6 ECTS credits
160 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1008040ANR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.
Content
In the first semester part (ca 22 hours of theory lectures) the following topics will be addressed:
Chapter 1: "Matter", with as main topics the general characteristics of matter and physical transformations, the concept “chemical characteristics” and “reactions”, the mass laws, a general overview of the submicroscopic structure of pure chemical compounds, symbols and formulas, elementary nomenclature (to learn by self-study), relative atomic and molecular masses, molar mass and number of Avogadro, description of mixtures and ideal gases.
Chapter 2: "The Chemical Reaction", with as main topics their symbolic description, the main reaction types in aqueous solution (solubilization and precipitation, acid – base reactions, reduction – oxidations), stoichiometric calculations and titrations.
Chapter 3: "Chemical Thermodynamics and Equilibria", with as main topics the concepts “thermodynamics” and “thermochemistry”, including “internal energy”, “heat” and "work”, “enthalpy”, “free enthalpy”, “entropy” in the first, second and/or third law of thermodynamics, and the main laws of chemical equilibria, including equilibrium constants and reaction quotients.
Chapter 4: "Acid - Base Equilibria", with as main topics strong and weak acids and bases, the self-ionization of water, the relation between acidity and basicity constants within acid-base pairs, the pH-scale, pH-calculations, including buffers, polyprotic acids and bases, amphiprotic substances and acid-base titrations.
Chapter 5: "Electrochemistry", with as main topics the relation between the concepts “free enthalpy”, “electrical energy”, “electromotive force” and “electrochemical cells”, batteries, corrosion as well as electrolysis, illustrated in each case with a few industrial applications.
These lectures are complemented by 6 problem solving sessions lasting 2 hours each on the successive topics “Stoichiometry and ideal gases”, “Thermochemistry, Thermodynamics and Chemical equilibria”, “Acid-base equilibria and pH-calculations”, ”Redox reactions, batteries and electrolysis cells”, “Solubility and solubilization equilibria”.
In the second semester part (ca 22 hours of theory lectures) the following topics will be addressed:
Chapter 7: "Physical states and transformations - Phase laws", with as main topics the concepts “physical states and transformations" of pure compounds, phase diagrams, phase transformations in homogeneous mixtures of liquids, phase transformations in heterogeneous mixtures of substances.
Chapter 8: "The Electron Configuration of Atoms", with as main topics the concept “ionization energy of atoms”, the interaction electromagnetic radiation – matter, the duality particle – wave in matter, the electron configuration of multi-electron atoms, and atomic radii.
Chapter 9: "The Chemical Bond", with as main topics the concept of ionic bond, the covalent bond, determination of Lewis structures, the concept “resonance”, Lewis structures violating the octet confuguration by electron lack or hypervalence.
Chapter 10: "Spatial and Electronic Structure of Molecules", with as main topics the determination of molecular and electron domain using the “VSEPR model”, the concept “dipole moment”, the intermolecular forces, the electronegativity in relation to electronic structure and macroscopic properties.
Chapter 11: "Molecular orbitals and structures", with as main topics a short introduction to the molecular orbital theory, .
The theoretical courses of 1st and 2nd semester are prerequisites for the practical sessions in second semester, as explained in “Learning Results”.
Additional information and study material
With the lecturers:
Prof. Dr. Ir. Hubert RAHIER
Office 8G516
email: hrahier@vub.ac.be
phone: 02/629.32.77
AND/OR
Prof. Dr. Ir. Iris DE GRAEVE
Office 5G235
email: idgraeve@vub.ac.be
phone: 02/629.34.82
Own course syllabi, completely written and set up by the lecturers, serve as a basis to learn the course for the examinations. The course syllabi consist of two parts, part 1 in two volumes for the 1st semester, part 2 for the 2nd semester, all written in Dutch. These course syllabi are all available for sale at the course and scientific bookshop of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (building B, ground floor). An additional electronic syllabus is available digitally on Pointcarré for Chapter IA.
Using all these syllabi is, as stated above, a compulsory part of the learning process. It is complemented by the compulsory use of a handbook, partially written in English, and specially dedicated to this course:
Joost BRANCART, Iris DE GRAEVE, Thibault MUSELLE, Guy NUTTIN, Hubert RAHIER, Luk VAN LOKEREN, Rudolph WILLEM
CHEMIE: STRUCTUUR EN TRANSFORMATIES VAN DE MATERIE
Handboek met bijkomend studiemateriaal
Vrije Universiteit Brussel – Pearson (2014)
This handbook is mainly composed of extracts of handbooks that are no longer commercially available, as explained in its preamble. It is a dedicated handbook, for sale at the abovementioned shop, and is the natural complement of the abovementioned own study material of the lecturers, in which it is referred to figures, photographs, pictures, graphs, and data tables appearing extensively in this book, with an outstanding layout. In this way the student has available a package of professionally set up illustrations for all concepts of chemistry, which are presented in the own course syllabi. This illustration package is to be fully integrated in the learning stuff to be studied. The main reason for the compulsory use of this text book is to make the student as early as possible familiar with international chemical literature in his/her university learning process, and making him/her acquainted with the scientific English language, which is presently worldwide recognized as the unique international communication language for science and technology. It is the purpose that the student learns getting critical insight herein. The student gets also in contact with other reasoning cultures and habits in chemistry than those he/she is familiar with so far.
Competences & learning results
The main learning objective of this course is to provide 1st year students of the Bachelor of Engineering Architecture Science a broad basic knowledge and skills on structure and transformations of matter with a sound scientific background at university level. Basic skills acquired at high school are scientifically refined, and deepened out conceptually with the needed scientific background at university level prior to addressing new matters. At the end of the course, students are expected to have gained insight into the theoretical basic concepts of chemistry, as well as to be able to solve basic problems on stoichiometry, ideal gas laws, thermochemistry, chemical equilibria, acid-base equilibria, redox reactions and electrochemistry, as well as to have the capacity to read independently, in tandem with a colleague student, a chapter from a reference monograph in English on an issue of chemistry relevant to mankind, society, economy or industry, to write a synthetic report on the topic in scientific dissertation style, and to make an oral Powerpoint presentation on a highlight of their selected reading subject. In this way, the student is prompted to learn thinking and reasoning accurately in chemistry, to get insight into the importance of chemistry for society life, and to link matter structure with use of materials, society needs and the expected role of an engineer-architect herein. An additional important final expectation is also that each student, at the end of this course, has acquired sufficient insight into the basic principles, structure and reactivity of matter for being able to attend successfully later courses on material science and construction materials. This is considered as an important basic skill that each student Engineer – Architect must have acquired at the end of his/her first Bachelor year, irrespective of whether he/she focuses the later study years onto architectonic or construction technological interests and skills. By making compulsory the use of a dedicated handbook, partially written in English, mainly for the sake of illustration, it is aimed that the students get acquainted, from the very beginning of their 1st Bachelor year, even though only very basically, with internationally structured chemistry literature.
With this bachelor chemistry concept, the international criteria defining the bachelor end skills and competences, are fulfilled for students who are successful for this course:
- prior basic knowledge acquired in high school is deepened out on a scientifically sound and research oriented basis, by letting students function on a level with which they are able to understand and employ recent developments of chemistry, thanks also to the use of the handbook coupled to the course;
- they are trained for acquiring insight and applying knowledge and skills on a professional basis, in reporting, in setting up and deepening out chemical arguments and solving chemical issues;
- in problem solving as well as in the read, report and presentation assignment, the students learn to acquire and interpret data from international professional literature and, whenever suited, on a critical basis, from the internet; they should be able to acquire and express judgments on ethical and society relevant aspects of chemistry (society minded responsible use of materials and chemicals, attention for recycling chemical waste, environmental care), and on the correct balance between team work and individual autonomous work, with focus onto the application potentials;
- thanks to the read, report and presentation assignment, the students are trained to make a presentation to a public audience;
- they acquire the chemical skills required for autonomous further training and learning of other chemistry related courses (thermodynamics, construction physics, materials sciences and engineering, construction materials …).
In this way aims and learning results of this course are completely integrated in the aims and final target skills of the entire Bachelor in Engineering Sciences degree, focusing more on skills and reasoning attitudes than on pure knowledge. The student is trained for problem solving oriented thinking and studying, and last but not least, for long-life learning.
Additional learning results globally forecasted for Bachelor graduates in Architectural Engineering are as follows:
- the Bachelor has a broad fundamental knowledge and understanding of the theory and methodology of the exact sciences and their application in engineering sciences;
- the Bachelor has a broad fundamental knowledge and understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of
materials, building technology and construction methods and the structural and physical behaviour of structures;
- the Bachelor can independently look up information from (inter)national technical literature and other sources, evaluate it scientifically and report on it;
- the Bachelor can analyse a problem statement within socio-cultural and ecological boundary conditions and can, based on that, develop a well-substantiated vision;
- the Bachelor can communicate through text, speech, graphics, visuals and scale models by making use of the appropriate vocabulary;
- the Bachelor can reflect in a rational, abstract and critical way on the own work and that of others;
- the Bachelor can work independently and in team;
- the Bachelor has comprehended the ecological, social and cultural impact of the discipline and consciously strives for sustainable, ethical design decisions;
- the Bachelor has an attitude that demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment to the discipline and the ambition to translate this into life-long learning;
the Bachelor has an inventive and problem-solving attitude.
Programme Outcomes for the Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering.
The Bachelor has a broad fundamental knowledge and understanding of the theory and methodology of the exact sciences and their application in engineering sciences.
The Bachelor has a broad fundamental knowledge and understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of materials, building technology and construction methods and the structural and physical behaviour of structures.
The Bachelor can independently look up information from (inter)national technical literature and other sources, evaluate it scientifically and report on it
The Bachelor can analyse a problem statement within socio-cultural and ecological boundary conditions and can, based on that, develop a well-substantiated vision.
The Bachelor can communicate through text, speech, graphics, visuals and scale models by making use of the appropriate vocabulary.
The Bachelor can reflect in a rational, abstract and critical way on the own work and that of others.
The Bachelor can work independently and in team.
The Bachelor has comprehended the ecological, social and cultural impact of the discipline and consciously strives for sustainable, ethical design decisions.
The Bachelor has an attitude that demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment to the discipline and the ambition to translate this into life-long learning.
The Bachelor has an inventive and problem-solving attitude.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Examination regulation
The exams are the natural prolongation of the course itself and are organized in the same spirit, focusing on sound reasoning in combination with knowledge; the questions are broad in order to assess the student on his/her insight and capacity to find conceptual links. The oral exams are the object of a preparation by the student so that she/he is granted the time needed to properly structure the argumentation in the answers to the question. Focus is laid upon appropriate use of scientific vocabulary in defining and describing concepts.
1st EXAMINATION SESSION
a. Assessment test of the 1st semester – Fall Test
Compulsory participation to a written assessment test with closed book.
This test aims at evaluating the acquired basic knowledge and skills from high school, refined during the first lecture weeks to university level. The learning stuff to be known for this test consists of everything dealt with till that moment.
In this way, the students are assessed for the first time on their capacity to acquire feeling for a more scientifically inspired basis of chemistry.
Weight: 10 % of the total end score Chemistry of the 1st examination session.
b. Examinations after 1st semester for the 1st examination session (weeks 18-19-20)
Compulsory written examination on the learning stuff of the 1st semester:
- theory (closed book); the learning stuff is that of chapters 1 to 5;
- problem solving (closed book).
Weight
20 % of the total end score Chemistry of the 1st examination session for the theory of the 1st semester course part.
15 % of the total end score Chemistry of the 1st examination session for problem solving on the 1st semester course part.
5% for the mean of the 3 unannounced short marked class exercises during 3 of the 6 problem solving sessions;
These scores are definitely acquired for the total end score of the whole chemistry course for the 1st examination session, within which no second chance is granted to the student in the june exam session for this learning stuff.
In case of absence for the exam, it will in principle be organised together with the oral exam in June.
c. Oral examination after the 2nd semester of the 1st examination session (weeks 39-40-41)
Compulsory oral examination on the theory of the 2nd semester (2 questions, closed book).
Weight:
35 % of the total end score Chemistry of the 1st examination session for the theory of the 2nd semester course part.
For getting a successful end score chemistry, a partial score of at least 8/20 is required for this oral exam. If not, the global end score will be at most 7/20, even if the actual mean of the partial scores is above this threshold.
d. Practical session (2nd semester)
15 % of the total end score Chemistry of the 1st examination session for the practical session.
SUMMARY FOR THE 1st EXAMINATION SESSION:
ENGLISH:
The total score is the sum of
10 % evaluation test
5% exercises in class
20 % theory part I
15 % exercises part I
35 % theory part II
15 % practical session
Detailed regulations, determinant for getting a final global score for the Chemistry course in the 1st examination session are available in the Dutch language. Information hereon, including a translation in English, can be obtained upon email request with the lecturers.
2nd EXAMINATION SESSION
In the second examination session, following sections have to be redone if a score below 10/20 was obtained for it: The marks for exercises (problem solving) of the fall test and the evaluation in the class do no longer count for the second session. A student who had more than 25% of absences on exercises or missed the practical sessions, is excluded from the second session.
25% theory part I
25% exercises part I
25% theory part II
marks taken over from 1st session:
25% task
Getting a final score for the Chemistry course requires participation of the student and getting a score to ALL partial examinations, both in the 1st and 2nd examination periods. Illegal absence at any even single partial examination implies that no global final score can be obtained for the Chemistry course and that the mention “ABSENT” will be put on the official mark list of the VUB in CaLi.
No partial score will be transferred from one to a later academic year in case of failure.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Architectural Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Architectural Engineering: Verkort traject (only offered in Dutch)