Practical Introduction to Experimental Methods in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

Introduction to chemistry with aspects of inorganic, organic and physical chemistry.

In the General Chemistry Practical Course, students are introduced to the work in a modern chemistry laboratory. Conceptually, the course addresses three major topics: (i) inherent risks in the chemistry laboratory, (ii) common equipment and techniques, (iii) basic classes of reactions and chemical equilibrium.

In the physical chemistry section of the General Chemistry lab course, students conduct three experiments in the field of chemical thermodynamics. In addition to precise and careful laboratory work, the focus is on the theory and, in particular, the statistical analysis of their own measurement data. A report in the style of a scientific publication is required for each experiment.

Practical introduction to important experimental methods in physical chemistry.

Foundations of chemical thermodynamics: Entropy, chemical thermodynamics, laws of thermodynamics, partition functions, chemical reactions, reaction free energies, equilibrium conditions, chemical potential, standard states, ideal and real systems and gases, phase equilibria, colligative properties, with applications to current research at the ETHZ.

Practical introduction to important experimental methods in physical and analytical chemistry.

Practical introduction to important basic experimental methods in physical chemistry. Investigation of qualitative and quantitative relations between physico-chemical quantities of the systems under study.

Laboratory experiments to acquire a profound knowledge of spectroscopical methods and techniques in chemistry. Evaluation and visualization of measurement data. Writing lab reports.