Overview
In this unit, you will advance your theoretical knowledge of chemical synthesis with a focus on the structural aspects and energy requirements of bond formation. You will study lattice structures and layers and predict the geometry and bonding properties of molecules using Valence Bond and Molecular Orbital Theories. You will examine the unique properties of the D-block elements and the formation of coordination compounds. You will study interfacial chemistry, for example at solid-liquid boundaries, which lay the foundation for solute transport and is key element of chemical kinetics. Completing this unit will significantly advance your standing as an inorganic chemist and prepare you for the study of advanced topics such as nanotechnology, analytical spectroscopy and materials development.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites: CHEM11044 Chemical Reactions OR CHEM11045 Chemical Investigation and Theory or permission of Head of Course
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Head of Course reflections.
The content and assessment in this unit requires a refresh.
Content and assessment review and refresh should begin in the next offering.
- Predict the chemistry of coordination compounds as a result of the electronic structure
- Analyse and compare electron transitions in molecules and compounds using existing theories
- Relate the unique properties of the D-Block elements and characteristics of coordination compounds to their atomic structure
- Compare solute transport processes at the liquid interface, and their influences on chemical reactions.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||
| 3 - Take Home Exam - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 25% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Take Home Exam - 50% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Inorganic Chemistry
- Edition: 5 (2018)
- Authors: Catherine E. Housecroft, Alan G. Sharpe
- Pearson Education Limited
- Harlow Harlow , United Kingdom
- ISBN: 9781292134161
- Binding: eBook
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.johnson2@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 10 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Introduction and revision of inorganic chemistry concepts
Chapter
1.2-1.3, 1.5-1.10; 2.1-2.3, 2.7; 3.1-3.6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 17 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Bonding in polyatomic molecules
Chapter
5.1-5.3, 5.5-5.6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 24 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Spectroscopic properties and techniques
Chapter
4.7, 4.12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 31 Mar 2025Module/Topic
Structures and energetics of metallic and ionic solids
Chapter
6.1-6.8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 07 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Redox chemistry (Eo values; thermodynamics of redox reactions)
Chapter
8.3, 8.7, 8.8, 8.10, 8.15
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 14 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 21 Apr 2025Module/Topic
Descriptive chemistry of the elements
Chapter
10.4; 11.1‐11.4; 12.1‐12.4; 13.1‐13.4;
16.1‐16.4; 17.1‐17.4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 28 Apr 2025Module/Topic
d-block metal chemistry general considerations
Chapter
19.1-19.5, 19.6-19.8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 05 May 2025Module/Topic
d-block metal chemistry: coordination chemistry
Chapter
2.9; 3.8; 19.6-19.8; 20.1-20.5, 20.7,
20.11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 12 May 2025Module/Topic
d-Block metal chemistry: the first row metals
Chapter
21.1-21.3; 21.4-21.13
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 19 May 2025Module/Topic
d-Block metal chemistry: the heavier metals
Chapter
22.1-22.3; 22.4-22.13
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 26 May 2025Module/Topic
Organometallic compounds of d-block elements
Chapter
24 (sections to be advised)
See eReading list for supplementary readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 02 Jun 2025Module/Topic
Review of all content
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 09 Jun 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 16 Jun 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
In Written Assessment 1 you will be required to:
1. Answer a series of short answer questions to demonstrate your knowledge of election transitions and bonding in polyatomic molecules
2. Research the terms: interfacial chemistry, chemical reactions at interfaces, solute transport
3. Locate two recent examples from the literature that have addressed the concepts listed at step 2
4. Summarise the major findings of the journal articles you located at step 3
More information on this assessment task will be made available on Moodle.
Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.
Week 6 Monday (21 Apr 2025) 11:59 pm AEST
Week 8 Friday (9 May 2025)
Assessment marks and feedback will be returned via Moodle
Short answer questions
40% of total marks for this assessment
Marks will be awarded for:
- Correctly addressing the questions (20%)
- Demonstrating understanding of the key concepts (20%)
Research question
60% of total marks for this assessment
Marks will be awarded for:
- Quality, depth and accuracy of research (20%)
- Demonstrated understanding of the concepts (30%)
- Correct referencing, including in-text (10%)
More information on this assessment task will be made available on Moodle
- Predict the chemistry of coordination compounds as a result of the electronic structure
- Relate the unique properties of the D-Block elements and characteristics of coordination compounds to their atomic structure
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
2 Written Assessment
In Written Assessment 2 you will be required to:
1. Complete a series of problem-solving questions in order to:
- Evaluate and interpret information related to d-block elements and coordination compounds
- Accurately predict the chemistry of coordination compounds
- Examine the electron distribution within d-block elements
- Predict stable oxidation states and associate these to physical properties
2. Conduct research to locate credible information to support the predictions and interpretations made in step 1.
More information on this assessment task will be made available on Moodle.
Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.
Week 10 Monday (19 May 2025) 11:59 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (6 June 2025)
Assessment marks and feedback will be returned via Moodle
Problem solving and interpretation
Marks will be awarded for:
- Correct evaluation and interpretation of data (30%)
- Demonstrated understanding of the key concepts (40%)
- Quality research to support predictions (20%)
- Correct referencing, including in-text (10%)
More information on this assessment task will be made available on Moodle
- Analyse and compare electron transitions in molecules and compounds using existing theories
- Compare solute transport processes at the liquid interface, and their influences on chemical reactions.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
3 Take Home Exam
In the Take Home Exam you will be required to:
1. Download the assessment on the specified day
2. Complete the problem solving and critical thinking questions
3. Upload your answers within the allocated (24 hour) time period
A scientific calculator and Periodic Table may be required for some questions.
Please ensure you have a good, stable internet connection during the assessment period.
More information on this assessment task will be made available on Moodle.
Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.
Week 12 Friday (6 June 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
The take-home test will be available for download on Thursday 5 June at 11:00 am AEST. It will be available for 24 hours ONLY and your answers must be uploaded by Friday 6 June at 11:00 am AEST.
Exam Week Friday (20 June 2025)
Marks will be awarded for:
- Demonstrating understanding of the key concepts (50%)
- Correctly solving the problems (show all workings for full marks) (50%)
- Predict the chemistry of coordination compounds as a result of the electronic structure
- Analyse and compare electron transitions in molecules and compounds using existing theories
- Relate the unique properties of the D-Block elements and characteristics of coordination compounds to their atomic structure
- Compare solute transport processes at the liquid interface, and their influences on chemical reactions.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
