The aim of this module is to instruct students in the practice of taking physical measurements, the critical analysis and evaluation of experimental data, the application of measurements to the study of chemical phenomena and the dissemination of results.

(LO1) Students will practise good laboratory techniques, including proper use of equipment and adherence to established health & safety procedures. procedures.

(LO2) Students will complete physical measurements of varying complexity using a range of experimental techniques.

(LO3) Students will use appropriate methods for the data and error analysis of data and error analysis.

(LO4) Students will understand the importance of precision and accuracy in experimental measurements.

(LO5) Students will apply the results of physical measurement to the interpretation of chemical phenomena

(LO6) Students will be able to combine units and perform dimensional analysis

(LO7) Students will be able to communicate experimental procedures, results, and conclusions effectively through written reports.

(S1) Organisational skills

(S2) Problem solving skills

(S3) Critical thinking skills

(S4) Good laboratory practice skills, e.g. record-keeping and adherence to experimental protocols

Practical. This is a laboratory-based module in which students practise a range of measurement techniques appropriate for investigating a wide range of chemical phenomena spanning thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, surface science and transition metal chemistry.
Students perform experiments with minimum supervision (although staff and postgraduate demonstrators are at hand to answer questions and provide guidance if necessary) and are responsible for planning and timetabling their experiments themselves.
Students are expected to complete a minimum number of seven experiments (including the NMR experiment), although one more experiment may be undertaken.
Each experiment must be analysed using appropriate techniques and written up in a laboratory report which is presented to a demonstrator for marking before the next experiment is allocated. Marks are allocated for the quality of the data, the quality of the write-up and the understanding displayed.< /p>

Coursework.
1 x 2 hr physical workshop
1 x 3 hr physical workshop
3 x 2 hr NMR workshops.
Students’ work is assessed and feedback is given during the workshops.
For NMR, students hand in their work after the workshops.

Lectures. 2 x 1 hr lectures: 1) introductory lecture to the module, and 2) introductory lecture to NMR.

*Practical: 72 hr
*Workshops: 11 hr
*Lectures: 2 hr

Practical. The experiments comprise a series of experiments from physical and inorganic chemistry:
•Kinetics of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of ethyl ethanoate
•Critical micelle concentration
•Boiling point - composition diagram
•Iodine absorption spectrum
•Redox potential of the iron system
•The dissociation of ethanoic acid by conductance
•Potentiometirc titration
•Reaction isotherm
•Fluorescence of Rhodamine B and its quenching by iodide ions
•Gas-liquid chromatography
•The enthalpy of neutralisation
•Bomb calorimetry
•The association of uranyl and thiocynanate ions
•The reaction of crystal violet with hydroxide ions
•Thermodynamics of ethanoic acid dimerisation
•The characterisation of reaction intermediates by NMR Spectroscopy
•Job's method
•Preparation & thermochromic transition of diethylammonium tetrachlorocuprate(II)
•Conductivity of transition metal complexes
•Magnetic susceptibility of nickel complexes
•UV-vis spectra of transition metal ions

Workshops. The physical workshops are designed to teach generic skills needed for analysing experimental results (data and error analysis, dimensional analysis).
There are also a series of spectroscopic workshops. Each workshop will begin with a short lecture to introduce the topics covered.
Students will be introduced to spin 1/2 NMR active nuclei other than 1H and will then work through problem sheets under the guidance of the demonstrators.
The following material will be covered:
•Introduction to the physical basis of NMR. Quantum numbers, energy levels, magnetic equivalence, chemical shifts and scalar couplings.
•The use of mass spectra, infrared spectra, elemental analyses and multinuclear NMR spectra to deter mine the structure of inorganic and organometallic complexes.
•Scalar coupling (J values) in NMR and its use in the determination of stereochemistry and conformational analysis