Trent University Department of Chemistry
CHEM 4520H: Principles of Water Science and Technology
2017 Winter
Peterborough
Instructor: / Email:Office Location: / Office Hours: / Telephone:
Academic Administrative Assistant: / Email:
Office Location: CSB D105 / Telephone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7505
Course Description:
This course, designed for students with main background in chemistry, is an expanded study of unique properties and role of water in nature and technology. Topics include: molecular structure and essential properties of water and aqueous mixtures, colloids, chemistry behind clean drinking water, water chemistry in energy generation systems.
Course Pre-requisites: one of CHEM 2500H, 3520H(2510H), CHEM–ERSC 2610H, 2620H or 2600Y.
Required Texts: No required textbook. Lecture notes.
Recommended Texts: Engel and P. Reid, “Physical Chemistry”, Prentice Hall, 2nd or 3rd ed.; G.W. van Loon and S.J. Duffy, “Environmental Chemistry”, Oxford, 3rd ed.
MyLearning:Lecture notes and assignments will be available on LearningSystem/Blackboard
Course Format
Peterborough Campus:
Please check the Trent University timetable to confirm times and locations.
Meeting Type / Day / Time / LocationLecture / Tuesday / 09:00 – 10:50 / GCS 103
Seminar / Thursday / 15:00 – 15:50 / GCS 106
Note: Students are encouraged to download CHEM 4520H Assignments through LearningSystem/Blackboard. Downloaded assignments should be printed and attached to your Answers.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course the student will have:
- Been engaged in a study of unique role of water in nature and technology, from a physical-chemical perspective
- Gained an understanding of physical properties and molecular models of water, been introduced to the properties of aqueous solutions, hydrophobic effect and colloids.
- Performed basic calculations of the solubilities of solids and gases.
- Learned about supercritical water and its use in traditional and emerging technologies for power production, hydrogen generation, materials processing and environmental remediation.
- Develop critical skills at analyzing chemical principles and societal benefits of various technologies behind clean drinking water.
- Researched a topic relevant to water science and technology, and delivered an in-class presentation.
Course Evaluation
Type of Assignment / Weighting, % / Due DateAssign. 1 / 10 / Jan. 24
Assign. 2 / 10 / Feb. 7
Assign. 3 / 10 / Feb. 28
Seminar presentation (in class) / 10 / Week 10-12
Report / 20 / March 28
Exam / 40
There will be 3 assignments weighted equally, consisting of questions with short answers and numerical problems. The assignments will be due in 1 week from the date of issue. Each student is required to present a seminar on a selected topic and submit a written report. Students are encouraged to present in groups of 2 or 3. Each presentation should be around 20 min. Report is an individual submission. It can be composed as a review article (normally, around 10 pages, double-spaced) with emphasis on chemical or environmental aspects of a selected problem or issue. Report can also describe a specific piece of published research, containing experimental or theoretical details. Penalty for late assignments and reports is 20% per day.
Topics/Week-by-week schedule:
Week / Topic1 / Molecular structure, phase diagram and physical properties of water
2 / Essentials of solution thermodynamics. Hydrophobic effect. Assn. 1
3 / Supercritical water: properties and application
4 / Properties of water at interfaces. Colloids in nature and technology. Assn. 2
5 / Computer modeling of water and aqueous fluids
6 / Chemistry behind clean drinking water. Assn. 3
Reading Break
7 / Waste water treatment: classical methods.
8 / Advanced oxidation methods in water treatment. Hydrogen production
9 / Special topics: water in power generation. Tour of the Supercritical Water Test Facility
10-12 / Seminar presentations
Seminar topics (suggested)
Anomalies of supercooled water
Amorphous ice
Atmospheric nucleation phenomena
Water droplet chemistry
Ice nucleation; Snowflakes
High density forms of ice
Clathrate hydrates
Chemistry of ice surface
Computer simulations of water
Radiolysis of water
Liquid water: hydrogen bonding and percolation
Supercritical water in nature
Hydrothermal synthesis
Surfactants and their application
Hydrogen fuel from water
Corrosion phenomena
Power cycle chemistry: fossil fuel plants
Power cycle chemistry: nuclear plants
Drinking water treatment methods
Advanced wastewater treatment
Reverse osmosis
Dissolved oxygen and its determination
Department and/or Course Policies:
Chemistry Department Policy on Completion of Course Work:
The Department of Chemistry considers that completion of all components of a course is necessary for a student to be given credit in that course. Therefore, it is the policy of the Department that a student must complete, and hand in if applicable, all material associated with each component of the course. This applies equally to work that is handed in or completed too late to earn any marks in the course, in conjunction with the policy of the course instructor on lateness.
Students who fail to meet this requirement for reasons that would make it reasonable to assign an ”incomplete” mark for the course should consult the instructor well before on which final marks are due for the course in question. In the absence of an incomplete standing being assigned, the student will receive a mark of “0” and an “F” grade in the course.
University Policies
Academic Integrity:
Academic dishonesty, which includes plagiarism and cheating, is an extremely serious academic offence and carries penalties varying from failure on an assignment to expulsion from the University. Definitions, penalties, and procedures for dealing with plagiarism and cheating are set out in TrentUniversity’s Academic Integrity Policy. You have a responsibility to educate yourself – unfamiliarity with the policy is not an excuse. You are strongly encouraged to visit Trent’s Academic Integrity website to learn more.
Access to Instruction:
It is TrentUniversity's intent to create an inclusive learning environment. If a student has a disability and documentation from a regulated health care practitioner and feels that he/she may need accommodations to succeed in a course, the student should contact the Student Accessibility Services Office (SAS) at the respective campus as soon as possible, (Peterborough, Blackburn Hall, Suite 132, 705-748-1281 or email