Unit information: Introductory Practical Chemistry in 2017/18

Unit name	Introductory Practical Chemistry
Unit code	CHEM10004
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Chris Russell
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	A-Level Chemistry or its equivalent; A-Level Mathematics or its equivalent
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Chemistry
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

This unit introduces safe and organised working practices within a laboratory environment and also some basic laboratory techniques.

Units aims:

To develop in students the first fundamental practical skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

To introduce safe and organised working practice within a laboratory environment and also the application of some basic laboratory techniques. At the end of this course, students should be able to practice:

• Laboratory safety – appropriate dress, safe handling and disposal of chemicals
• Organised working – punctuality, time management and working to a tight 3-hour deadline
• Keeping an up-to-date and accurate laboratory notebook
• Correct technique in performing basic operations such as weighing out materials , preparing solutions of accurately known concentration, and the correct use of simple laboratory apparatus
• Simple error (experimental uncertainty) treatments
• Basic practical techniques such as recrystallization, vacuum filtration, reflux and melting point determination
• Analytical techniques such as UV-vis and IR spectroscopy
• Practical techniques such as distillation, and separation and extraction

Analytical techniques such as GCMS, NMR and TLC

Teaching Information

Laboratory sessions and independent study. The Dynamic Laboratory Manual provides important e-learning resource in advance of (and during) the laboratory sessions.

Assessment Information

Students will be continuously assessed in laboratory work (summative and formative - 100%)

Reading and References

None