6 ECTS credits
155 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1023185BER for all students in the 2nd semester of odd academic years (e.g. 2013-2014) at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
biennial: 2nd semester of an odd academic year (e.g. 2013-2014)
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Educational team
Frederik Tielens (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
13 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
26 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The course consists of 11 chapters with a view to describing models and quantitative parameters in structural chemistry and their mutual relationships with the most current experimental and theoretical data on energy characteristics of atoms, molecules and crystals (ionization potentials, electron affinities, connection energy, heat associated phase transitions, band and lattice energies), optical properties (refractive index, polarizability), spectroscopic properties and geometric parameters (connection distances and angles, coordination numbers) of substances in gaseous, liquid and solid state, in types of glass and melts, for different thermodynamic conditions . Systems of metals, covalent, ionic and van der Waals radii, effective atomic charges and other empirical and semi-empirical models are critically reviewed. Special attention is given to new and growing areas: structural studies of solids under high pressure and van der Waals molecules in gases and bio-organic crystals. The course is aimed at students interested in crystallography, materials science, physical chemistry of solids. 

Additional info

Exercises: 13h
Task: 26h  

Learning Outcomes

General Competencies

The objectives of this course are the general understanding of structure at the molecular level of compounds that are directly linked to chemical reactivity. The molecular 3D structure can be understood and described based on basic principles of chemical bonding and chemical reactivity in general. The structural properties of compounds can be described theoretically and experimentally via the electronic and nuclear properties of the atoms from which the compounds are made. Attention will also be paid to energetics and thermodynamics. More specifically, the properties of isomers and conformers will be deepened as well as the property of polymorphism in crystals including the amorphous structures. Practical aspects of the chemical characterization techniques of the structural properties will be treated, such as the vibrational spectroscopies and NMR, but also diffraction techniques. At the end of the course, students must be able to make a link with the structural properties of chemical compounds that they study in their Bachelor thesis. A number of structural properties and characterization techniques in the form of a report that are related to their studied compounds will be presented. Based on scientific publications, students must be able to critically describe their proposed scientific approach and be able to discuss any published results. They must be able to propose combinations of characterization techniques to explain the chemical structure of a compound as accurately as possible. 

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Exam Other with a relative weight of 100 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Written exam followed by an oral discussion: 75% 

Written task of chosen topic: 25% 

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Chemistry: Default track (only offered in Dutch)