Physical Chemistry (6 cr)

Location and time

Lessons are given according to the curriculum mainly on Mondays and Fridays. There are also two lectures on Tuesdays (Apr 11th & May 2nd).

Exam schedules

- The first interim exam ("a half exam") is on April 24th (date subject to change)
- The second interim exam ("a half exam") is on June 9th
- The first final exam is on June 9th.

- The exam retake dates will be announced during the course.
- Note that you can try a failed final exam again two times (grade 0)
- Note that you can try to get a better grade only once by taking the final exam again.
- This is allowed, if you have already gotten a grade 1 to 4.

Assessment methods and criteria

Grading will be based on the following (preliminary) point system:

TWO INTERIM EXAMS

points /36 18 21 25 28 33

grade 1 2 3 4 5

FINAL EXAM

points / 30 15 18 21 24 27

grade 1 2 3 4 5

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

The course will be given in English via Zoom. The course consists of lessons, voluntary exercises and exams.

- You can earn 1 - 4 extra points for doing the exercises (points are added to a passed course (grade 1 or higher)).
- Exercise sets will be published at the bottom of the Moodle page.

Learning materials

The course will follow the following book closely: Physical Chemistry, 8th edition or later (Peter Atkins & Julio de Paula)
It is not necessary to buy the book. Lecture material will be published in Moodle and is sufficient to pass the course (grades 1-5).

Content scheduling

The course is divided into two major topics:
- Equilibrium thermodynamics
- Chemical kinetics

Processes at solid surfaces may also be covered (probably as extra material).

Completion alternatives

- To pass the course the student will have to do either two interim exams or one final exam.
- Note: The student must pass both interim exams in order to pass the course (9/18 points for each interim exam).
- Interim exams have four (or five) assignments each and you can choose to do three (or four) of them (at maximum).
- Final exam has six or seven assignments and you can choose five at maximum.
- The student must get at least half of the points of the final exam to pass the course (15/30 points).

Further information

The course starts online on Monday, February 20th.
- Zoom link: https://tuni.zoom.us/s/7195092696
- Passcode (if needed): 966698
- Moodle page for the course will open on Sunday, February 19th, at the latest.

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student does not get at least 18/36 points from the two interim exams OR 15/30 points from the final exam.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

- The student demonstrates understanding of the basic theory of thermal equilibrium and chemical reaction kinetics.
- The student is able to solve the easier exercises given during the course.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

- The student demonstrates a more profound understanding of the theory of thermal equilibrium (including electrochemistry) and chemical reaction kinetics (including the rate laws)
- The student also understands the concept of simple mixtures and understands phase diagrams
- The student is able to solve the easier as well as many harder exercises given during the course.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

- The student demonstrates a profound understanding of the theory of thermal equilibrium and chemical reaction kinetics (as presented on the course material).
- The student also understands the concept of basic mixtures and can interpret phase diagrams
- The student understands processes at solid surfaces covered on the course.
- The student is able to solve nearly all of the exercises given during the course