CHEM1011: pass the exams, not just read the notes
Your complete guide to University of Sydney's fundamentals of chemistry 1a unit. See where the marks are, work real practice questions, and study with an AI tutor that knows CHEM1011.
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Worked example
Ammonia is made by N2(g) + 3H2(g) -> 2NH3(g). You react 28.0 g of N2 (M = 28.02 g/mol) with 8.00 g of H2 (M = 2.016 g/mol). What is the maximum mass of NH3 (M = 17.03 g/mol) that can form?
Convert each reactant to moles: n(N2) = 28.0 / 28.02 = 1.00 mol; n(H2) = 8.00 / 2.016 = 3.97 mol.
Use the limiting reagent and the mole ratio. The equation gives 2 mol NH3 per 1 mol N2, so n(NH3) = 2 × 1.00 = 2.00 mol.
Convert to mass: mass(NH3) = 2.00 × 17.03 = 34.0 g, which is option index 1.
The trap: Picking 45.1 g treats H2 as limiting (2/3 × 3.97 × 17.03), and picking 17.0 g uses a 1-to-1 N2-to-NH3 ratio instead of the correct 1-to-2 ratio from the balanced equation. Always divide each reactant's moles by its coefficient to find the limiting reagent, then scale the product by the balanced-equation ratio. classic slip!
One exam decides 55% of your grade. Compulsory: failure to attend is an Absent Fail (AF). Covers the whole lecture course, about one-third MCQ and two-thirds short answer. This whole page is built around that.
Overview
What CHEM1011 is, and where it sits
CHEM1011 Fundamentals of Chemistry 1A is the University of Sydney's introductory first-year chemistry unit, run by the School of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science. It assumes little or no senior chemistry and rebuilds the subject from the atom up: subatomic structure and isotopes, the mole and stoichiometry, bonding, the periodic table, Lewis structures and molecular shape, a substantial block of organic chemistry, and then a quantitative back half of thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, and intermolecular forces. The lecture course runs about 38 lectures across 13 weeks alongside a compulsory laboratory program.
The unit has two assessable strands that are graded separately. The lecture (theory) course is examined by weekly Canvas quizzes, an open-book checkpoint quiz in Week 7, and a 55% closed-book final exam that covers the whole course. The laboratory is its own 25% strand of labtorials, logbooks, technique competencies and a major assessment, and it is a HURDLE: you must pass the laboratory to pass the unit, regardless of your theory mark. Failing to attend the final exam is recorded as an Absent Fail. That combination, one big closed-book exam plus a separate lab gate, is what makes the unit feel higher-stakes than its first-year level suggests.
Content difficulty is front-loaded with vocabulary and back-loaded with calculation. The early weeks introduce a large amount of new language (allotropes, isotopes, polyatomic ions, VSEPR, functional groups, isomers) that rewards steady weekly work, while the later weeks (stoichiometry, ICE-table equilibrium, pH and titration, thermochemistry) are where the numerical method matters. A handheld non-programmable calculator and a course datasheet and periodic table are provided in the final, so the exam tests whether you can apply the method under time pressure rather than whether you have memorised constants.
Official outline: sydney.edu.au · CHEM1011 outline. Always treat the official outline and the exam timetable as authoritative.
Difficulty & time commitment
Is CHEM1011 hard, and how much time does it take?
CHEM1011 is manageable if you keep a weekly rhythm and treat the back half as the main event. Across student reviews the pattern is consistent: it starts gently and steepens, and the heaviest assessment is the part that separates grades.
A read across student reviews and course feedback. See what students say ↓
The difficulty curve and the assessment weighting point the same way: the back half is harder and worth more. Front-loading effort there is the highest-return decision in the unit.
Is this unit for you
Who tends to do well, and who tends to struggle
You will likely do well if
- You keep up with the vocabulary-heavy early weeks (allotropes, isotopes, polyatomic ions, VSEPR, functional groups, isomers) rather than letting new terms pile up, because the back half assumes them.
- You drill the calculation method in the later topics until it is automatic: mole and mass conversions, limiting reagent, concentration and dilution, ICE tables, pH and titration, and thermochemistry.
- You treat the laboratory as seriously as the lectures, keeping your logbook current and passing each technique competency, because the lab is a hurdle you must pass to pass the unit.
- You practise full short-answer working under closed-book conditions with the provided datasheet and a non-programmable calculator, not just multiple-choice recognition.
You may struggle if
- You assume no-prior-chemistry means low effort; the unit moves fast through a lot of new language and then a calculation-heavy back half.
- You neglect the laboratory or miss labtorials, since the lab is a separate hurdle and failing it fails the unit even with a passing theory mark.
- You rely on memorising formulas and constants instead of practising the method, when the closed-book final provides the constants and tests whether you can apply them under time.
- You leave stoichiometry, equilibrium and acid-base calculations to cram, because they are the most error-prone topics and carry heavy short-answer weight on the final.
- Build a one-page method sheet for each calculation type (limiting reagent, dilution, ICE table, pH and titration, enthalpy from formation and from bond enthalpies) and rehearse the steps, not the worked answer.
- Work the practice SAQ sets and past-style finals timed under closed-book conditions, using only the provided datasheet and a non-programmable calculator, so the exam is just another rep.
- Track significant figures and units through every calculation; in short-answer marking, method and correct units earn marks even when the final number slips.
- Stay ahead in the laboratory, keep the logbook tidy, and clear every technique competency early so the lab hurdle is never in doubt while you revise theory.
Syllabus
The 9 topics, week by week
The exam-weight marker on each topic shows where the marks concentrate. The amber topics carry the highest exam weight.
T1 · Atoms, light and the mole
Blackman Ch 1, 3, 4Physical versus chemical change and allotropes; protons, neutrons and electrons; atomic number Z, mass number A and isotopes; average atomic mass; the mole and Avogadro's number; n = m/M and n = N/NA; light as c = lambda nu and photon energy E = hc/lambda.
T2 · Bonding, equations and stoichiometry
Blackman Ch 5, 6Ionic versus covalent bonding, valence and polyatomic ions; molecular versus empirical formula; empirical formula from percent composition; balancing equations conserving atoms and charge; mole ratios, limiting reagent and percent yield.
T3 · Solutions and periodic trends
Blackman Ch 5, 8Concentration c = n/V, moles in solution and dilution c1V1 = c2V2; periods, groups and effective nuclear charge; trends in atomic radius, ionisation energy and electronegativity across and down the table; metals, non-metals and metalloids.
T4 · Lewis structures and VSEPR
Blackman Ch 6, 7Octet rule and the Lewis structure build sequence; bond order versus bond length and strength; resonance and formal charge; VSEPR geometries (linear, trigonal planar, tetrahedral) and lone-pair distortion; molecular polarity from shape.
T5 · Organic chemistry: groups, naming and isomers
Blackman Ch 2, 19, 20Carbon tetravalency and what makes a molecule organic; molecular, condensed and skeletal representations; alkane, alkene and alkyne formulas; IUPAC naming; the functional-group set; constitutional versus stereoisomers; E/Z, chirality, R/S and optical activity.
T6 · Thermodynamics
Blackman Ch 9Enthalpy and exo versus endothermic reactions; Hess's law; standard enthalpy of formation and reaction enthalpy from formation data and from bond enthalpies; calorific value versus heat of combustion; why reaction rate (activation energy) is independent of reaction enthalpy.
T7 · Chemical equilibrium
Blackman Ch 10The equilibrium constant K and reaction quotient Q; omitting pure solids and liquids; predicting direction from Q versus K; ICE tables and solving for the unknown (exact quadratic and small-K approximation); Le Chatelier's principle for concentration, pressure and temperature.
T8 · Acids, bases and titrations
Blackman Ch 11Bronsted acids and bases, Ka and pH = -log[H3O+], pH + pOH = 14; strong versus weak and polyprotic acids; buffers and the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation; titration regions, equivalence versus end point, and pH = pKa at half-equivalence.
T9 · Functional groups, fats and polymers
Blackman Ch 19, 20, 22Oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups; hydrolysis of carboxylic acid derivatives; fats, fatty acids, soaps and saponification; amphiphiles and micelles; intermolecular forces (dispersion, dipole, ion-dipole, hydrogen bonding) and boiling points; addition versus condensation polymers.
How it's assessed
Assessment structure
| Component | Weight | Format & timing |
|---|---|---|
| Early feedback task | 1% | Online Canvas quiz, about 20 to 30 minutes (the Week 1 weekly quiz). Due Week 2 (dates subject to change). Low stakes, no hurdle. |
| Weekly lecture quizzes | 14% | Multiple online Canvas quizzes; each open about 2 weeks with 3 attempts, highest mark kept. Weekly from Week 2. Best 9 marks count, so the lowest is dropped. |
| Checkpoint quiz | 5% | 40-minute online OPEN-BOOK Canvas quiz, 15 raw marks; a sample is released the prior week. Week 7 (date subject to change). Individual exercise, no hurdle. |
| Laboratory | 25% | Multiple in-lab and online tasks: labtorial quizzes, logbooks, technique competency and a major assessment; catch-up labs in Week 13. Across the semester on your individual lab schedule. HURDLE: the laboratory assessment must be PASSED to pass the unit, regardless of theory mark. Labs are compulsory. |
| Final exam | 55% | Supervised pen-and-paper exam on campus, 130 min including 10 min reading: 30 MCQ (30 marks, about 40 min) plus short-answer (40 marks, about 80 min). CLOSED BOOK; datasheet and periodic table provided; approved non-programmable calculator and pen permitted. Formal exam period (replacement exam 7 to 10 July 2026 for the S1 offering). Compulsory: failure to attend is an Absent Fail (AF). Covers the whole lecture course, about one-third MCQ and two-thirds short answer. |
- Pass on a weighted average of at least 50% AND pass the laboratory hurdle. Failing the laboratory means failing the unit even with a passing theory mark; not attending the compulsory final exam is recorded as an Absent Fail.
- Final exam: Q1 to Q30 are multiple choice (1 mark each, 30 marks, about 40 minutes) and the remainder are short-answer questions (40 marks, about 80 minutes). It is closed book and covers the whole lecture course, so the full working matters, not just the chosen option.
- Calculator policy: Final exam: handheld non-programmable calculator (must be approved) plus pen or pencil; a datasheet and periodic table are provided. The checkpoint quiz is open book. An approved physical bilingual dictionary is permitted in the exam.
This is an exam-cram unit. With the exams at 55% of the grade and the final exam alone at 55%, your result is overwhelmingly decided by how well you perform under time pressure. Compulsory: failure to attend is an Absent Fail (AF). Covers the whole lecture course, about one-third MCQ and two-thirds short answer.
Final exam timing: approx November 2026 (S2 offering, confirm against the official exam timetable). Confirm the exact date and venue on the official exam timetable.
How to actually pass it
A weekly rhythm, two checklists, and the traps to avoid
The unit rewards consistency over cramming, and practice over re-reading. Here is the loop that works, then what to have nailed before each exam.
The weekly loop
Before the mid-semester checklist
- Sit the Week 1 early feedback task seriously to calibrate where you stand before the quizzes ramp up.
- Prepare for the Week 7 open-book checkpoint quiz using the released sample for the topics and question style; it is 5% and individual.
- Lock down the early-week method now: mole and mass conversions, empirical formula, limiting reagent and percent yield, concentration and dilution.
- Make the periodic trends and Lewis-structure or VSEPR steps automatic, since they recur in later topics and on the final.
Before the final heaviest topics
- Revise the whole lecture course, because the closed-book final covers everything; weight your practice toward the calculation-heavy back half (thermodynamics, equilibrium, acids and titrations).
- Drill ICE-table equilibrium (exact quadratic and the small-K approximation, with the 5% check) and pH or titration calculations until the method is instant.
- Practise enthalpy both ways: from standard enthalpies of formation and from average bond enthalpies, and watch the signs.
- Sit the SAQ practice sets and any past-style finals timed, closed book, using only the provided datasheet and a non-programmable calculator, and write full short-answer working with units.
- Confirm your laboratory hurdle is passed before the exam so revision time is spent only on theory.
The mistakes that cost marks
Skipping the limiting-reagent check. Students multiply by the wrong reactant or use a 1-to-1 ratio. Always convert each reactant to moles, divide by its coefficient to find the limiting reagent, then scale the product by the balanced-equation ratio. Getting this wrong cascades into wrong yield and wrong precipitate mass.
Treating the laboratory as optional. The lab is a separate 25% strand and a hurdle: failing it fails the unit even with a passing theory mark. Missing labtorials, neglecting the logbook or skipping a technique competency is one of the most avoidable ways to fail CHEM1011.
Memorising constants instead of method. The final is closed book but provides a datasheet and periodic table. Time spent memorising Avogadro's number or molar masses is wasted; the marks are in applying the method (stoichiometry, ICE tables, pH, enthalpy) quickly and correctly under exam time.
Cramming the quantitative back half. Stoichiometry, equilibrium, acids and titrations, and thermochemistry are the most calculation-heavy and error-prone topics and they carry heavy short-answer weight. Leaving them to the last week, after a vocabulary-heavy first half, rarely works.
Teaching team
Who teaches CHEM1011
The bios below are factual. The star ratings are not ours: they are impressions from students who have taken the unit, so you can hear from people who sat in the lectures.
Dr Reyne Pullen
Unit Coordinator and first-year director for CHEM1011, and a lecturer for Weeks 1 to 7 (Stream 2).
Dr Henry Matovu
First-year laboratory director for CHEM1011, overseeing the laboratory program and assessment.
Prof. Siegbert Schmid
Lectures CHEM1011 for Weeks 1 to 7 in Stream 1.
Prof Kondo-Francois Aguey-Zinsou
Lectures CHEM1011 for Weeks 8 to 13 in Stream 1.
Prof Asaph Widmer-Cooper
Lectures CHEM1011 for Weeks 8 to 13 in Stream 2.
Teaching team as listed in the unit materials reviewed. AskSia does not rate lecturers; star ratings are submitted by students who have taken CHEM1011.
What students say
What students actually say about CHEM1011
Recurring themes from student reviews, paraphrased in our own words.
- Described as a broad foundation unit that is fair but moves quickly, with a vocabulary-heavy first half and a calculation-heavy second half.
- The 55% closed-book final and the separate laboratory hurdle are what make it feel high-stakes for a first-year unit, more than the content level itself.
- Manageable with no senior chemistry if you keep up weekly; students who fall behind on the new terminology find the back-half calculations harder to absorb.
- Heavy use of the practice short-answer question sets and past-style finals, worked timed and closed book with the provided datasheet.
- Students build one-page method sheets for each calculation type (limiting reagent, dilution, ICE table, pH, enthalpy) rather than memorising worked answers.
- Demand for clear worked walkthroughs of the high-value calculation topics: stoichiometry, ICE-table equilibrium, pH and titration, and thermochemistry.
Recurring student opinions, paraphrased and aggregated, not official course information.
Set texts
The prescribed reading
The syllabus references map straight onto these.
Chemistry
Blackman, Bottle, Schmid, Mocerino and Wille. ISBN 9780730396673. Publisher page
Where it fits
Prerequisites, related units & why it matters
Assumes no prior chemistry; it is a foundation unit for students who have not done senior chemistry or want a refresher. Students with a strong senior-chemistry background may instead be placed into the higher-entry first-year chemistry stream. Check the official handbook entry for the current assumed-knowledge note and any prohibited combinations with other first-year chemistry units.
Your CHEM1011 study toolkit
Study the unit with Sia, not just read about it
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is CHEM1011 hard?
It is moderate-to-hard for a first-year unit, mostly because of how it is assessed rather than the content level. The grade concentrates in a 55% closed-book final that covers the whole course, and there is a separate laboratory hurdle you must pass. The early weeks are vocabulary-heavy and the later weeks (stoichiometry, equilibrium, pH and thermochemistry) are calculation-heavy, but with steady weekly work and timed practice it is very manageable, even with no senior chemistry.
How is CHEM1011 assessed?
A 1% early feedback task, weekly lecture quizzes worth 14% combined (best 9 marks count), a 5% open-book checkpoint quiz in Week 7, a 25% laboratory strand, and a 55% closed-book final exam. You pass on a weighted average of at least 50% and you must also pass the laboratory hurdle to pass the unit.
What is the final exam format?
A supervised pen-and-paper exam on campus of 130 minutes (including 10 minutes reading time). It is about one-third multiple choice (Q1 to Q30, 1 mark each, 30 marks) and two-thirds short answer (40 marks). It is closed book, but a datasheet and periodic table are provided and an approved non-programmable calculator is permitted. It covers the whole lecture course.
What is the laboratory hurdle?
The laboratory is a separate 25% strand of labtorials, logbooks, technique competencies and a major assessment, and it is compulsory. You must pass the laboratory assessment to pass the unit, even if your theory mark is above 50%. Catch-up labs run in Week 13, so do not skip lab work.
How much maths is involved?
A fair amount, at an introductory level. The back half is calculation-heavy: mole and mass conversions, limiting reagent and yield, concentration and dilution, ICE-table equilibrium with a quadratic or a small-K approximation, pH and titration, and thermochemistry. A handheld non-programmable calculator and a datasheet of constants are provided in the final, so the exam tests method and accuracy under time, not memorised numbers.
Do I need to buy the textbook?
The set text is Blackman, Bottle, Schmid, Mocerino and Wille, Chemistry, 5th edition (Wiley). Weekly pages cite chapters and sections from it, so it is the reference the course is built around. Lecture notes, worksheets, tutorials and lab manuals are provided on Canvas.
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