Aims and Fit of Module

This module aims to introduce to students the physical and chemical features of natural laws and the Earth's environment that allow life to exist and that have influenced its development. It will promote an understanding of the physico-chemical environment in which organisms exist, which will be relevant to the later development of biological principles on all scales from molecular biology to ecology. The module requires GCSE-level Chemistry

Learning outcomes

A. Define the concepts of energetic principles underlying life processes.

B. Describe how chemical structures and forces are involved in building the complexity of organisms.

C. Define how organisms acquire and process energy from the environment.

Method of teaching and learning

Course content will be delivered primarily via standard lectures, that may be accompanied by suitable lecture handouts (also available on the Web). Students will also be guided to sections of specific textbooks and if reading of specific reviews or sources literature is required then copies of these will be made available in the library for use by the students
At intervals during the module, assignments/exercises (up to 1 per chapter) will allow the students to self assess their understanding of the course.