Overview

This unit takes the skills from Introduction to Chemistry or Chemistry 1 and uses them to introduce students to real world examples of the use of chemistry, specifically in a consumer context. Both the practical and theoretical aspects of a selection of consumer products will be studied, in addition to the environmental impact of such activity.

Requisites

Prerequisites
CHE10005 Consumer Chemistry

Rules

CHE10001 Chemistry 1
OR
CHE10004 Introduction to Chemistry
OR
CEE20005 Engineering Chemistry

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Illustrate some of the scientific bases behind the choice consumers have when obtaining common household products
  • Demonstrate the capacity to undertake basic laboratory work in a context of chemical applications to consumer products
  • Argue the benefit of one consumer product over another in terms of the economical, efficacious and chemical principle behind that choice
  • Describe the impact of consumer products on the environment
  • Rationalise the ingredients in several consumer products, for example a hand cream
  • Evaluate analytical results of real world samples in terms of the expected value and variability in that value

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture
1.00  12 weeks  12
On-campus
Lecture
2.00 12 weeks 24
On-campus
Lab
4.00  6 weeks  24
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
7.50  12 weeks  90
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual/Group 5 - 15% 1,4 
ExaminationIndividual 40 - 50% 2,3,4,5,6 
Mid-Semester TestIndividual 15 - 25% 1,3,4,6 
Practical AssignmentIndividual 20 - 35% 2,3,4,5,6 

Hurdle

As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:

(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and(ii) at least 40% in the final exam, and(iii) completion of a specific fraction of non-reportable laboratory work based on the criteria for successful completion as explained in the lab handout(s).Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirements (ii) and (iii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.

Content

Content will include the study of chemistry in agriculture, cosmetic and cleaning products, food and food additives, emulsions and a selection of currently relevant technologies.

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.