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Unit of study_
CHEM2921: Molecular Stability and Reactivity (Advanced)
2025 unit information
There are over 144 million chemical substances so far identified, a diversity that makes possible the rich fabric of the material and biological worlds. Underpinning this huge diversity are a few fundamental rules of electronic arrangements in atoms and molecules that determine what molecules will be stable and when they will undergo transformation by chemical reaction. This unit will describe these fundamental rules and investigate how electronic rearrangements stabilise molecules by forming covalent bonds. You will investigate the quantum theory of bonding and apply these concepts to establish the rules that govern bond geometries, aromaticity, substitution and elimination reactions. You will investigate the bonding of metal complexes and the relation between magnetism and structure in these compounds. You will learn the fundamentals of electronic and vibrational spectroscopies and how these techniques are used to measure molecular properties. Molecular Stability and Reactivity (Adv) differs from CHEM2521 in that the laboratory consists of open-ended discovery-oriented exercises. By doing this unit you will develop the fundamental understanding of chemical stability and reactivity essential for further work in all chemically related fields and have established a solid foundation for further study in chemistry.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Chemistry Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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A mark of 65 or above in (CHEM1111 or CHEM1911 or CHEM1991 or CHEM1011 or CHEM1101 or CHEM1901 or CHEM1903 or CHEM1001) and a mark of 65 or above in (CHEM1112 or CHEM1912 or CHEM1992 or CHEM1012 or CHEM1102 or CHEM1902 or CHEM1904 or CHEM1002) |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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CHEM2521 or CHEM2991 or CHEM2401 or CHEM2911 or CHEM2915 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. understand an apply knowledge of bonding and spectroscopy in the context of open-ended problems.
- LO2. work safely and competently in a chemical laboratory.
- LO3. communicate scientific information and laboratory findings effectively using a range of modes (written, oral, visual etc.) for a variety of audiences.
- LO4. recognise the relevance of bonding and spectroscopy to applications beyond the discipline of chemistry.
- LO5. evaluate and interpret chemical data to resolve chemical questions and advance chemical inquiry in molecular stability and reactivity.
- LO6. work collaboratively and responsibly in data collection, analysis and communication.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
