Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

Chemistry Summer 2012     Crossroads School

Instructor – Steve Lux

Monday – Friday 8:30 – 12:30  (Mon 6/25 – Fri 08/03)

Textbook – Introductory Chemistry, A Foundation. 6th Edition, Zumdahl

 Required Materials:

1)    Textbook

2)    3-Ring Binder with lots of notebook paper

3)    Scientific Calculator

4)    Writing Utensils

 Grading:

1)    Classwork/Homework – 20%.  Students will be assigned work every day.  Most of the work will be completed in class; however there will be some work assigned for homework.  All work must be completed in the student’s binder neatly.  These assignments will be collected and graded whenever we take a test.

 2)    Labs – 15%.  Students will do 1 or 2 labs each week.  A typed formal lab report will be required for each of these labs unless instructed otherwise.  Lab reports must contain the following sections:

                        I.     Title

                      II.     Purpose

                    III.     Data/Observations (including data tables and graphs)

                    IV.     Results/Analysis (including results tables and graphs)

                      V.     Conclusion with an error analysis

 3)    Tests/Quizzes/Exams – 65%.  Students will have at least two tests a week worth 100 points.  Tests will be 60 – 90 minutes long.  They will be given in the morning following a 30 minute review session where students can ask last minute questions.  Quizzes will be given sporadically throughout the course.  Quizzes will be worth 25 – 50 points.  In addition to the tests and quizzes, we will have a midterm and a final worth 200 points each.  Both of these exams will be cumulative.

 4)    Attitude/Work Habits/ Class Participation:  Although this is not an “official” part of the student’s grade, I will take these factors into account when it comes time for report cards.  If a student has a good attitude and tries hard, I will be more likely to bump up their grade if it is borderline.  For example, if a student has an 89% average (B+), I may bump their grade up to an A-.

 

Chemistry Syllabus Summer 2012

Crossroads School

Instructor – Steve Lux 

First Semester

Unit I:  Basic Chemistry Math Skills

  • Significant Digits
  • Metric Conversions
  • Unit Conversions by Dimensional Analysis
  • Temperature Conversions
  • Scientific Notation
  • Density Calculations

 Unit II:  Properties and Nature of Matter 

  • Physical vs. Chemical Properties
  • Physical vs. Chemical Change
  • Phases of Matter
  • Classification of Matter:  Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, Pure Substances
  • Elements, Atoms, Isotopes, Ions
  • Structure of the Atom
  • Historical Development of Atomic Theory
  • Introduction to the Periodic Table

 Unit III:  The Nature of Compounds

  • Diatomic Elements
  • Polyatomic Ions
  • Ionic vs. Covalent Bonding
  • Nomenclature (Naming Compounds)
  • Determining Chemical Formulas

 Unit IV:  Chemical Reactions

  • Balancing Chemical Equations
  • Types of Chemical Reactions
  • Predicting Single Replacement Reactions via Activity Series of the Elements
  • Predicting Double Replacement Reactions via Solubility Rules
  • Hydrocarbon Combustion

 Unit V:  The Mole and Avogadro’s Numbers

  • Moles and Molar Masses of Elements and Compounds
  • Mole-Mass and Mole-Particle Conversions
  • Percent Composition of Compounds
  • Calculating Empirical and Molecular Formulas

 Unit VI:  Stoichiometry

  • Mole – Mole Conversions with Balanced Equations
  • Theoretical Yield Calculations
  • Percent Yield Calculations
  • Limiting Reactant Problems 

Second Semester

Unit VII:  Modern Atomic Theory

  • Wave Properties/Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Electromagnetic Spectra of the Elements
  • Bohr’s  Model of the Hydrogen Atom
  • Energy Levels and Electron Configurations of the Elements

 Unit VIII:  Atomic Properties and Periodic Table Trends

  • Atomic/Ionic Radii
  • Ionization Energy
  • Electronegativity
  • Electron Shielding

 Unit IX:  Advanced Chemical Bonding

  • Electronegativity Difference and Chemical Bonding
  • Lewis Dot Structures and the Octet/Duet Rules
  • Basic VSEPR Theory
  • Ionic vs. Covalent Compounds
  • Intermolecular Forces/Boiling Point/Freezing Point

 Unit X:  Thermochemistry

  • Exothermic vs. Endothermic Reactions
  • Phase Changes
  • Heating/Cooling Curves
  • Molar Heat of Vaporization and Fusion
  • Specific Heat

 Unit XI:  Gases

  • Boyle’s, Charles’, Guy-Lussac’s, and Avogadro’s Laws
  • Ideal Gas Law
  • Standard Temperature and Pressure
  • Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases
  • Gas Stoichiometry

Unit XII:  Solutions

  • Solubility
  • Molarity
  • Dilutions
  • Solution Stoichiometry

Unit XIII:  Acid-Base Reactions

  • pH scale
  • Properties of Acids/Bases
  • Strong vs. Weak Acids/Bases
  • Titration
  • Acid/Base Stoichiometry

 

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due