Course Title: Instrumental and Environmental Analysis
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Instrumental and Environmental Analysis
Credit Points: 12.00
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
|
CHEM1054 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
135H Applied Sciences |
Face-to-Face | Sem 2 2006, Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008, Sem 2 2009, Sem 2 2012, Sem 2 2013, Sem 2 2014, Sem 2 2015, Sem 2 2016 |
|
CHEM1054 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
171H School of Science |
Face-to-Face | Sem 2 2017, Sem 2 2018, Sem 2 2019 |
Course Coordinator: Dr Peter Carpenter
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3372
Course Coordinator Email: peter.carpenter@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: 3:2:12
Course Coordinator Availability: email for an appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
You should have completed one year of first-year, university level courses in theoretical and practical chemistry, typically by completing one of:
CHEM1014 Environmental Chemistry 1A, CHEM1242 Chemistry Principles or, CHEM1030 Chemistry of Materials 1,
and one of: CHEM1015 Environmental Chemistry 1B, CHEM1239 Chemistry for Life Sciences or, CHEM1031 Chemistry of Materials 2
or equivalent tertiary studies in chemistry.
You may be able to demonstrate that you already have the skills and knowledge gained in Instrumental and Environmental Analysis. Contact the course coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. For further information go to Recognition of prior learning (RPL) in Higher Education..
Course Description
This course aims to extend your knowledge of instrumental analytical chemistry in an environmental context. Practical work is designed to develop your skills in using a range of instrumentation and to illustrate the practical application of the relevant theoretical principles.
Formal topics covered typically include: flow injection analysis; solvent extraction; gas chromatography; ion selective electrodes; ion exchange and ion chromatography. The practical work incorporates sample digestion, experience using all of the abovementioned instrumentation and statistical data analyses.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes:
PLO-2 Scientific knowledge
PLO-2.1 You will have exhibited depth and breadth of chemistry knowledge by demonstrating a knowledge of, and applying the principles and concepts of chemistry
PLO-3 Inquiry , Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
PLO-3.1 You will be able to investigate and solve qualitative and quantitative problems in the chemical sciences, both individually and in teams, by synthesising and evaluating information from a range of sources, including traditional and emerging information technologies and methods
PLO-3.2 You will be able to formulate hypotheses, proposals and predictions and design and undertake experiments and projects in a safe and responsible manner
PLO-4 Communication
PLO-4.1 You will be able to communicate chemical knowledge by presenting information, articulate arguments and conclusions, in a variety of modes, to diverse audiences, and for a range of purposes
On successful completion of this course you should be able to:
- demonstrate a broad and coherent knowledge and understanding of analytical chemistry and instrumental methods of analysis, including gas chromatography, ion chromatography, flow injection analysis and ion selective electrodes ;
- draw conclusions from analytical data using appropriate statistical analyses in conventional chemical and mathematical notation after collecting, recording, validating, interpretation of analytical data;
- Demonstrate the ability to communicateresults, information or arguments effectively in written analytical reports;
- Demonstrate the ability to learn independently and self-direct your learning;
- apply teamwork skills by working effectively, responsibly, ethically and safely in an individual or team context.
Overview of Learning Activities
This course offers you the following learning opportunities:
- lectorials, where syllabus material will be presented, explained and illustrated with examples and exercises;
- participation in practical work, where you will gain hands-on experience using a range of analytical instrumentation;
- completion of written structured laboratory reports
- private study, working through the coursework and other learning materials and gaining practice at solving conceptual and numerical problems.
These activities will help enhance your employability by further developing your knowledge and skills set, teamwork, oral and written communication and independent learning skills.
Total Study Hours
RMIT stipulates that your total workload for a 12cp course should be 120 hours (Course Design Procedure, Section 3.2).
This course is typically 2hr/week for lectorials and 3hr/week for practical work (which is concentrated into nine laboratory exercises). You should devote the remaining time (up to 5hr/week) to private study, including exam preparation and completion of exercises and laboratory reports.
Overview of Learning Resources
The course Canvas site will give you easy access to learning materials such as theory notes, laboratory safety guide and practical manual, assessment task details and electronic submission folders.
The library has subject guides for Environmental Science and for Chemistry.
The recommended textbook for this course is:
Harris DC (2016) Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 9th Edition Freeman (McMillan). The 8th or 7th editions are also fine.
You will require a clean, white laboratory coat free of any graffiti, a pair of safety glasses or safety over-glasses and a laboratory note book for all practical sessions.
Overview of Assessment
Note that:
☐This course has no hurdle requirements.
☒ All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the College Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).
Assessment for this course consists of three parts:
Practical Work - including laboratory performance and reports (35%), which assess CLOs 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Assessment Hurdle: You must achieve a minimum of 17.5% out of the 35% allocated to the practical work in order to pass this course.
The Prac assessments are a hurdle for this course, meaning that you must receive more than 50% on the Prac component in order to pass the course. The skills learned in Prac are essential to ensure that you can operate safely as a professional. This hurdle has been approved by the SEH PVC Learning & Teaching.
Topic and Fortnightly Tests (15%) which assess CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4.
End of Semester Examination (50%), which assess CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4.