PHSC 102 Chemistry IB

Chemistry and chemical knowledge are central to our modern society. Indeed Chemistry is often described as the 'Central Science'. It underpins all other biological and physical sciences. Without a good basic knowledge of Chemistry, a modern scientist is strictly limited in terms of what he or she can achieve. And it is this fundamental grounding in chemistry that we are trying to achieve for students in our two-semester, complementary 100 level Chemistry courses: PHSC101 and PHSC102.

The first semester course (PHSC101) is compulsory for all Agricultural and Horticultural Science students, Viticulture and Oenology students and for most streams of our B.Sc. degree. Its content, therefore, reflects the particular needs of science students who may elect to take just one semester of Chemistry. It includes all of the 100 level organic chemistry together with critical concepts of acid/base and equilibrium chemistry and basic atomic and molecular theory. The second semester course (PHSC102) is an elective for most science streams and extends the first semester exposure to include basic analytical chemistry, physical chemistry and the inorganic chemistry of the elements of most importance within the biosphere.

The structure of both courses is similar. Each involves 3 hours lectures and 3 hours of laboratories per week. Both laboratory programmes complement and emphasise the practical applications of the content presented during the lectures. Integration between lectures and labs is reinforced by the lecturing staff who frequently attend laboratories, and who provide individual help whenever possible.