AP Chemistry Syllabus/LongRange Plans
DCS 2008-2009 School Year
Mr. J Szeryk.
Text
Chemistry by Steven S. Zumdahl, 3rd ed., Heath and Company, 1993.
ISBN: 0-669-32462-0.
Scheduling
Students are expected to be in class on time with the required materials. The AP
Chemistry class meets for 85 minutes every second day of the week. Students in AP
Chemistry have already taken a first year Chemistry course at Damascus Community
School.
On average, one period each week is for laboratories. After the AP exam the class
becomes a strictly a laboratory class for the remaining three to four weeks. This ensures
that the students receive more than the amount of laboratory work required by the AP.
Students in AP Chemistry are expected to take the AP Chemistry Exam in May.
Goals of the course
Students are prepared to be critical and independent thinkers who are able to function
effectively in a scientific and technological society.
Students will be able to analyze scientific and societal issues using scientific problem
solving.
Students will be able to make an acceptable score on the AP Chemistry examination in
May.
Methodology
At the beginning of each chapter the students are provided with an outline of the concepts
for the chapter. The students will read the chapter in the text. Mini-lectures on the
important points of the chapter are provided by the teacher. Most of the learning takes
place through the problem solving packet. The students will solve problem sets that
include problems from the text, old AP questions and free response problems, and other
sources. Problems are solved numerically, but the students are required to add a narrative
describing the important concepts and their thought process for each type of problem.
This additional narrative provides a balance between strict problem solving techniques
and an understanding of the patterns and relationships involved in Chemistry within the
time constraints of the class.
Content and Timeline
Chapter 1: Calculations and Uncertainty 1.0 week
Dimensional analysis, uncertainty, significant figures
Section: Chapter 1 Text Chemical Foundations 1.1- 1.9 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 2: Atoms, Molecules, and Ions 1.5 weeks
Review of formula writing, oxidation states, nomenclature, etc.
Section: Chapter 2 Text Atoms, Molecules, and Ions 2.1-2.8 (All Blue Problems) +
Naming Compounds Worksheets
Chapter 3 and Chapter 4: Stoichiometry 2.5 weeks
Mole, atomic weight, molecular formula, balancing equations, limiters, empirical
formulas, percent composition, percent yield, and solution stoichiometry
Section: Chapter 3, 4 Text Stoichiometry, Chemical Reactions and Solution
Stoichiometry 3.1-3.9 and 4.1-4.11 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 5: Gases 2.0 weeks
Ideal gas law, van der Waal’s equation, Avogadro’s Law, STP, Dalton’s Law, Graham’s
Law, kinetic theory of gases, etc
Section: Chapter 5 Text Gases 5.1-5.7 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 6: Thermochemistry 2.0 weeks
Enthalpy, thermochemical equations, heats of formation, bond energies, heats of
reactions, etc.
Section: Chapter 6 Text Thermochemistry 6.1-6.4 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 7: Atomic Structure and Periodicity 2.0 weeks
Atomic spectra, Bohr atom, quantum numbers, atomic orbitals, electron configurations,
periodic table, trends in the periodic table in terms of physical and chemical properties
Section: Chapter 7 Text Atomic Structure and Periodicity 7.1-7.14 (All Blue
Problems)
Chapter 8, Chapter 9: Chemical Bonding 3.0 weeks
Lewis structures, ionic bonding, character of bonds, covalent model, octet rule and
exceptions, resonance, VSEPR model, and hybridization
Section: Chapter 8,9 Text Bonding, Orbitals Text 8.1-8.13, 9.1-9.5 (All Blue
Problems)
Chapter 10: Liquids and Solids 1.5 weeks
Dipole–dipole interactions, hydrogen bonding, London forces, liquid state, types of
solids, metallic bonding, network solids, vapor pressure, change of state, phase diagrams,
and specific heat
Section: Chapter 10 Text Liquids and Solids 10.1-10.9 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 11: Properties of Solutions 2.0 weeks
Electrolytes and nonelectrolytes, molarity, molality, mole fraction, colligative properties,
Raoult’s Law, Henry’s law, freezing point depression, boiling point elevation, and
osmotic pressure
Section: Chapter 11 Properties of Solutions 11.1-11.8 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 12: Chemical Kinetics 2.5 weeks
Reaction kinetics, rate law expressions, order of reactions, rate constant,
half-life, activation energy, catalysts, and reaction mechanism.
Section: Chapter 12 Chemical Kinetics 12.1-12.8 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 14: Acids and Bases 2.5 weeks
pH, Ka and Kb expressions, titration, degree of ionization, Kw expressions, indicators,
equivalence points, Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry and Lewis acid theories, and salt
hydrolysis
Section: Chapter 14 Text Acids and Bases 14.1-14.12 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 15: Chemical Equilibria 2.0 weeks
Laws of mass action, equilibrium expressions, calculations of K and equilibrium
concentrations, Le Chatelier's principle, and how equilibrium is shifted by temperature,
concentration, etc.
Section: Chapter 15 Aqueous Equilibrium 15.1-15.8 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 16: Chemical Thermodynamics 2.5 weeks
Gibbs free energy equation; laws of thermodynamics; enthalpy; entropy; free energy;
energy and work; exothermic and endothermic reactions;
and state functions
Section: Chapter 16 Spontaneity, Entropy, and Free Energy 16.1-16.9 (All Blue
Problems)
Chapter 17: Electrochemistry 1.5 weeks
Oxidation and reduction half-cells and equations, electrochemical
(voltaic) cells, standard voltages, standard voltages from a table, Nernst
equation, Faraday’s laws, writing redox equations, and balancing
equations in acid/base solutions
Section: Chapter 17 Text Electrochemistry 17.1-17.8 (All Blue Problems)
Chapter 21: Nuclear Chemistry 0.5 week
Nuclear equations, half lives, nuclear particle emissions, fission and fusion, and nuclear
reactors.
Section: Chapter 21 Text The Nucleus 21.1-21.7 (All Blue Problems)
AP Exam Review 3.0 weeks
Review of concepts via worksheets and study guides combined with practice test
problems from past AP exams. Two full AP exams under AP exam conditions will be
practiced prior to the AP exam. The last ‘mock’ exam counts as a portion of the students’
semester final exam.
Laboratory Program
The laboratory program is based on the recommended experiments from the AP
Chemistry Course Description. All labs are performed by the students in groups of two
to four students in the lab (no virtual labs). Prior to the AP Exam in May, most of the
labs are conducted in a single 50 minutes class period with some final measurements
conducted the next day (mass of filtrate after drying,etc). Approximately two times a
semester the students will come in for an extended lab period on a Saturday. After the
AP Exam the class will become strictly a lab class, and the students will perform 3 or 4
experiments with an emphasis on longer or multi-step labs. . Students keep a formal
laboratory notebook that holds all their rough data, calculations, and conclusions. They
are also required to turn in lab reports to be graded.
From the prerequisite first year Chemistry course, the students will have already
performed all or part of the AP recommended labs numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13, 14, 18, 20,
21. Because of this, some concepts will be taught with a quick demonstration or mini-lab
reminding students of the work that was done in the previous year.
The following labs will be full labs with write-ups (formal lab write-up in addition to
work done in the lab notebook). Each lab will take one to two class periods to complete
(50 minute periods).
Lab Experiments
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
Empirical formula of copper iodide
Synthesis of aspirin
Double replacement precipitate reactions (net ionic reactions)
Determination of molar volume of a gas.
Molecular mass of a volatile liquid (isopropanal)
Enthalpy (calorimeter)
Flame tests and atomic discharge tubes with spectroscopes
Molecular mass by freezing point depression
Kinetics of thiosulfate decomposition
Determination of equilibrium constant
Titration curve of strong/weak acid and strong/weak bases
Electrolysis of water
Colorimetric/spectrophotometric analysis
Synthesis of an organic compound
In each laboratory experiment, students will physically manipulate equipment and
materials in order to make relevant observations and collect data; use the collected data to
form conclusions and verify hypotheses; and communicate and compare results and
procedures.
If the students have already learned the required lab techniques required for a specific
lab, that lab will be an inquiry based type lab. Most of the labs done after the AP exam in
May will be inquiry type labs.
Course Evaluation:
Quarter Grade:
Tests
Quizzes and Assignment
Labs
50%
30%
20%
Semester Grade:
Each Quarter 20%
Final Exam 20%
Late and Make-up Policies:
Late: Simple Assignments (problems from the book)
No credit for late assignment.
Labs and Projects:
90% credit if 1 day late; 75% if 2 days late,
50% credit if 3 days late; no credit after 3 days late.
Make-up: Lab, quizzes, and tests must be made-up.
All of these will be made up outside of regular classroom times-either at
lunch
or after school.
Academic Honesty: Students are expected to complete their own assignments. If two
students hand in the same work they will both be given a grade of zero on the assignment.
During laboratory experiments students may have the same lab data, but the write-up or
the labs needs to be done alone.
Calculators will be checked before quizzes. If any illegal programs or data is found in the
memory of the calculator the student will take a zero for the test.
Any cheating on a quiz, test or an exam will result in a grade of zero on the assignment.
Classroom/Lab Behaviour: Students are expected to conduct themselves in an
appropriate manner in the classroom. All school rules will be followed in the classroom.
During lab activities it is critical that the students listen and follow directions. Dangerous
or malicious actions by a student in the lab will not be tolerated due to safety issues.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns either by phone at the school or via
email at jszeryk@dcssyria.org
“I have read and understood the attached syllabus for Physics A 2008/2009.
Students Name:___________________________
Student Signature:_________________________
Parent Name:_____________________________
Parent Signature:__________________________
Please return after you have read a signed this sheet to Mr. J Szeryk.