CH3PRA-Advanced Laboratory Skills

Module Provider: Chemistry
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Only available for students from NUIST on the BSc Applied Chemistry (3+1 route)
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Roger Bennett
Email: r.a.bennett@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module is designed to provide students with advanced practical skills in chemistry and incorporates organic, inorganic and physical disciplines.

Aims:

To give the students training in advanced practical techniques as well as oral and written communication of their experimental findings. The course is split into three sections to reflect the disciplines of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. The training provided ranges from specific techniques required for synthesis of both organic and inorganic compounds, to quantitative measurements, characterisation and the use of specific instrumentation.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

• State the risks of undertaking a particular experimental procedure and complete an appropriate COSHH assessment.


• Carry out advanced laboratory procedures safely.


• To plan and execute properly the experiments.


• Make accurate observations and measurements and record them clearly.


• Evaluate results from experiments and provide explanation for any experimental outcome.


• Write concise and informative reports.

Additional outcomes:

The students will be able to work efficiently in small groups and will be able to plan their time effectively. Students will refine their numeracy and IT skills. Students will become familiar with using and citing chemical literature, and will develop written and oral communication skills in preparation for their major project the following term.

Outline content:

The course is arranged into blocks of organic, inorganic and physical practical classes. Due to the arrangement of the academic year the practical timetable will be as follows:



Week 1: Organic - the first week is to allow students to become accustomed to working in a laboratory and will not count towards the overall module mark.

Week 2: Organic

Weeks 3 – 5: Physical

Weeks 7 – 8: Organic

Weeks 9 – 11: In organic



Organic Chemistry:

Experiments will cover the synthesis, purification and characterisation of a number of organic molecules and reflect the corresponding Part 3 lecture content.



Inorganic Chemistry:

Experiments will cover synthesis, purification and characterisation of inorganic complexes and materials.



Physical Chemistry:

Experiments will cover aspects of physical chemistry inc luding advanced preparative, analytical and measurement techniques.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

1 x 9 hour introductory practical class.

3 x 9 hours for each of organic, physical and inorganic chemistry.