The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to calculate and predict chemical outcomes in metallurgical situations. Critical aspects for assessment and evidence are required to demonstrate competency in this unit.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the ability to:

Apply the appropriate chemical theory to a given situation, leading to an appropriate solution.

Relationship to other units

This unit may be assessed concurrently with other relevant units.

Assessment method and context

This unit may be assessed on the job, off the job or a combination of both on and off the job. Where assessment occurs off the job, that is the candidate is not in productive work, then an appropriate simulation must be used where the range of conditions reflects realistic workplace situations. The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team. The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate.

This unit could be assessed in conjunction with any other units addressing the safety, quality, communication, materials handling, recording and reporting associated with applying basic scientific principles and techniques in mechanical engineering situations or other units requiring the exercise of the skills and knowledge covered by this unit.

Assessors should gather a range of evidence that is valid, sufficient, current and authentic. Evidence can be gathered through a variety of ways including direct observation, supervisor's reports, project work, samples and questioning. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency. The candidate must have access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required. The candidate must be permitted to refer to any relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications, codes, standards, manuals and reference materials.

Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently perform all elements of the unit as specified by the criteria, including required knowledge, and be capable of applying the competency in new and different situations and contexts.

Resource implications

This section should be read in conjunction with the range of variables for this unit of competency. A bank of case studies/scenarios and questions will also be required to the extent that they form part of the assessment method. Questioning may take place either in the workplace, or in an adjacent, quiet facility such as an office or lunchroom. No other special resources are required.

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills:

select appropriate chemical principles to suit specific applications

select appropriate basic mechanical techniques and associated technologies, software and hardware to suit specific applications

apply basic chemical principles to particular engineering situations

apply and manipulate appropriate formulas for applications involving engineering calculations

apply appropriate calculations to engineering and metallurgical situations

refer solutions to the original aim of the application

quote solutions in appropriate units, using appropriate significant figures.

quote limitations of solutions, due to assumptions, chemical principles and techniques used

present solutions referring to the original aim of the application.

Required knowledge:

Competency includes sufficient knowledge of:

basic chemical principles as described in the range statement

limitations of selected chemical principles

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Codes of practice/standards

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used.

Metallurgy

Metallurgy covers the scientific and technical oversight of the extraction, smelting, refining, casting, heat treating, welding, forging and fabrication of metals to produce commercial metal products or to develop new alloys and processes.

Sources of information

Sources of information include reference texts, manufacturers' catalogues and industrial magazines, websites, use of phone, email and fax information gathering.

Chemical techniques and principles

The Constitution of Matter

elements, compounds, mixtures, states of

matter;

atomic structure: protons, neutrons electrons;

electron structure of atoms;

the Bohr atom

The Periodic Table

The Constitution of Matter

chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, metallic;

valencies of common ions and radicals;

chemical reactions: balancing equations;

molecular & ionic equations;

Avogadro's number and the mole concept;

solubility and precipitation, solution concentration;

stoichiometric calculations.

The Gas Laws

Kinetic Theory;

Boyles Law, Charles Law, Combined Gas

Law;

Ideal Gas equation PV=nRT, molar volume of

a gas;

Gay-Lussac's Law, Avogadro's Law;

gas reaction calculations.

Oxidation and Reduction

definitions of oxidation and reduction;

half reactions;

balancing redox equations;

significance of oxidation and reduction in metallurgy

Thermodynamics

First Law of Thermodynamics;

Exothermic and endothermic reactions

Heats of reaction, combustion,etc;

Hess' Law

Heat capacity, Kirchoff's Law

Acid-base theory, hydrolysis;

Ionic product for water: pH, and pOH, the pH scale

Equilibrium constant

Effect of temperature and pressure on equilibrium constant

Equilibrium and Free Energy Change

Carnot cycle: concept of entropy;

Second Law of Thermodynamics;

Gibbs free energy;

Relationship between free energy and equilibrium constant;

Van't Hoff isotherm, Ban't Hoss isochore

Relationship between free energy and temperature

Rates of Chemical Reactions

Factors affecting rates of reaction;

Collisions theory, activation energy;

Theory of absolute reaction times

Electrochemistry

Electrolytic conduction: ionic conduction;

Theories of ionisation;

Ostwalds's dilution law, Onsager equation;

Electrode potential, electrical double layer;

Redox potentials, e.m.f series;

Electrochemical cells, anodes, and cathodes (definition);

Nernst equation;

Applications of electrochemistry;

Galvanic series, Pourbaix diagrams,

Corrosion, electroplating, refining

Significant figures

Are those relevant to accuracy and are appropriate to the process, data and desired range of results