Course Syllabus

Lorain County Community College

Division of Math and Science

CHMY 171 Syllabus

General Chemistry I

Fall semester 2015

LS 122

 

Dr. James Beil                                    

Office: PS 200H, 366-4771, jbeil@lorainccc.edu 

 

Office hours

Although not necessary, an appointment is recommended, simply to ensure that another student won’t take the time you need.  Appointment times are flexible.  Please do not hesitate to ask for help.

KEYS TO SUCESS

I am aware that chemistry is a difficult subject for many students.  Follow these guidelines for success. 

1. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Learning chemistry is like learning a skill. 
   • To have success learning any skill, whether it be riding a bicycle, playing a musical instrument or a sport, or learning chemistry, it can be helpful to read about the concepts behind the skill and watch others who are experts in the skill demonstrate it. However, it vital to PRACTICE the skill. 
   • This semester, you will practice some basic skills as you complete Learnsmart assignments. We will practice basic and advanced skills together in class.  And, I will assign review practice problems from the end of each chapter in the textbook.  If you don’t practice A LOT, you won’t be successful. 
2. DON’T FALL BEHIND!
   • The pace of learning in this class accelerates as the class progresses. It may seem easy in the beginning, but don’t be complacent.  The pace and difficulty increases quickly.  As we present new concepts, they will build on your understanding of previously covered topics. It will require you to complete activities, study, and practice on a regular basis.  Every day or at least every other day, set time aside to complete the assignments and to practice.  To get the most benefit from your practice, you will need feedback, so practice regularly getting your assignments done on time so that I can give you feedback on your work promptly.  If you wait until the week of the exam to start practicing and reviewing, you will probably not be successful. 
   • If you struggle or need help, let me know ASAP. Ask me questions during class reviews, during lab time, by email, or on the LCCC chemistry facebook page.  If you need a lot of help, don’t be afraid to ask for it.  Set up a meeting with me as early in the semester as possible and/or see a tutor.  We have a knowledgeable tutor this semester, David Woisnet.  Tutoring hours are on Thursdays in LS123 from 12:30 – 3:30 pm and on Fridays in LS118 from 1-4pm. 
3. LET GO OF YOUR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENCE and/or CHEMISTRY!
   • There are many misleading representations of chemistry and science in American pop culture (TV and movies) as well as in some high school science classes. We are going to start this semester by explaining the most fundamental concepts that you will need to explain and predict the behavior of substances.  Make an effort everyday to let go of preconceptions that conflict with what we discuss in class and refine and improve your mental models of how substances behave. 
   • There are many methods of solving problems in chemistry. You may have already learned a method that works for you, and as long as it continues to work for you, great.  However, when we get to advanced problems later in CHMY 171 and into CHMY 172, you are likely to have more success if you embrace the problem solving methods I teach you from the very start.  Start this semester with a fresh positive attitude and an open mind. 
4. QUESTION EVERYTHING! Never be afraid to ask a question.  If something we discuss seems unreasonable to your or conflicts with how you perceive the universe, let me know.
5. RECOGNIZE that this class is going to take up a lot of your free time, so EMBRACE IT J. If you put in the time and effort to be successful in this class, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.  You may get frustrated with how time-consuming it is, and you may have moments during practice when you think, “I wish I was doing something else,” but there are benefits to working hard in this class. 
   • If you do well, I can write a strong letter of recommendation for you, which can help you tremendously in reaching the next career goal you have.
   • It will give you universal problem-solving and critical thinking skills that will benefit you in life and in your career for the rest of your life.
   • It will give you a new perspective on the world around you.

Take responsibility for your education.  I will not make any exceptions for any deadlines or the quality of your work required to earn a specific grade. 

6. DON’T SHOOT FOR A “C!”
   • Students who earn a “C” or worse in CHMY 171 often struggle greatly in CHMY 172. Because chemistry gets more and more complex as you study it, it is absolutely critical to have a solid foundation if you plan to continue taking chemistry courses. 
   • If you plan to apply to graduate schools, medical schools, or other professional schools, they will consider your GPA and sometimes they look specifically at your grades in the more challenging courses like chemistry, so give yourself the best shot at long-term success.

 Course Description

CHMY 171 is an introduction to the principles of chemistry recommended for science majors. Emphasis is on atomic, molecular and electronic structures, chemical bonding, intermolecular forces, stoichiometry, solutions, thermochemistry, and gas laws are also included. Laboratory is required. (A special fee will be assessed). Prerequisites: Two years of recent high school algebra or equivalent and proficiency in recent high school chemistry or divisional approval.

Expected Performance Outcomes

• Become familiar with the language and principles of general chemistry
• Maintain and/or increase interest in chemistry
• Become familiar with quantitative measurements and mathematical treatment of data which forms the basis of modern chemistry
• Apply chemistry principles to chosen major field
• Become familiar with laboratory techniques currently employed in chemistry

Texts

• McGraw Hill Connect (required).  There are two ways to get McGraw Hill Connect.

1. You can purchase Connect through this website, http://connect.mheducation.com/class/j-beil-tr-9am.
2. You can purchase the textbook in the bookstore, Burdge, Overby Chemistry Atoms First Second Edition McGraw Hill (required). The textbook comes with a code that you can use to get access to Connect.  Whether you purchase Connect online or in the bookstore, it comes with an electronic version of the textbook, which you will also need.

• Study manual and solutions guide are available (highly recommended)

Schedule of topics and exams

Dates                           Activities                                                                                

August 25                    Day 1: discuss syllabi, course details, text sections 1.1-1.3

August 27                    Day 2: text sections 1.4-1.5

September 1                Day 3: text sections 1.6, 2.1-2.2

September 3                Day 4: text sections 2.3-2.6, 3.1

September 8                Day 5: text sections 3.2-3.6

September 10              Day 6: text sections 3.7-3.8

September 15              Day 7: text sections 3.9-3.10

September 17              Day 8: Exam 1

September 22              Day 9: text sections 4.1-4.4                                       

September 24              Day 10: text sections 4.5-4.6, 5.1-5.3

September 29              Day 11: text sections 5.5, 6.1-6.3

October 1                    Day 12: text sections 6.4-6.4

October 6                    Day 13: text sections 7.1, 6.2

October 8                    Day 14: text sections 7.2-7.2, 5.7

October 13                  Day 15: Exam 2

October 15                  Day 16: text sections 11.1-11.2, 5.8, 11.3

October 20                  Day 17: text sections 2,7, 5.10, 11.4-11.5

October 22                  Day 18: text sections 11.6-11.7, 12.1-12.3

October 27                  Day 19: text sections 12.4-12.6

October 29                  Day 20: text sections 9.5, 13.3, 8.1, 8.3, 11.8

November 3                Day 21: Exam 3

November 5                Day 22: text sections 8.4, 5.9, 8.5

November 10              Day 23: text sections 9.3, 9.5, 9.6

November 12              Day 24: text section 9.4

November 17              Day 25: text sections 13.2, 13.1, 13.4, 9.1-9.2

November 19              Day 26: text sections 10.1-10.4

November 24              Day 27: text sections 10.5-10.8, 13.5-13.6

December 1                Day 28: Exam 4

December 3                Day 29: Review for the comprehensive final exam   

Decmber 7-11             Finals week

 Schedule of CHMY 171 laboratory experiments                              

Dates                                       Experiment

Aug. 25-Sept. 1                       Days 1-3: Physical Properties – relates to chapter 1 in text

Sept. 3-Sept. 15                      Days 4-7: Mixtures vs. Substances – relates to chapter 1 in text

Sept. 17                                   Day 8: Review and Exam 1

Sept. 22-Sept. 24                    Days 9-10: Periodicity of the Halogens – relates to chapter 4 in text

Sept. 28-Oct. 8                        Days 11-14: Molecular Models – relates to chapter 6 and 7 in text

Oct. 13                                    Day 15: Review and Exam 2

Oct. 15-Oct. 22                       Days 16-18: Gasses – relates to chapter 11 in text

Oct. 27-Oct. 29                       Days 19-20: A Chemical Reaction – relates to chapters 8 and 9 in text

Nov. 3                                     Day 21: Review and Exam 3

Nov. 5-Nov. 17                       Days 22-25: A Chemical Reaction cont. – relates to chapters 8 and 9 in text

  Teaching approach and methods

• CANVAS: Canvas will be used frequently throughout this course to distribute information and assignments.  Please access the website CANVAS at least once a week to keep up to date.  Log-in instructions can be found on CANVAS.  A copy of this syllabus can be found on CANVAS.
• Lecture: PowerPoint slides that are available on CANVAS will be used as an outline for the course.  They include reading assignments, links to video assignments, and suggested practice problems.  Some of the PowerPoint slides may not be discussed in class, because students are expected to read those sections and watch the assigned videos to understand the basic concepts.  Students are expected to make additional notes during lectures, as EXAM QUESTIONS MAY INVOLVE MATERIAL DISCUSSED IN CLASS THAT DOES NOT APPEAR IN WRITING ON THE POWERPOINT SLIDES.  However, the most important concepts will be explained during class, so attendance is critical. 
• Videos: Videos will be assigned to watch for each day’s discussion.  Videos are meant to be watched prior to covering the material in class so that you will be somewhat familiar with the concepts and we can utilize class time more for practice examples than for covering basic topics.  The PowerPoint slides at the end of each day in lecture will list the MUST WATCH videos and other helpful videos to watch in preparation for the following class meeting. 
• Reading and Connect Assignments: Each section covered will include assigned readings from the textbook.  Sections are meant to be read prior to covering the material in class so that you will be familiar with the concepts and we can utilize class time for more practice examples than for covering basic topics.  Online homework assignments on Connect include the assigned sections to read as well as the assigned questions to answer.  Follow the calendar on Connect and complete the Learnsmart assignments on time.   
• Lecture Capture: Each day’s lecture discussion will be recorded (audio and screen video capture).  Links to the lecture videos will be posted on CANVAS after they are recorded. 

 Evaluation policies and procedures

Grading

• Final grade will be determined as follows:

Assignments                                                                  Points

1. Four exams (125 points each)……………….….…..500 pts (50% of grade)
2. Comprehensive final exam..……………………..….150 pts (15% of grade)
3. Quizzes………………………..………………….…..75 pts (7.5% of grade)
4. Learnsmart assignments....……………………….…...75 pts (7.5% of grade)
5. Lab grades………………….…………………….....200 pts (20% of grade)

Total…………………………………………….…1000 pts

 The final grade will be determined using a percentage scale where:

89.5 – 100% = A,     79.5 – 89.4% = B,     69.5 – 79.4% = C,     59.5 – 69.4% = D,    

Less than 59.5% = F

• 7.5% of each student's overall grade includes quiz participation and performance.
• Because it is critical to come prepared for class, student MUST read the assigned sections and watch the assigned videos before coming to class.  To ensure that students are reading and watching the videos BEFORE class, at the beginning of each class, students will work in groups on a quiz that reflects the reading and/or video content.

1. 3 points will be awarded for a good faith effort
2. 4 points will be awarded for significant progress toward a correct answer.
3. 5 points will be awarded for a completely correct answer.

• An average of 4/5 on each quiz earns you the maximum possible quiz points.
• 7.5% of each student's overall grade includes completion of daily assignments on Connet.

• To use Connect, complete the following steps

• Go to http://connect.mheducation.com/class/j-beil-tr-9am and click on “Register Now.”

2. Enter your preferred email address.
3. Enter the access code you received when you purchased Connect or click “Buy online,” complete your purchase, and register.
4. Check the list of Learnsmart assignments in Connect to make sure you complete them before the due date.
5. Learnsmart is an adaptive program that integrates the electronic textbook with multiple choice questions. Such integration allows you to focus your reading and test your learning so you know that you have mastered the basic skills or so you can come prepared to class.
6. Click on an assignment, read the assigned sections, and answer the associated questions to complete each daily assignment BEFORE THE START OF EACH CLASS! Learnsmart points will be awarded as a percentage. 

• 20% of each student’s overall grade includes lab points.  In the lab, students will complete experiments designed to reinforce the concepts taught in lecture.  Development of safe laboratory technique and proper recording and processing of data is important.  However, emphasis is on understanding and implementing lab concepts and techniques and on writing reports that demonstrate a thorough mastery of the concepts.  See the lab syllabus for more detail.  Open containers of food or drink are not allowed in the lab at any time.
• 50% of each student’s overall grade includes exams 1 through 4.  If any exam is cancelled or postponed due to severe weather, instructor illness, power outage, or other unforeseen event, it will be held on the very next class meeting.  For each exam, students should bring with them a copy of the periodic table and a calculator. 

• To help students focus on understanding rather than memorization, students will be given a sheet of nomenclature reminders, formulas, equations, conversions, and definitions before each exam. Formula sheets will be provided for exams 1 through 4.  No formula sheets will be allowed during the comprehensive final. 
• If for any reason a student is not present for a regularly scheduled exam (excluding exam 4 and the comprehensive final), they will have the option to take a makeup exam in the testing center (CC 233). However, makeup exams will only be available for 2 weeks after the date of the in-class exam.  If you miss an exam you must make it up within 2 weeks with no exceptions!  Make up exams will NOT be returned to any student until all of the makeup exams have been taken.  Students must be in attendance for EXAM 4 and for the comprehensive final.  There will not be any opportunity to make up either EXAM 4 or the comprehensive final. 
• Because students deserve credit for learning no matter when that learning takes place, if a student is unhappy with their grade on any of the first 3 written exams only, students will be given the opportunity to orally elaborate on partially correct exam answers or orally explain from scratch exam questions that were completely incorrect. Such follow-up oral exams will be one-on-one with the instructor.  Unfortunately, as new concepts are introduced, it is almost impossible to master them without a good understanding of previous concepts.  Thus, it is crucial to KEEP UP WITH THE MATERIAL.  To encourage students to avoid falling behind, if a student wishes to make up points, the oral follow-up exam must be scheduled within TWO WEEKS from the date that the graded exams are returned to the class.  The oral exam meeting must OCCUR WITHIN FOUR WEEKS from the date that the graded exams are returned to the class.  Also, if any student misses a regularly scheduled exam and takes the makeup exam instead, they will not have the option to orally make up points on that exam.  Please also be aware that time is limited for oral follow-up exams, so students who procrastinate in scheduling their follow-up oral exams may not be granted time.  To prepare for an oral follow-up exam, students may consult any source.  However, during the oral follow-up exam, students will be expected to explain corrections using ONLY memory, reason, and the formula sheet.  During oral follow-up exams, students will also be expected to answer questions in greater depth than can be assessed on a written exam.  Part of what’s being evaluated during the oral test corrections is the student’s ability to figure out what his or her mistakes were.  Thus, if it is necessary for the instructor to explain which part of the student’s original answer was incorrect, the student will not receive full credit for their explanation.

• 15% of each students overall grade includes a comprehensive final exam, which will be the standardized American Chemical Society multiple choice exam.  A comprehensive final is mandated by the state of OHIO if you want your credits to transfer to another college.  For information about the comprehensive final exam and practice questions, see the file on CANVAS labeled something like “Comprehensive Final Exam Instructions and Practice Questions.”

Mid-semester Grades:

You will be given a mid-semester grade based on your current overall percentage half way through the semester.  The purpose of the mid-semester grade is to help students be more aware of their status in the class.  The mid-semester grade will appear on “mycampus,” but it will not appear on your final transcripts.

Withdrawals:

If a student wants to withdraw and receive a grade of “W,” you must do so before the deadline determined by the college.  After that date, college policy stipulates that both the instructor’s and the division director’s special permission will be required to complete a withdrawal. 

Americans with Disabilities Act:

If you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact me during the first week of the semester. Students with disabilities must also contact the Office for Special Needs Services at extension 4058.

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

Student records will be kept private according to FERPA.  See the LCCC catalog for more information.

Academic Integrity:

Cheating, as defined by the LCCC catalog, will not be tolerated.  Cheating on an exam will result in a grade of 0 and may even result in an “F” for the entire course.

 

CHMY 171 Lab Syllabus, fall 2015

Schedule of CHMY 171 laboratory experiments                              

Dates                                       Experiment

Aug. 25-Sept. 1                       Days 1-3: Physical Properties – relates to chapter 1 in text

Sept. 3-Sept. 15                      Days 4-7: Mixtures vs. Substances – relates to chapter 1 in text

Sept. 17                                   Day 8: Review and Exam 1

Sept. 22-Sept. 24                    Days 9-10: Periodicity of the Halogens – relates to chapter 4 in text

Sept. 28-Oct. 8                        Days 11-14: Molecular Models – relates to chapter 6 and 7 in text

Oct. 13                                    Day 15: Review and Exam 2

Oct. 15-Oct. 22                       Days 16-18: Gasses – relates to chapter 11 in text

Oct. 27-Oct. 29                       Days 19-20: A Chemical Reaction – relates to chapters 8 and 9 in text

Nov. 3                                     Day 21: Review and Exam 3

Nov. 5-Nov. 17                       Days 22-25: A Chemical Reaction cont. – relates to chapters 8 and 9 in text

Lab Safety

EACH lab student must purchase their own safety goggles.  Goggles must have splash guards and must be approved by the instructor by the second lab period to avoid missing lab experiences.  Appropriate lab goggles can be found in the LCCC bookstore.  Open containers of food or drink are not allowed in the lab at any time.

Lab Waste Removal and Clean-up

EACH lab lab group is responsible to dispose of all their waste according to the guidelines on each lab handout.  Students should always check with the instructor if they have any uncertainty at all about how to carry out the waste removal guidelines.  Students are also responsible for thoroughly cleaning up their lab area.  If any group fails to properly dispose of their waste or clean up their work space, up to 10% of their lab grade may be deducted.

Lab Attendance

Each group member must be in attendance during all of the times that the lab group works on lab experimentation.  If a group member is absent for any lab experimentation, it will limit the rest of the groups’ production, and the absent student will miss out on an important lab experience.  To ensure lab attendance, attendance will be recorded, and any absent student will be penalized 10% of their lab report grade for each lab experience missed. 

Lab Group Formation

Each lab group will have up to four members.  No lab group will have more than 4 members.  When you arrive in lab on the first day, get to know the students around you.  Try to form a group with students you feel comfortable working with.  3 or 4 students per group are optimal.

Lab Tasks

In every lab period, each group member must contribute ideas, help to set up experiments, interpret data, and make conclusions.  EVERY lab group member must also keep their own lab notebook, which they will use to record ALL data and observations collected by everyone in the group during lab.  Ideally, your lab group can find a mutually convenient time to collaborate as a group to write your lab reports.  Whether or not the group works on the report as a team, EACH group member must be the primary author of a different section of the rough draft (purpose, proposal, data, or conclusions).  Students must take turns being the primary author for the proposal and conclusions sections of the report, as they are the largest sections of the report.  To write your lab report, one person in your group should create a document using Google Docs (docs.google.com).  The document must then be shared with each person in the group using their preferred email address so that each student will be able to edit the document and make comments on it.  All group members must contribute ideas to every lab report, so each lab report will be authored by all group members, and each group member is responsible for adding THEIR OWN NAME to the lab report NEXT to the section that they primarily authored.  Your Google Doc rough draft must be completed and shared with the email address, profjamesbeil@gmail.com, within one week of the day you finish collecting data for an experiment.  The instructor will read your rough draft and give you constructive criticism that you should address as you complete your final draft.  Please take into account the instructor’s comments when writing your final draft and when writing subsequent rough drafts for other experiments.  You must check the Google Docs website often throughout the semester so that you will notice when comments have been made on your rough draft.  The final Google Doc version of your lab report is due within one week of the day that your instructor made comments on your rough draft.  Using Google Docs will allow you to work on them from any computer with web access.  It will also save a lot of paper and allow students to contribute to the lab reports at a time convenient to them in case your group is unable to find time to meet together and write as a team.  If your group needs help with Google Docs, please ask your instructor for help.  Lab is a group effort, so unless a student is absent for one or more lab periods (see lab attendance for more detail), or unless a student neglects their responsibility to contribute to the lab experiment or to the writing of the report, each member of the lab group will receive the same grade assigned to the formal lab report. If a student has not contributed to the lab report in a meaningful way, points WILL be deducted from their lab grade. 

Lab report guidelines

The lab report usually will not need to be more than a 2-6 pages.  When writing, be concise, and get to the point.  Put your data in tables for easier reading and comparing. 

Lab reports must include:

1. PURPOSE: State the problem that you are attempting to solve, and state each goal of the experiment.
2. PROPOSAL or APPROACH: Describe your proposal for solving the problem.  DO NOT simply list your step-by-step procedure.  Briefly describe the experiments you planned out.  Be sure to fully explain WHY each step is done and HOW each step helps you to reach your goal.  Include a discussion of any control experiments you proposed or completed. 
3. DATA: Report all of the data you collected and describe the meaning of the data.  PUT YOUR DATA IN TABLES IF POSSIBLE.  All of your data should appear both in the lab notebook and in the formal report.  In EVERY section of your lab report, but especially here, it is very important to use correct units and report data with the correct number of significant figures to communicate the precision in your measurements.  In CHMY 171, you will be performing many chemical reactions, so as for any chemical reaction, you must use write out the chemical equation for the reaction and include a reaction table as shown below.  Write the reaction out.  Include as much data as you can.  As in the example below, show the reactants and the products.  Show the solvent, and show the temperature or an indication of the temperature such as reflux.  Reflux means it was reacted at the boiling point of the solvent. 

In lab 5, you will be performing a chemical synthesis, so you must also provide a reaction table.  Include the reagents and products, molar masses or molarity, amount of starting materials or products produced in g or mL, amount of starting materials or products in moles, and the theoretical yield of the products.  The table below is an example of one appropriate for the reaction above.  Molar mass and moles do not need to be included for solvents.

 

Reactants and products	Molar mass or molarity	amount	moles	Theoretical yield
reactant A	100.11 g/mol	1.0 g	9.99 x 10-3 mol	Not applicable because it’s a reactant
NaOH (aq)	3.0 M	5.0 mL	0.015 mol	Not applicable because it’s a reactant
THF	Solvent	50 mL	Solvent	Not applicable because it’s a solvent
product A	60.05 g/mol	0.54 g	9.0 x 10-3 mol	9.99 x 10-3 mol
product B	60.09 g/mol	0.54 g	9.0 x 10-3 mol	9.99 x 10-3 mol

 

1. CONCLUSIONS: Were you able to solve the problem at hand, answer the question you were trying to answer, or reach your stated goal?  EXPLAIN WHY OR WHY NOT.  Explain how your data allows you to make your conclusions.  Every relevant conclusion that can be made from the data you obtained should be discussed.  Also, discuss how much certainty you have in your overall conclusions, and WHY.  Discuss any errors that might have been made during the experiment and HOW those errors might affect the validity and certainty of your conclusions.  Also discuss what you might do in addition to the experiments you ran to gain additional certainty in your conclusions.  Finally, discuss what you would do differently if you were to repeat the experiment.  Would you change something minor like temperature or solvent, or would you abandon your approach completely and try something different, and WHY?  Each of the considerations above must be discussed.  If any one of the considerations above is not discussed thoroughly, points will be deducted.
2. CONTRIBUTUIONS: Each lab group member must keep track of their individual contributions to the lab experiment.  Each group member must write a short description of their efforts to propose ideas, help set up the lab, and ensure the success of the experiment, and contribute to the lab report.  Group member contribution reports should consist of a short paragraph at the end of each rough draft and each final lab report, and each group member must write something about their own contributions in the paragraph.  Reports without a contribution section will not be graded, so be honest and thorough.  If a student neglects to write their contribution paragraph, they may not earn any points for their participation in that lab experiment.  The instructor will decide whether or not to use contribution reports in adjusting the students’ grades, so take them seriously.

Lab reports are your chance to communicate that you understand the experiments and results.  So, make sure you focus on the WHY and HOW of the experiment rather than simply what you physically did in the lab.

Lab Notebooks

EACH LAB GROUP MEMBER must record all lab observations and data during the lab in their own laboratory notebook FOR EACH EXPERIMENT.  It is essential to record all original data as it is collected with correct units and significant figures so that no data will be lost or forgotten.  All students must record all of the data in their own notebooks so that as each group member types their section of the formal lab report, there won’t be any errors or missing information and to avoid one student taking the data and leaving the rest high and dry.  All data that appears in your typed report must be recorded DURING the lab and must appear in the notebook.  The instructor may check any student’s lab notebook at any time and may penalize any student up to 10% of their lab report grade for a missing notebook, missing data, or messy data.  Lab notebook guidelines are outlined below.

Lab Notebook Guidelines

1. Each new experiment should start on a fresh clean page of your notebook.
2. The calendar date should appear at the top of each page in your lab notebook.
3. All data entered into your notebook should be labeled with UNITS and with a complete sentence describing what the data represents.  For example, if a student measured the melting point of a substance to be 120˚ C,

DO NOT write 120,

DO NOT write 120˚,

DO NOT write 120˚ C,

DO NOT write temperature = 120˚ C,

DO NOT write the melting point was 120˚ C.

WRITE “The melting point of the unknown mixture was 120˚ C.  Be as clear as possible about what the data means.

1. In CHMY 171, you will be performing many chemical reactions, so as for any chemical reaction, you must use the following guidelines for your lab notebook.
1. Write the reaction out.  Include as much data as you can.  As in the example below, show the reactants and the products.  Show the solvent, and show the temperature or an indication of the temperature such as reflux.  Reflux means it was reacted at the boiling point of the solvent.

 

1. In lab 5, you will be performing a chemical synthesis, so you must also provide a reaction table.  Include the reagents and products, molar masses or molarity, amount of starting materials or products produced in g or mL, amount of starting materials or products in moles, and the theoretical yield of the products.  The table below is an example of one appropriate for the reaction above.  Molar mass and moles do not need to be included for solvents.

 

Reactants and products	Molar mass or molarity	amount	moles	Theoretical yield
reactant A	100.11 g/mol	1.0 g	9.99 x 10-3 mol	Not applicable because it’s a reactant
NaOH (aq)	3.0 M	5.0 mL	0.015 mol	Not applicable because it’s a reactant
THF	Solvent	50 mL	Solvent	Not applicable because it’s a solvent
product A	60.05 g/mol	0.54 g	9.0 x 10-3 mol	9.99 x 10-3 mol
product B	60.09 g/mol	0.54 g	9.0 x 10-3 mol	9.99 x 10-3 mol

 

This syllabus is not a contract.  To maintain the integrity of the course, the instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus and any of its contents at any time during the course by notifying students verbally or by written addendum.