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    Overview

    An introduction to the concepts of chemistry underlying important processes in biology and human health, including chemical bonding, energetics, kinetics, equilibria and solubility, properties of water and solutions, acids, bases, complexation and electron transfer, mechanisms of organic reactions and properties of amino acids and carbohydrates.

    CHEM 191 aims to instil a fundamental knowledge of chemical structure and reactivity, with particular focus on concepts that provide an understanding of why chemical reactions proceed and how this understanding may be applied to the chemical processes in biological systems.

    CHEM 191 is a required part of the Health Sciences First Year programme at Otago and is a prerequisite paper for a number of other science courses.

    CHEM 191 first semester: It provides an introduction to concepts influencing chemical reactions in biological systems including

    • Concepts of Chemical Bonding
    • Thermodynamics/energetics of biological systems
    • Properties of water
    • Reaction rates and chemical equilibria
    • Metals in biology - electron transfer, complexation
    • Organic/carbon-based compounds - stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, functional groups, polymers
    • Biological molecules - carbohydrates, amino acids, nucleic acids, nucleic acids, proteins/enzymes
       

    CHEM 191 Summer School: This is a course designed to enable students who failed CHEM 191 in the first semester of the previous year to pass the paper and allow them to proceed to other courses that have CHEM 191 as a prerequisite.

    About this paper

    Paper title The Chemical Basis of Biology and Human Health
    Subject Chemistry
    EFTS 0.15
    Points 18 points
    Teaching period(s) Summer School (On campus)
    Semester 1 (On campus)
    Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $1,173.30
    International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
    Restriction
    CHEM 112
    Schedule C
    Science
    Notes
    (i) It is strongly recommended that students enrolling in CHEM191 have a minimum of 14 credits in NCEA Level 3 Chemistry (or equivalent). (ii) May only be taken at Summer School by students who were enrolled in CHEM191 in the first semester of the previous year, and passed the lab requirements but failed the paper as a whole.
    Eligibility

    First semester: There are no specific entrance requirements for students taking CHEM 191. However, having gained at least 14 credits at NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent) in chemistry is strongly recommended.

    Summer School: This course can only be taken by students who were enrolled in CHEM 191 in the first semester of the previous year, but failed the paper with a minimum of 35%.

    Contact

    First semester: chem191.admin@otago.ac.nz

    Summer School: lhanton@chemistry.otago.ac.nz

    Teaching staff

    Semester One:
    Course Co-ordinator: Dr David McMorran
    Lecturers: Professor Lyall Hanton
    Professor James Crowley
    Associate Professor Bill Hawkins
    Associate Professor Anna Garden
    Dr Andrea Vernall

    Summer School:
    Course Co-ordinator: Professor Lyall Hanton

    Paper Structure

    First semester - Provides an introduction to concepts influencing chemical reactions including:

    • Concepts of chemical bonding
    • Thermodynamics and Equilibria
    • Acid-Base and Electron Transfer Reactions - roles of metal ions in biology
    • Reaction rates
    • Organic/carbon-based compounds - stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, functional groups, polymers
    • Biological molecules - saccharides, amino acids, nucleic acids, proteins/enzymes

     

    Summer School - Lectures cover:

    • Structure and bonding
    • Energetics and equilibria in biological systems
    • Reaction rates
    • Electron transfer reactions
    • Carbon chemistry
    • Introduction to biological molecules
    Teaching Arrangements

    First semester:

    • The course comprises 36 lectures and five 3-hour laboratories
    • Attendance of laboratories is compulsory
    • A progress test will be held


    Summer School:

    • The course comprises 36 lectures covering four modules
    • There are several revision lectures
    • There are eleven 1-hour tutorials (two per week)
    • There will also be a 1-hour 15min progress test
    • There is NO lab component to Summer School CHEM 191 as you carry over the marks that you were awarded for lab work in your previous year's CHEM 191 course
    Textbooks

    Chemistry: The Central Science - Brown, LeMay, Bursten, Murphy, Woodward, Langford, Sagatys & George 15th Edition

    Students can purchase either the physical book
    Or
    An electronic version of the text.

    Note that the textbook is highly recommended for CHEM 191 and CHEM 111, but not essential. You are not required to have a copy of the book, but it will be referred to in lectures.

    Graduate Attributes Emphasised
    Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking.
    View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
    Learning Outcomes
    • Apply an understanding of chemical structures and processes to biological systems
    • Write chemical equations to describe reactions
    • Use knowledge of chemical bonding and reaction mechanisms to predict and rationalise the outcome of chemical reactions
    • Use mathematical procedures to analyse data and solve chemistry problems
    • Safely use appropriate apparatus to carry out chemistry reactions in the laboratory

    Timetable

    Summer School

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Lecture

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Monday 10:00-11:50 2-5, 7
    Tuesday 10:00-11:50 2-5, 7
    Wednesday 10:00-11:50 2-7
    Thursday 10:00-11:50 2-3, 5-6

    Tutorial

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend one stream from
    T1 Monday 14:00-14:50 3-5, 7
    Wednesday 14:00-14:50 2-7
    Thursday 10:00-10:50 4, 7
    T2 Monday 15:00-15:50 3-5, 7
    Wednesday 15:00-15:50 2-7
    Thursday 11:00-11:50 4, 7

    Semester 1

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Lecture

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend one stream from
    A1 Wednesday 08:00-08:50 9-13, 15-22
    Thursday 08:00-08:50 9-13, 15-16, 18-22
    Friday 08:00-08:50 9-12, 15-22
    A2 Wednesday 08:00-08:50 9-13, 15-22
    Thursday 08:00-08:50 9-13, 15-16, 18-22
    Friday 08:00-08:50 9-12, 15-22
    A4 Wednesday 09:00-09:50 9-13, 15-22
    Thursday 09:00-09:50 9-13, 15-16, 18-22
    Friday 09:00-09:50 9-12, 15-22
    A5 Wednesday 09:00-09:50 9-13, 15-22
    Thursday 09:00-09:50 9-13, 15-16, 18-22
    Friday 09:00-09:50 9-12, 15-22

    Practical

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend one stream from
    P1 Monday 09:00-11:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P2 Monday 09:00-11:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P3 Monday 14:00-16:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P4 Monday 14:00-16:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P5 Monday 18:00-20:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P7 Tuesday 09:00-11:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P8 Tuesday 09:00-11:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P9 Tuesday 14:00-16:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P10 Tuesday 14:00-16:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P11 Monday 18:00-20:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P13 Wednesday 09:00-11:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P14 Wednesday 09:00-11:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P15 Wednesday 14:00-16:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P16 Wednesday 14:00-16:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P19 Thursday 09:00-11:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P20 Thursday 09:00-11:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P21 Thursday 14:00-16:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21
    P22 Thursday 14:00-16:50 11, 13, 16, 20, 22
    P23 Tuesday 18:00-20:50 10, 12, 15, 19, 21

    Terms Test (Streamed)

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend one stream from
    A1 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A2 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A3 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A4 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A5 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A6 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A7 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A8 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A9 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A10 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A11 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A12 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A13 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A14 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
    A15 Saturday 10:30-11:50 17
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