Overview
This unit integrates key concepts from physical and inorganic chemistry to build your understanding of structure, bonding and reactivity in chemical systems. You will study the foundations of thermodynamics, kinetics and electrochemistry, and apply these principles to systems ranging from simple molecules to complex mixtures and materials. Topics include atomic structure and periodicity, bonding theories, molecular shape, solid-state structures, coordination chemistry, and the chemistry of transition metals. You will also examine state functions, enthalpy, phase behaviour, solutions, and interfacial processes that drive solute transport and reaction mechanisms. Electrochemical processes, from fuel cells to batteries, are explored alongside the roles of metal complexes in catalysis and other applications. Laboratory investigations support your theoretical learning and develop your ability to analyse, interpret and report experimental data. By linking physical and inorganic perspectives, this unit prepares you to evaluate chemical problems in environmental, industrial and biological contexts. It provides the foundation for advanced topics such as spectroscopy, nanotechnology and materials development.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites: CHEM11043 Atoms, Molecules and MatterandCHEM11044 Chemical Reactions
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 - 2026
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 Unit feedback
Students recommended improving the video resources for the unit.
Content and assessment review and refresh should continue in the next offering.
Feedback from Unit feedback
Some students noted difficulty connecting the unit content to their course of study and found the assessment questions ambiguous.
Content and assessment review and refresh should begin in the next offering.
Feedback from Staff reflection
The high proportion of high grades in this unit suggest that assessment and assessment rubrics should be reviewed.
Review and update as required assessment and assessment rubrics.
- Apply thermodynamics, kinetics, and electrochemistry to chemical systems
- Analyse phase behaviour, bonding, and solutions using state functions and enthalpy
- Evaluate inorganic and coordination chemistry concepts for real-world applications
- Integrate theory with practice through laboratory investigations and reporting.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Take Home Exam - 30% | ||||
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 | ||||
Textbooks
Chemistry3 Introducing Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry
4th revised edition (2021)
Authors: Burrow, A, Holman, J, Lancaster, S, Overton, T, Parsons, A, Pilling, G, Price, G
Oxford University Press, Incorporated
Oxford Oxford , United Kingdom
ISBN: 9780198829980
Binding: eBook
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- EndNote Bibliographical application
- MS Office
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.chandra@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Atomic Structure & Properties
Chapter
3 - 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Coordination Chemistry
Chapter
28
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Thermodynamics Fundamentals and Thermochemistry
Chapter
3, 13
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Thermodynamics 2 (Second & Third Laws)
Chapter
13, 14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Entropy and Free Energy
Chapter
14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Phase Behaviour
Chapter
17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Kinetics 1 (Concepts)
Chapter
18
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Kinetics 2 (Mechanisms)
Chapter
19
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Solutions Chemistry
Chapter
17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Electrochemistry
Chapter
16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Integrations & Applications
Chapter
10 - 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This assessment consists of a set of compulsory problems linked directly to the concepts covered in the lectures and textbook, designed to help you apply theory to practical situations. A document with questions will be provided to you. You must submit your answers to these questions by the due date.
You will be marked on completeness and correctness of answers.
A 72 hour grace period applies to this Assessment Task.
Level of Gen-AI use allowed: Level 3 - You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use.
Week 5 Monday (6 Apr 2026) 11:00 am AEST
To be submitted via Moodle
Week 8 Monday (4 May 2026)
Returned via Moodle
Assessment will be based on the completeness and correctness of the answers provided.
- Apply thermodynamics, kinetics, and electrochemistry to chemical systems
- Analyse phase behaviour, bonding, and solutions using state functions and enthalpy
- Evaluate inorganic and coordination chemistry concepts for real-world applications
2 Practical Assessment
This assessment is linked to the compulsory Residential School. You will be assigned a specific practical activity at, or shortly after, the Residential School, and your individual scientific report must be based on that activity. The report should demonstrate your understanding of key concepts, your ability to interpret experimental data, and your capacity to present logical, evidence‑based conclusions.
Additional guidance on the required report structure will be provided during the term.
A 72 hour grace period applies to this Assessment Task.
Level of Gen-AI use allowed: Level 3 - You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use.
Week 7 Wednesday (29 Apr 2026) 11:00 am AEST
To be submitted via Moodle
Week 10 Wednesday (20 May 2026)
To be returned with feedback via Moodle
Introduction and Background: 30%
Very convincing justifications for the merits of the experiments and why the work is important
Demonstration of theory to analytical applications
Literature: 10%
Scientific literature, externally cited in the correct format to justify claims and explanations
Data Analysis and Interpretation: 50%
Correct calculations
Data interpretation well-positioned to reinforce the argument(s)
Data tabulated and graphs generated on computer
Correctly labelled figures and tables
Overall Presentation: 10%
No typos, cohesive and very easy to follow arguments
- Analyse phase behaviour, bonding, and solutions using state functions and enthalpy
- Evaluate inorganic and coordination chemistry concepts for real-world applications
- Integrate theory with practice through laboratory investigations and reporting.
3 Take Home Exam
The Take Home Exam will contain a mix of short-answer and longer, descriptive-answer questions. It will cover content from the teaching term, including the Residential School. The mark allocations per question will be provided on the Assessment.
The Take Home Exam will be available for 24 hours.
Duration of Exam: 2 hours
You must open the Take Home Exam within the 24 hour period and submit it. Please ensure that you have given yourself sufficient time to attempt all the questions and upload your answers.
No grace period applies to this Assessment Task.
Level of Gen-AI use allowed: Level 1 (No AI) - The assessment is completed entirely without Al assistance in a controlled environment, ensuring that you rely solely on your existing knowledge, understanding, and skills. You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
Week 12 Wednesday (3 June 2026) 11:00 am AEST
To be submitted via Moodle
Exam Week Wednesday (10 June 2026)
Marked and returned via Moodle
The Online Test will be an assortment of problem-solving and extended-answer questions. The mark allocations per question will be provided on the Assessment with each question.
- Apply thermodynamics, kinetics, and electrochemistry to chemical systems
- Analyse phase behaviour, bonding, and solutions using state functions and enthalpy
- Evaluate inorganic and coordination chemistry concepts for real-world applications
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?
