Study Notes: Mid-Course Portfolio and Chemistry Revision Session 10A

Administrative Details and Reflection Assignment Guide

• Editable PDF Instructions:     * Students should not type directly into the browser. Instead, they must download the editable PDF to their device before editing.     * When saving, students should use the "Save As" function rather than just "Save."     * File Naming Conventions: It is critical to name files logically to avoid losing them or uploading the wrong version. Suggested names include "Melissa's Reflection Partial," "Draft," or "Final."     * Workflow: Complete the pre-test reflection before the test. After receiving the test score, complete the post-test reflection in the same document, rename it as "Final," and upload it to the Dropbox.

• Assignment Timeline and Weighting:     * Due Date: The reflection assignment is due in Week 12, specifically by Sunday, May 24th at 11:59 PM (Midnight).     * Weighting: The reflection assignment carries no numerical weighting toward the course grade; however, it is a compulsory assessment.     * Pass/Fail Status: It is graded as C (Complete) or NC (Not Complete). If a student passes the portfolio and final exam but fails to submit this reflection, they will fail the entire course. A "genuine reflective effort" is required to pass.

• Content and Purpose of the Reflection:     * Core Objective: The assignment assesses Rangatiratanga, a graduate profile outcome centered on taking ownership of one's own learning journey, reflecting on progress, and making adjustments.     * Pre-test Reflection: Focuses on study practices, hours spent studying (both for this course and the wider pre-health program), and organizational skills. Students are encouraged to refer to their "Planning for Success" document.     * Post-test Reflection: Reflecting on why a specific score was achieved, which topics were tricky, and creating an "action plan" or "plan of attack" for improvements leading into the final exam.     * Technical Constraints: Students must ensure their text does not exceed the physical bounds of the boxes in the PDF. If the text requires scrolling to be seen on the screen, the markers may not be able to read it due to a glitch in the form software.

Mid-Course Test (Portfolio) Information

• Logistics and Schedule:     * Weighting: This test constitutes the entire Portfolio component of the course, worth 40% of the total grade.     * Format: The test is administered online via Moodle. It is unsupervised and open-book.     * Timing: Students have 60 minutes to complete the test once started. Only one attempt is permitted.     * Opening Hours: The test opens on Wednesday at 8:00 PM (after all evening revision sessions are complete) and closes on Sunday at 11:59 PM.     * Warnings: Do not leave the test until Sunday night. Potential issues include internet failure, illness, or unexpected Microsoft updates taking several hours.

• Academic and Accessibility Details:     * Assessment Structure: There are 39 questions in total with a maximum of 75 marks. Irritatingly, these are not round numbers.     * Question Types: Includes multi-choice, drag-and-drop, selecting from dropdown lists, and fill-in-the-gap questions.     * Scope: Covers content from Weeks 1 to 8. Specifically: cell structure, tissues, chemistry elements, periodic table, compounds, mixtures, atomic structure, isotopes, radioactivity, bonding (ionic, covalent, hydrogen), cell transport, and the introduction to organic molecules (functional groups).     * Exclusions: Biological molecules (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids) are not included in the mid-course test as they are too new.     * Individual Access Plans (IAP): Students registered with Disability Services (overseen by Mary) may receive extra time if already arranged.     * Results: Scores should be visible via the Moodle test link starting at 12:01 AM on Monday after the test closes.

Mixtures and Solutions Summary

• Solutions:     * Definition: A homogeneous mixture of two or more components that is uniform in composition throughout.     * Components: The solute is the substance being dissolved; the solvent is the substance doing the dissolving.     * Characteristics: Transparent (can be colored but clear), does not separate or settle over time.     * Filtration: Particles are small enough to pass through both filter paper and semipermeable membranes.     * Examples: Saline solution, sugar dissolved in water, black tea, wine, and fizzy drinks.

• Colloids:     * Definition: Mixtures containing particles larger than those in solutions but smaller than those in suspensions.     * Characteristics: Usually transparent/translucent. Particles are large enough to diffract (bend) light but too small to be seen individually. They do not separate or settle over time.     * Filtration: Particles pass through filter paper but are too large to pass through semipermeable membranes.     * Examples: Raw egg white and jelly.

• Suspensions:     * Definition: Mixtures with large particles that can be evenly distributed only by mechanical means (shaking or stirring).     * Characteristics: Cloudy, murky, or opaque. If left undisturbed, particles will settle over time, creating a sludge layer at the bottom and clear liquid at the top.     * Filtration: Particles are too big to pass through filter paper or semipermeable membranes; they can be filtered out physically.     * Examples: "Shake before use" medications (e.g., Pamol), calcium-fortified milk, soy milk, fresh-squeezed orange juice with pulp, muddy water, and cornflour water (starch).

• Emulsions:     * Definition: A mixture of two liquids that do not typically mix—one is hydrophilic (polar) and one is hydrophobic (non-polar).     * Characteristics: Cloudy when shaken but separates quickly upon standing unless an emulsifier is added to stabilize the mixture.     * Examples: Vinaigrette, ice cream (water/fat mix), moisturizers, and shampoos.

• Blood Application: Blood is a unique substance that contains all four types of mixtures: solutions (electrolytes), colloids (proteins), suspensions (cells), and emulsions (lipids).

Chemical Formulas and Expanding Brackets

• Methodology: To identify the number of atoms in a formula, list every element (capital letters indicate new elements) and multiply subscripts. If a subscript is outside a bracket, multiply it by everything inside the bracket.

• Example 1: Magnesium Bicarbonate $\text{Mg(HCO}_3)_2$     * Elements: Mg (Magnesium), H (Hydrogen), C (Carbon), O (Oxygen).     * Count for Magnesium: $1$     * Count for Hydrogen: $1 \times 2 = 2$     * Count for Carbon: $1 \times 2 = 2$     * Count for Oxygen: $3 \times 2 = 6$

• Example 2: Calcium Phosphate $\text{Ca}_3\text{(PO}_4)_2$     * Elements: Ca (Calcium), P (Phosphorus), O (Oxygen).     * Count for Calcium: $3$     * Count for Phosphorus: $1 \times 2 = 2$     * Count for Oxygen: $4 \times 2 = 8$

Ionic Compounds and Formula Balancing

• Core Principle: The total positive charge of cations must equal the total negative charge of anions to create a neutral compound. Use a ledger/common denominator approach.

• Aluminum Sulfate:     * Aluminium Ion: $\text{Al}^{3+}$ (Group 3 metal needs to lose 3 electrons).     * Sulfate Ion: $\text{SO}_4^{2-}$ (Polyatomic anion).     * Balancing: Common denominator is $6$. We need $(2 \times 3+)$ and $(3 \times 2-)$.     * Formula: $\text{Al}_2\text{(SO}_4)_3$. Brackets are required to "protect" the polyatomic sulfate ion so it does not look like 43 oxygens.

• Iron (III) Oxide:     * Iron (III) Ion: $\text{Fe}^{3+}$ (the Roman numeral III indicates the charge).     * Oxide Ion: $\text{O}^{2-}$ (Group 6 needs 2 electrons).     * Balancing: Common denominator of $6$. We need two $\text{Fe}^{3+}$ and three $\text{O}^{2-}$.     * Result: $\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3$.

Covalent Molecule Shapes and Polarity

• Tetrahedron:     * Symmetry: Symmetrical.     * Polarity: Non-polar.     * Solubility: Not soluble in water (hydrophobic).     * Example: Methane ($\text{CH}_4$). The central carbon makes four single bonds with hydrogens; there are no non-bonding electron pairs.

• Pyramid:     * Symmetry: Non-symmetrical (asymmetrical).     * Polarity: Polar.     * Solubility: Water-soluble (hydrophilic).     * Example: Ammonia ($\text{NH}_3$). Nitrogen (Group 5) has five valence electrons. It makes three bonds and has one non-bonding pair of electrons at the top. This non-bonding pair repels the bonds, creating a "squished" pyramid shape.

• Bent or V-Shaped:     * Symmetry: Non-symmetrical.     * Polarity: Polar.     * Solubility: Water-soluble.     * Example: Water ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$). Oxygen (Group 6) makes two bonds but has two non-bonding pairs of electrons. This causes even more "squish" or repulsion than in a pyramid.

• Linear:     * Description: Atoms are in a straight line, but polarity varies.     * Example 1: Hydrogen Chloride ($\text{HCl}$). Polar because Chlorine (Group 7) has six non-bonding electrons, creating a dipole with high negative charge at one end.     * Example 2: Carbon Dioxide ($\text{CO}_2$). Non-polar and symmetrical. Even though the Carbon-Oxygen bonds are polar, the charges are distributed evenly at both ends of the linear molecule, so they cancel out.

Organic Chemistry: Functional Groups and Solubility

• Hydrocarbons (Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes):     * Alkanes: Single bonds between carbons; fully saturated.     * Alkenes: At least one double bond between carbons; unsaturated.     * Alkynes: At least one triple bond between carbons; unsaturated.     * Solubility: If a molecule contains only hydrogen and carbon, it is non-polar and hydrophobic (not soluble in water).

• Functional Groups (Polar/Hydrophilic):     * Alcohol: Contains the hydroxyl group ($\text{-OH}$).     * Amine: Contains the amine group ($\text{-NH}_2$).     * Carboxylic Acid: Contains the carboxyl group ($\text{-COOH}$). In drawings, this appears as a carbon double-bonded to an oxygen and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group ($\text{C=O}$ link to $\text{OH}$).     * Solubility Rule: If any of these functional groups are present, they introduce polarity, making the molecule hydrophilic and water-soluble.

• Naming via "Word Lego":     1. Prefix: Number of carbons (Meth=1, Eth=2, Prop=3, But=4).     2. Middle: Nature of bonds (Ane=single, Ene=double, Yne=triple).     3. Suffix: Functional group (e.g., -ol for alcohol, -oic acid for carboxylic acid).     * Example: Propane is three carbons ($\text{C}_3$) with single bonds ($\text{H}_8$).

Questions & Discussion

• Final Exam vs. Mid-Course Test: The mid-course test is online/Moodle-based, which limits questions to what can be clicked or typed. The final exam is pen and paper on campus (unless the student is distance). The final exam will require drawing skills, such as illustrating triglyceride molecules, water molecule hydrogen bonding, or organic structures.

• Exam Scope: The final exam is cumulative (covers the whole course) but is weighted more heavily toward the second half of the course material.

• Resit Policy: Every separate assessment (Mid-course test, Reflection, Final exam) has one resit opportunity if the first attempt is failed. Resits for the mid-course test usually occur in Week 12; exam resits occur the week after the initial exam week.

• Glossary Requirement: Students do not need to memorize the glossary verbatim for the final exam but must "kind of know it" well enough to provide accurate definitions for terms.

• Cell Transport: A summary handout exists on the Week 8 tab. Active transport requires $\text{ATP}$, whereas passive transport does not.