Unit information: Analytical Geochemistry in 2022/23

Unit name	Analytical Geochemistry
Unit code	EASC20038
Credit points	10
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1B (weeks 7 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Hendy
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	EASC10001 Geology 1 EASC10002 Environmental Geoscience 1 EASC10007 Computing for Earth Scientists EASC10008 Introduction to Field Skills in Earth Sciences
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	EASC20041 Numerical Methods and Programming
Units you may not take alongside this one	none
School/department	School of Earth Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Unit Information

This unit will cover the chemical analysis of gas, sediment and water samples using instrumental and wet-chemical methods.

Lectures will cover electronic structures and spectroscopy, electrochemistry, chromatography, solution chemistry, statistics and data analysis. Practicals will cover sample collection and preparation, analysis using ICP-OES, colorimetry, volumetric and electrochemical methods.

The unit is taught over 5 weeks, with assessed assignments being completed and submitted in the following three weeks.

Your learning on this unit

Students will:

• Develop skills in appropriate sample collection, field measurements and analytical laboratory methods.
• Understand the physical principles behind analytical methods and be able to choose an appropriate analytical method for a particular problem.
• Understand precision, accuracy and detection limits of analytical methods.
• Be able to do calculations to convert between different chemical quantities.
• Be able to explore analytical results graphically and statistically using Matlab and practice scientific conventions of reporting

How you will learn

The unit will be taught through a combination of

• asynchronous online materials and, if subsequently possible, synchronous face-to-face lectures
• synchronous office hours
• asynchronous directed individual formative activities and exercises
• guided, structured reading
• practical work in the laboratory

Students who either begin or continue their studies in an online mode may be required to complete practical work, or alternative activities in person, either during the academic year 2020/21 or subsequently, in order to meet the intended learning outcomes for the unit, prepare them for subsequent units or to satisfy accreditation requirements.

How you will be assessed

Coursework 100%

Coursework will comprise 5 practicals write-ups

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC20038).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.