CM3192 - PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENTS

Academic Year 25/26 - Semester 1

Assessments:​

• Physical Chem Lab Proforma: 7% each (×4)

• Physical Chem Lab Report: 12%

• Physical Chem Lecture Test: 20%

• Analytical Chem Lab Proforma: 7% each (×4)

• Analytical Chem Lab Report: 12%

• Analytical Chem Lecture Test: 20%

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Lecturer: Dr Tan Wee Boon & Dr Michael Yudistira

Lab Instructor: Dr Tan Wee Boon & Dr Michael Yudistira

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No. of Responses: 3

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REVIEW

What advice would you give to someone considering to take this course?

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Anonymous: The workload is high and requires consistent effort throughout semester. There are 5 analytical chem and 5 physical chem labs, which all require some level of data processing and graph drawing which can take up a lot of time. Not recommended to overload excessively with this module.

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SF: This course is not difficult but it has a very high workload because of how fast the reports and pro formas are due. Try not to get too burnt out and default to autopilot calibration curves during the achem half. For the pchem half, it really pays to do a very rigorous rundown of the experiment, the expected results and the theory beforehand, especially if this module still retains the viva component in future semesters.

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DolleEicir: It is ill-advised to take both CM3191 and CM3192 concurrently, due to their differing timelines for submission and the nature of the reports/ worksheets. But if you wish to, I would recommend courses that are of a lower workload or SU-able, to complement the higher workload from doing both 91 and 92 concurrently.
For CM3192, it has weekly submissions, either the next day for PChem worksheets, or the subsequent week before the next lab for AChem short reports and both A/P long reports. Hence, it can be rather intensive, as it requires consistent effort weekly, enhanced further by the workload from other courses. It also depends on the amount of effort and detail you are willing to put into it as well.
For the test, both conceptual understanding and calculations are fundamentals for APChem. So make sure that you revise and look through the formulas and calculations in the reports/ worksheets/ lab manuals for it.

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What did you enjoy or find most useful from this course?

Anonymous: Honestly analytical lab is very useful to have a small taster of the skills that will be used heavily in the analytical chem industry.
 

SF: You get to perform some really cool experiments. I think Kundt's tube was the most interesting one, although you don't get to do the historical version with the fine powder.
 

DolleEicir: Interesting to see how the theoretical concepts could be showcased and designed into experiments to demonstrate them.

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What aspects of the course did you find most challenging, and why?

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Anonymous: Completing the physical lab reports by the next day.
 

SF: By far the most challenging aspect of CM3192 is its workload. Although the achem portion of CM3192 is essentially repeats of calibration curves, the reports are due every week so you can never let up. For the pchem portion, the pro formas are due on the day after the experiment, and reading up on the theory beforehand can take up a lot of time.
 

DolleEicir: Most of the theory for the techniques used are not taught in depth in 92, but are covered in other courses, so it will require time to read through the materials that the lecturers provide as reference or self-learning if you are new to them.

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What resources did you find most helpful in helping you better understand the course material?

SF: If you have access to CM3131 lecture slides you may find them somewhat useful for the rovibrational experiment. Still, I suggest sticking to the prelabs of CM3192.
 

DolleEicir: Materials provided by the lecturers, else asking the lecturers or TAs would be a good alternative too.

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What other courses do you think should be taken before or concurrently with this course?

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Anonymous: CM3131, 2143, and 2133 definitely help
 

SF: CM3131 and CM3141. Please refer to my review on CM3131 for the benefits in scheduling/workload if you choose to take these three mods concurrently.

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DolleEicir: CM3131 and CM3141 are recommended to be taken as a bundle together with CM3192 in the suggested timetable for Chemistry students.