NWNR100434 Chemistry exercises (AW)

Type
course with continuous assessment
Semester hours
4
Lecturer (assistant)
Kastner, Bruna , Bacher, Markus , Osswald, Uwe , Potthast, Antje , Musl, Oliver , Rosenau, Thomas , Hager-Mair, Fiona , Beaumont, Marco , Schäffer, Christina , Loibner, Andreas Paul
Organisation
Biochemistry
Offered in
Wintersemester 2026/27
Languages of instruction
Deutsch
Content

Chemistry in Practice – From the Laboratory to Agriculture

Chemistry may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about agriculture – yet it plays an important role in many areas of agricultural practice. What happens to nutrients in the soil? How can water quality be assessed? Why do acids and bases matter? What do enzymes, proteins and carbohydrates have to do with agricultural products? And how can vegetable oils be converted into biodiesel?

The Chemical Laboratory Exercises for Agricultural Science Students provide an opportunity to apply basic chemical knowledge in practice and relate it to agricultural contexts. Rather than learning chemistry solely from textbooks, students conduct experiments, perform measurements, analyse samples and interpret their results.

The course covers a range of topics, including laboratory safety, acid-base reactions, qualitative ion analysis, coordination chemistry, volumetric analysis and redox reactions, as well as water analysis. Water samples are analysed using titrimetric methods, while nitrate levels are determined using simple test strips. Further experiments focus on proteins, enzymes and carbohydrates, as well as the chemical principles underlying biodiesel production.

The course demonstrates that chemistry is not an abstract side topic, but a useful tool for understanding agricultural processes. Students learn to recognise chemical relationships in agricultural contexts, carry out basic analyses themselves and critically evaluate experimental results.

In short: less memorising formulas, more understanding, experimenting and discovering what is happening chemically in soil, water, plants and agricultural products.
Previous knowledge expected

Basic knowledge of chemistry
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Apply laboratory safety rules and protective measures, use safety equipment appropriately, handle laboratory equipment and chemicals responsibly, and minimise risks to themselves and others.
2. Organise and maintain a laboratory workspace independently and appropriately, including the correct handling, labelling and disposal of chemicals and laboratory waste.
3. Perform basic chemical laboratory operations and techniques independently, as well as carry out simple chemical analyses and syntheses according to given procedures.
4. Understand and implement experimental procedures and instructions, perform measurements carefully, document experimental results, and use the data obtained to calculate concentrations and derive analytical results.
5. Interpret experimental results and relate them to fundamental chemical principles, particularly in the fields of general and inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry.
6. Apply theoretical knowledge from the courses “General and Inorganic Chemistry for Agricultural Science Students” and “Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry” to practical problems, and explain the observed chemical processes accurately.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.