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Organic, inorganic, analytical and physical chemistry.
This course provides key knowledge and understanding of chemistry terminology and communication, chemical principles, and chemical reactions required for the BE (Hons) degree in Chemical and Process Engineering.
Goal:The goal of the course is to provide students with the basic and fundamental chemistry background required to understand industrial chemical processes, communicate and interpret chemical knowledge, and understand chemical reactions. These skills and knowledge will be required throughout the chemical and process engineering degree.A secondary goal is to develop the ability to relate and contextualize this chemical knowledge to industrial processes implemented in New Zealand and internationally.Overall:Reinforce and apply basic chemistry concepts.- Understand concepts such as equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics.- Develop basic skills and chemical communication ability required for chemical and process engineering.Develop understanding of the theory and basic application aspects of a variety of characterisation methods (chromatography, mass spectrometry and other selected spectroscopic techniques) relevant to R&D and QA- Understand and apply infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis.- Understand principles and application of chromatography.Laboratory course:Reinforce and apply basic chemistry concepts.- Practice practical concepts and calculations involving molecular weights, concentrations, densities, and volumes.- Gain experience with laboratory practice, characterization and measurement techniques.Richard Hartshorn (RH):- Develop familiarity with the structural and written terminology and communication used in organic chemistry.- Draw organic molecules in three dimensions using appropriate representation. - Describe the effect of rotations about carbon-carbon single bonds assess the relative stabilities of different conformers.- Draw the different conformations of cyclohexane and its derivatives.- Describe the different types of isomerism that are possible for organic molecules.- Understand the importance of electron delocalisation, resonance, acidity and basicity in organic molecules.- Describe the important functional groups commonly found in organic and biological molecules.- Classify organic reactions into specific reaction types.Vladimir Golovko (VG):In the context of industrial catalytic processes:- Understand the relative importance of reaction kinetics and thermodynamics, applying these concepts to the examples of Steam Methane Reforming and Ammonia synthesis.- Explain the role and mode of action of catalysts and discuss their key properties.- Distinguish between kinetic and thermodynamic control of catalytic reactions, applying this knowledge to understanding the effect of temperature on those reactions.- Compare and contrast strong and weak chemical interactions and their role in physisorption and chemisorption, applying this knowledge to adsorption isotherms.Matthew Cowan (MC):In the context of producing chemical products:- Understand that hydrocarbons are the feedstock for many chemical products.- Understand that natural products are an existing and emerging source of chemical feedstocks.- Develop bi-cultural appreciation of the use of natural products as feedstocks in traditional Maori economy.- Understand the role of temperature, pressure, and concentration on organic and inorganic reactions and apply this knowledge to the context of current and future chemical feedstocks.- Describe and characterize basic reactions between selected types of functional groups. Understand the endo or exothermic nature of these reactions.- Apply knowledge of functional groups reactivity to predict physical properties, reaction products, and feasible by-products.- Apply spectroscopic methods to identify functional groups.
Subject to approval of the Dean of Engineering and Forestry.
Matthew Cowan and Vladimir Golovko
Richard Hartshorn
Laboratories: Important notesEach student must attend a total of 6 laboratory classes (timetable will be available on Learn and in the lab). There will be TWO streams for attending labs on alternate weeks. Lists showing breakdown of the class into streams and groups for the labs will be available on Learn.The laboratory classes are on Tuesdays 14:00-18:00 in Ernest Rutherford 412 Chemistry Lab, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (as of writing; please check your timetable in case of last minute changes).On your first lab day, please arrive 10 minutes earlier - mandatory brief introductory talk will be given in the Ernest Rutherford 412 Chem Lab. This is to compliment the video briefing.For many of you, this will be your first in-depth experience of chemistry lab work. To make the most of the time, please come prepared for the lab. This will help you and your classmates complete the lab to a higher standard over a shorter duration.The lab manual describes the context, aim, and practical details of each experiment. The lab manual will be available on Learn and a printed copy will be provided free of charge. For each lab you must have read, in detail, the general introduction to the lab course and specific brief for your experiment. This includes the first experiment.Pre-lab videos are mandatory for students to watch before the lab.These videos are found on the Learn page in the 'Lab Course' section and include: 1 general introduction, 5 lab talks specific to each of the labs that demonstrate the experimental techniques specific to each lab.Every year, we see the positive impact these videos have on improving your lab experience, performance, and grades.Prior to each lab session, you are required to print out and complete the corresponding safety forms. These are available on Learn in the 'Lab Course' folder. The filename: "Risk assessment form". A completed example is provided, filename: "Example Completed Risk Assessment Form"Work in the lab will not be allowed without completed and signed safety forms.You will need to look up hazards reported within MSDS forms for each chemical and solvent involved in the experiment using jr.chemwatch.net link (available in the 'Lab Course' folder on Learn – ‘Search for MSDS here’)Given that students who come unprepared to the lab have a negative impact on their group members, the demonstrators, and laboratory staff, lack of preparation will result in penalty (10% of the mark for the lab).Students are required to have two laboratory notebooks so that one could be used in the lab while the other one is submitted for marking. A4 format is preferred. It is anticipated that lab books/reports for a given laboratory session will be submitted during the next lab in person. In case of out of term time submission will be available via drop box in the CAPE link block.Please contact A.P. Vladimir Golovko if you have special circumstances. In the first instance we can arrange subsitute labs and for serious exceptions – we may be able to arrange alternate assessment. We much prefer that you get 50% of the grade than 0%.Laboratory coats and safety glasses/goggles will be required before attending the first laboratory class. These can be paid for at the Copy Centre then the receipt brought to the Chemistry store and exchanged for the coat and/or glasses.
Web-based resourcesCourse learning resources (lecture material, reference links, quizzes, discussion forums etc.) for this course are provided via the University of Canterbury’s Learn web site -- http://learn.canterbury.ac.nz/. This site will also be used regularly as a means of communication and information distribution for all of your Canterbury courses. You should familiarise yourself with Learn as soon as possible.
Course handout and content (PDF 473KB)
AssessmentChirality 2 assignment: 5% (Thursday 30th September [in class])Mid-semester test: 20% (Wednesday 18th August, Eng Core 222 & 223, 1830-2030)Laboratories: 20% (students MUST pass lab component in order to pass the course)Final examination: 55%Examination and Formal Tests Test: Details of the time and location to be advisedExam: Three hours, details of the timing to be advised
It is the policy for this course that late work is not accepted.
Domestic fee $986.00
International fee $5,500.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Chemical and Process Engineering .