Course Title: Prepare, standardise and use solutions

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2014

Course Code: ONPS5657C

Course Title: Prepare, standardise and use solutions

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5282 - Diploma of Laboratory Technology (Biotechnology)

Course Contact: Amberlee Mitton

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 8053

Course Contact Email: amber.mitton@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Primary contact:
Kirsten Balding 
Kirsten.Balding@rmit.edu.au
9925 4283
Office 51.4.01
contact by email is the best option

Nominal Hours: 100

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

ONPS5658C Perform Chemical Tests

Course Description

This unit of competency covers the ability to prepare, standardise and monitor the quality of solutions.

 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

MSL974001A Prepare, standardise and use solutions

Element:

1. Prepare solutions

Performance Criteria:

1.1. Select appropriate procedure for solution preparation
1.2. Select equipment, materials and solvent of specified purity
1.3. Measure appropriate quantities of reagents for solution preparation and record data.
1.4. Select and assemble specified laboratory equipment and appropriate grade of glassware
1.5. Perform specified dilutions
1.6. Prepare solutions to achieve homogeneous mix of the specified concentration
1.7. Label and store solutions to maintain identity and stability

Element:

2. Standardise and use volumetric solutions

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Assemble appropriate laboratory equipment
2.2. Perform serial dilutions as required
2.3. Standardise the solution to the required specified range and precision
2.4. Label and store solutions to maintain identity and stability
2.5. Use standard volumetric solutions to determine concentration of unknown solutions

Element:

3. Calculate and record data

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Calculate specified concentrations
3.2. Use authorised procedure if data is to be modified
3.3. Estimate and document uncertainty of measurement in accordance with enterprise procedures, if required
3.4. Record all relevant details according to laboratory procedures and report results
3.5. Report concentration with appropriate units

Element:

4. Monitor the quality of laboratory solutions

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Check solutions for visual deterioration and expiry date
4.2. Restandardise or dispose of dated or deteriorated solutions
4.3. Record details and label solutions according to laboratory procedures

Element:

5. Maintain a safe work environment

Performance Criteria:

5.1. Use established safe work practices and personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety and that of other laboratory personnel
5.2. Clean up spills using appropriate techniques to protect personnel, work area and environment
5.3. Minimise generation of waste and environmental impacts
5.4. Ensure the safe collection of laboratory and hazardous waste for subsequent disposal
5.5. Store equipment and reagents as required


Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

Online quizzes
Online theory presentations, worksheets and activities
whole class discussion
Pair/group discussion
Online quizzes
Worksheets
Laboratory experiments
Record keeping of experiments
Research activities


Teaching Schedule

Chem Solutions: 2014 Program

Week 1: 7-Jul
Theory:Introduction to acids & bases, pH. Measuring pH, titration
Prac: Measuring pH: Indicators
Log Book only

Week 2: 14-Jul
Theory: pH & pOH, Strong & weak acids & bases, pKa
Prac: Analysis of Vinegar by Titration
Assessment:
Quiz 1  
Prac Report: (done in class)

Week 3: 21-Jul
Theory: Primary Standards and Standardisation of NaOH
Prac: Standardisation of NaOH
Assessment:
Prac Assessment 1: Standardisation/Titration done in class

Week 4: 28-Jul
Theory: Introduction to Buffers, Predicting pH of buffer solutions
Prac: measuring pH: the pH meter
Assessment:
Log Book only

Week 5: 4-Aug
Theory: Buffering capacity, pH compared to pKa, buffer concentration
Prac: Buffers I - TAE, 1x TAE by dilution, making buffers by combining solutions
Log Book only

Week 6: 11-Aug
(Prac only)
Prac: Buffers II - Phosphate buffers and the H-H equation
Assessment:
Quiz 2, Log Book only

Week 7: 18-Aug
Revision (online)
Prac: (if required) Assessment catch up session:
  *Standardisation

Week 8: 25-Aug
Mid Semester exams

Week 9: 1-Sep
(Theory at home): Intermolecular bonding, Water as a solvent,
Serial dilutions - refresher
Assessment:
Quiz 3

 
Week 10: 8-Sep
(Prac only)
Prac: Solvent Properties of Water, Serial dilutions
Assessment:
Prac Assessment: Serial dilutions
  
Week 11: 15-Sep
(Theory at home): Enzymes
Assessment:
Quiz 4

Week of 22-Sep: Mid semester Break

Week 12: 29-Sep
(Prac only)
Prac: IDH Enzyme Assay
Assessment:
Prac report: IDH assay (due in 2 weeks)

Week 13: 6-Oct
(Theory at home): Oxidation & Reduction (Redox) Reactions
Assessment:
Quiz 5

Week 14: 13-Oct
(Prac only)
Prac: Redox: Half cells and Electrochemical Series
Log Book: Submit logbook

Week 15: 20-Oct
Revision (at home)
Prac: (if required) Last chance Assessment catch up session
*Serial dilutions

Week 16: 27-Oct
Exams

Week 17: 3-Nov
Alternative assessment (Special Consideration only)

*subject to change


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Bettelheim FA, Brown WH, Campbell MK, Farrell SO (2013) General, Organic and Biochemistry  10th Ed. Thomson/Brooks-Cole, Australia 

Lab Manual  - available from Blackboard

Blackboard for this course. Access through MyRMIT.


References


Other Resources

Lab coat, protective gloves, safety glasses, appropriate footwear & a logbook are required at all practical classes.

Logbook:
A logbook is required for this course to record all experimental details. The logbook must be brought to class each week and signed off by the teacher.
The book needs to be a bound (NON-SPIRAL) exercise book.

 


Overview of Assessment

Assessments for this course typically consist of:
• Class activities
• Assignments
• Presentations
• Exams


Assessment Tasks

Assessment
To pass the course you need to achieve:
80% attendance at classes AND
An average pass grade (50%) for all quizzes AND
An average pass grade (50%) for both prac reports AND
An average pass grade (50%) for both exams AND
Competent completion of all the prac assessments AND
Competent weekly record keeping in your logbook

Assessment Tasks

Assessment 1.
Theory Online Quizzes

  • Week 2: Acids & Bases
  • Week 6: pH meter & Buffers
  • Week 9: Intermolecular attractions & Water as solvent
  • Week 11: Enzymes
  • Week 13: Redox

When: Weeks 2,6,9,11,13
Must have an average pass grade for all quizzes
Value: 20%

 

Assessment 2.
Theory Exams

  • Exam 1: Term 3 topics only
  • Exam 2: Term 4 topics only

When: Week 8, Week 16
Must have an average pass grade for both exams
Value: 25%+25% = 50%

 

Assessment 3. Laboratory practice.
a. Prac Assessments

  • 1. Standardisation and Titration
  • 2. Serial dilution

When: Weeks 3 and 10., Catch up sessions* are available in weeks 7 & 15
Satisfactory (Competent) completion required of both assessments

b. Prac Reports

  • 1. Titration
  • 2. IDH assay report

When:
1. The whole experiment and report are completed in the week 2 class
2. The lab is done in week 12 and the report is due 2 weeks after the lab class (week 14)
Must have an average pass grade for both reports
Value: 15% + 15% = 30%

c. Logbook

  • Each week’s entry is to be signed off by student and teacher when it is considered ‘competent’** and complete. Students must write up their logbook for at least 80% of labs. Only labs where the student was present may be written up.

When:
Complete logbook for all attended lab sessions
Submit logbook by Friday 5pm of week 14
Satisfactory (Competent) completion required

 

*Catch up sessions are only available for students with a medical certificate, or equivalent supporting documentation, or special consideration.
**Students must attend > 80% of practical classes AND pass all assessments to pass the course**.


Assessment Matrix

Other Information

Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data and oral presentation. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited.
It also occurs through enabling plagiarism, which is the act of assisting or allowing another person to plagiarise or to copy your own work. Please make sure you consider this carefully in completing all your work and assessments in this course and if you are unsure about whether you might have plagiarised, seek help from your teacher.


• Extension of time for submission of assessable work- A student may apply for an extension of up to 7 days from the original due date. They must lodge the application form (available on the web http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf ) at least the day before the due date. The application is lodged with the School Admin Office on Level 6, Bdg 51. Students requiring longer extensions must apply for Special Consideration (form available on the Web). For missed assessments such as exams- you (& your doctor if you are sick) must fill out a special consideration form. This form must be lodged at the HUB or online with supporting evidence (eg medical certificate), prior to, or within, 48 hours of the scheduled time of examination.

• Late work that is submitted without an application for an extension will not be corrected

• If you miss an assessment task due to unavoidable circumstances, you need to follow the procedure of special consideration and apply within the allowed time frame.
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview