6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1019994ANR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester
1st and 2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Educational team
Steven Goderis (course titular)
Frederik Tielens
Wim Vranken
Activities and contact hours
30 contact hours Lecture
30 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

LECTURES:

Elementary chemistry and stoichiometrical calculations

Atomic structure and Mendeleev's Periodic Table

Ionic compounds: the electrostatic bond

Molecules: covalent bond; geometry; redox reactions and introduction to electrochemistry

Macroscopic properties of matter: states of aggregation and phase equilibria

The chemical reaction: chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium

Properties of (aqeuous) solutions

Solubility and precipitation reactions in aqueous solution

 

SEMINAR, EXERCISES OR PRACTICALS

This sections consists of a number of seminars (theoretical exercises) and practical exercises (laboratory sessions). During the seminars, the students are

further familiarized with the concepts and principles that were treated during the lectures.  In the laboratory sessions (sessions of 3 or 4 hours), attention is paid to the observation

of a number of phenomena discussed during the lectures and the students will learn how to measure some relevant properties.  The interpretation, critical analysis and written report of the results are of utmost importance. 

The participation to the laboratory sessions is obligatory !

The following laboratory sessions will be treated:

- Preparation of a solution

- Redox- and acid-base titrations

- Prepartion of hydrogen peroxide and calculation of the reaction yield

 

Course material
Course text (Required) : Algemene chemie, Deel I, F. De Proft en P. Geerlings, VUB, 2220170002248, 2016
Handbook (Recommended) : Chemical Principles, The Quest for Insight, P.W. Atkins en L. Jones, 7de, W.H. Freeman and Co, New York, 9781319154196, 2016
Digital course material (Required) : Handouts van de presentatie bij het hoorcollege, Leerplatform
Course text (Required) : Aanvullingen van chemie, Practicum, F. Tielens, VUB, 2220170009964, 2023
Course text (Required) : Algemene chemie, Deel II, F. De Proft en P. Geerlings, VUB, 2220170002255, 2015
Additional info

No additional information.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

Goals :

The goal of this course is to provide insight into both the microscopic structure of matter (atoms, molecules, ionic and covalent compounds, ...) and the macroscopic aspects (bulk properties: phase transitions, properties of aqeuous solutions, ..).   Subsequently, this basic knowledge is used to study inorganic compounds and their reactions.  

During the seminars (guided exercise sessions) and the laboratory courses, the concepts introduced in the lectures are praticed, illustrated and applied.

 

Final competences:

The student :
- obtains insight into the atomic composition of matter, the relationship between the atomic/molecular world and the macroscopic properties of mater and the most important reaction types of inorganic chemistry

- can critically judge and assess the models used and the approximations applied

- can solve simple problems with the correct use of concepts and principles and can correctly perform numerical calculations with a critical judgement of the results obtained

- can interpret and critically assess experimental results and can adequately perform written reports on the experiments conducted

- is familiar with safety aspects associated with working in a chemical laboratory and applies these aspects very meticulously

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 75% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 25% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Other Exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 75% of the final mark. This is a mid-term test.

    Note: In the written examination, many small "open" questions on both theoretical aspects and exercises are given in order to get a global view on the knowledge and insight of the student in the course material and the ability of the student to apply these aspects.
    During the oral examination, which takes place a few days after the written examen, the impression obtained after the written exam about the knowledge and insight of the student in the course topics is refined. To this end, a discussion with the student on some theoretical questions is conducted; the students start with a written preparation of the answers to the questions.
    The laboratory part of the course is graded on the basis of a permanent evaluation of the daily work in the lab; this involves
    the lab preparations, the attitude of the student during the laboratory sessions, the execution of the lab work and the quality of the written reports on the laboratory work.
    The mark for the exam (written and oral, on 20) counts for 80 % of the total mark of the course, the mark for the laboratory part (on 20) counts for the remaining 20 %.

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • labo with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 25% of the final mark.

    Note: Het labo wordt beoordeeld op basis van het dagelijks werk (voorbereidingen, labo-attitude en uitvoering, schriftelijke verslaggeving).

Additional info regarding evaluation

Attendance of the laboratory sessions is obligatory.  Failing to attend or incomplete attendance of the laboratory exercises will lead to a reduction of the grade for this part of the course which depends on the percentage of failed attendances. 30% or more non-justified attendence will result in a 0/20 grade for the laboratory sessions. For the laboratory sessions there is no second exam period. The grade from the first exam period will be transfered to the second exam period.

In the first block of examinations of the first examination period, a preliminary exam will be organized.  If the student obtains for this examination a mark that is higher than the mark on the written examination in the second block of examinations of the first examination period (june), the final mark of the written examination of june is composed of 30 % of the mark of the preliminary exam and 70 % of the mark of the original written examination in june.  If the students obtains a mark on the preliminary exam that is lower than the mark on the written examination in june, the final mark for the written examination is just the mark obtained on the written examination. Participation in the preliminary exam is obligatory.  The subject material for the preliminary exam is again part of the subject material for the exam in the second block of examinations of the first examination period (june), augmented with the course subject material in the second semester.

The result of the preliminary exam is taken into account in the second examination period.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Geography: Default track (only offered in Dutch)