CHEM 0100 Course Guidelines
Contact information:
Dr. Nigel Jalsa – First Examiner & Course Coordinator
[email protected]
Ms. Amanda Rampersad – Lecturer
[email protected]
Mr. Afraz Subratti – Tutor
[email protected]
Dr. Ramish Pingal – Lab Manager
[email protected]
Lectures:
Lecture notes will be provided on myElearning.
Recommended text – Chemistry: The Central Science (any edition; e-copy or hardcopy)
The text can be used for all topics in both Semesters I and II, except for Organic Chemistry.
Purchasing the text is optional NOT mandatory.
Tutorials: Tutorials begin in Week 3 (Monday 18th September)
Choose only 1 session for the week and attend this session for the entire semester unless you
have an emergency, appointment or a coursework exam.
Tutorials are not marked but attendance is mandatory.
The final answers to the tutorial sheets will be posted on myElearning.
Lab sessions: Labs begin in week 2 (Tuesday 12th September) with lab orientation
Attend 1 lab session per week; only change your lab day if you have an emergency, appointment
or a coursework exam.
Inform Dr. Pingal or Ms. Rampersad of your intended absence or any change in your lab day.
ALL labs are marked and contribute to your final lab grade for the semester.
Labs are marked by the lab demonstrators and returned to students.
A lab exam is usually given toward the end of the semester; this mark also contributes to your
lab grade.
Lab marks are posted on myElearning for verification at the end of the semester.
Each student must have:
A lab package (paid for at the Bursary; collected in the CHEM 0100 Lab using your receipt)
This package includes a lab manual, a lab notebook, safety glasses & a J-cloth.
A lab coat (purchased at the ChemIA Office, Biology Department or elsewhere)
Students who do not have their personal protective equipment (PPE) at the start of labs may be
asked to leave the lab.
N.B.: Lab experiments begin in Week 4 (i.e. from Tuesday 26th September) so ensure that you
have all of the above by then.
Your Pre-lab MUST be completed in your lab notebook before the lab session since the
Lab Report must be handed in at the end of the session.
Also, please be on time for your lab session.
Repeaters:
Not required to repeat labs once a passing grade has been previously obtained. Please fill out and
submit the Lab Exemption Form available from the Chemistry General Office.
A meeting with Dr. Pingal will take place between 2-3 p.m. on Thursday 21st September to
verify your request for exemption.
A Lab Exemption List will also be posted for you to confirm that you are exempt from labs.
Lab report format:
Name; I.D. No.; Demonstrator’s Name
Date and Title
Objectives
Chemical equations
Relevant equations and constants
Results
Calculations
Post-lab questions
Discussion
Conclusion
[See lab manual for further information]
Exams:
Tentative schedule :-
Coursework 1 – Week 6 – Topics :- Moles and Stoichiometry & Atomic Structure
Coursework 2 – Week 11 – Topics :- Thermodynamics & Organic Chemistry
Format: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Coursework exams are usually done in lecture sessions.
Final exam:
Format: All structured/ short-answer questions
Section A – 2 compulsory questions – Question 1 – Lab-based/ Stoichiometry question
– Question 2 – Organic Chemistry
Section B – All topics
– Six questions (usually all past paper questions); Choose any 3
The majority of marks are allocated to various steps in the calculations (i.e. the working) as
well as units/ unit checks. Only 1 or 2 marks are allocated to the final answer.
Past papers: Available on the Library website
Enter CHEM0060 and tick “Include old course codes”.
Additional past papers will be posted on myElearning.
Medicals:
Medicals are submitted to the Health Services Unit (HSU) located next to the LRC building.
Medicals may be submitted for missed lab experiments without requiring a make-up lab.
Medicals submitted for coursework exams or lab exams DO NOT exempt students from the
exam. They MUST do a make-up exam or get a grade of 0 for that exam.
There are NO make-up final exams.
Course outline: Posted on myElearning
Course components:
Labs – 20% (Lab reports: 15%; Lab exam: 5%)
Coursework – 20% (2 coursework exams: 10% each)
Final Exam – 60%
Course topics:
Moles and Stoichiometry
❖ Concentration and Standard solutions
❖ Empirical and molecular formulae
❖ Limiting and excess reagents
❖ Percentage yield
❖ Titration calculations
❖ Back-titrations
Atomic Structure
❖ Early atomic theory
❖ Modern atomic structure
❖ Isotopes
❖ Quantum Mechanics – determining quantum numbers; Uncertainty principle
❖ Energy changes in an atom – equations involving E, λ, ν, de Broglie’s wavelength,
– Rydberg equation
❖ Trends in the Periodic Table
Thermodynamics
❖ Definition of enthalpy terms
❖ Calorimetry
❖ Calculation of ΔH using bond energies
❖ Hess’ Law
❖ Born-Haber Cycle
❖ Lattice energy
❖ Coulomb’s Law
Organic Chemistry
❖ Functional Group chemistry
❖ Reactions/ organic transformations
❖ Accompanying color changes with particular reagents (where necessary/ applicable)
Note: Protecting Group Chemistry and Grignard Reagents are NOT done in the course;
please ignore all past paper questions regarding these topics.
Reaction Kinetics (Rates of Reactions)
❖ Factors affecting rate
❖ Order of reaction (determined from initial rate data or through graphical plots)
❖ Rate law & rate constant
❖ Arrhenius equation; modified Arrhenius equation; fraction of reactants having ≥ Ea
❖ Activation energy and Boltzmann distribution
❖ Catalysts
Chemical Equilibria
❖ Le Chatelier’s Principle and its application (effect of change in conc., pressure/ vol.,
temperature and addition of a catalyst on equil. position and equil. constant)
❖ Calculating Kc using conc. data; calculating Kp using partial pressures
❖ Conversion between Kc and Kp
