Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Villanova University offers masters and bachelors degrees, including an American Chemical Society accredited degree program for undergraduates. Our faculty actively conduct research in diverse areas such as environmental chemistry, protein biochemistry, fuel cell research, and computational chemistry. We recognize that undergraduate research provides a unique opportunity to work closely alongside a faculty mentor, gaining an experience that extends far beyond typical classroom learning, and we encourage all undergraduates to participate in undergraduate research.
Programs
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Chemistry Major -
Chemistry with Biochemistry Concentration Major -
Chemistry Minor
Courses
CHM 1000: Profesl Development Sem
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Professional development course for Chemistry and Biochemistry juniors and seniors. Visiting speakers and in-class workshops expose students to available career paths and research areas, build their professional network, and develop related skills, e.g., communication and personal statement writing.
CHM 1002: First Year Prof Devlp Seminar
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Professional development course for first year Chemistry majors focusing on information access skills, communication skills, and abilities to discuss ethical situations. Visiting speakers and in-class workshops expose students to available career paths and research areas and build their professional networks.
CHM 1103: General Chemistry Lab I
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Qualitative and quantitative laboratory experiments which include: the reactions of metals with water; the collection and plotting of data; acid-base titrations; oxidation-reduction titrations; the use of the pH meter and the determination of acid-base titration curves; the use of the spectrophotometer. Coreqs. CHM 1131 or CHM 1151
CHM 1104: General Chemistry Lab II
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Students will be required to identify all metal ions present in an unknown solution. Quantitative titrations of sodium carbonate and the total hardness of water. Synthesis of inorganic compounds and determination of the formula of a transition metal complex ion using spectroscopic methods. Corequisites: CHM 1152 or CHM 1156 (Note: Engineering students are waived from this lab.)
CHM 1103 and (CHM 1151 or CHM 1611)
CHM 1105: General, Organic & BioChem Lab
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Laboratory experiments to accompany CHM 1135, which include: molecular modeling, identification and chemical reactivities of functional groups, reaction kinetic and equilibrium, and acid-base titrations.
CHM 1135
CHM 1107: General Chemistry Lab: Nursing
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Qualitative and quantitative laboratory experiments which include: chemical identification testing, molecular modeling, coordination compound synthesis, reaction kinetics and equilibrium, acid-base titrations, and gas laws Coreq. CHM 1131.
CHM 1131
CHM 1108: General Chemistry Lab II
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Chemistry of organic and biochemical compounds with an emphasis on the identification and chemical reactivities of functional groups. Students will be required to separate and identify various organic and biochemical compounds. Open to health affiliation students.
CHM 1131 and (CHM 1103 or CHM 1107)
CHM 1134
CHM 1131: General Chemistry I
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Fundamental laws and theories of chemistry: atomic theory, chemical bonding, chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium, gases, liquids, solids, solutions, stoichiometry, acid-base theories, electrochemical concepts, and an introduction to nuclear chemistry will be included. Open to health affiliation students.
CHM 1107
CHM 1134: General Chemistry II
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Introduction to organic and biochemistry stressing the application of principles developed in CHM 1131. Open to health affiliation students.
CHM 1131 and (CHM 1103 or CHM 1107)
CHM 1108
CHM 1135: General, Organic & BioChem
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General, Organic and Biological Chemistry concepts foundational to understanding cellular processes. i.e., measurements, atomic structure, nuclear chemistry, chemical bonding, nomenclature and properties of organic functional groups, chemical reactions, solutions, equilibrium, acids and bases, pH, buffers, and structures and functions of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.
CHM 1105
CHM 1151: General Chemistry I
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Basic concepts of chemistry covering the following topics: stoichiometry, redox reactions; properties of gases; thermochemistry; descriptive presentation of atomic orbitals; molecular structure and bonding; chemical trends in the periodic table; properties of bulk matter; colligative properties of solutions.
CHM 1103
CHM 1152: General Chemistry II
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Continuation of CHM 1151. Introduction to chemical kinetics and equilibrium; the chemistry of acids and bases; buffers and titrations; complex ions and solubility; factors that drive chemical reactions; electrochemistry; nuclear chemistry.
CHM 1151 :D- or CHM 1611 :D-
CHM 1104
CHM 1156: General Chemistry II for Egr
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Continuation of CHM 1151. Introduction to chemical kinetics and equilibrium; the chemistry of acids and bases; buffers and titrations; complex ions and solubility; factors that drive chemical reactions; electrochemistry; introduction to organic chemistry.
CHM 1151 :D- and CHM 1103 :D-
CHM 1301: Inorganic Chemistry Lab I
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Selected experiments to illustrate fundamental laboratory techniques and skills. Qualitative and quantitative measurements, synthesis and characterization of inorganic complexes, literature searching and computer usage. Emphasis on modern research applications of metals and main group elements.
CHM 1311
CHM 1311: Inorganic Chemistry I
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Fundamental principles in inorganic chemistry stressing relationships among structure, bonding, and reactivity. Properties of matter, periodic trends, acid/base reactions, redox reactions,and bonding in transition metal complexes.
CHM 1301
CHM 1502: Quant Anal Lab
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Laboratory experiments to complement CHM 1512 covering the following: gravimetric analysis, acid-base titrations (weak acid; mixed acid), compleximetric titration and redox reactions.
CHM 1301 :D-
CHM 1512
CHM 1512: Quantitative Analysis
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Chemical analysis, with emphasis upon statistical methods, acid-base properties, pH, equilibrium expressions, complexation equilibria, solubility properties, redox potentials, electrolysis, and electrochemical cells.
CHM 1311 :D-
CHM 1502
CHM 1611: Gen'l Chem l for BIOC Majors
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Basic concepts of chemistry covering the following topics: stoichiometry, redox reactions; properties of gases; thermochemistry; descriptive presentation of atomic orbitals; molecular structure and bonding; chemical trends in the periodic table; properties of bulk matter; colligative properties of solutions.
CHM 1103
CHM 1903: Internship Elective
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CHM 1906: Internship Elective
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CHM 1909: Internship Elective
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CHM 2201: Organic Chemistry Lab I
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Practical experience in techniques used for separation, purification, and isolation of synthetic as well as naturally occurring organic compounds. Semi-micro and micro scale experiments. Crystallization, distillation, extraction, and chromatography are introduced.
CHM 2211
CHM 2202: Organic Chemistry Lab II
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Further training in laboratory techniques used in organic chemistry, including those introduced in CHM 2201, and utilization of such techniques in representative types of organic reactions. Semi-micro and micro scale experiments.
CHM 2211
CHM 2212
CHM 2211: Organic Chemistry I
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Fundamental principles of organic chemistry stressing the relation of structure and reactivity. Structure and bonding; stereochemistry; acids, and bases; electrophilic addition, elimination and nucleophilic substitution.
(CHM 1151 and CHM 1152) or (CHM 1151 and CHM 1156) or (CHM 1611 and CHM 1152)
CHM 2201
CHM 2212: Organic Chemistry II
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Continuation of CHM 2211. Carbonyl group reactions, aromatic chemistry, spectroscopy and special topics such as heterocycles, carbohydrates and nucleosides, amino acids and proteins, lipids, radicals, rearrangements, polymers and photochemistry.
CHM 2211 :D- and CHM 2201 :D-
CHM 2202
CHM 2993: Internship
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CHM 3201: Organic Chemistry Lab I
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Provides practical experience in the principal techniques utilized for the purification, separation, identification, and synthesis of organic compounds on the micro scale. Open to Chemistry majors.
CHM 1502 :D-
CHM 3211
CHM 3202: Organic Chemistry Lab II
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The semi-micro techniques include distillation, recrystallization, extraction, sublimation, and chromatography. Synthesis of representative organic compounds. An introduction to research in organic chemistry, introduction to qualitative organic analysis and practical use of infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies.
(CHM 3211 and CHM 3201)
CHM 3212
CHM 3211: Organic Chemistry I
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Fundamental principles of organic chemistry stressing the relation of structure and reactivity from a physical-chemical viewpoint. Structure and bonding; stereochemistry; acids and bases; electrophilic addition reactions of alkenes, alkynes, and dienes; nucleophilic substitution reactions at saturated carbon atoms and elimination reactions leading to alkenes or alkynes. Open to chemistry majors.
CHM 1512 :D- and CHM 1502 :D-
CHM 3201
CHM 3212: Organic Chemistry II
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Addition and substitution reactions of carbonyl compounds, electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitutions, radical and concerted reactions, heterocyclic compounds and polymer chemistry. Spectroscopic methods of analysis including nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopies and mass spectrometry. Introduction to multi-step organic synthesis. Open to chemistry majors.
CHM 3211 :D- and CHM 3201 :D-
CHM 3202
CHM 3301: Inorganic Chem Lab II
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This laboratory course emphasizes preparative techniques of inorganic compounds. Instrumental methods of structure elucidation are included.
(CHM 2212 :D- or CHM 3212 :D-) and (CHM 2202 :D- or CHM 3202 :D-)
CHM 3311
CHM 3311: Inorganic Chem II
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The second course in the sequence on principles of inorganic chemistry with emphasis on bonding, structure and reactivity. Application of these principles to problems in acid-base, coordination, organometallic, bioinorganic and materials chemistry.
(CHM 2212 :D- or CHM 3212 :D-) and (CHM 2202 :D- or CHM 3202 :D-)
CHM 3301
CHM 3402: Physical Chem Lab II
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Experimental methods of chemical kinetics will be covered. Spectroscopic, polarimetric, and conductimetric methods will be used.
MAT 1505 :D-
CHM 3404: Physical Chem Lab I
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Experiments on chemical kinetics and optical spectroscopic methods including fluorescence, un-visible, infrared and Raman spectroscopy as well as conductance, viscosity, and numerical analysis of data.
(CHM 2212 :D- or CHM 3212 :D-) and (CHM 2202 :D- or CHM 3202 :D-)
CHM 3412
CHM 3405: Physical Chem Lab II
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Experiments centered on chemical thermodynamics including calorimetry and phase equilibria, emphasizing data treatment, including error analysis curve fitting, and related topics.
CHM 3412 :D- and CHM 3404
CHM 3413
CHM 3412: Quantum Chemistry
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This course will present an introduction to quantum mechanics and its implications including molecular orbital theory, electronic structure, and molecular spectroscopy.
MAT 1505 :D-
CHM 3404
CHM 3413: Molecular Thermodynamics
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First, second, and third laws of thermodynamics; phase equilibria and chemical equilibria; gases; and electrochemistry will be covered in this course.
MAT 1505 :D-
CHM 3405
CHM 3416: Physical Chem for Engineers
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Chemical kinetics, electrochemistry, and the structure and properties of materials, including atomic structure, solid and liquid state chemistry, surface and colloid chemistry, and transport properties.
CHM 3417: Biophysical Chemistry
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A study of thermodynamics, kinetics, chemical equilbria, and spectroscopy as they apply to biological molecules, macromolecules, and cells.
(CHM 2212 or CHM 3212) and (CHM 4611 or CHM 4621)
CHM 3501: Instrumental Analysis Lab
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Laboratory techniques to obtain quantitative information about the composition of unknown samples, including potentiometric titration, spectrophotometry, chromatography, kinetic analysis, anodic stipping voltammetry, spectrofluorometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. Designed to complement CHM 3511 lecture.
CHM 1152 :D- or CHM 1512 :D-
CHM 3511
CHM 3503: Bioanalytical Chem Lab
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Laboratory course to complement CHM. 3514; emphasis on the analysis of biological systems utilizing modern analytical techniques. Designed for the biochemistry concentration.
(CHM 1152 and CHM 1104)
CHM 3514
CHM 3511: Instrumental Analysis
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The utilization of instruments covering the following topics: analog and digital signals, absorption and emission of light by molecules and atoms, chromatography (HPLC, GC) and detection, use of enzymes and antibodies, radioactivity, and chemometrics.
CHM 1152 :D- or CHM 1512 :D-
CHM 3501
CHM 3514: Bioanalytical Chemistry
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Designed for the biochemistry concentration with emphasis on theory, instrumentation and practical applications of analytical chemistry to biological materials.
CHM 1152 :D- or CHM 1512 :D-
CHM 3503
CHM 4222: Organic Struct Analysis
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The currently most useful spectroscopic methods for the structural determination of molecular systems, including: NMR (2D and 2D), mass spectrometry, infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopies.
CHM 3212 or CHM 2212
CHM 4229: Organic Reactions & Synthesis
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Survey of organic reactions with emphasis on modern synthetic methods and their applications to the synthesis of complex organic compounds. Enolates, carbonyl condensation reactions, functional group interconversions, electrophilic addition reactions, reductions, organometallic reagents, concerted reations, oxidations. Synthetic strategies including retrosynthetic analysis in the context of specific examples of multi-step synthesis from recent literature.
CHM 3212 or CHM 2212
CHM 4292: Advanced Organic Chemistry
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An expanded presentation of fundamental topics in organic chemistry: structure, bonding, stereochemistry, molecular orbital theory, reactive intermediates and reaction mechanisms.
(CHM 3212 :D- or CHM 2212 :D-)
CHM 4325: Introductory Polymer Chemistry
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Topics include: step- and chain- polymerizations, copolymerizations, molecular weight determination, polymer morphology, polymer testing and characterization, and current advances in polymer chemistry.
CHM 2212 or CHM 3212
CHM 4517: Environmental Chemistry
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Apply key concepts in chemistry to global scales by examining chemical systems within Earth's lithosphere hydrosphere and atmosphere. Examine and discuss natural processes as well as anthropogenic impacts like climate change and environmental contamination using central scientific literature.
CHM 2211 or CHM 3211
CHM 4601: Survey Biochemistry Lab
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An introduction to laboratory techniques in biochemistry; enzyme kinetics, column chromatography, electrophoresis, standard biochemical assays and interpretation of data.
CHM 2202 :D- or CHM 3202 :D- and CHM 4611 :Y :D- or CHM 4610 :Y :D- or CHM 3202 :D-
CHM 4611
CHM 4603: Biochem Tech. and Pract.
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A laboratory course to complement CHM 4621 with emphasis on enzyme purification, enzyme characterization, and nucleic acid analysis.
(CHM 2212 :D- or CHM 3212 :D-) and (CHM 4621 :Y :D- or CHM 4611 :Y)
CHM 4604: Biochem Tech. and Pract II
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A continuation of the introduction of fundamental biochemistry laboratory techniques, along with the application of skills acquired in CHM 4603.
CHM 4603 :D-
CHM 4611: Survey of Biochemistry
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A terminal, one semester survey of biochemistry; carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, vitamins & hormones; consideration of their utilization & metabolism in living systems.
CHM 2212 :D- or CHM 3212 :D-
CHM 4621: Biochemistry I: Structure
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An in depth study of the structure and function of the structure and function of proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and lipids.
CHM 2212 or CHM 3212
CHM 4622: Biochemistry II:Metabolism
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A study of the metabolism of biomolecules, including carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleotides, including the integration, regulation and control of intermediary metabolism. Emphasized are the hormonal regulation of pathways and metabolic disease.
CHM 4621
CHM 4623: Biochemistry III
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Integration of metabolism in organisms, membrane receptors expression of genes, gene manipulation, translation, transcription.
CHM 4622 :D-
CHM 4652: Biochemical Basis of Disease
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A study of the relationship between protein structure and disease, enzymes as therapeutic targets, peptide hormones and obesity, and glucose metabolism and cancer.
CHM 4611 or CHM 4622
CHM 4665: Enzymes
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Structural and mechanistic aspects of enzymes. Topics include chemical catalysis, steady state and pre-steady state kinetics, mechanisms, and biological relevance of specific enzyme systems.
CHM 4621 or CHM 4611
CHM 4710: Safety Culture in the Sci Com
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Introduction to the principles and practices of laboratory safety; understanding, recognizing, and communicating laboratory chemical, physical and biological hazards; risk assessment and management of hazards; laboratory accident prevention and safe use of emergency equipment.
CHM 4800: Research
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Student participation in independent research under faculty supervision, frequent conferences with advisor, on literature search, theoretical and experimental, research.
CHM 4801: Research I
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Student participation in independent research under faculty supervision, frequent conferences with advisor on literature search, theoretical and experimental research.
CHM 4802: Research II
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Continuation of CHM 4801.
CHM 4801
CHM 4803: Research III
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Continuation of CHM 4802.
CHM 4802
CHM 4851: Thesis Research I
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Directed research with a Chemistry or Biochemistry faculty mentor that culminates in a written thesis and seminar presentation. Part I of a two-semester sequence with CHM4852. Permission of participating faculty member required. A written interim report is required at the end of the semester.
CHM 4852: Thesis Research II
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Continuation of CHM4851 - Thesis Research I. Directed research with a Chemistry or Biochemistry faculty mentor that culminates in a written thesis and seminar presenation. Permission of participating faculty member required.
MSE 2300: CHM:Alchemy, Artisanship& Chm
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This course examines introductory chemistry topics in a modern and historical light including how the current knowledge of chemistry is owed to Greek philosophers, Islamic healers, Western artisans, monks, and the alchemists. The laboratory recreates chemistry-related activities of the past (e.g., soap and dye-making).
MSE 2301: CHM:Water
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The course explores the chemistry of water including its unique structure and properties, water pollution, water treatment, and its role in biochemistry, climate, renewable energy, and global economic and political policies. The laboratory introduces sampling methods and common quality measurements (e.g., dissolved oxygen and pH).
MSE 2303: CHM:The Science of Art
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This course provides an understanding of artistic media related to technological advances throughout the centuries. Creating, viewing, and understanding, authenticating, and conserving works of art will be explored. The laboratory provides practice and an appreciation of the advances in artistic media throughout history.
MSE 2305: Perspective on Plastic
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Polymers surround our everyday existence from the clothes we wear to the plastic packaging we use to polymers in wood. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we will study polymer lifecycles to help inform and shape responsible plastic use.
MSE 2306: CHM:The Chemistry of Food
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The chemical and biochemical properties of food - sugars, fats, proteins, and mixtures - will be explored. The chemical reactions that occur during food preparation and cooking, and the science behind food preparation will be examined in depth.