Chemistry 542L
Syllabus
Spring 2012
Physical Chemistry Laboratory II
Instructor: Lisa Lever, Ph.D.
Phone: 503-5713
Office: Smith 215
email: llever@uscupstate.edu
Web site: http://faculty.uscupstate.edu/llever
Office hours: M-F 8:30-5 (Please call or email for an appointment)
Course Description: The application of physical chemical techniques to quantum mechanics,
spectroscopy. Prerequisite: SCHM 541L Corequisite: SCHM 542.
Goals: Students will test theoretical principles, obtain basic experience with physical measurements,
learn to keep a laboratory notebook, apply computer skills to analyze data, learn to interpret findings,
communicate results, make judgements based on experimental data, and work cooperatively in a group
setting.
Lab notebook: Students must have a laboratory research notebook with carbonless paper. These are
available in the USC Upstate bookstore.
Attendance: All lab work must be completed. Since lab experiments are performed in groups, students
are responsible for their contribution to the group. If an absence is unavoidable, laboratory work may be
made up at a later time.
In preparation for lab: Students should carefully read the lab handout and do any prelab assignments
before coming to lab. If solutions need to be prepared during the first lab period, the student should do all
the necessary calculations to determine the masses or volumes needed before coming to lab. These
calculations should be done in the lab notebook. Before the second week of the lab experiment, students
should complete all lab calculations from the previous week's work, and be prepared to discuss their
results. During lab, students should record their lab procedures, observations made, and data taken in
their lab notebook.
Grades: Grades for the laboratory course will be based on lab reports, lab notebooks, preparation for
lab, and participation in lab. Grades will be calculated as follows:
Abbreviated lab reports for 3 expts.
Cl2O4 in the Stratosphere formal report
Polymers R Us formal report
Preparation for lab, lab participation, lab notebooks
Laser safety test
55%
20%
20%
5%
10%
Grading scale: A ≥ 90 > B+ ≥ 87 > B ≥ 80 > C+ ≥ 77 > C ≥ 70 > D+ ≥ 67 > D ≥ 60 > F
Lab Reports: Abbreviated lab reports will be due one lab period after completion of the lab. The
Polymers R Us lab report will be due on Apr. 5. The Cl2O4 lab report will be due on Apr. 23. There is a
3 point deduction per day (including Sat. and Sun.) for late lab reports, and reports more than one week
late will not be accepted.
Lab reports should be your report and analysis of the experiment which will be based on the
knowledge you have gained from this course. Outside sources for your report should be
appropriately cited. Plagiarism (using others’ work, including paraphrasing—from the web or
University of South Carolina Upstate
Chemistry 542L
Syllabus
Spring 2012
anyplace else—without proper attribution) is a violation of the student honor code (see the USC
Upstate Student Handbook) and will be reported to the Dean of Students. A first offense will
result in a zero for the lab report. If the offense is not the first (whether in this class or another)
the consequence will likely be more severe, including possible failure for the course.
Chemistry 542L Tentative Schedule Spring 2012
Date
Jan. 12
Jan. 19
Jan. 26
Feb. 2
Feb. 9
Feb. 16
Feb. 23
Mar. 1
Mar. 8
Mar.15
Mar. 22
Mar. 29
Apr. 5
Apr. 12
Apr. 19
Experiment
Organizational meeting, safety, preparation for Flash
photolysis, laser safety training
Flash photolysis
Flash photolysis, laser safety test
Fluorescence quenching
Fluorescence quenching
IR & Raman spectroscopy
IR & Raman spectroscopy
Polymers R Us
Spring Break
Polymers R Us
Polymers R Us
Cl2O4 in the stratosphere
Cl2O4 in the stratosphere
Cl2O4 in the stratosphere
Make-up day
In keeping with University policy, any student with a disability who requests academic
accommodations should contact Disability Services at 503-5199 to arrange a confidential
appointment with the Disability Services Coordinator. Students are encouraged to seek an
appointment as early in the semester as possible, as accommodations are not provided
retroactively. Letters of accommodation must be signed and printed on letterhead from the
Disability Services office. It is the student’s responsibility to provide these letters to professors
in a timely manner so that accommodations may be put in place.
Consult a physician if you are pregnant or have any other medical condition which might render
you susceptible to exposure to the chemicals used in this laboratory
March 27: Last day to withdraw without penalty
This is a tentative syllabus, and the instructor reserves the right to make adjustments in the syllabus and schedule as
necessary.
University of South Carolina Upstate