Handbook

This subject provides an introduction to fundamental chemistry with a focus on topics applicable to engineering. These topics follow themes: chemical language, what matter is, how matter behaves (chemical reactions) and applications/considerations (industrial processes and environmental chemistry). The discussion of matter links chemistry with engineering and emphasises metals, semiconductors, polymers, fuels and concrete. Chemical reactions are discussed from different perspectives: ‘how hot’ (thermochemistry), ‘how far’ (chemical equilibrium/acid-base equilibria), ‘how fast’(chemical kinetics) and electronics (electrochemistry). These learned concepts are applied in laboratory experiments, which introduce skills such as scientific observation, laboratory technique, instrumental analysis and critical analysis (including report writing). Other skills developed include using mathematics to solve chemistry problems, balancing chemical equations, relating molecular scale properties to macroscale properties and working collaboratively to solve problems.