2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

CHEM5014M Foundations of Practical Chemistry

15 creditsClass Size: 60

Module manager: Dr Martin McPhillie
Email: m.j.mcphillie@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

BSc or MChem in Chemistry or other related subject suitable for MSc entry.

Alternative entry may be based on alternative criteria such as level of industrial, research or teaching experience.

Module replaces

None

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The module will provide MSc students with the foundational chemistry practical skills required for them to succeed in their research project.Students will develop these skills via on average of 9 hours per week in the chemistry teaching laboratories, undertaking a range of experiments. This will enable students to achieve the required benchmark of practical and analytical skills.

Objectives

To develop each student’s practical skills so that they are familiar with the equipment, protocols and data acquired in a chemistry laboratory. They will have undertaken a selection of experiments in the synthetic and physical chemistry laboratories so that, on completion, students will have:
1. Developed good laboratory techniques such as keeping an accurate record of experiments performed;
2. Presented their results in the form of scientific reports and/or practical skills assessment;
3. Gained sufficient analytical and measurement skills for their research project;
4. Gained experience of sample handling, including solids, liquids and gases;
5. Gained experience of using spectrometers and other laboratory equipment.

Learning outcomes
Students completing the module will be able to:
1. Plan laboratory work selecting suitable apparatus, reagents, parameters and control methods, including experimental design commenting on precision and accuracy.;
2. Complete COSHH forms to identify chemical hazards, comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and adhere to lab health and safety protocols;
3. Safely handle gases/reagents/solvents, including those that are air-sensitive, pose a hazard and/or require the use of gas vacuum systems;
4. Synthesize inorganic and organic molecules of straightforward structural complexity using current techniques and methodologies appropriate to synthetic chemistry;
5. Use and calibrate instruments to collect data e.g. to determine molecular structure or behaviour from spectroscopic data;
6. Accurately record data and physical measurements in lab notebooks and as part of lab reports.

Skills outcomes
A. Use of scientific instrumentation such as (1) the ability to manipulate laboratory apparatus and record data for subsequent analysis; (2) an understanding of the most common practical techniques and their proper application in the laboratory situation.
B. Development of practical and analytical skills such as (1) performing basic reaction operations (reflux, stirring at low temperature, following SOPs) and more advanced techniques (needlework, anhydrous conditions, gas vacuum line); (2) using spectroscopic techniques to characterise molecules or materials or gases and their behaviour; (3) make accurate solutions and dilutions.
C. Development of research/investigative skills such as (1) preparing COSHH forms, developing lab protocols; (2) connecting the macro (what can be seen), the submacro (molecules and atoms) and the representational (formulae, equations, molarity).
D. Lab housekeeping such as recording results in a lab note book, working in a safe and tidy manner to minimise the risks to yourself and others (shared lab environment).

Syllabus

During semester 1, students will undertake a selection of experiments in the areas of synthetic and physical chemistry designed to develop confidence in the most fundamental laboratory techniques and development core practical skills, such as the one listed above (points A-D). The experiments are designed to cover:
- safety in the laboratory, COSHH regulations and good laboratory practice;
- the preparation and characterisation of inorganic compounds, and the use of analytical techniques to investigate them;
- the synthesis of a selection of organic compounds, and the use of spectroscopic techniques to confirm their structure;
- a range of physical chemistry measurements and appropriate data analysis;
- as an introduction to investigative chemistry.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	3	1.00	3.00
Practicals	12	7.00	84.00
Independent online learning hours			12.00
Private study hours			51.00
Total Contact hours			87.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative feedback will be provided by the module leader, laboratory staff and demonstrators during each laboratory practical session (12 days in total). This will be delivered verbally.

Student progress will be monitored via the Joseph Priestley App (a post-experiment sign off mechanism).

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Practical	Three formative, skills-based practicals	0.00
Practical Report	Written technical report (<1000 words)	15.00
Practical	Competency based skills audit (below/meets/exceeds) of the skill outcomes listed above. Include bench notes and proforma analysis. 5 practicals, 15% each.	75.00
Assignment	Analytical exercise	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

This module is graded as pass/fail. Students must submit satisfactory attempts at two of the three formative experiments in order to pass the module. A continuous assessment method will be used as the number of practical experiment and their percentage weighting will vary from student to student (based on their practical needs).

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 17/05/2024 10:06:04

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