CHEMISTRY 131L
GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
Fall 2015
Dr. Chris Adams, Room 302, Porter Hall
Office Hours: MW 10-11, T 9-11, R 9-10
Telephone: 587-7716
E-mail: cladams@adams.edu
Dr. Christina Miller, Room 304, Porter Hall
Office Hours: TR 8-10, W 8-9
Telephone: 587-7506
E-mail: crmiller@adams.edu
Dr. Renee Beeton, Room 303 Porter Hall
Office Hours: MTF 10-11, MW 2-3
Telephone: 587-7383
E-mail: rbeeton@adams.edu
Course Description
Chemistry 131L is the laboratory course designed to accompany the general chemistry lecture course.
Student Learning Outcomes (for students who are successful in the class)
1. Students will learn basic techniques associated with chemistry laboratories, including (but not
limited to) measurement of solids and liquids, use of common equipment and instrumentation,
and use of computer software.
2. Students will develop more thoroughly their skills in collaborative and individual efforts to solve
problems and to design experiments.
3. Students will develop more thoroughly their abilities to collect and critically interpret
experimental data, and to effectively communicate their results and interpretations.
Text
Lab manual is available on your lecture instructor’s Blackboard or Website.
Supplies
Safety goggles (these will be used in subsequent chemistry classes) Available at the bookstore or from
the Adams Atoms Chemistry Club.
A scientific calculator.
Assignments, Evaluation Procedures and Grading Policy:
1. Attendance: Attendance is required for the laboratory and for the lab lecture on
Wednesdays. Three points are deducted for each lab lecture missed and one point will be deducted if
you are late for lab. If you are not present for an experiment, you will not get credit for the experiment.
Dry-labbing will not be tolerated and will be treated as cheating. If you miss a lab for a documented,
valid reason and you let the instructor know beforehand, your grade will be adjusted for that missed lab.
Only one excused absence will be allowed.
2. Laboratory Groups: You will be assigned to a group of three or four students with whom you
will work with for the laboratory experiments. This group will most likely be different from your
lecture group. If you must miss an experiment, please contact at least one of your group members as
well as the lab instructor. We plan to switch lab groups at mid-semester, to give you an opportunity to
work with some new folks.
3. Safety and Standard Laboratory Procedures: You must listen to a safety lecture and sign a
safety rules sheet before you may work in the lab. Strict rules regarding clothing and safety eyewear
will be enforced for the lab. Unless otherwise instructed, you must always wear safety goggles (indirect
ventilated) in the lab. Safety glasses are not permitted. These may be purchased at the bookstore or
through the Adams Atoms Chemistry Club. If you refuse to wear eye protection, you will be asked to
leave the lab without finishing the experiment and will receive a grade of zero for that experiment. You
must provide your own safety eyewear. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear to the lab. Appropriate
clothing includes long pants or other attire that covers legs to the ankle; short or long-sleeve tops that
cover the shoulders, do not have deep-cut necklines, and do not leave exposed skin around the waist or
the back (especially when bending over to conduct a routine lab technique); and shoes that cover the
toes and heels (no sandals or clogs). In other words, wear old jeans, a long t-shirt, and tennis shoes!
That way, you’ll be dressed to work safely ().
Violation of any safety policy/procedure during the course of a single laboratory period will result
in the following actions:
1st incident: Verbal Warning
2nd incident: Written Warning
3rd incident: Lose 10% of the value of the lab write-up for that experiment
4th incident: Removal from lab and earn a grade of 0 for that experiment
4. Cleanliness: Clean up all spills immediately, especially around balance areas. Replace all
bottle lids and caps as soon as you are through. Clean your working area before leaving lab.
5. Equipment: The lab is organized with common items of equipment needed for experiments in
certain drawers. Please make every effort to keep the equipment in good order. After cleaning the
items used for an experiment, return them to their proper location(s) at the end of each laboratory period.
6. Preparation: Advance preparation for the laboratory will be necessary. This includes reading
the experiment, attending the prelab lecture on Mondays, and answering the prelab exercise(s) included
in the lab manual. Remember that a portion of your lab write-up grade will be determined by the
answers to the prelab exercises. The lab instructor/assistant will check your lab report sheet when you
first come to lab to ensure that you have finished the prelab exercise.
7. Grading: Your grade will be determined by the total points you accumulate in the lab, from
your lab write-ups [70%] and lab practical exams [30%]. Lab report write-ups are due the week after
the lab is finished at the start of lab. Late write-ups will not be accepted.
Letter grades will not be assigned until the end of the semester. If you need to estimate your grade at
any time, use the following scale:
100.0% – 93.0% = A; 92.9% – 90.0% = A-; 89.9% - 87.0% = B+; 86.9% - 83.0% = B; 82.9% - 80.0% = B-;
79.9% - 77.0% = C+; 76.9% - 73.0% = C; 72.9% - 70.0% = C-; 69.9% - 67.0% = D+; 66.9% - 60.0% = D
8. Cheating: Cheating of any sort, from copying someone else's answers on a lab quiz to
working in a group when you are to be working individually, will not be tolerated. If you are caught
intentionally cheating, you will receive as a minimum penalty a zero for that work. Repeated instances
of cheating will result in an F for the course and may be subject to additional discipline from the
College.
9. Adding, Withdrawing, and Incompletes: The last day to add class to your schedule is
September 9. The last day to withdraw from this course and receive a grade of W is Friday October 30,
2015. After that date, a grade of W may only be given for documented medical reasons or extenuating
circumstances, either of which must be determined by the instructor, the Department Chair, the Vice
President for Student Affairs, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Poor performance in class
is not an acceptable reason for an incomplete.
10. Special Consideration: If you require course adaptations or accommodations because of a
documented disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need
particular arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as
soon as possible. Office hours and location are given at the top of the first page of this syllabus.
11. Emergency Evacuation: In the event of an emergency, the entire lab section will exit out the
appropriate stairwell (north or south, depending on the location of the emergency) and meet by the sign
for the music building, on the east side of Porter Hall.
Schedule
Lab lectures will be given in class on Monday mornings. To get full credit for lab attendance,
you must be present for the lab lecture and be on time. This schedule may be subject to change with
advance notice.
Date
8/25, 8/26, 8/27
9/1, 9/2, 9/3
9/8, 9/9, 9/10
9/15, 9/16, 9/17
9/22, 9/23, 9/24
9/29, 9/30, 10/1
10/6, 10/7, 10/8
10/13, 10/14, 10/15
10/22, 10/21, 10/22
10/27, 10/28, 10/29
11/3, 11/4, 11/5
11/10, 11/11, 11/12
11/17, 11/18, 11/19
11/24, 11/25, 11/26
12/1, 12/2, 12/3
12/8, 12/9, 12/10
Lab
Safety
Lab #1 - Pea Gravel
Lab #2 – Nuclear Chemistry and Radioactivity
Lab #3 – Periodic Trends
Lab #4 – Light and the Structure of the Atom
Lab #5 - Hydrates
Fall Recess, no lab
Lab Practical 1
Lab #6 - Molecular Modeling and Molecular Shapes
Lab #7- Quality Assurance; Analysis by Titration
Lab #8- Kidney Stones
Lab #9 – A Copper Cycle
Lab #10 – Coffee Cup Calorimetry
No lab - Thanksgiving Break
Lab # 11- Gas Laws
Lab Practical 2