BIRKBECK COLLEGE

(University of London)

MSc/PGD in Analytical Chemistry
2016-17 Pre-enrolment Assessment

Please read the following sections carefully, they explain the purpose of this assessment and what you need to do to complete it.

Background and Purpose

This paper is designed to help us assess your ability to successfully complete an MSc or PGDip in Analytical Chemistry at Birkbeck.

Birkbeck is proud of its reputation for widening participation in higher education and giving applicants from non-traditional backgrounds the opportunity to study. In some cases this will mean that applicants are joining Birkbeck after a break in formal study and will have to rapidly adjust to study at an advanced level. This may also mean that we are not able to readily obtain accurate and up to date academic references that can help us decide if the applicant is suitably prepared with sufficient background knowledge to enter the programme directly.

Postgraduate courses such as the MSc/PGDip in Analytical Chemistry assume students have a certain amount of prior knowledge about chemistry, chemical principles and basic mathematical procedures. Also the University Regulations prescribe this should be equivalent to a second class honours degree from a British University[1]. Some applicants will possess the required background knowledge from their prior academic study; others will have gained additional knowledge from their employment and will immediately be in a position to take the course. However, for some applicants a pre-qualifying period of study may be required to refresh their background understanding before starting the course. There is also an opportunity for students to take a short course in written English immediately before the MSc/PGD programme; this course is particularly useful for applicants where English is not their first language or where applicants are out of practice in writing in English to a high standard.

Your answers to this assessment will help us recommend an appropriate programme of study for you.

How to Complete this Assessment

This assessment should take you around two hours to complete. It is desirable that you complete the assessment in one session so make sure you have this amount of free time before you start. You are required to write your answers directly in this book. Use the front of the printed sheets to write your answer and the blank (reverse) of these sheets for your rough workings or notes.

This is an open-book assessment so you can consult any books you wish and use calculators. You must not, however, copy directly from a book, paper or the internet and if you do use a book or another source of information you must make a note of your source on this form.

We have chosen an open-book style assessment because we feel this more accurately reflects ‘real –life’ situations where people will use all the resources available to try and solve a problem or answer a question at work.

Finally, I would like to explain that the questions are a deliberate mix of easy and subjective questions and we do not expect you to be able to answer them all correctly at this stage.

Full Name of Applicant:…………………………………………………………………………

Books or Other Sources Used (if none state 'None’) ……………………………………………...

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I Declare this Assessment is my Own Work (signature)………………………………………...

SECTION A

Answer ALL the following questions by circling the correct or most appropriate answer

1. What volume of 0.050 M NaOH(aq) will exactly neutralize 100.0 mL of 0.075 M HBr solution?

a) 100.0 mL

b) 7.5 mL

c) 6.6 x 10-3 mL

d) 150 mL

e) 120 mL

2. What volume of 0.200 M H2SO4(aq) would exactly neutralize 2.00 L of 1.0 x 10-3 M Al(OH)3?

a) 6.7 mL

b) 10 mL

c) 15 mL

d) 1.00 L

e) 75 mL

3. What reagent would be the best choice for a primary standard to standardize a solution of KOH of unknown concentration?

a) KHP (potassium hydrogen phthalate)

b) sodium carbonate

c) sodium hydroxide

d) HCl

e) KCl

4. What is the hydroxide ion concentration in 1.0 M HBr?

a) 1.0 M

b) 1.0 x 10-13 M

c) 1.0 x 10-14 M

d) 1.0 x 10-7

5. What is the pH of a 0.10 M solution of HF in water? The Ka of HF is 7.2 x 10- 4.

a) -2.07

b) 8.5 x 10-3

c) 0.10

d) 3.14

e) 2.1


SECTION B

Answer the following short questions in the space provided below the question. In each case enough space has been given for an answer of sufficient detail:

1.  Give an example of a polar and a non-polar liquid that are suitable for use as the mobile phase in a chromatographic separation. In each case briefly explain your choice. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2.  Suggest an instrumental method that could be used to determine total calcium in a small blood sample. Suggest a second method suitable for determining the free calcium ions [Ca2+] on a similar sample of blood. In each case suggest if the sample needs pre-treatment or if it could be measured directly. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3.  Sketch a series of titration curves for the titration of a strong acid with a strong base where the concentration of the acid is 10-1, 10-2, and 10-3 mol dm-3 respectively. Explain why the choice of indicators is restricted at different acid concentrations.

END

Jonathan Slater Page 1 16/05/2016

[1] The NARIC system is used by the University to assess levels at Overseas Universities