acceptable). For hygiene reasons the Department does not provide lab coats or footwear.

Safety glasses and disposable gloves are supplied.

You are required to undertake prelaboratory exercises (prelabs) before coming to the session, to help you prepare for the lab. During the lab you will be assessed on general behaviour and competence, as well as the quality of your results. You are to submit a report (“lab report”) that summaries the outcomes of your investigation. There are post-laboratory exercises to be completed within a week of the lab session (“post-labs”).

Teaching and Learning Strategy

CHEM1001 is a 10 credit-point, half-year unit and will require, on average, 10 hours study per week (contact hours plus self-study time).

CHEM1001 is designed to introduce you to the principles of the molecular sciences, including developing an understanding of the practical skills required to undertake simple chemistry experiments in an efficient and safe manner. The lecture materials, tutorials and practical classes complement each other, and along with quizzes, have been developed to increase your understanding of the topics so that you can achieve the learning outcomes.

The unit expectation is that you will:

• Watch the pre-recorded lecture videos and attend all lectures.
• Actively engage in the tutorial classes and attempt the set exercises.
• Demonstrate competence in all practical exercises.
• Spend an average of no less than 3 hours per week of private study in addition to class contact.

If you prepare, study and attend all components of the unit and work consistently and continuously throughout the session, you should be able to develop a strong understanding of the general and organic chemistry presented, and perform well in this unit and develop a deep understanding of the concepts covered. Students who fail to do this and try to cram just before the exam will not do well in this unit.

• Lectures: You are required to view and take notes on set of lecture videos allocated to that session (or week). At the Zoom meeting the lecturers will spend time explaining key concepts and demonstrating how to perform important methods (calculations, interpretations, drawing representations, etc). You are expected to bring your questions to the class. There may also be non-assessed quizzes for you to use to check on your understanding of the material. Most lecture material will be available at the unit iLearn site, while other material will be provided in the lectures. Based on observations of related units, we emphasize that coming to lectures and/or keeping up to date with lecture videos is essential to prevent falling behind and performing poorly. Learning is an active process, and as such, you must engage with the material. Reviewing lecture notes and relevant sections of the textbook (and beyond) before and after lectures is strongly recommended.

• Tutorial classes are run to assist your understanding of the course material. Experience has demonstrated that there is a strong correlation between participation in all activities, including the tutorial classes, and success in the unit and. During tutorials, we will use Mastering Chemistry, the web-based learning system that accompanies the textbook (Chemistry: The Central Science). The problems assigned for that week’s tutorial will be undertaken during the class. This will give you an opportunity to seek help on areas you are having difficulty with. A minimum grade must be achieved to be seen to have reached competency in the topic covered by the tutorial. If this is not achieved, further questions will be automatically assigned by Mastering Chemistry, using a technique called Adaptive Learning.

• Practical classes are designed to develop basic laboratory skills, general safety practices, as well as critical and analytical thought. Pre-practical questions are designed to make sure you are ready for the practical work and have grasped the relevant theory and necessary safety practices. In-lab work is designed to teach you to appropriately record your experimental observations and to present your calculations in a detailed manner. Post-lab exercises are designed to assess your understanding of the theory behind the experiments conducted.

Recommended Textbooks: 

• Chemistry: The Central Science, 3rd Edition, By Theodore L. Brown, H. Eugene LeMay, Bruce E. Bursten, Catherine Murphy, Patrick Woodward, Steven Langford, Dalius Sagatys, Adrian George (https://www.pearson.com.au/9781442554603)
• N.B. Mastering Chemistry is strongly aligned to this textbook. The Department has bought you your license for Mastering Chemistry, but not the text book itself.

Other Recommended Texts:

• Highly Recommended: Pushing electrons: a guide for students of organic chemistry by Daniel P. Weeks, Fourth Edition, 2014, Brooks/Cole,C engage Learning. (https://au.cengage.com/c/isbn/9781133951889/) (QD476 .W38 2014)
• Openstax Chemistry 2e (free) Download or view at no cost at https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e
• Fundamentals of organic chemistry by John McMurry. 7th ed., Belmont, CA:Brooks/Cole,C 2011 (QD251.2.M4 2011)
• Introductory Chemistry by Nivaldo J. Tro, Fifth Edition (Pearson New International Edition), 2015, Pearson Education (QD33.2 .T76 2015)

Other general and organic chemistry textbooks are useful substitutes.

The following schedule is indicative only and may change.

CHEM1001 S1 2021 Schedule

Week 1

1. Introductions, Administration (Practical Classes, etc), Tools (Textbook, Mastering Chemistry)
2. Introduction to Chemistry – definitions: matter, states, reactions

Week 2

1. The Periodic Table - Structure of Atoms, emphasis on Electron Number, electron arrangement (shells), Trends Periods and Groups in the Periodic Table – atomic radius, ionic radius, electronegativity, ionisation energy, reactivity
2. Matter and Change – definitions of Chemistry, molecules/compounds, representations of Chemistry: chemical equations, balancing equations, Naming binary and simple polyatomic inorganic compounds.

Week 3

1. Quantification – significant figures, scientific notation. The mole and molar mass; conversions between amount (molecular) and amount (molar) and between amount and mass.
2. Quantification – concentration and dilutions

Week 4

1. Equilibria – concept, expression as K_c (use K_eq). K_sp, K_a, K_b as examples of K_eq under specific contexts.
2. Acids and Bases – examples of equilibria. K_a, K_b, K_w; pH etc.

Week 5

1. Buffers – concepts, quantification, Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation
2. Molecular Shape – Lewis Diagrams and VSEPR

Week 6

1. Organic Chemistry: Functional Groups and Drawing Structures
2. Organic Compound Naming

Week 7

1. Conformations, Isomerism and Stereochemistry
2. Predicting Reactivity and Electron Pushing

Week 8

1. Alkanes, Alkenes and Alkynes - Reactivities
2. Aromatic Compounds - Properties and Reactivities

Week 9

1. Alkyl halides - Reactivities Part 1
2. Alkyl halides - Reactivities Part 2

Week 10

1. Alcohols - Reactivities
2. Aldehydes and Ketones - Reactivities

Week 11

1. Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives - Properties and Reactivities
2. Biomolecules Part 1 - Carbohydrates

Week 12

1. Biomolecules Part 2 - Amines, Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins
2. Biomolecules Part 3 - Nucleic acids

Week 13

1. Revision
2. Revision