FACULTY OF SCIENCE

LEARNING GUIDE
PROGRAMMES: ND Engineering Metallurgy; ND Extraction Metallurgy
MODULE: Metallurgical Chemistry 1 (Practical)
CODE: CET1AMP

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Ms H Oosthuizen
COMPILER OF LEARNING GUIDE
Mr P. P. Monama
Revised by Miss K. Pillay
DATE
January 2010

University of Johannesburg

1. FOREWORD
Welcome to Metallurgical Chemistry I Practical (CET1AMP) your first year general chemistry
practical module. We hope that you will experience this module as challenging, and as you may
have been told by fellow students or by a lecturer, this module requires a great deal of dedication
and practice if you intend to pass well.
This module requires revision of the chemistry you studied in Metallurgical Chemistry I Theory
(CET1AMT) and Physical Science at school. The knowledge of basic principles and concepts
such as atomic theory, moles, balancing equations and stoichiometry, etc. is assumed. You must
also be familiar with the Periodic Table, chemical symbols, oxidation states and the naming of
compounds. It is important to relate the material studied in the theory class to the experiments
performed in the laboratory. This is a general chemistry module with an emphasis on providing
the student with a good grounding in the concepts that will be elaborated further in subsequent
years of study. It is strongly recommended that students purchase a pocket English dictionary as
this subject expects students to define and understand scientific terms. Students can use the
dictionary look up for words that the lecturer uses in class which are not so easy to understand.

1.1.

CLASSROOM CONDUCT

All students are expected to attend all sessions and to be punctual and students are expected to
participate actively in all activities.

1.2. HOW TO USE THIS LEARNING GUIDE

This learning guide was designed to guide you through the prescribed textbook in a systematic
and informative way, and therefore you should not study the practical manual without consulting
the learning guide. The practical manual forms the major learning content of this module, and
must be used according to the directives given in the learning guide. You will be required to study
some parts of the Chemistry I Theory prescribed textbook and we will provide you with some
activities (questions) to ensure that you have grasped the content you have read. We may also
provide you with additional material or explanations.

1.3. DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION

Secretary: Ms L. Letlhage
Office no.: JOB 3205
Telephone no.: 011-559-6148
Fax no.: 011-559-6425

2. THE LECTURER
LECTURER.:
OFFICE NO.:
CONTACT NO.:
CONSULTATION TIME: By appointment

3. GENERAL INFORMATION
3.1 PRACTICAL SESSIONS
Attendance to ALL practical sessions is compulsory. A register will be taken. Students are
expected to thoroughly prepare for the practical scheduled for each session. To ensure that this
happen a practical test will be written for every session. These tests will cover both the practical
and theory components. It is the student's responsibility to fill in the answers to the questions in
the practical manual, as they will be tested on these questions. NO MAKE-UP OR
SUPPLEMENTARY OR SICK TESTS WILL BE GIVEN!!!

3.2 SAFETY
Wear safety glasses at ALL times while working in the laboratory, even if you are not working
with chemicals, your neighbour may be. You will be provided with a pair of safety glasses during
the 2nd session (see practical schedule). If you wear prescription glasses, you need not wear the
safety glasses. If a chemical does get into the eye, you must rinse the eye with large amounts
of water for at least 10 minutes and get immediate medical attention. A chemistry laboratory can
be a potentially dangerous place to work in, so there must be strict adherence to safety rules at
all times.
GENERAL LABORATORY SAFETY RULES:
Wear safety glasses over your eyes at all times when in the laboratory.
Dress suitably and wear a laboratory coat.
Do not inhale or taste any chemicals
Do not distract your fellow students.
Never work alone in the laboratory.
Do not attempt unauthorized experiments.
Report all accidents, however minor.
When carrying out a reaction or boiling a liquid in a test tube, point the mouth of the test tube
away from yourself and others.
Wash your hands before leaving the laboratory.
Understand the method and instructions before you start the experiment, as you will be
tested on these before each experiment.
Check the apparatus to see if it is correctly constructed.
Handle all chemicals with great care.
Maintain your work area and ensure its tidiness at all times.
Clean up any chemical spills immediately.
Always ask the lecturer if in doubt.
Do not eat, drink or smoke in the laboratory

4. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
The necessary information is available from the secretary.

5. GENERAL INFORMATION ON MODULE

5.1. TYPE OF MODULE: Semester
5.2. DURATION OF MODULE IN WEEKS: 14

6. PURPOSE OF THE MODULE

The primary purpose of this module is to develop the basic knowledge and understanding of
practical skills of chemical principles and techniques of general chemistry as required for
further modules in Engineering Metallurgy and Extraction Metallurgy.

7. PREREQUISITE
None

8. ASSESSMENT
An integrated approach to assessment whereby assessment forms an integral part of teaching
and learning is followed.
Formative assessment
Students are assessed continuously throughout the semester in the form of weekly practical
tests contributing 30% to the final mark and 2 cumulative main tests (contributing 20% and 50%
respectively to the final mark). If you are absent, only a doctors certificate will be accepted as a
valid reason. In addition if you miss more than two practical sessions with or without a valid
medical certificate you automatically fail the module. Should you miss a session you are
required to submit a medical certificate within seven days to the Secretary of the Chemical
Technology Department.

8.1. PASS REQUIREMENTS

Final mark weighting: Practical tests : Main tests
30%
70%
Practical tests
Weekly practical tests contributing 30% of the final mark.
Main tests
2 cumulative main tests contributing 70% of the final mark.
Main test 1 contributes 30% of the final mark.
Main test 2 contributes 40% of the final mark.
Minimum pass mark = 50%
Distinction = 75%

9. SUPPORT RESOURCES
A blended learning approach that makes use of the following teaching/learning methodology,
opportunities and experiences is used:
Pre-practical lecture.
Consultations
Practical/Experimental work.
Group discussions.
Each student must obtain the following items before the first practical session:
MICROCHEMISTRY PRACTICAL MANUAL
MICROCHEMISTRY KIT
SAFETY GLASSES
LABORATORY COAT
Brown T.L., LeMay H.E. and Bursten B.E., Chemistry the Central Science., 11th Edition,
Prentice Hall, 2009.
Students are welcome to consult lecturers (personal visit or telephone) if they encounter any
problems with this module. Lecturers are available from Monday to Friday during working
hours. Please make an appointment beforehand. We cannot guarantee that you will be helped
if you arrive at the department without an appointment.

10. PLAGIARISM
The Academic Regulations of the University of Johannesburg clearly states that any form of
dishonesty, including plagiarism, in relation to any assessment event in any programme, will be
dealt with in accordance with the UJs disciplinary code and/or criminal law (UJ07).
Plagiarism is defined as the act of using someone elses work or idea and pretending that it is
your own (Cam02) and includes the following (Boo03):

Presenting the ideas, words or results of another person as your own, without giving
acknowledgement to the original author.
Using the ideas or words of another person without giving the necessary credit to that
person or source.
Using sentences, paragraphs or sections of articles, books and web documents without
quotation marks and suitable acknowledgement.
Using another persons direct words without using quotation marks, even if you
acknowledge the source.

You must be able to present and communicate the data you have accumulated and the
knowledge you have gained from various sources effectively by showing that you have made it
your own. Any sources from which information for your assignment was obtained must be
clearly indicated, referenced in the correct manner.
Every student has to add a written declaration, stating that it is his/her own work, with
each assignment.
[Boo03] Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams. The craft of research.
University of Chicago Press, 2003.
[Cam02] Cambridge International Dictionary of English , 2002.
[UJ07] University of Johannesburg. Academic Regulations, 2007.

11. TABLE OF CONTENT OF MODULE

Unit /
Section
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Theme/ Topic

Page number

Compounds, elements, pure substances

and mixtures.
Reaction of Group 1A and 2A metals with
water.
Preparation of Ammonia.
Reaction of metals with oxygen.
Acid Base indicators.
The conductivity and pH of various acids
and bases.
Solubility of Group 2A sulphates in water.
Decompostion of mercury(II) oxide.

9 - 13
22 - 26
27 - 29
44 - 46
41 43
35 - 40
30 - 32
18 21

Stoichiometry of a precipitation reaction.

32 34

9
10

Electrolysis of water.

61 - 64

11

Reduction of copper(II) oxide.

58 - 60

12

The zinc/copper cell.

61 - 64

13

Reaction of metal with metal solutions.

55 - 58

14
15

Chemical Equilibrium.
Preparation of copper(II) sulphate
pentahydrate.
Preparation of benzoic acid from sodium
benzoate.
Properties of acids, bases, salts and buffers.

47 - 50
65 - 66

16
17

67 70
71 - 79

12. SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Module learning outcomes On completion
of the learning event the student should be able
to:
1. Use the apparatus and chemicals when
performing experiments.

Module assessment criteria Competence

will be evident if:

2. Record the observations and experiences

using the appropriate scientific terminology.

The data is correctly recorded.

The scientific terminology is used in the
correct
context
when
recording
observations.
The scientific terms, processes are
correctly defined.

3. Relate the observations and experiences to

the theoretical chemistry concepts.

Observations are precisely explained

using various chemistry concepts.
The
chemical
formulas,
chemical
equations and patterns of chemical
reactivity are correctly expressed.

4. Use the observations and experiences to

predict the behaviour of similar substances.

The behaviour of similar substances are

precisely discussed.

The experimental apparatus are correctly

set-up.
Caution is exercised when handling
hazardous chemicals.