CHEMISTRY - 2023/4

Module Overview

The module will cover physical and organic chemistry principles relevant to degree-level study in disciplines requiring a strong background in these subjects, e.g. the BEng / MEng Chemical Engineering programmes at the University of Surrey. The subject content will be at a level equivalent to the UK A-level qualification. Learning will be through a series of industrial process examples and case studies.

Module provider

Sustainability, Civil & Env Engineering

Module Leader

TAYLOR Alison (Maths & Phys)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 3

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Physical Chemistry:

• Amount of substance

• Atomic structure

• Bonds and molecules; bonds and physical structure

• Electronic structure

• Energetics and chemical thermodynamics

• Chemical equilibria

• Phase diagrams, vapour pressure

• Solubility

• Rate equations

• Oxidation, reduction and redox reactions (electrode potentials and electrochemical cells)

• Acids and bases; pH

Organic Chemistry:

• IUPAC nomenclature of organic compounds

• Alkanes, alkenes and alcohols

• Aldehydes and ketones

• Carboxylic acids and derivatives

• Halogenoalkanes

• Aromatic compounds

• Combustion

• Polymers and polymerisation

•  Overarching theme of sustainability linked to several topics, (in particular fuels, combustion and polymers)

Analytical Techniques (overview):

• Separating mixtures

• Mass spectrometry

• Chromatography

• Infra-red spectroscopy

• Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

• Gas chromatography and HPLC

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of chemistry concepts, and to show their skills in solving a variety of problems, in different contexts, using appropriately selected techniques.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

•   Timed online (open book) test, (1 hour within a 24 hour window) [LOs 1-4] 30%

•  Online (open book) examination, (4 hours) [all LOs assessed] 70%



Formative assessment

Formative assessment and feedback will be through tutorial questions.

Feedback

Formative feedback is provided orally on a one-to-one basis and to the whole group in tutorial/problems classes and recorded by the students. Fully worked solutions to tutorial problems will be provided via Surrey Learn following the class.

Module aims

• Develop knowledge and skills in physical and organic chemistry as appropriate to this level
• Develop an understanding of scientific and experimental methods relevant to chemical and physical transformations
• Contextualise chemistry knowledge through representative industrial examples

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to

• Use a combination of lectures, tutorials (e.g. group activities, student-led discussions, problem-classes) and demonstration classes

• Give emphasis to knowledge and skills transfer to common industrial processes

• Encourage independent learning through the use of captured content resources, guided reading and formative assessment

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures/seminars 

• Tutorials and demonstrations 

• Independent/guided learning 

Learning consolidation will be achieved through related practical (laboratory) work as part of the ENG0014 module (Engineering Physical Science Laboratory and Project).

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENG0017

Other information

N/A

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.