Module Details

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title Practical Chemistry Yr 3
Code CHEM375
Coordinator Dr A Steiner
Chemistry
A.Steiner@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2023-24 Level 6 FHEQ First Semester 22.5

Pre-requisites before taking this module (or general academic requirements):

 

Aims

The general aims of the module are:
• To give the student practical experience and understanding of advanced practical techniques in three areas from: Organic, Inorganic, Physical and Computational Chemistry.
• To develop appropriate techniques for each type of experiment
• To show the use of suitable characterisation and numerical techniques
• To make valid deductions from acquired data
• To familiarise the student with the preparation of written reports
• To introduce structured programming in PYTHON (if computational option chosen)
• To establish a close link with aspects of the lecture material covered in the Yr2 and Yr3 course


Learning Outcomes

(LO1) By the end of the module, students should be able to

Carry out advanced practical techniques in three of the areas of Organic, Inorganic, Physical Chemistry and Computational Chemistry

(LO2) Give a reasoned written exposition of experimental or computational work and achievements

(LO3) Make valid deductions from acquired data

(LO4) Give comprehensible written accounts of experimental work

(LO5) Demonstrate an understanding of shortcomings, experimental errors or weaknesses in data.

(LO6) Further develop their time management skills via coordination of the synthetic and analytical components of their experiments

(LO7) Develop strategies for structured programming and user-friendly, re-usable code in PYTHON to solve numerically Physical Chemistry models (if computational option chosen)

(S1) organisational skills

(S2) problem-solving skills

(S3) teamwork


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Students choose three subjects (which must include Physical Chemistry) and spend three weeks in each area.

Organic and/or Inorganic Chemistry. Students carry out three synthetic experiments and are required to produce a written laboratory report for each experiment, supplying the compounds they have made, produce full analytical and spectroscopic data and demonstrate mechanistic details of the chemistry involved. Each experiment is accompanied by a series of questions to which the student has to submit answers in their written report.

Physical Chemistry. Students carry out a project within a team of ca. 4 students. Each project has an overall goal and students are directed to specific literature sources on the Reading list for one example of how to reach the goal. Teams are free to choose detailed experimental approaches with regular feedback from demonstrators on experiments and results. At the end, one joint laboratory report is required to be submitted by the team aft er peer review and demonstrator feedback.

Computational Chemistry. After the introduction to PYTHON, students carry out three computer-based experiments involving writing code to solve particular problems. Students submit their codes along with written reports with interpretation of the numerical results. The codes should include a user manual, sufficient comments to allow a third person to understand the structure of the program, and a BASH command history.


Syllabus

 

This module consists of THREE blocks of 4 x 2 day practical sessions in Organic, Inorganic, Physical or Computational Chemistry.
Students choose a combination that includes Physical Chemistry and two of the other three areas of Chemistry.

Organic Chemistry. Students carry out three organic experiments that give them experience of both flash chromatography and recrystallisation as purification techniques. The reaction products are analysed by NMR, IR, and melting points.

Inorganic Chemistry. Students carry out three inorganic experiments in which they prepare and analyse compounds from the branches of organometallic and solid state chemistry. The background to these topics is taught in lecture modules CHEM214 and CHEM313.

Physical Chemistry. Students carry out a physical chemistry project in teams using a variety of spectroscopy- or electrochemistry-based techniques. The project serves as an introduction to subjects covered in semester 2 Physical Chemistry lectures and allows students to develop more sophisticated skills in data acquisition, analysis and fitting.

Computational Chemistry: Following hands-on workshops introducing basic concepts and elements of PYTHON programming under a LINUX operating system, students carry out three computer-based experiments of Computational Chemistry based on their own developed code. These experiments introduce the students to contemporary best practice in numerical solution of core Computational Chemistry problems and Physical Chemistry models covered in the Physical Chemistry lectures of Yr 2, and serve as an introduction to subjects covered in semester 2 Physical Chemistry lectures. In order to make the most of this strand, students who have not scored at least 60% at the first attempt in the CHEM260 (PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY II) and CHEM280 (KEY SKILLS FOR CHEMISTS 2) modules in Yr 2 are advised against selecting this option.


Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.

Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours       144

    144
Timetable (if known)              
Private Study 81
TOTAL HOURS 225

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Third practical Exemptions, depending on type: electronic submission 3.2a 3.2b anonymous marking 4.3d, 4.3e Resit: No    33       
Second practical Exemptions, depending on type: electronic submission 3.2a, 3.2b, anonymous marking 4.3d, 4.3e Resit: No    33       
First practical Exemptions, depending on type: electronic submission 3.2a, 3.2b, anonymous marking 4.3d, 4.3e Resit: No    33