Module Search

CHEM3411: CHEMICAL PHYSICS 3

Please ensure you check the module availability box for each module outline, as not all modules will run in each academic year. Each module description relates to the year indicated in the module availability box, and this may change from year to year, due to, for example: changing staff expertise, disciplinary developments, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Current modules are subject to change in light of the ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19.

Type	Open
Level	3
Credits	20
Availability	Available in 2023/24
Module Cap
Location	Durham
Department	Chemistry

Prerequisites

Core Chemistry 2 (CHEM2012).

Corequisites

None.

Excluded Combinations of Modules

Core Chemistry 3 (CHEM3012) or Bioactive Chemistry 3 (CHEM3211)

Aims

To develop the fundamentals of chemistry through in-depth discussion of selected areas likely to be of most interest to students studying at the interface between chemistry and mathematics or physics

Content

Statistical thermodynamics.
Transition state theory and its applications.
Soft Matter.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

Describe the ideas of statistical thermodynamics and develop equations which allow the calculation of heat capacities, standard entropies and equilibrium constants;
describe the principles of transition state theory, develop equations for rate constants and activation parameters and apply these to chemical reactions;
appreciate how soft matter differs from liquids and solids;

Subject-specific Skills:

Key Skills:

Self-motivation, in self-guided learning.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Lectures are used to convey concepts, demonstrate what is required to be learned and the application of the theory to practical examples. When appropriate, lectures will be supported by written on-line material, or by information and relevant links on Blackboard Learn Ultra.
Private study should be used by students to develop their subject-specific knowledge and self-motivation, through reading textbooks and literature.
Tutorial workshops are where groups of students consider problems and share common difficulties. This ensures that students have understood the work and can apply it to real life situations. These are formatively assessed.
Students will be able to obtain further help in their studies by approaching their lecturers, either after lectures or at other mutually convenient times.
Student performance will be assessed summatively through an examination. Examinations test students' ability to work under pressure under timed conditions, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning, and develop key time management skills. The examination will provide the means for students to demonstrate the acquisition of subject knowledge and the development of their problem-solving skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total	Monitored
Lectures	25	2 per week	1 Hour	25
Workshop	3		1.5 Hours	4.5	Yes
Preparation and Reading				170.5
Total				200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / Duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Examination 1	2 hours	100

Formative Assessment

Set work for workshops.

More information

If you have a question about Durham's modular degree programmes, please visit our FAQ webpages, Help page or our glossary of terms. If you have a question about modular programmes that is not covered by the FAQ, or a query about the on-line Undergraduate Module Handbook, please contact us.

Prospective Students: If you have a query about a specific module or degree programme, please Ask Us.

Current Students: Please contact your department.