Chemical Principles

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Recognise and apply the concepts: 'functional group', 'aromaticity', and 'electronegativity'.
• Define the terms: acids, bases and explain how the structure of molecules affects these properties.
• Qualitatively discuss the structure of a multi-electron atom to explain the basis of and trends within the Periodic Table.
• Use ‘curly arrows’ to represent the movement of electron pairs.
• Derive names for and use a range of drawn representations to describe chemical compounds.
• Describe bonding models that can be applied to a consideration of the properties and shapes of organic and inorganic molecules, using both VSEPR and hybridisation methods.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Evaluate the risks associated with an experiment and understand how to mitigate against those risks.
• Be able to assemble glassware and apparatus to conduct basic chemical experiments.
• Interpret basic data from a range of physical techniques to characterise chemical compounds.

Lecture content:

Atomic orbital theory;

Hydrogenic atoms, wavefunctions and their solutions, quantum numbers and atomic orbitals;

Radial and angular wavefunctions and the shapes of atomic orbitals;

Electron spin, aufbau principles, electronic structure, shielding/penetration and the Periodic Table;

Periodicity – variations in electronegativity, oxidation state, metallic character, atomic size and ionisation energy within the periodic table;

Covalent bonding in diatomic molecules, Lewis model and valence bond theory, Hybridisation and pi-bonds;

Molecular orbitals and bonding;

Valence bond and molecular orbital theory for polyatomic molecules, hybridisation, sigma-bonds, resonance, hypervalency;

Drawing and naming organic molecules;

Structure and Isomerism in main group species, transition metal complexes, alkenes (E/Z) and saturated molecules (R/S, diastereomers, conformers) including optical activity;

Acidity and basicity – pKa’s and pH. Effect of structure (Inductive and resonance effects – basic curly arrows) on acidity and basicity (inorganic acids, carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols, alkynes, amides, carbonyl compounds, amines);

Functional Groups;

Aromatic (including heteroaromatic) compounds and aromaticity.

Practical exercises to illustrate:

Monitoring of chemical reactions;

Determination of chemical structure;

Assembly of chemical apparatus;

Measurement in chemistry.

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, problem-solving workshops with group working and tutor support.

Practical chemistry: Pre-laboratory e-learning; pre-lab skills lectures/ Seminars; practical sessions, supporting demonstrations, group and one-to-one tuition.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External