Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module will provide students with the necessary knowledge of, and skills in, key areas of chemistry required for chemical engineering.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus will cover key areas of chemistry required for chemical engineering:
•       Equilibria: partial molar quantities, solutions, equilibrium constant, response to conditions, proton transfer equilibria, polyprotic acids, acid-base equilibria of salts in water, solubility equilibria, ions in solution, electrochemical cells.
•       Kinetics: empirical chemical kinetics, rate laws, integrated rate laws, temperature dependence of reaction rates, reaction mechanisms.
•       Quantum Theory & Atomic Structure: failures of classical mechanics, quantum theory, dynamics of microscopic systems, quantised translation and vibration, atomic structure, periodic trends in atomic properties.
•       Bonding & Molecular structure: covalent bonds, ionic bonds, Lewis structures, VSEPR theory, valence bond theory, molecular orbital theory.
•       Intermolecular Forces & Structure: electric properties of molecules, interactions between molecules, mesophases and disperse systems.
•       Spectroscopy & Chromatography: general features of molecular spectroscopy, rotational spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy, separatory methods and chromatography, mass spectrometry.
•       Solids & Surface Chemistry: crystal structure, bonding in solids, solid surfaces, adsorption and desorption, heterogenous catalysis.
•       Organic chemistry: hydrocarbons, cyclic hydrocarbons, aromatics, heteroatoms, functional groups, drawing and naming organic molecules, structural and stereoisomers, chirality and enantiomers, conformations, elimination and substitution mechanisms, biochemical molecules.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module, students are expected to be able to:
•       Establish qualitative and quantitative relationships between thermodynamics and reversible reactions equilibria, to explain system behaviour and calculate equilibrium parameters, including in acid-base, solubility and electrochemical systems (AHEP4 C1-4);
•       Explain how reactions occur, and derive rate laws from experimental or theoretical information to describe the reaction mechanism and kinetics (AHEP4 C1-4);
•       Contrast classic and quantic approaches to the description of atomic and molecular structure (AHEP4 C1-3);
•       Apply the concepts of atomic and molecular orbitals (amongst other bonding theories) to describe atomic and molecular structures, periodic trends, bonding, energy quantisation and spectral behaviour, and reactivity (AHEP4 C1-3);
•       Differentiate between types of intermolecular forces and material structures, and generalise how these influence chemical species behaviour, including in separation and analytical applications (AHEP4 C1-4);
•       Select appropriate spectroscopy techniques to probe the relevant atomic and molecular structures and interactions, and interpret the spectral data in line and/or to derive atomic and molecular structure information (AHEP4 C1-4).
•       Explain molecular interaction with solid surfaces, and formulate adsorption and reaction equilibrium and rate laws to describe adsorbent and catalytic systems (AHEP4 C1-3);
•       Apply principles of organic chemistry to define structure, nomenclature, isomerism, and reaction mechanisms in organic and biochemical molecules (AHEP4 C1-4).

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of this module, students are expected to be able to:
•       Apply mathematical and scientific principles (namely in chemistry, and to a lesser extent materials science) to analyse, and support applications of, key chemical engineering principles and processes (AHEP4 C1-4, 13).
•       Interpret information and data from analytical chemistry techniques, to solve complex problems, recognising and explaining limitations (AHEP4 C1-4).
•       Apply, with engineering judgement, information from technical literature and other sources, to solve complex problems, recognising and explaining limitations (AHEP4 C3-4).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Knowledge of mathematical and scientific principles, principles of equilibrium and kinetics, analytical techniques, and technical literature etc (i.e. all areas of the curriculum), and their relationship to chemical engineering, will be communicated in the lectures. Time is afforded to review lecture material.

Tutorials will provide students with experience of applying such knowledge to solve complex problems, also reinforcing the lecture material in the context of chemical engineering. Time is afforded to prepare for, and review tutorial materials.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The exam will assess student knowledge and understanding of (i.e., ability to define and discuss) the mathematical and scientific principles, analytical techniques, and technical literature etc (i.e. across all areas of the curriculum), and their ability to apply these, and interpret information and data, to solve complex (unseen) problems in the context of chemical engineering principles and processes. This will assess AHEP 4 learning outcomes C1-3.

The computer assessment will give students an opportunity to review their progress at a suitable point in the semester and reduce the stakes of the end of semester exam. This will assess AHEP 4 learning outcomes C1-3.

The formative online Canvas quizzes throughout the module will provide students will ample feedback and skills practice.

General Notes

N/A