CHEM8801 Chemical Reactivity GE

This topic will examine the factors that drive chemical reactions and determine their outcome. Topics examined will include the energetics of reactions, the rate at which reactions occur, controlling formation of one particular product over another and the steps through which reactions occur and various representations of these steps.

This topic aims to provide students with an insight into how and why reactions occur and what drives particular outcomes of reactions. Students will be exposed to discussions on what variables can be used to control chemical reactions and what techniques can be used to follow chemical reactions. The topic will give students an appreciation of the measurement of both the rate of a chemical reaction and the energy flow during the chemical reaction.

1. Understand the Laws of Thermodynamics and appreciate their application to chemical reactions
2. Understand the principles of reaction kinetics and reaction mechanisms
3. Predict and rationalise mechanistically the products from a variety of chemical reaction conditions, and factors that may influence them
4. Monitor chemical reactions safely and independently in a laboratory and examine and characterise the compounds produced
5. Evaluate and present results from laboratory work in written form
6. Design, carry out and defend the results of a capstone experiment