Course Title: Science 3B

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Science 3B

Credit Points: 12.00

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
CHEM1225	Bundoora Campus	Undergraduate	135H Applied Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2006

Course Coordinator: Dr Peter Obendorf

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7136

Course Coordinator Email: peter.obendorf@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora West Campus, Room 223.1.67

Course Coordinator Availability: Please email me for an appointment, if necessary.

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

CHEM1224 and ONPS2085 or equivalent

Course Description

CHEM1225 is the last of four general science subjects that together have the aim of giving the student an overview of scientific knowledge and practice in biology, chemistry, physical and earth sciences with a view to preparing graduates for teaching in Junior Secondary Schools. The course emphasises problems and practical exercises to illustrate the concepts and is designed so that students can use these activities in their teaching practice.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
1. explain the following concepts and applications in chemistry: structure, properties and function of biological organic compounds (sugars and carbohydrates; fatty acids lipids (fats, oils, steroids and phospholipids); amino acids and proteins; nucleotides and nucleic acids; chemical processes in biological systems; enzymes as biological catalysts (types, factors influencing activity, lock and key mechanisms, inhibitors); energetics of metabolism; high-energy compounds, e.g. ATP, consumer chemistry (properties and function of compounds in everyday usage - food additives, drugs).
2. explain the following concepts and applications in biology: the theory of evolution by natural selection, origin and evolution of the tree of life, evolution of animals including humans.
3. explain the following concepts and applications in physics: electronics (analogue and digital, digital gates, circuits and systems, microprocessors and computers); modern physics, including verification of dual matter and electromagnetic radiation; nuclear and sub nuclear physics, including radiation detection, power and medical and industrial applications.
4. apply these concepts to practical problems to find solutions, including the use of appropriate apparatus and materials to investigate problems using experimental methods in a laboratory or field setting
5. understand the main methods of communication used in these areas, including and finding appropriate materials in the library and on the internet, reading basic texts and constructing reports on experimental work in conventional formats in the disciplines
6. state and apply legal and moral responsibilities of a graduate in these areas.

Overview of Learning Activities

The students will participate in a combination of:
• standard structured and interactive programmed lectures
• instructional and self-directed exercises for group and individual practical classes in the laboratory or in the field, involving data collection, analysis and synthesis for compilation of individual or group reports
• tutorials involving discussions in groups and teams and presentation of material to peers
• problem solving, including qualitative and quantitative assignments
• literature search and subsequent analysis for compilation of a report

The expectation of the course team is that students will work diligently and effectively towards achieving the required standard of knowledge, comprehension, skills and productivity to achieve a pass in the course. Although no minimum or regular attendance is required, students must be aware that regular attendance in face-to-face mode and regular scheduled sessions in on-line mode increase the student’s chance of timely and successful completion of the course.

Overview of Learning Resources

Prescribed textbooks:
Chemistry:

McMurry, J. Organic Chemistry. Brooks/Cole Publ. Co., Pacific Grove, California

Selinger, B. Chemistry in the Marketplace. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Sydney.

Physics:

Shipman, J.T., Wilson, J.D. & Todd, A.W. An Introduction to Physical Science. D.C. Heath and Co.
Course notes and other materials will be available through the Distributed Learning System, available through Online@rmit.

Recommended

Starr and Taggart. 2004. Biology: the unity and diversity of life. Brooks/Cole.

Zimmer C. 2001. Evolution: the triumph of an idea. Harper/Collins.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment will be a combination of class tests, assignments, presentation performance, laboratory performance and reports, and final examination. The final grade will be a pro-rata combination of discipline grades.