Emphasizes properties of liquids and solutions, reaction rates, chemical equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, acid/base chemistry, nuclear chemistry and descriptive chemistry of the more common elements (as time allows). Three hours of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
This course is designed to prepare students for further courses in chemistry or to satisfy the requirement in other fields of science for a two semester sequence in general chemistry. In addition to extending the student’s knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, the course objective for CHEM 142 is to assist the student in developing critical thinking and problem solving skills.
- The condensed phases
- Liquids, solids, intermolecular forces, vapor pressure and other physical properties, phase diagrams
- Properties of solutions
- Solubility, concentration units, colligative properties
- Chemical kinetics
- Rate laws, integrated forms of the rate laws, mechanisms
- Chemical equilibria: definitions, LeChatelier’s Principle, equilibrium constants
- Acid/Base equilibria: acids, bases, buffers, pH, titrations, hydrolysis of salts
- Equilibria involving solids and complexes
- Precipitate formation, selective precipitation, precipitation from complex ions, dissolving precipitates in favor of complex ions, naming complex ions
- Chemical thermodynamics
- Laws of thermodynamics, heat, work, enthalpy, entropy, free energy, spontaneity, and equilibrium constants
- Electrochemistry
- Voltaic and electrolytic cells, standard reduction potentials, Nernst Equation, Faraday’s laws, relationship to free energy and equilibrium constants
- Nuclear chemistry
- Types of nuclear decay, stability of nuclei, writing nuclear equations, occurrences of natural and man-made radiation in the environment, disposal of nuclear waste and other contemporary issues related to use of radionuclides, kinetics and thermodynamic calculations associated with nuclear systems
- Safety and related environmental concerns in the chemistry laboratory
- Identify the intermolecular forces in the condensed phases of pure substances
- Predict the physical properties of pure substances using intermolecular forces
- Solve vapor pressure problems for pure materials
- Use cooling/warming curves to calculate heat changes for pure materials
- Calculate various concentration units for solutions
- Solve problems involving colligative properties of solutions
- Describe and explain the factors affecting reaction rates
- Determine the rate law for a reaction from experimental data
- Solve problems utilizing the integrated form of the rate law
- Evaluate a proposed mechanism for a reaction in light of experimental data
- Solve chemical equilibria problems in the gas phase and in solution with special emphasis on acid-base chemistry
- Describe how to construct buffers by the two common laboratory methods
- Solve buffer problems utilizing the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
- Identify, interpret, and construct titration curves from experimental data for the four most encountered systems
- Calculate the pH at any point on a titration curve
- Solve chemical equilibria problems for systems involving solids and complex ions
- Write names and formulas for complex ions
- Describe mathematically and verbally the laws of thermodynamics
- Solve problems involving thermodynamic quantities
- Use Standard Reduction Potentials to differentiate voltaic and electrolytic cells
- Apply the Nernst Equation to voltaic cell systems
- Apply Faraday’s laws to electrochemical systems
- Apply standard thermodynamic and electrochemical data to equilibrium systems
- Differentiate the various types of nuclear decays, their interactions with matter and their impact upon the environment
- Write nuclear reactions
- Solve problems based on nuclear equations
- Display professional behavior, courtesy, and attitude in both lecture and laboratory environments
- Observe, analyze, and interpret laboratory data, collected from experiments/exercises built on the core course topics, both qualitatively and quantitatively
- Demonstrate proficiency in laboratory techniques used in various experiments
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills in identification of unknowns
- Practice appropriate safety procedures in the laboratory
- Use environmentally sound chemistry laboratory practices
- Prepare neatly and accurately written lab reports using calculations, graphs, explanations, and chemical equations
Assessment and Requirements
Students will be assessed in lecture using exams, assignments/quizzes/homework, and a comprehensive final. Students will be assessed in lab using reports, quizzes, and lab-tests. The overall course grade is determined using the categories and values listed below.
Category | Percentage |
---|---|
Lecture Exams | 40-50% |
Laboratory (reports, quizzes, lab-tests) | 25% |
Paper or presentation or homework | up to 10% |
Final Exam (cumulative) | 25% |
No student will receive a passing grade in CHEM 142 unless that student has earned at least a 55% in the laboratory.
Outcomes
- Natural Sciences
- Category 6: Natural Sciences (Lecture and Lab)