Basic Information

 

Chem 110 is a demanding Chemistry first-year paper, but an important foundational paper for students heading toward medicine, covering a large volume of concepts that require consistent study. This course uses a hybrid delivery model, combining structured course notes, in-person lectures and substantial online content, with weekly Canvas quizzes to reinforce learning. 

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For example, each week there will be 2 pre-lecture recordings, 2 in-person lectures (or equivalent online interactive lectures), 1 online lecture module, a short (assessed) quiz, and 1 in-person workshop covering the previous week's content. 

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The term test assesses the first half of the semester through both multiple-choice and short-answer questions, while the final exam is cumulative. Students also complete a “Science in the Media” assignment, supported by self-paced online modules and quizzes that contribute to the final grade, so it’s important not to leave this component until the last minute.
 

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Laboratory Component​

 

There are 5 labs in Chem 110. The labs were actually one of the more enjoyable parts of the course, as they gave you hands-on experience with core techniques like titration, filtration, and vacuum drying. Each lab involved both a pre-lab task and an in-lab assessment, so preparation was essential. 

Although the experiments aligned well with the course content, the sessions could feel quite intense due to time constraints. Reading through the lab beforehand and practising the required calculations—especially those on the BestChoice pre-lab—made a huge difference in staying on track. Working efficiently is important, but staying calm under pressure is what really helps you perform well.

 

Plussage 

One of the best things Chem 1110 has is plussage. Students may reallocate a % of their mid-term test assessment to the exam if their exam mark is higher than their test mark. To qualify for 15% (out of 15%) plussage a student must demonstrate: - active participation in AT LEAST 8/12 workshop sessions or Tuākana tutorials. - students may replace a workshop with 300 points on BestChoice for up to 2 workshops. 

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I strongly recommend going to those workshops or Tuākana tutorials.

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Lecture Content

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Foundations

 

In 2025, there were 8 lectures in this block, all delivered by Dr Kaitlin Beare and were widely regarded as a key foundational section of the course, especially for students who had previously studied chemistry in high school. It focused on the core principles of organic chemistry, beginning with structure and bonding, nomenclature, forms of isomerism, electronegativity, bond polarity, and how these influence physical properties and mechanisms. 

Tips: Focus on what Kaitlin says in the lectures AND on the slides. This is a great place to start. Organic chemistry is visual, so practice re-drawing molecules or making up your own. Additionally, most of this content relates to each other, so study related topics together. E.g., learn bone polarity with intermolecular forces and boiling-point trends, etc.
 

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Spectroscopy

 

In 2025, all lectures were delivered by Prof Brent Copp and is considered quite challenging for most students due to the in-depth analytical thinking required. Four major spectroscopy techniques are discussed: infrared (IR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectrometry. 

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Tips: Within this section, aim to confidently identify the different information each Spec technique provides (e.g IR shows functional groups, UV-vis shows conjugation, etc) and ensure you know how different types of compounds will show up differently on these types of spectroscopy. Then you can move on to identifying a compound based on the spectroscopy, but the best thing you can do is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!
 

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Chemical Kinetics

 

In 2025, all lectures were given by Prof Duncan McGillivray. This block can be quite challenging as it has a strong mathematical focus, particularly when integrating calculations for half-lives and other aspects of kinetics. Topics covered ranged from reaction rates and factors that influence them to more mathematically intensive concepts such as rate laws, half-lives, activation energy, and reaction mechanisms.
 

The course guide for this section contained more text and required deeper conceptual understanding. 
 

Tips: Make sure you understand the concepts of reaction rates, rate law, and reaction mechanisms first. Also, practice calculations through past papers and fully understand (not just memorise) key definitions. 
 

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Functional Groups - Part I 

 

These lectures were taught by Dr Kaitlin Beare. This section elicited mixed reactions from our cohort, as some of the concepts can be trickier to get your head around. Topics in this section included reaction mechanisms of various organic compounds, including alkenes, alkynes, aromatic compounds, and alkyl halides. In block 1, electrophilic addition (a reaction type) and the functional groups involved are already covered. In this block, the material expands to cover four different reaction types and their associated functional groups.

 

Tips: Due to a large number of new terms and concepts, make sure to understand their definitions, as these tend to come up in tests and exams. It pays to understand which functional groups participate in which reactions and how their structures affect those reactions, as well as the mechanism of each reaction. 

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Acids and Bases

 

This block was taught by Prof Duncan McGillivary and shared a similar approach to the Kinetics section. The mathematics and concepts could be tricky, so working through plenty of practice problems is essential. Students who have completed L3 Aqueous Chemistry (or an equivalent) may recognise topics such as acid–base relationships and their key characteristics, including pH, pKa, Ka, and titration curves. 

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Tips: Make sure you understand the logic behind acid/base reactions, and understand why reactions behave in certain ways, rather than memorising numbers. Pay close attention to buffers and other charged species as well as trends in acid and base strengths. Again, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
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Functional Groups Part 2

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This section, taught by Dr Kaitlin Beare  and Prof David Barker in 2025, was quite challenging due to the large volume of material covered, so careful attention during lectures was important. Topics in this section included reaction mechanisms of ketones, amines and carboxylic acids. 

 

Tips: Use a similar approach to foundational groups, part 1: practice past papers and focus fully on understanding each mechanism. Flow charts are a really good way to solidify everything. 
 

Updated: 2025

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