FF503: Chemistry, Biology and Molecular Biology – the Empiric Experimental Science (20 ECTS)

STADS: 07010401

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course begins in the autumn semester and continues in the spring semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: snv@sdu.dk
Email: mip@sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
None.

Course introduction
The purpose of the course is to provide an introdution to chemistry and biology, including biochemistry and molecular biology, and to introduce the interplay between these disciplines. From a chemical basis, the course will provide an introduction to central biological topics from cells, vie the organism to ecosystems and also introduce the connection between genetics and evolution.
The focus of the course is the general, physical and organic chemistry including biological macromolecules, general concepts and mechanisms of regulation of cells and membranes, evolution and ecology and general concepts and mechanisms of regulation within biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology.
The course provides the chemical and biological basis for all life science students and forms the basis for advanced studies within chemsitry, biology, biochemistry and molecular biology as well as the integration of chemistry and biology with other fields of science.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:

• describe a cell and the function of its organels
• describe cell division and relate this to inheritance
• explain fundamental genetic laws and perform simple heredity calculations from these
• describe the basic principles of evolution
• explain the difference between different types of chemical bonds
• identify simple molecules and ions and draw Lewis structures of these as well as rationalize their geometry
• use Le Chatelier's principle on chemical equilibria and perform equilibrium calculations including calculations of pH in the respect of acid/base systems
• identify reaction of "0th", 1st and 2nd order kinetics and use the concept of activation energy
• identify and use the concepts of enthalpy, entropy heat capacity, free energy and solubility product in simple calculations
• perform calculations of concentrations, potentials og equilibrium constants from Nernst's equation
• read and draw structures of organic molecules and recognise functional groups
• apply the rules of nomenclature for simple organic molecules and recognise the most widely used trivial names
• explain the concepts of hydrophilic and hydrophobic, recognize molecules with these properties and relate the properties to the structure and organisation of molecules
• apply fundamental concepts of stereochemistry and isomeri and understand the terms configuration and conformation
• describe selected food chains and ecological cycles and explain the chemical basis for the turnover of these
• explain homeostasis of selected components at the level of organs and organisms
• describe and explain the spread of xenobiotics in living organisms
• explain the reactions of the most common functional groups in organic molecules
• apply simple reaction mechanisms when explaining the most common reactions
• explain the fundamental principles of nucleophilic substitution, electrophilic addition, elimination, condensation, hydrolysis, oxidation and reduction
• propose simple organic syntheses from chemical structures and functional groups
• recognise and name the functional groups in biological macromolecules og explain their chemical structure
• outline the mechanism of non-covalent forces in biomolecules and explain the importance of these forces for the structure of biomolecules
• apply stereochemical nomenclature on organic molecules and biomolecuels
• write down central metabolic pathways and explain their importance for cellular turnover of energy and matter
• recognise the most common chemical reactions in metabolic pathways
• explain the flow of genetic information in a cell, including the regulation of gene expression
• explain the physiological function of selectad organs 
• explain the projections of populations in ecosystems
• explain the function of the nervous system including input and output
• explain the function of the most common hormones
• combine knowledge from chemistry, biology, molecular biology and biochemistry
• relate theoretical knowledge to practical problems, experiments and observations
• work independently and safely in a laboratory including safe handling of chemicals
• take notes, work reproducibly and use standard curves for laboratory work

Subject overview

• Cell structure and biomembranes
• Cell cycle, meiosis and mitosis
• Genetics
• Evolution - history and mechanisms
• Atomic structure in relation to the periodic table of elements
• Concepts concerning chemical bonding and molecular structure
• Hydrocarbons, functional groups, stereochemistry and nomenclature
• Hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties
• Chemical equilibrium, including acids and bases and heterogeneous equilibria
• Thermodynamics, including the first law, energy and enthalpy, and the second law, entropy and free energy
• Electrochemistry
• Reaction kinetics
• Ecological cycles and food chains
• Ecotoxicology - distribution of xenobiotics in living organisms
• Physiological regulation of water, salts, gases and temperature
• Organic chemical groups and their reactions
• The structure and function of biological macromolecules
• Hormones
• The nervous system; Sensory and motor mechanisms
• Populations and ecosystems
• Metabolism
• Information flow from gene to protein

Literature

• Blackman et al: Chemistry, 2nd ed.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam

• Participation in 16 hours laboratory exercises in the autumn is a prerequisite for participation in evaluation d.
• Participation in 28 hours laboratory exercises in the spring is a prerequisite for participation in evaluation e.

Assessment and marking:

1. Project report, graded passed/not passed, internal marking by lecturers, 2 ECTS. An interdisciplinary project carried out in study groups in the autumn.
2. Mandatory assignments, graded passed/not passed, internal evaluation by teachers, 5 ECTS. The assignments consist of a combination of written and digital assignments in the autumn
3. Mandatory assignments, graded passed/not passed, internal evaluation by teachers, 3 ECTS. The assignments consist of a combination of written and digital assignments in the spring
4. Laboratory exercises, graded passed/not passed, internal evaluation by teachers, 1 ECTS. This activity is carried out in the autumn
5. Laboratory exercises, graded passed/not passed, internal evaluation by teachers, 2 ECTS. This activity is carried out in the spring
6. A 4 hour written digital exam with books and notes of your own choice. Internet access is not allowed. Takes place in the spring semester. Danish 7-point marking scale, external examiner, 7 ECTS

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. The mode of the re-examination may differ from the mode of the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 80 hours
Skills training phase: 136 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 92 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 44 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 90 hours

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.