CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
LEARNER GUIDE

1. SUBJECT: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY IV

2. CODE: PCH400S

3. DURATION: ONE SEMESTER

4-6 lecture periods per week:
(Tuesdays)
(Tutorials selectively on Tuesdays)
(Discussion groups on Tuesdays)
4/5 practical sessions (Tuesday afternoons - see practical manual)

4. LECTURERS: Dr. Tobie Oosthuysen Prof. Ayesha Jacobs

DEPT OF CHEMISTRY DEPT OF CHEMISTRY
TEL: 021 959 6220 021 460 3167
E-mail: oosthuysent@cput.ac.za JacobsA@cput.ac.za

Consultation times: By appointment

5. VENUE: LECTURES - LECTURE ROOM 1 (B008)

PRACTICALS - LEVEL 3 AND PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABS
AND BTECH LAB

6. DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES: SEE DEPARTMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE DOCUMENT

7. QUALIFICATION INFORMATION

7.1 B.TECH CHEMISTRY

CODE: BTECCH

7.2 PURPOSE OF QUALIFICATION

Graduates of this course are able to devise and apply specialized strategies and relevant
management principles in quality control and research and development. They will work as
Chemists, supervising technicians and technologists in product and process development, and
quality control.
Employment may be in a laboratory, or production or sales environments. Industries such as
petrochemical, pharmaceuticals, mining, metallurgy and educational institutions employ
graduates from this course.
Opportunities exist for graduates to pursue further educational qualifications. Graduates may
apply for full membership of SACI (South African Chemical Institute) and professional registration
as natural science technologists with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions
(SACNASP).

7.3 EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Apply scientific principles to perform specialist chemical analyses and syntheses in the
laboratory and in production.
2. Apply management principles when providing leadership and supervising staff.
3. Devise strategies for problem solving in quality control, process development and production.

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8. OVERVIEW OF SUBJECT

This is an advanced course into the concepts of Chemical Thermodynamics, Chemical Kinetics, Surface
Chemistry, Electrochemistry and Corrosion. The course provides for the student to understand the
advanced theories underlying the subject area and to apply the relevant principles to the solving and
discussion of problems as well as to practical procedures.

8.1 PRE-REQUISITES:
Degree in Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry at NQF level 6.

8.2 ENABLING OUTCOMES (EO)

EO1 Apply knowledge to explain the physical properties of chemical reactions.

EO2 Use different experimental techniques to determine physical properties of
chemical reactions.

8.3 SUB-ENABLING OUTCOMES (SEO)

SEO1 Predict the spotaneity of chemical reactions.

SEO2 Determine the rate of chemical reactions.
SEO3 Determine possible interaction between molecules in different phases.
SEO4 Obtain knowledge of industrial electrochemical reactions.
SEO5 Predict impact of corrosion on different metals.

9. EVALUATION

Competence in the above outcomes will be evaluated by two (2) formal tests, one mark for practical
reports, one mark for various other assignments eg. library assignments etc. All written work to be
evaluated must be in ENGLISH.

If any of these evaluations is missed, students may apply for a special evaluation by following
the procedure outlined in the Departmental Policy and Procedure Document.

ASSESSMENT WEIGHT DATE

TEST 1 15 %
TEST 2 20 % PLEASE SEE TEST TIME-TABLE
FINAL INTEGRATED SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT 40 %
PROBLEM SETS/TUTORIALS/ASSIGNMENTS 10 % TBA BY LECTURERS10 %
PRACTICAL REPORTS 15 % SEE PRACTICAL MANUAL
TOTAL 100 %

CALCULATION OF FINAL MARK:

FINAL MARK = [TEST 1 X 0.15] + [TEST 2 X 0.2] + [FISA X 0.4] + [PROBLEM SETS X 0.1] +
[PRACTICAL REPORTS X 0.15]

The minimum requirement to pass the course is a FINAL MARK of 50%.

In preparation for assignments, problem sets and practicals, students are encouraged to consult various
information sources such as books, journal articles and the internet, and may discuss problems with their
fellow students and lecturers. Additional links and infrmation will be available on Blackboard. ALL
SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ON Blackboard However, all work submitted for evaluation must be the
student’s own work. Any direct quotations must be placed in inverted commas and fully referenced.
Plagiarism (e.g. copying assignments / practicals from others, copying directly from library books without
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referencing) is considered an act similar to copying in a test and will be strictly dealt with according to the
University regulations.

10. REQUIREMENTS

10.1 NOTES

Only core notes will be made available to students which cover part of the syllabus and have been
compiled from various text books. These contain worked examples and problems for some topics which
will be done in class and for homework. Additional reading will be given to students which will de
discussed in class.

10.2 DP REQUIREMENT

10.2.1 Duly Performed (DP) requirements - Definition: Academic requirements which must be
met by a student before s/he is admitted to write the Final Summative Assessment of a subject.

10.2.2 DP requirements for the Chemistry Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences-

The DP requirement for all subjects offered in the Faculty (except subjects with continuous evaluation)
are that the student must achieve BOTH of the following conditions:
• an achievement of 40% in the class mark average at the end of the semester. This average is
calculated according to the assessment weightings of the subject.
• attendance of at least 80% of the contact sessions of the subject (lectures and practicals and small
class tests)

10.2.3 Publication of DP requirements:

All DP requirements will be made clear at the beginning of the subject concerned and must be included
in the subject Learner Guide.

10.2.4 Lists of students who do not meet DP requirements

A list must be published on Blackboard LMS, etc) by the last day of lectures in semester in which the
FSA is written. The onus is on the student to find out if s/he has attained DP.

10.2.5 DP Appeals:
Students have the right to appeal against the refusal of a DP. The appeal must first be made to at the
Head of Department by, at the latest, five days before the first day of FSA for the assessment period
concerned. At departmental level a DP Appeals Committee shall be chaired by the Head of Department.
At Faculty level the Dean or nominee shall chair the Appeals Committee, and shall include the student’s
Head of Department or nominee, and a representative of the SRC

10.3 TEXTBOOKS

Because of the nature of the subject, a large number of reference textbooks are used and these are
also available in the library. It is not necessary to buy all these textbooks. It is good practice, however,
to buy at least ons good Physical Chemistry textbook (i.e. Laidler and Meiser or Atkins). The price of
Laidler and Meiser(LM2) is about R520 and Atkins (A2) about R600 and can be purchased at Van Schaik
Bookshop, Sanlam Centre, Parow.

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RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS

Adamson, A.W. 1982. Physical Chemistry of surfaces. John Wiley: New York. 664 p.

Atkins, P.W. 1992. The Elements of Physical Chemistry. Oxford University Press : Oxford. 496 p.

Atkins, P.W. & De Paula, J. 2010. Physical Chemistry. Ninth Edition. Oxford University Press: Oxford.
972 p.

Laidler, K.J. & Meiser, J.H. 1995. Physical Chemistry. 2nd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston.
988 p.

Pletcher, D. 1990. Industrial electrochemistry. Chapman and Hall: London. 653 p.

Smith, E.B. 1990. Basic Chemical Thermodynamics. Fourth Edition. Clarendon Press:Oxford. 166 p.

Swaddle, T.W. 1997. Inorganic Chemistry: an industrial and environmental perspective. Academic
Press: San Diego. 482 p.

Trethewey, K.R. & Chamberlain, J. 1988. Corrosion for students of science and engineering. Longman
Scientific & Technical: Essex. 382p.

10.4 SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR

10.5 PRACTICAL MANUAL

Each student will be provided with a practical manual

10.6 LAB COAT

Each student must be in posssession of a protective laboratory coat which is to be worn at all times in the
laboratory. No student will be allowed into the laboratory without a lab coat.

10.7 SAFETY SPECTACLES

Safety spectacles were provided and must be worn at all times in the laboratory.

10.8 LAB NOTEBOOK

A small, pocket sized notebook is required to record experimental results.

11. LECTURE AND PRACTICAL POLICIES

11.1 STRUCTURE OF THE LECTURES

LATE COMING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED because it disturbs the class. Similarly, students are
requested not to leave the class during a lecture, unless in an emergency. Breaks will be provided
during sessions.

The lectures will be conducted in English. After explaining a particular section of the work, the lecturer may
work through examples with the class. The class will then be expected to work through similar examples
on their own. Each student must therefore arrive prepared to participate fully in the class ie with calculator,
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workbook etc. Additional notes may also be supplied in class.

11.2 PRACTICALS

Refer to the Departmental Policy and Procedure Document and the practical manual.

Students must avail themselves 10 minutes before the starting time of the particular experiment to be done
on a particular day - refer to the practical manual. Students arriving late will not be permitted to do
the practical and students may apply for a special practical session by following the procedure
outlined in the Departmental Policy and Procedure Document.

Closed shoes, lab coats and safety spectacles (see Requirements above) MUST be worn in the laboratory.
It is suggested that you keep these items in your private locker. No sandals, slip-slops etc. will be
permitted. Private lockers are available in the corridor outside the labs - students must provide their own
locks for these.

12. LECTURE SCHEDULE

DATE TOPIC TASKS
15 Sep 1. Kinetics 1.1 Describe how the concentration of reacting substances are
22 Sep monitored.
1.2 Define the rate of a reaction, rate coefficient, order and
molecularity of reactions.
1.3 Determination of order from time-dependence of
concentrations.
1.4 Solve the rate laws for consecutive reactions and chain
reactions.
1.5 Discuss the various experimental techniques in reaction kinetics.
1.6 Define the terms catalyst, acid catalyst and base catalyst and
explain their mode of action.
1.7 Discuss the different mechanisms involved in catalysis.
1.8 Discuss the effect of temperature and pressure on the rate of
reactions.
29 Oct 2. Thermodynamics 2.1 Determine the quantities heat, work, H, U and S for
06 Oct processes occurring at constant pressure or constant volume.
13 Oct 2.2 Perform calculations involving adiabatic expansions or
compressions.
2.3 Integrate temperature dependent heat capacity expressions to
determine H (at any temperature) and S.
2.4 Apply Hess' Law.
2.5 Explain and use Hf,m and Hc,m.
2.6 Determine H from bomb calorimetric data.
2.7 Determine S for (a) reversible isothermal expansions or
compressions, (b) heating at constant volume or constant
pressure, (c) phase transitions, (d) irreversible changes (devise
a reversible path).
2.8 Explain Trouton's Rule.
2.9 Calculate G and use the result to predict spontaneity.
2.10 Derive the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation for the variation of G
with temperature.
2.11 Discuss variation of G with pressure for solids, liquids and
gases; derive an expression for the chemical potential (molar
free energy),  of ideal gases; apply to real gases using the
concept of fugacity.
2.12 Use G0 = -RT ln K
2.13 Calculate equilibrium yields of reactions involving solids, liquids
and real or ideal gases.
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 2.14 Derive the Van't Hoff equation for the variation of equilibrium
constant with temperature
2.15 Discuss the effect of applied pressure and the presence of
catalysts on the equilibrium position.
28 Jul 3. Surface Chemistry 3.1 Define a contact angle in terms of Young's Equation.
04 Aug 3.2 Briefly state the experimental methods used for contact angle
11 Aug measurement.
3.3 Define hysteresis in contact angle measurements.
3.4 Discuss the spreading of one liquid on another, able to measure
film pressure and determine molecular cross-sectional areas
using the film balance.
3.5 Discuss the electrical double layer-Stern treatment, zeta
potential and the various electrokinetic effects such as
electrophoresis, electro-osmosis, streaming potential and
sedimentation potential as well as the stability of colloids.
3.6 Define and discuss some practical aspects of wetting, non-
wetting, water repellency, and water proofing.
3.7 Discuss how additives used in flotation affect the contact angle
between mineral particles and the foam and how they affect good
flotation of metallic minerals.
11 Aug 4. Electrochemistry 4.1 Give an overview of the principles of electrolysis.
18 Aug 4.2 Describe the types of electrochemical reactors in terms of
25 Aug general considerations, the design and working of different
classical types of cells.
4.3 Give a description of porous and packed-bed electrodes.
4.4 Give and describe examples of industrial electrolysis and
electrosynthesis processes.
4.5 Desribe metal finishing processes and metal processing.
4.6 Give a description of batteries and fuel cells.
4.7 Give an overview of the electrical connection of monopolar and
bipolar cells.
4.8 Describe the principles and technology of electrophoretic
painting.
4.9 Describe direct and indirect organic electrosynthesis.
4.10 Give a description of electroless painting.
4.11 Discuss problems dealing with current efficiency during
electrolysis.

25 Aug 5. Corrosion 5.1 Discuss nucleation sites and defects in metals.

01 Sep 5.2 Discuss the relationship between electrochemical cells and
15 Sep corroding metals.
5.3 Discuss E/pH (Pourbaix) diagrams.
5.4 Discuss stress corrosion cracking as an electrochemical and a
mechanical phenomenon.
5.5 Define or explain the following terms:
(i) strain energy
(ii) dissolution-current density
(iii) Corrosion current and corrosion potential
(iv) Hydrogen embrittlement
(v) Passivation potential
(vi) Explain methods of corrosion control and prevention

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