Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Chemistry for the Life Sciences

• Unit Code

  SCC1123

• Year

  2015

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  2

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  Online

---

Description

This broadly based unit will introduce the student to important chemical concepts and principles. The unit will provide the essential chemistry background required for courses in the biological, environmental and health sciences. A WACE chemistry background is not assumed.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Explain and apply basic concepts, principles and theories in chemistry, eg. the application of acid-base theory to explain the use of buffers in biological systems.
2. Identify and describe applications of chemistry in the life sciences. For example, the importance of hydrogen bonding in biology, how ozone depletion occurs and the formation of acid rain.
3. Name and recognise elements, compounds and polyatomic ions, and write and balance chemical equations.
4. Perform calculations relating to percentage composition, gases, solutions, reaction stoichiometry, Kw, pH.
5. Understand and be able to explain important chemical laboratory skills (e.g. collection of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases) and analytical techniques (e.g. titrations).

Unit Content

1. Common aqueous solutions, concentration of solutions; relationship between moles, concentration and volumes of solutions; electrolyte solutions: relationship to conductivity and special properties of water, water salinity and hardness.
2. Definitions of acids, bases, salts, neutralisation and pH; titrations calculations and importance of buffer solutions; oxidation and reduction in terms of electron transfer, predicting reaction tendencies and introduction to electrochemistry.
3. Energy changes accompanying chemical reactions, rates of reaction, factors affecting reaction rate; equilibria in chemical reactions and equilibrium processes, factors that influence chemical equilibria (ie. Le Chatelier's principle).
4. Properties of common gases (ie. oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide) and their biological and industrial importance, gas laws, and atmospheric pollution.
5. The building blocks of matter: definitions of elements, compounds, mixtures and solutions, molecules and ions; the structure of atom, electron configuration and the periodic table; the mole concept, writing and balancing equations.
6. Types of chemical bonding, forces between molecules and relationship between bonding and properties.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, e-tutorials (online web learning OWL), individual and group based laboratory work, maths thrival workshop and unit website activities.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Text References

• ^ Joesten, M., Hogg, J. & Wajrak, M. (2014). SCC1123, Chemistry for the Life Sciences (1st ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.
• Zumdahl, S. & DeCoste, D. (2011). Introductory chemistry: A foundation (7th ed.). New York, NY: Wiley Interscience.
• Timberlake, K. (2008). Chemistry: An introduction to general, organic & biological chemistry (10th ed.). New York, NY: Prentice Hall.
• Lewis, L. & Lewis, J. (2011). SCC1123 Chemistry for the Life Sciences (1st ed.). Perth, Australia: Pearson.

^ Mandatory reference

---