Consumer Chemistry
Overview
This unit takes the skills from Introduction to Chemistry or Chemistry 1 and uses them to introduce students to real world examples of the use of chemistry, specifically in a consumer context. Both the practical and theoretical aspects of a selection of consumer products will be studied, in addition to the environmental impact of such activity.
Requisites
CHE10001 Chemistry 1
OR
CHE10004 Introduction to Chemistry
OR
CEE20005 Engineering Chemistry
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Illustrate some of the scientific bases behind the choice consumers have when obtaining common household products
- Demonstrate the capacity to undertake basic laboratory work in a context of chemical applications to consumer products
- Argue the benefit of one consumer product over another in terms of the economical, efficacious and chemical principle behind that choice
- Describe the impact of consumer products on the environment
- Rationalise the ingredients in several consumer products, for example a hand cream
- Evaluate analytical results of real world samples in terms of the expected value and variability in that value
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Lecture |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Lecture |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| On-campus Lab |
4.00 | 6 weeks | 24 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
7.50 | 12 weeks | 90 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Individual/Group | 5 - 15% | 1,4 |
| Examination | Individual | 40 - 50% | 2,3,4,5,6 |
| Mid-Semester Test | Individual | 15 - 25% | 1,3,4,6 |
| Practical Assignment | Individual | 20 - 35% | 2,3,4,5,6 |
Hurdle
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:
(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and(ii) at least 40% in the final exam, and(iii) completion of a specific fraction of non-reportable laboratory work based on the criteria for successful completion as explained in the lab handout(s).Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirements (ii) and (iii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.
Content
Content will include the study of chemistry in agriculture, cosmetic and cleaning products, food and food additives, emulsions and a selection of currently relevant technologies.
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.