Timeline VCE
Chemistry Unit 4
How are organic compounds categorised analysed and used?
2017-2023
The carbon atom has unique characteristics that explain the diversity and number of organic compounds that not only constitute living tissues but are also found in the fuels, foods, medicines and many of the materials we use in everyday life. In this unit students investigate the structural features, bonding, typical reactions and uses of the major families of organic compounds including those found in food. Students study the ways in which organic structures are represented and named. They process data from instrumental analyses of organic compounds to confirm or deduce organic structures, and perform volumetric analyses to determine the concentrations of organic chemicals in mixtures. Students consider the nature of the reactions involved to predict the products of reaction pathways and to design pathways to produce particular compounds from given starting materials. Students investigate key food molecules through an exploration of their chemical structures, the hydrolytic reactions in which they are broken down and the condensation reactions in which they are rebuilt to form new molecules. In this context the role of enzymes and coenzymes in facilitating chemical reactions is explored. Students use calorimetry as an investigative tool to determine the energy released in the combustion of foods. A student practical investigation related to energy and/or food is undertaken in either Unit 3 or in Unit 4, or across both Units 3 and 4, and is assessed in Unit 4, Outcome 3. The findings of the investigation are presented in a scientific poster format as outlined in the template on page 11 of the VCAA study design guide.. |
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| AREA OF STUDY 1 How can the diversity of carbon compounds be explained and categorised? In this area of study students explore why such a vast range of carbon compounds is possible. They examine the structural features of members of several homologous series of compounds, including some of the simpler structural isomers, and learn how they are represented and named. Students investigate trends in the physical and chemical properties of various organic families of compounds. They study typical reactions of organic families and some of their reaction pathways, and write balanced chemical equations for organic syntheses. Students learn to deduce or confirm the structure and identity of organic compounds by interpreting data from mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Outcome 1 On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare the general structures and reactions of the major organic families of compounds, deduce structures of organic compounds using instrumental analysis data, and design reaction pathways for the synthesis of organic molecules. To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge outlined in Area of Study 1 and the related key skills |
Week |
key knowledge |
Topics and Lessons |
Resources/Activities (activities listed in no particular order) |
Lesson 6 Solutions - trends of organic molecules
Lesson 7a - Reaction pathways summary sheet
Ongoing revision task 5 Solutions - reaction pathways, enthalpy, galvanic Ongoing revision task 7 Solutions - enthalpy, galvanic, redox reaction, isomers and atom economy. Ongoing revision task 7a - enthalpy, equilibrium. Video
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Isomers Ethene and addition reactions Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols Formulae, structural and semistructural Naming organic compounds Quiz 1 Solutions Quiz 13 Video - -Naming,pathways, analytical chemistry (h-nmr, c-nmr, HPLC) Reaction pathways and functional groups summary sheet
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Organic past exam questions
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Analysis of organic compounds
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Spectroscopy past exam questions 2022 VCE pdf |
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• the principles (including spin energy levels) and applications of proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) (excluding features of instrumentation and operation); analysis of carbon-13 NMR spectra and use of chemical shifts to determine number and nature of different carbon environments in a simple organic compound; and analysis of high resolution proton NMR spectra to determine the structure of a simple organic compound using chemical shifts, areas under peak and peak splitting patterns (excluding coupling constants) and application of the n+1 rule Ongoing revision task 8 Solutions - interpreting 1HNMR spectra, percentage yield, reaction pathways. Video solutions |
Quiz 1 Solution |
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• the principles and applications of infrared spectroscopy (IR) (excluding features of instrumentation and operation) and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data including use of characteristic absorption bands to identify bonds Lesson 1 Solutions - IR spectroscopy Lesson 2 - Video worksheet in identifying molecules using IR |
Quiz 1 Solution contains IR and HNMR |
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• determination of the structures of simple organic compounds using a combination of mass spectrometry (MS), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) (limited to data analysis) Spectroscopy Revision task 1 Solutions Revision task 1 Solutions - organic chemistry and spectroscopy Revision exercises involving IR and NMR Revision Video solutions - Naming, atom economy, yield, spectroscopy,NMR, HPLC, pathways. Revision Solutions - Naming, atom economy, yield, spectroscopy,1H NMR, pathways. |
General questions on spectroscopy -deriving the molecular structure. | Summary of analytical techniques. Yet another summary Keep in mind-emission and absorption spectroscopy as well as gravimetric analysis are no longer part of this course. |
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• the principles of chromatography including use of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and construction and use of a calibration curve to determine the concentration of an organic compound in a solution Ongoing revision task 9 Solutions - alcohols, percentage yield, atom economy, chromatography and spectroscopy. Ongoing revision task 10 Solutions - percentage yield, atom economy, chromatography and spectroscopy |
Before commencing with chromatography it is important that students are familiar with Video worksheet (converting units) Chromatography |
Chromatography questions from past exams. 2021 VCE Activity - TLC-plant pigments |
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• determination of the concentration of an organic compound by volumetric analysis, including the principles of direct acid-base and redox titrations (excluding back titrations) Lesson 1 Solutions - volumetric analysis Lesson 1a - volumetric analysis- selecting the right indicator Lesson 2 Solutions - titrations involving redox reactions, %m/m and errors Lesson 3 Solutions- why dilute samples, (dilution) Summary Sheet of volumetric analysis |
Volumetric analysis starts with a discussion of acid base reaction and the use of indicators Oxidants and reductants should also be revisited as should oxidation numbers and writing half equations. A discussion of possible errors when using the burette and pipette is important The following terms must be clear to students Selection of Friday quizzes. The teacher can decide when to use these quizzes to gauge student progress. Quiz 4 Solution - contains back titration, not in the 2016-2023 course) Quiz 5 Solution- contains back titration, not in the 2016-2023 course) Revision volumetric analysis Solution Revision - video worksheet - contains volumetric analysis Revision - video worksheet - contains atom economy, %yield, volumetric and spectra analysis. This video is the same as ongoing revision 20, below.
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Try some worksheets on: Analysis of ammonia in household cleaner Available chlorine in household cleaner Volumetric analysis from past exams. |
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AREA OF STUDY 2 Outcome 2 |
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Lesson 1 Solutions- amino acids and proteins |
Proteins |
Food and Biomacromolecules -past exam questions. 2022 VCE pdf |
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• carbohydrates: formation of disaccharides from monosaccharides, and of complex carbohydrates (specifically starch and cellulose) as condensation polymers of monosaccharides; glycosidic links; storage of excess glucose in the body as glycogen; comparison of glucose, fructose, sucrose and the artificial sweetener aspartame with reference to their structures and energy content Lesson 1 Solutions - carbohydrates |
Carbohydrates Polysaccharides: - cellulose - starch and hydrogen bonding - glycogen |
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• fats and oils (triglycerides): common structural features including ester links; distinction between fats and oils with reference to melting points; explanation of different melting points of triglycerides with reference to the structures of their fatty acid tails and the strength of intermolecular forces; chemical structures of saturated and unsaturated (mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated) fatty acids; distinction between essential and nonessential fatty acids; and structural differences between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids |
Fats-Triglycerides
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• vitamins: inability of humans to synthesise most vitamins (except Vitamin D) making them essential dietary requirements; comparison of structural features of Vitamin C (illustrative of a water-soluble vitamin) and Vitamin D (illustrative of a fat-soluble vitamin) that determine their solubility in water or oil. |
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Ongoing revision task 11 Solutions - volumetric analysis, food chemistry Ongoing revision task 12 Solutions - volumetric analysis, spectroscopy, food chemistry. Ongoing revision task 13 Solutions - volumetric analysis, spectroscopy, food chemistry, chirality Ongoing revision task 14 Solutions-proteins, enzymes, cofactors Ongoing revision task 15 Solutions -proteins, enzymes, enthalpy, spectroscopy, HPLC, calorimetry, |
Quiz 1 Solutions (includes DNA which is not part of Unit 4) |
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Metabolism of food in the human body Lesson 1 Solutions - hydrolysis reactions of food molecules Lesson 2 - enzymes, |
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Energy content of food Ongoing revision 16 Solutions calorimetry, temperature time graphs, enthalpy calculations Ongoing revision 17 Solutions calorimetry, enthalpy calculations, food chemistry, volumetric analysis. Ongoing revision 18 Solutions calorimetry, food chemistry, chromatography Ongoing revision 19 Solutions organic, analytical, green chemistry Ongoing revision 20 Solutions organic pathways , analytical (NMR, IR and MS), organic compound naming Ongoing revision 21 Solutions calorimetry, food chemistry, chromatography |
The list below includes enthalpy questions from past exams 2021 VCE Activity - calibration of a calorimeter to find the energy change in a chemical reaction |
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| AREA OF STUDY 3 |
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Practical investigation A student-designed or adapted practical investigation related to energy and/or food is undertaken in either Unit 3 or Unit 4, or across both Units 3 and 4. The investigation relates to knowledge and skills developed across Unit 3 and/or Unit 4. Findings are communicated in a scientific poster format according to the template on page 11 of the study design . A practical logbook must |
Experimental technique |
Experimental technique (ET)
2021 VCE Application of chemical knowledge |
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Revision task 1 Solutions Q1 atomic absorption is no longer on the course. It contains questions on spectroscopy and organic chemistry. |
Food investigation -separation of oil | ||
| Revision.NHT chemistry exams. Northern hemisphere time (VCE) 2022 Solutions Northern hemisphere time (VCE) 2021 Solutions Northern hemisphere time (VCE) 2019 Solutions Northern hemisphere time (VCE) 2018 Solutions Northern hemisphere time (VCE) 2017 Solutions - question 19 gas chromatography not on current course as is 4a, UV-visible spectroscopy and 6bii, and 6c, acidity constants. |
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