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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Chemistry => Topic started by: Collin Li on October 22, 2007, 10:19:24 pm

Title: VCE Chemistry Units 3 & 4: 2008-2012 Syllabus
Post by: Collin Li on October 22, 2007, 10:19:24 pm
As most of you know, there is now a new Chemistry Units 3&4 course for 2008. For aspiring tutors, and the 2008 VCE'ers of FSN, here is a summarised outline of Units 3&4 paraphrased from the new Study Design.

Quote from: Semester 1
(New elements to the course will be bolded; elements that were originally in Unit 4 will be in italics)

Unit 3: Chemical pathways

Area of study 1: Chemical analysis
- volumetric analysis: simple and back titrations, acid-base and redox titrations
- gravimetric analysis
- calculations: m = nM, n = cV, pV = nRT
- oxidation numbers to write redox equations
- chromatography: interpret data from TLC, HPLC and GC
- spectroscopy: interpret data from AAS, IR, mass spectroscopy, NMR, visible-UV
- matching analytic techniques to a particular task

Area of study 2: Organic chemical pathways
- structure, systematic nomenclature of alkanes, alkenes, amines, chloroalkanes, alkanols and carboxylic acids up to C10
- common reactions: addition of alkenes, substitution of (primary chloro)alkanes, oxidation of primary alkanols, esterification
- principles of fractional distillation
- organic reaction pathways: production of esters from alkenes, condensation and polymerisation reactions that produce large biomolecules
- primary, secondary and tertiary structure of proteins and the function of enzymes
- biochemical fuels: fermentation to produce ethanol
- structure and bonding of DNA in forensic analysis
- proteins as markers for disease
- function of organic molecules in the design and synthesis of medicines including the production of aspirin from salicylic acid (benzene)

VCAA 2008 Sample exam
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/chemistry/chem1_sample_2008.pdf

Quote from: Semester 2
[New elements to the course will be bolded; elements that were originally in Unit 3 (old course) will be in italics]

Unit 4: Chemical at work

Area of study 1: Industrial chemistry
- collision theory and factors that affect the rate of a reaction including activation energy;
- energy profile diagrams and the use of ΔH notation;
- reversible reactions: homogeneous equilibria and the equilibrium law, Le Chatelier’s Principle and factors which affect the position of equilibrium;
- pH as a measure of strength of acids and bases; Kw, Ka for weak acids;
- principles of waste management used in the chemical industry;
- the industrial production of the selected chemical
  * factors affecting the production including rate and equilibrium position, catalysts, temperature, pressure
  * waste management including generation, treatment and reduction
  * health and safety
  * uses of the selected chemical.
(Choice of "selected chemicals:" ammonia, ethene, sulfuric acid or nitric acid.)

Area of study 2: Supplying and using energy
- comparison of energy sources: types, uses and sustainability of sources including brown coal, natural gas, nuclear fi ssion and biochemical fuels;
- application of calorimetry to measure energy changes in chemical reactions in solution calorimetry and bomb calorimetry;
- use of the electrochemical series in predicting the products of redox reactions and writing half equations;
- limitations of predictions made using the electrochemical series;
- the construction and operation of simple galvanic primary and secondary cells;
- the construction and operation of fuel cells: advantages and disadvantages of fuel cells compared to conventional energy sources;
- the construction and operation of simple electrolytic cells: comparison of electrolytic cells;
- application of Faraday’s laws in electrochemistry.

VCAA 2008 Sample exam
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/chemistry/2008chem2-samp.pdf

Mod Edit: Fixed thread title :P
- Edmund
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on June 02, 2008, 09:01:01 pm
I have removed all the previous posts and have now stickied this post.

Ask questions about the study design here, and I will give my interpretation - others can butt in too.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Mao on June 03, 2008, 06:41:55 pm
- proteins as markers for disease


that's freakin biology!

:P sorry bio people, but it SUCKS
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: iamdan08 on June 03, 2008, 07:15:07 pm
- proteins as markers for disease


that's freakin biology!

:P sorry bio people, but it SUCKS

Definately agree! I chose chemistry NOT biology!!! How much emphasis do you think they will place on things such as DNA and proteins as markers for disease in the exam?
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: ed_saifa on June 03, 2008, 08:36:52 pm
- proteins as markers for disease


that's freakin biology!

:P sorry bio people, but it SUCKS

Definately agree! I chose chemistry NOT biology!!! How much emphasis do you think they will place on things such as DNA and proteins as markers for disease in the exam?
There will be heaps. At least two of the short answer questions :(
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: chem-nerd on June 03, 2008, 08:59:07 pm
I'd have to disagree. I think there would only be one, perhaps two, short answer questions on this (there are only 8 short answer qs in total).

In particular, the outcome specifically directs you to "identify and explain the role of functional groups in organic reactions and construct reaction pathways for organic molecules". Any DNA/proteomics/biofuels/drug design qs will focus on the chemistry of the functional groups, rather than the biology aspect.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: iamdan08 on June 03, 2008, 09:21:44 pm
I'd have to disagree. I think there would only be one, perhaps two, short answer questions on this (there are only 8 short answer qs in total).

In particular, the outcome specifically directs you to "identify and explain the role of functional groups in organic reactions and construct reaction pathways for organic molecules". Any DNA/proteomics/biofuels/drug design qs will focus on the chemistry of the functional groups, rather than the biology aspect.


I hope your right. I really hope they don't focus on the biological aspects. Everything else i'm fine with!!
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: bec on June 07, 2008, 02:04:02 pm
what kind of question could they ask about protein markers for disease - has anyone come across one in a sample exam?

ie. we won't need to memorise the specific proteins that can indicate heart attack/prostate cancer etc will we?
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Mao on June 07, 2008, 07:43:55 pm
what kind of question could they ask about protein markers for disease - has anyone come across one in a sample exam?

ie. we won't need to memorise the specific proteins that can indicate heart attack/prostate cancer etc will we?

i've come across these from practice exams

what protein markers for disease are (i.e. cell brake, protein leaks, abnormal presence or elevated concentration)
heart disease -> muscle cell failure -> protein released into bloodstream
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: bec on June 08, 2008, 09:05:54 am

i've come across these from practice exams

what protein markers for disease are (i.e. cell brake, protein leaks, abnormal presence or elevated concentration)
heart disease -> muscle cell failure -> protein released into bloodstream

cell brake? protein leaks? no idea what they even are! they're in my textbook i don't think, and we didn't even cover this unit at school - we ran out of time so they just gave us a worksheet. does anyone have any links on the net or anything that gives a brief overview that's relevant to us? thanks
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on June 08, 2008, 12:00:57 pm
Don't need to know anything in detail - you just need to be aware that the reason for the abnormally elevated concentration of the proteins (markers) indicate that there has been some "leak" of that protein due to some failure or "break."
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: vce01 on June 10, 2008, 11:01:25 pm
do we need to know how to draw the first 2 stages of the production of aspirin?
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: shinny on June 10, 2008, 11:31:18 pm
given that the structures of SA and ASA arent in our data booklets; no.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on June 11, 2008, 12:03:55 am
My interpretation is that you do need to know them.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: shinny on June 11, 2008, 10:06:55 am
i doubt theyld be expecting us to memorise it. every apst paper ive done gives it to u or some of it, and will expect u to deduce the rest from what theyve given. but yet again, these are past papers and are no indication of what vcaa will do. but still, the fact that our data booklet has so many structures kind of implies that theyre not expecting us to memorise them.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: excal on June 18, 2008, 02:40:35 am
- proteins as markers for disease


that's freakin biology!

:P sorry bio people, but it SUCKS

Definately agree! I chose chemistry NOT biology!!! How much emphasis do you think they will place on things such as DNA and proteins as markers for disease in the exam?

You will find that biology and chemistry are strongly interlinked. Too often, their subject matters intertwine (I've seen this all too often at work).
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on June 21, 2008, 06:58:39 pm
Updated the first post with Unit 4 summary.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: vce01 on July 01, 2008, 12:55:16 pm
by principles of waste management it doesnt mean principles of green chemistry, does it? and if it does, do we like, need to know it off by heart or something?

also, in the heinemann text, its got chapters for production of all 4 of the chemicals...of which we have to select one right? so can we completely ignore the other three?
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on July 01, 2008, 09:14:50 pm
by principles of waste management it doesnt mean principles of green chemistry, does it? and if it does, do we like, need to know it off by heart or something?

I believe it just means having a knowledge of the techniques industry uses to minimise the output and emissions of pollutant wastes. It may be related to the principles of green chemistry.

Quote
also, in the heinemann text, its got chapters for production of all 4 of the chemicals...of which we have to select one right? so can we completely ignore the other three?

Yes, pick one, ignore the other three. You will only be allowed to answer on one chemical in the exam.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on August 12, 2008, 05:05:47 pm
Does anyone else think that this unit is particularly short?

There is almost nothing in it! I think this is great because it allows me to talk more about interesting things and try to impart more of a theoretical understanding of the concepts - rather than a rushed methodical approach. However, I hope I am not missing out on anything crucial.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: bec on August 12, 2008, 05:12:59 pm
Yes, agreed! Also, the topics covered are so logical and much less memory based than last semester, so they're way easier. I'm not complaining though!
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: lu_c4 on September 02, 2008, 03:03:22 pm
does anyone know where i can find the answers to the sample VCAA chemistry exam?
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: ed_saifa on September 02, 2008, 03:44:28 pm
does anyone know where i can find the answers to the sample VCAA chemistry exam?
http://www.cea.asn.au/vce_home_page.html
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: merlin on September 21, 2008, 10:05:54 pm
Is biological applications of equilibrium apart of this unit's course? Cause from what I see in the study design, it's not very clear about this. I mean is it likely that on the exam they will have questions on buffers, transport of oxgen, pH lvl of blood, carbon monoxide poisoning... ?
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: Collin Li on September 21, 2008, 10:08:00 pm
I've never noticed that there was no explicit mentioning of "buffers." I think you should have an idea of how Le Chatelier's Priniciple allows pH buffering to occur. Don't worry too much about the applications.
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: merlin on September 21, 2008, 10:15:24 pm
Cool
Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: zhoutai753 on November 12, 2008, 02:15:53 pm
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Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
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Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
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Title: Re: VCE Chemistry Units 3&4: 2008
Post by: vexx on November 11, 2009, 12:22:50 am
this may be a stupid question, but in unit 4, does it go into the kinetic molecular theories and such? if so, what heading is it in the study design?