ECU Web Unit Outline
 
FACULTY OF HEALTH, ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Full Unit Outline - Enrolment Approved Monday, September 28, 2009
Disclaimer
This unit outline may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.
 
UNIT TITLE Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
UNIT CODE SCC1226
CREDIT POINTS 15
FULL YEAR UNIT No
PRE-REQUISITES SCC1123 - Chemistry for the Life Sciences , or TEE Chemistry or equivalent
MODE OF DELIVERY On-campus
DESCRIPTION

This unit provides a sound introduction to biological chemistry. It covers the structure and reactions of important classes of organic compounds and biomolecules including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids. Various important applications will be described, including polymers, medicinals, soaps, detergents.
 
LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this unit students should be able to:


  1. explain and apply fundamental concepts and principles in organic chemistry and biochemistry and recognise applications of these concepts and principles;
  2. identify important functional groups and classes of organic and bio-molecules and describe their structure and important reactions;
  3. describe and relate the structure and properties of medicinals, polymers and soaps to their uses and misuses in society;
  4. demonstrate laboratory skills relevant to organic chemistry and biochemistry.
 
UNIT CONTENT
  1. General
    Overview of biological chemistry and its application in many fields, such as biochemistry, nutrition and forensics.
  2. Hydrocarbons
    General formulae, nomenclature, bonding, structure, physical and chemical properties of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and aromatic compounds. Applications as fuels.
  3. Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure preparation, physical properties, simple chemical reactions. Fermentation and alcoholic beverages.
  4. Aldehydes, Ketones and Amines
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure, preparation, physical properties, simple chemical reactions. Comparison of aldehydes and ketones.
  5. Carboxylic Acids, Esters and Amides
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure, preparation, physical properties, simple chemical reactions. Fruit essences, cosmetics, vitamins and medicinals. Soaps and detergents.
  6. Synthetic Polymers
    Addition and condensation polymerisation reactions. Poly(ethylene) and its derivatives, polyesters and polyamides.
  7. Carbohydrates
    Families of carbohydrates, structure of monosaccharides (especially glucose, fructose, galactose), disaccharides (maltose, lactose, sucrose), polysaccharides (starch, glycogen, cellulose), identification. Hydrolysis of di and polysaccharides.
  8. Lipids
    Families of lipids. Triglycerides, degree of unsaturation, saponification, rancidity. Phospholipids, steroids, biological membranes.
  9. Proteins
    Structure of amino acids, importance of side chains, existence as zwitterions. Formation of dipeptides and polypeptide chains. Proteins and their primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure.

    Enzymes and biological catalysts, dependence on temperature and pH, lock and key model.

  10. Nucleic Acids
    Structure of nucleic acids, role of the double helix, DNA and RNA.
  11. Metals in biological systems
    Metals in important biological molecules such as haemoglobin and chlorophyll, metals in the environment, trace metals.
  12. Analysis of biomolecules
    Introduction to spectroscopy and chromatography and their application to biological, nutritional and forensic analysis.
 
TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES
Lectures, workshops and laboratory work.
 
GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

The following graduate attributes will be developed in this unit

  • Ability to communicate
  • Ability to work in teams
 
ASSESSMENT
Grading Schema 1
 
Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.
 

Item

On-Campus Assessment

Value

  

Test

Mid-Semester Test

30%

Examination

End of Semester Examination

50%

Laboratory Work

*Laboratory Reports

20%

 
*This assessment item may include the cumulative assessment of laboratory skills or reports.


In order to pass this unit, students must attend at least 80% of the laboratory sessions.
 
TEXTS
Seager, S. L. and Slabaugh, M. R. (2000). Organic and biochemistry for today. (4th ed.). New York: West Publishing.
 
SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES
Baum, S. J. and Hill, J. W. (1993). Introduction to organic and biological chemistry. New York: Macmillan.
Bettelheim, F. A. and March, J. (2001), General, organic and biochemistry. (6th ed.), Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders.
Brown, W. H. (2000) Introduction to organic chemistry. ( 2nd Ed) nEW York:Wiley
Buckberry L, & Teesdale, P. (2001) Essentials of biochemistry, New York: Wiley
Caret, R. l., Denniston, K. J. and Topping, J. J. (1993). Principles and applications of organic and biological chemistry. New York: Wm. C. Brown.
Hein, M., Best, L. R., Pattison, S. & Areana, S. (2001). Introduction to organic and biochemistry. (7th Ed.) Belmont:Brooks/Cole.
Holum, J. R. (1994) Fundamentals of general, organic and biological chemistry. (5thd ed.). New York: John Wiley.
Selinger, B. (1986). Chemistry in the market place. (3rd ed.) Sydney: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.
 
 
 
Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)
For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Student Equity, Diversity and Disability Service website:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/support/student-equity
 
 


Academic Misconduct


Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students’ work.

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.


The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.
ECU Web Unit Outline