CHEM 1111L
Chemistry I Lab—Revised Schedule
Instructor: Dr. Teresa Birdwhistell
Office: 37-341
ph: 520-7370
Fall 2012
Lab time: T 2:15-5:05
email: tbirdwhi@xula.edu
Office Hours: M 9-10; W 9-11; R 1:30-3:30
Course description: Students are introduced to methods used to explore
chemical/physical systems. Emphasis will be placed on data collection and analysis,
and developing the lab skills required for upper-level courses. Experiments will
cover a range of topics, including methods of measurement, chemical and physical
properties of compounds, chemical reactivity, thermochemistry, and qualitative and
quantitative methods of analysis. One three-hour lab per week.
Prerequisites: Completion of all developmental math with a grade of C or better.
Corequisites: CHEM 1110/1110D
Course objectives:
1) To develop reasoning and problem-solving skills including the ability to identify
pertinent variables, recognize qualitative trends in data, determine what, if any,
quantitative relationships exist, and test the validity of conclusions.
2) To learn how to apply the scientific method to problem solving.
3) To master the basic laboratory skills needed to enter advanced chemistry
courses.
Materials required:
1. Chemistry lab notebook
2. Safety goggles and lab coat
3. Non-programmable calculator
Course requirements:
Attendance is required for all scheduled labs during the time for which the student
is scheduled. It is the general policy that no make-up labs are allowed. In the event
of an absence, a student is responsible for doing and turning in the homework
associated with the lab that she or he missed. Any student who misses more than 2
labs will receive an automatic grade of FE.
Course evaluation:
Each week students will take a quiz covering both the experiment they did the
previous week and the experiment they are going to do that week. Quizzes will be
worth 20 pts each and will be administered during the recitation. Each student will
also write a report on each experiment and answer any post-lab questions. Reports
and questions will be worth 50 points. Students will keep a lab notebook. The lab
notebook will be graded weekly and will be worth 10 points each week. There will
be a comprehensive final exam worth 200 points. Course grades will be assigned on
a 10-point scale:
A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
F below 60%
CHEM 1111L
Chemistry I Lab—Revised Schedule
Fall 2012
CELL PHONES, PAGERS, iPODS AND OTHER SIMILAR ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE
NOT ALLOWED IN THE LABORATORY. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RULE
WILL RESULT IN YOUR REMOVAL FROM THE ROOM.
Academic Misconduct
The following statement is found in the Xavier Faculty Handbook:
If a student's test, examination paper, laboratory report, term paper, or other written
assignment gives evidence of not being completely his/her own work, he/she may be
given an F for the course. A student who communicates with anyone during the course
of an examination or test, unless with the permission of the instructor, may be
immediately dismissed from the room and given an F. Such communication includes
attempts to read from another's paper. If a student is found to have brought study
materials into the examination room without the instructor's permission, it may be
assumed that he/she intended to use such materials unlawfully, and he/she may be
penalized accordingly.
Any form of academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Most students have a pretty
good idea of what is considered cheating on an exam or quiz. However, many have a
hard time distinguishing what is acceptable from what is not acceptable when it
comes to writing reports in this course. A few things to keep in mind:
1) It is never acceptable to falsify lab data. If, while analyzing the results of your
experiment, you determine that your data cannot be correct, do not change it! It is
expected that you will, on occasion, not successfully perform an experiment and that
your data will not be correct. When this is the case you should focus on trying to
explain what might have gone wrong.
2) Do not use someone else's report as a guide for how to do your own report. Your
report MUST be your own work. Even if you don't "copy" someone's report, looking
at it to get ideas for writing your own is not acceptable. Keep in mind, also, that in
such situations the person who allows someone to look at his or her paper or who
provides answers to others in some other way is considered equally guilty.
Evacuation Policy: In the event that classes are cancelled due to a hurricane
evacuation, assignments and other course materials will be posted on Blackboard.
Students should access the Blackboard site as soon as possible following
evacuation.
CHEM 1111L
Chemistry I Lab—Revised Schedule
Lab sequence:
DATE
EXPERIMENT
Aug. 28
CANCELLED
Sept. 4
Introduction; Inorganic Nomenclature
Sept. 11
Math Skills
Sept. 18
Density of Sprite vs. Diet Sprite
Sept. 25
Paper Chromatography
Oct. 2
Limiting Reagents
Oct. 9
Atomic Spectroscopy
Oct. 16
Acid-base Titration
Oct. 23
Titration, continued
Oct. 30
Reaction Stoichiometry
Nov. 6
Calorimetry
Nov. 13
Identification of an Unknown Metal
Nov. 20
Colorimetry
Nov. 27
Determination of Phosphate in Water
Dec. 4
Lab Final
Fall 2012
CHEM 1111L
Chemistry I Lab—Revised Schedule
Fall 2012