PSC 312L
Quantitative Analysis
Parkinson 137
Fall 2005
Dr. Dionne Fortenberry
Department of Sciences and Mathematics
Office: Parkinson Hall 106E
Email: dfort@muw.edu
Office phone: 329-7246
Office hours: 2:00-4:00, T 8:00-10:00, W 2:00-3:00, Th 9:00-11:00, and others by appointment
Text and supplementary materials: Lab handouts will be given to you during the semester. You will
need a laboratory notebook (the carbon-copy kind), safety glasses, a scientific calculator, and a
diskette on which to save your lab reports.
Lab: T, Th 2:00-5:00 pm PH 137
Course Policies:
• Class attendance is expected unless the student experiences a health problem or unless there are
extenuating circumstances. Divisional policy states: “A student is required to attend 70% of all
class meetings or receive an automatic “F”. This policy is more rigorous than the university’s 50%
requirement.
• Please come to class on time. We will begin on time. Tardy arrivals are a sign of disrespect to the
professor and the other students.
• Please try to briefly skim through the chapter before the corresponding lectures because I prepare my
lectures according to this expectation. You will benefit much more from the lecture having skimmed
the chapter ahead of time.
Turn off your cell phones before each class. Put them away and do not take them out during
class. If your cell phone rings or vibrates during class, you will have to leave class for the day.
If it happens again, you will have to leave class and you must talk to me before you return.
These same penalties apply for answering text messages or for using your cell phone as a
calculator. Basically, do not take out your cell phone for any reason during class.
Desired Student Goals and Outcomes and Nature of the Course:
Following is a list of lab experiments to be covered during the semester and expected student goals
associated with each.
SEQUENCE of TENTATIVE LECTURE TOPICS (subject to change)
Weeks 1-2
 Analysis 1: Gravimetric Determination of SO4-2 in a Soluble Sulfate Sample-The student
will use gravimetric analysis to determine the percent sulfate in an unknown sample.
Weeks 3
 Analysis 2: Precision Titration Techniques-The student will learn and practice the
fundamentals of titrations.
Weeks 4
 Analysis 3: Titrimetric Determination of Na2CO3 in Soda-Ash Sample-The student will use
titration to determine the percent Na2CO3 in an unknown soda ash sample.
Weeks 5-6
 Analysis 4: Spectrophotometric Determination of Fe with 1,10-Phenanthroline-The student
will use 1,10-phenanthroline and spectrophotometry to determine the percentage of iron (Fe+2)
in an unknown.
Weeks 7-8
 Analysis 5: Spectroscopic Determination Concentrations in a Permanganate-Dichromate
Mixture-The student will use spectroscopy to determine the concentration of permanganate ion
and dichromate ion in an unknown mixture.
Weeks 9
 Analysis 6: Determination Ca+2 in Calcium Gluconate-The student will use titration with
EDTA to determine the percentage of calcium in an over-the-counter calcium gluconate tablet..
Week 10
 Analysis 7: Iodometric Titration of Vitamin C. (Page 796 in text)-The student will use
iodometric back titration to determine the ascorbic acid in an over-the-counter vitamin C tablet.
Week 11
 Analysis 8: Volhard Determination of Cl- Ion-The student will use the Volhard method to
determine the percentage of chloride ion in a salt sample.
Week 12
 Analysis 9: Determination of Fe by Potentiometric Titration-The student will use
potentiometry to determine the percentage of iron in an unknown ferrous ammonium sulfate
sample.
Week 13
 Analysis 10: Determination of pKa of Bromothymol Blue-The student will use
spectrophotometry to determine the pKa of an acid-base indicator.
Requirements of the Course:
Requirements of the course include quizzes and lab reports. Descriptions are as follows:
Quizzes:
 To encourage you to familiarize yourself with the concepts behind the labs, twenty-point quizzes
will be given at the beginning of lab every other Thursday unless stated otherwise. Makeup quizzes
will not be given. You will have at least five quizzes in all, which will count for a possible 100
points. Because the lecture and the lab are intertwined, you can also expect to see information from
lab on lecture quizzes and exams.
Lab Reports:
 Laboratory work consists of ten analytical determinations. The lab reports will be worth 20 points
each. The lab reports will be due one (1) week after the lab is finished. Precision and accuracy will
be used as a criterion for grading with accuracy being the most important. You will also be graded
on the substance of your lab report: objective, introduction, data, calculations and/or observations,
and conclusions.
 Substance of the lab report (50%)
Accuracy of results (50%)
Objective: 1 pt.
0-2% error: 10 pts.
Introduction: 1 pt
3-5% error: 8 pts.
Data/Observations: 2 pts.
6-10% error: 6 pts.
Calculations: 3 pts.
11-15% error: 3 pts.
Conclusions: 3 pts.
16-20% error: 0 pts.
Methods of Evaluation:
The student will be evaluated based on his/her performance of the requirements listed above (quizzes
and lab reports). The grading policy is as follows:

Grading:
A ten (10) point scale will be used to determine the final grade. So, for example, 91% would be an
A-, or 75% a C. Adjustments of this scale will occur at my discretion. Any curve I do construct will
be based on my discretion.

Point distribution is as follows:
Lecture Quizzes
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III
Homework
Lab reports
Lab quizzes
Final Exam
Total

100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
200 pts
100 pts
150 pts
950 pts
Possibly Important Dates:
August 18
Day and evening classes begin
August 20
Saturday classes begin
August 26
Last day to add and/or register classes
Last day to change from audit to credit
Last day to change from grade to pass-fail
September 5
Labor Day Holiday
September 21
Last day to drop without receiving a WP or WF
Last day to change from credit to audit
Last day to submit a change of major form for Fall 2005
September 30
Last Day to apply for a degree to be awarded December 2005
October 3, 4
Fall Break
October 19
Mid-term grades due
Last day a course may be dropped
October 24
Advising period for Spring 2006 pre-scheduling begins
November 11
Last day to withdraw from the university
November 23-25 Thanksgiving holidays
November 28
Classes resume
Disabilities Statement:
 It is the responsibility of students who have professionally diagnosed disabilities to notify the
instructor with documentation from Academic Support Services, so that necessary and appropriate
modifications can be made to meet any special learning needs.
Academic Dishonesty Statement:
 Your catalog informs you that students at Mississippi University for Women agree to uphold the
school’s honor code and refrain from any academically dishonest behavior including cheating,
plagiarism, falsifying of data (relevant in laboratory settings), and any other intellectually unethical
behavior. It is your responsibility to make yourselves aware of the university’s policies on academic
dishonesty as stated in your catalog since those policies are applicable in this class. Your
punishment could range from a zero on an assignment to an appearance before the Academic
Standards Board. Your university’s accreditation is based, in part, on academic standards of
excellence. If you cheat, you will devalue your MUW degree.