SC- Advanced Placement Chemistry
Mesa High School
Course Syllabus
Course Title:
Advanced Placement Chemistry
Instructor:
Elizabeth Fife
Telephone:
480-472-5780
E-mail:
ejfife@mpsaz.org
Office:
Mesa High School, room 41
Course Description:
Advanced Placement Chemistry is an extremely rigorous, fast-paced, one-year
course. The course of study includes stoichiometry, bonding and molecular
geometry, the chemical properties of the major groups of elements, behavior of
solids, liquids and gases, equilibrium theory, kinetics, thermodynamics,
electrochemistry and other selected topics.
The lab portion of the course is designed to give you the opportunity to
manipulate equipment and materials to collect and analyze data and draw
conclusions about the observed regularities. This process will either provide you
an empirical basis for, or allow you to test your understanding of the concepts
you will study in a given unit.
Textbook:
Chemistry
Zumdahl, Steven S. and Susan A. (5th edition) – provided by Mesa High
Prerequisites:
Completion of a first year chemistry class is required. Concurrent enrollment or
completion of trig or pre-calculus is recommended. A grade of “B” or higher in
algebra II is recommended.
Homework:
Reading and homework problems will be assigned from the textbook and will be
supplemented with practice AP test questions. Late work for each unit will be
accepted for half credit up to the unit test; late work will not be accepted after the
unit test.
Lab
AP Chemistry is a lab course. Students will be expected to keep a lab report
portfolio as many colleges will wish to see evidence of lab work before giving
course credit. Proper laboratory safety procedures will be observed during all lab
work. On designated lab days, students are expected to spend a portion of the
lunch period working on lab activities. (On average 1 hour every other week)
Tests:
Unit tests will cover the most current unit topics and will be scheduled as each
unit is completed. Tests will not be graded on a curve and there will be no test
retakes.
Grading:
Grades are cumulative throughout each semester; they will NOT start over at the
quarter. Your grade will be determined by the following items:
Tests and quizzes: 55%
Lab reports: 25%
Notebook (notes, class work, homework): 15%
Practice free response questions (frq’s): 5%
The grading scale will be:
88%-100%
A
78-87%
B
68-77%
C
58-69%
D
0-57%
F
Materials:
spiral notebook – college ruled (for notes, class work, homework)
scientific calculator (graphing calculators are allowed but not required)*
USB flash drive*
pens, #2 pencils, highlighters
small bottle of glue and/or glue stick**
scissors**
* available for use in class but HIGHLY recommended that you have your own
** available for use in class
Attendance:
This class will follow district guidelines for attendance. Any student exceeding 9
absences may be audited in the course. (An appeal must be granted in order to
receive credit.) Students must be on time to receive credit for warmups /
bellwork.
Discipline:
All district guidelines presented in the student handbook and/or posted in the
classroom will be followed at all times. Failure to comply with a reasonable
request is considered Defiance and will be dealt with as indicated in the Student
Behavior and Discipline Guidelines.
Disclaimer:
Course content and outline may vary from this syllabus to meet the needs of this
group of students.
Course Outline
First Semester
I. Chemical foundations (1.5-2 weeks)
classification of matter
measuring and significant figures
dimensional analysis
intro to atomic theory and structure
inorganic nomenclature
Lab – separation and analysis by chromatography (2 hours)
2. Intro to Stoichiometry (2.5 weeks)
chemical mole
balancing equations
mass stioichiometry
percent yield and limiting reagents
determination of empirical and molecular formulas
Lab – gravimetric analysis of a metal carbonate (2 hours)
empirical formula of Cu?I? (2 hours)
3. Types of chemical reactions and solution stoichiometry (2.5 weeks)
characteristics of electrolytes
molarity calculations
ionic equations for acids, bases, and salts
stoich of precipitation reactions
writing and balancing redox reactions
Lab – redox titration (2 hours)
separation and qualitative determination of cations and anions (3 hours)
4. Gases (2 weeks)
properties of gases
ideal gas law
kinetic molecular theory
Graham’s law
van der Waal’s equation
Lab – determination of the molar mass of gases and volatile liquids (2 hours)
molar volume of a gas (2 hours)
5. Introduction to Energy, Thermodynamics, and Entropy (3.5 weeks)
storage and transfer of energy
enthalpy and PV work
calorimetry
Hess’s Law
spontaneous processes and entropy
Second law of thermodynamics
Gibb’s free energy
Lab – enthalpy of reaction and Hess’s Law 2 hours)
7. Atomic Structure and Periodicity (2 weeks)
line spectra
Bohr model
quantum mechanics
electron configuration
ionization energy
periodic trends
Lab – analyzing spectra: flame tests / gas tubes (H and others) (1 hour)
8. Bonding and molecular architecture (3 weeks)
chemical bonding – ionic and covalent
lattice energy
electronegativity and bond polarity
average bond energies and ΔH
VSPER, Lewis structures, and molecular orbital model
resonance
hybridization
bonding in homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomic molecules
Lab – VSPER lab – making molecular models (2 hours)
Second Semester
9. Solids and Liquids (2 weeks)
intromolecular forces
interactions in liquids
bonding and structures in metals and solids
vapor pressure and changes of state
phase diagrams
10. Solutions (2 weeks)
solution composition
energy and entropy in solution formation
vapor pressure
colligative properties
colloids
Lab – using freezing point depression to determine molar mass (2 hours)
11. Kinetics (2.5 weeks)
reaction rates
differential and integrated rate laws
reaction mechanisms
collision theory
activation energy
catalysts
Lab – rate and order of a chemical reaction (2 hours)
12. Chemical Equilibrium (2 weeks)
equilibrium condition
equilibrium constant and rate constants for opposing reactions
equilibrium expressions involving pressure and concentration
LeChatelier’s principle
free energy and equilibrium
Lab – colorimetric determination of an equilibrium constant (3 hours)
13. Acids and bases (2 weeks)
Arrhenius, Bronsted, and Lewis models of acids and bases
pH scale
effect of structure on acid-base properties
acid-base properties of oxides
14. Applications of Aqueous Equilibria (2.5 weeks)
common ion solutions
buffered solutions
titrations and pH curves
solubility equilibria and Ksp
equilibria and complex ions
Lab – standardizing a solution and determination of the Ka of a weak acid (3 hours)
pH properties of buffer solutions (3 hours)
15. Electrochemistry (2 weeks)
oxidation-reduction reactions
galvanic cells
standard reduction and cell potentials
electrical work and free energy
Nernst equation
batteries, corrosion, electrolysis
Lab – constructing voltaic cells (1 hour)
factors affecting electrochemical cells (2 hours)
16. Organic chemistry (1.5 weeks)
structure and nomenclature of alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes
structural isomerism
aromatic hydrocarbons
functional groups and derivatives
Lab – synthesis, isolation, and purification of an ester (2 hours)
Independent Study – Nuclear chemistry
nuclear stability and radioactive decay
kinetics of radioactive decay
detection and uses of radioactivity
radiocarbon dating