Undergraduate KL Coded Courses - Science 2014-2015

The fundamentals of chemistry are important across the physical sciences. Starting with atomic structure and the Periodic Table, this course moves on to chemical bonding theory, building to the structure of organic molecules. Moving from the molecular level, acid-base theories, phase equilibria and solution chemistry are covered. The properties of ideal and non-ideal gases are then discussed. The energetics of chemical processes completes the course.

Teaching includes lectures and class workshops that put chemical concepts into a real-world context. Laboratory classes introduce important practical techniques, with experiments that support and compliment the taught material.

Geologists look at the age of the Earth in terms of Millions of years.  They have, over time, had to devise a timescale that allows all geologists to sequence events in the same order as each other.  The geological timescale itself is controlled by geological principles, from relative dating, where ages are determined by whether events are prior to, or after another event, to absolute dating, where the ages of events are determined by numerical years. 

Physics is the most fundamental of the sciences, and if we wish to better understand the nature and behaviour of the Universe, it is perhaps the best place to start. This course introduces the basic topics of Physics, from the sub-microscopic scale of electrons and atoms, to the orbits of the planets and stars, to the grand wheeling of galaxies. It encompasses the work of Physicists like Isaac Newton,   Albert Einstein, Marie Curie and Tony Stark. If you’ve ever been curious about how the world works, you will hopefully find this course, typically well-regarded by students, interesting.

The course explores major, global-scale issues associated with environmental change, world resources and prospects for development (sustainable or otherwise).  Example topics include climate change, natural hazards, population growth, deforestation, water resources and global food supply.  The course is designed to appeal to all students interested in the relationships between people and the natural environment, irrespective of their academic background or degree intention.  The course combines aspects of the earth, environmental and social sciences.  No prior knowledge is assumed.

This course considers the geographical patterns that characterise the Earth’s physical and human environments and landscapes, and the processes that operate within and lead to changes in these. It is also concerned with the ways in which people occupy the Earth’s surface, their movements and settlements, and their perceptions and use of landscapes, resources and space. Lecture material is presented in study blocks covering: glaciology and palaeoclimates; biogeography and soils; economic, social and cultural geographies; and sustainable transport. Key concepts and skills are reinforced through small tutor-led classes (workgroups).

Impossibly distant, sparkling jewels cast on the black velvet cloth of the sky, no sight inspires more awe than the majestic beauty of the stars. This course explores the evolution of our understanding of astronomy from how the Universe at large works to the modern view of our solar system.

Science also intersects with our daily lives in the weather. We discuss the way elementary physics causes everything from everyday weather to colossal storm systems, and we explore some major science issues including climate change.

Descriptive, not mathematical, this is an interesting, approachable course suitable for all undergraduate students.

The rocks, of which the rigid, outer shell of the Earth is made, are themselves composed of a range of different minerals. Igneous rocks, which crystallise from rock melts (magma), contain minerals that reflect the processes operating within and at the margins of the plates that form the rigid shell. Metamorphic rocks are formed in respond to the forces associated with the movement of the plates and/or to changes in temperatures. The weathering and erosion of pre-existing rock formations and the transport and deposition of this debris by ice, wind, water and gravity form most sedimentary rocks.

Chemistry plays a central role in modern science, not only because of the insights it gives on the composition, properties, and reactivity of matter but also because of its wide-ranging applications. This course seeks to consolidate some of the important fundamentals of chemistry that underlie many topics and principles across the physical sciences and engineering, bringing together molecular structure, reaction mechanisms, the driving forces behind chemical reactions, and methods of chemical analysis and structure determination.

Workshops and laboratory classes complement lectures by consolidating learning and developing problem-solving and hands-on practical skills.

Understanding electric and magnetic forces is of paramount importance for understanding the physical world. They are eventually responsible for the matter around us to self-organize (in solid, liquid and gas phases), with given structures, density, elastic properties, and so on. Furthermore, they are responsible for light emission and propagation across the space.

Already the first rudiments of electricity and magnetism will help to appreciate that they are two difference faces of the same coin: electromagnetism. This relationship is the first evidence of the possibility to build a unified description of the microscopic laws of the physical universe.

Beginning with digital logic gates and progressing to the design of combinational and sequential circuits, this course use these fundamental building blocks as the basis for what follows: the design of an actual MIPS microprocessor. In addition, students will get hands on experience on programming Intel 8086 assembly language which is the inner language spoken by the processor. By the end of the course, students will have a top-to-down understanding of how a micropressor works. The course is taught without prerequisites; students are taught with plenty of exercises from lectures, tutorials, practical and tests every week.

This course covers key concepts in physical chemistry which underpin our understanding and ability to control chemical and biological processes. The principal points include thermodynamics (enthalpy, entropy and free energies), chemical kinetics (zero, 1st and 2nd order reactions, rate laws and half-lives and the relationship of rate laws to reaction mechanisms), and basic principles of electrochemistry (redox chemistry and the Nernst equation). A strong emphasis on calculations helps students get to grips with the course material and develops numeracy skills. Laboratory experiments support and complement the taught material.

This course will provide an overview of the current knowledge of the geology of planetary bodies of our solar system 

The student will be able to:

Appreciate the unique characteristics of Earth as a planetary body in our solar system.  

Have a sound knowledge of the geology of Earth's moon and the age of moon rocks.  

Understand the methods used to explore the geology of distant planets and in particular remote sensing methods used for the exploration of Mars and Venus.  

Geology of the Terrestrial planets. 

Modern organic and biological chemistry comprise the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds, which are natural (e.g. foods, fuel, perfumes) as well as synthetic (e.g. soaps, textile fabrics, pharmaceuticals). This course investigates some key areas in organic chemistry: shape, conformation, stereochemistry, and chemical properties of organic and biological compounds. Reactions and reactivity of aliphatic derivatives, olefins and aromatic compounds will be considered with particular reference to spatial and electronic effects. The experiments performed in the lab will help students understand key organic concepts and develop their synthetic/analytical skills.

This course aims to provide an overview of the chemical and physical characteristics of naturally occurring minerals and the processes that contribute to their crystallization.