Before the Semester
The second semester involves many lectures and, consequently, many exams. The timetable is packed, and the examination period should not be underestimated. It’s advisable to start summarizing the lecture notes and to study early, especially during the lecture period.
Chemistry of Metals (AC2)
Professor Karsten Meyer continues his Inorganic Chemistry course, though this time without experiments :(. In addition to the lectures with Professor Meyer, there is additional lectures with Professors Mandel and Bachmann, where they show insight into material chemistry. This exam should not be underestimated! Students often experience time pressure during the exam, especially due to having exam questions from all three professors, leading to poorer results compared to AC1.
Theoretical Chemistry I (TC1)
Theoretical Chemistry involves a lot of mathematics and therefore requires a good mathematical understanding. At the same time, TC1 provides the foundation for the subsequent TC lectures and modules, which extend into the sixth semester. Mathematics is an integral and significant component of the chemistry degree program.
The lecture is delivered by Professor Bernd Meyer. Warning: There is no script/course material! The board notes from the lecture are essential for the tutorials and for passing the exams. The tutorials are extensive, but also crucial for the exams and provide a solid learning foundation. An additional textbook is unnecessary for this lecture.
Quantitative Analytical Chemistry (Quanti)
Lecture
The lecture is held by Dr. Heinemann. The lecture covers the fundamentals for the experiments in the practical course, and these are also assessed in the respective colloquia.
Practical
The practical course takes place for each student every other lab day, where a different experiment is performed on each lab day. Students will measure the mass of the desired ion/molecule through different types of titrations, such as acid-base titrations or a titration with a potentiometer, or other methods of measurement. The background knowledge for the experiment are assessed in a group colloquium by an assistant. The colloquium does not affect the final grade, but insufficient knowledge can lead to exclusion from the lab for that day.
Lab Report (Protocol)
Thorough documentation of the results is crucial for the report that needs to be submitted! The lab report accounts for 50% of the module’s grade. The other 50% of the grade comes from the exam. Various graphs must be created for the report. Microsoft Excel, Origin, or the freeware program SciDaVis are highly suitable for this! As a student of FAU, every student has access to a free version of the current Microsoft Office, as well as Origin. More information can be found on the RRZE homepage.
Exam
The exam covers topics from the practical experiments. Dr. Sutter also contributes a small portion of the tasks, though his focus is strongly on probability theory and its underlying principles.
Organic Chemistry I (OC1)
The fundamentals of Organic Chemistry are covered in OC1. It primarily focuses on the most important substance classes, their reactions, properties, and syntheses. The lecture is delivered by one of the two chair holders in Organic Chemistry.
Physical Chemistry I (PC1)
The first lecture in the field of Physical Chemistry deals with Thermodynamics and Electrochemistry. Across the many lectures and tutorials, a large amount of material accumulates for the exam. Starting to study early is therefore highly recommended. PC1 is held by one of the two chair holders of Physical Chemistry. Currently, these are Professor Guldi and Professor Steinrück.
Literature Recommendation: Wedler, Textbook of Physical Chemistry
Since the lecture is very closely aligned with Wedler, regardless of the professor, this book recommendation provides a reliable study companion. The order, illustrations, etc., are all drawn from the book. If something is not sufficiently explained on a lecture slide, it’s always worth consulting the book.
Experimental Physics for Natural Scientists II (Physics 2)
The Physics 2 lecture picks up where Physics 1 left off. Popular lecture topics include electronics, waves, optics, and sometimes even quantum mechanics. The content and format of the exam differ from professor to professor.
Inorganic Synthesis Beginners’ Practical (AC-Beginners)
The lecture accompanying the practical course is already held in the second semester by Professor Burzlaff and eventually replaces the lecture on quantitative analysis. Here, the theoretical fundamentals are discussed, providing a framework for the colloquia in the practical course.
The practical course involves more than 40 hours per week and offers a demanding schedule.
Before the practical, an introductory colloquium is held, during which the first two experiments are verbally assessed and their theoretical backgrounds are reviewed.
Colloquia and practical work are conducted in pairs.
A lab report must be prepared for each experiment. The required content of the reports is prescribed by the assistants.
Grading is based on lab work and conduct, product, colloquium, and the experiment report. All these factors contribute to the practical course grade.
The practical course typically takes place in the 3-4 weeks before the start of lectures for the 3rd semester, usually from mid-September to mid-October.