Program Overview

Course Overview

The Concepts of Chemistry course, denoted as CHEM 113, is designed to investigate the electronic structures and properties of atoms, bonding, and periodic trends. This knowledge is applied to chemical processes, including equilibria, redox reactions, transformations of acids and bases, and organic reactions, leading to an understanding of why reactions occur. Students will study the properties of organic compounds, including nomenclature, isomerism, and the identification and reactivity of organic functional groups.

Course Details

• Course Code: CHEM 113
• Duration: 17 weeks
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week
• Points: 15 points (one point is about 10 hours of work)
• Fees:
  • Domestic students: NZ$1,095.15
  • International students: NZ$5,058.00
• Lecture Times: Wednesday and Thursday at 11:00am
• Campus: Kelburn

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: Students who have already passed CHEM 114, CHEM 115, CHEM 121, or CHEM 122 cannot take this course.

Course Structure

The course is divided into two main parts. The first half focuses on developing an understanding of the nature of particles, including structure, bonding, and energy in relation to atoms, ions, and molecules. The second half explores common chemical reactions, such as equilibria, oxidation-reduction, acid-base, and organic reactions.

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching Method: In-person lectures and laboratory sessions. Lectures will be recorded for students who need to attend remotely.
• Assessment:
  • End-Trimester Exam: 30%
  • Online quizzes: 20%
  • Laboratory sessions: 35%
  • Mid-term test: 15%
• Mandatory Requirements: Students must complete a laboratory safety training session and achieve a minimum of 40% in the averaged test and exam grades.

What You'll Need

• Safety Equipment: Provided by the university (safety glasses and laboratory coats)
• Laboratory Notebook: A dedicated exercise book for recording experimental observations, calculations, and results
• Access to Online Materials: All lecture notes and laboratory instructions will be available online.

Staff

• Course Coordinator: Dr. Alex Hamilton
• Lecturer: Associate Professor Joanne Harvey

Additional Information

• Past Versions of the Course: Available through the course archive.
• Student Feedback: Accessible through the student feedback database.
• Fees Estimator: Available to estimate the cost of the course of study.