Tentative course schedule - CH111 - Fall 2017

Assigned readings and videos for preparing for lectures:

  • LM: Lab manual
  • WC: Writing chapter at the end of the lab manual
  • Links are to helpful review videos that you should watch before lecture
  • DCH: Readings from Harris 5th edition; excerpts are posted on Blackboard.

Make sure to keep up with your preparation by reading the selected pages (in the lab manual and DCH), and watching the short videos, ahead of the lectures.

Date Details
W 9/6 No labs today
M 9/11 Welcome to the course

Lecture on lab 1: tools, techniques, and dimensional analysis in quantitative analysis

Make sure to work through the following videos, readings ahead of lecture:
  • Word problems
  • SI units
  • Calibration curves
  • Preparing effective exhibits (WC 2; note: the end-of-chapter assignment for writing chapter 2 will not be collected)
  • Excerpts of the lab manual necessary for lab 1 are posted on blackboard.
Optional worksheet and tutorial on dimensional analysis (PDF)
W 9/13 Lab check-in, safety tour, and orientation
Lab #1: Tools of the trade for quantitative labwork
M 9/18 Lecture on lab 2: dimensional analysis and size of molecules
TopHat assignments on Policies and Academic conduct due before lecture today
  • Concentration units
  • Types of error (DCH: 3-3 (59-62); uncertainty)
  • Relative standard deviation (DCH: 4-1, video)
  • Make sure to read in lab manual (LM):
    • Accuracy, Precision, Uncertainty, and Error
    • Estimating error from measurements (Type B uncertainty)
    • Other sources of experimental uncertainty
W 9/20 Lab #2: Determining the surface area of a molecule of stearic acid
M 9/25 Lecture on lab 3: experimental design and gravimetric analysis
  • Principles of gravimetric analysis (DCH: 7-1, 7-2 (145-146top, 147bottom-149, 151bottom, 154))
  • How balances work, Buoyancy (DCH: 2-3)
  • Tools: pipettes (DCH: 22-6 (44-45top))
  • Tools: filtration and drying (DCH: 2-7, 2-8 (46-48))
Lecture on lab 3: statistical analysis of experimental data (1)
W 9/27 Lab #3: Gravimetric analysis of calcium
               (post-lab for lab #3 is due two hours before the start of lab on 10/4)
M 10/2 Lecture on the process of writing scientific papers
  • Introduction to scientific writing (WC 1)
  • Claims and Argument (WC 3, GRA1, GRA2)
  • Structure of scientific arguments (WC 4)
W 10/4 Lab #3: preparing a convincing scientific argument
WR #1: preparing to make a strong argument (work on writing assignment #1 in lab, due next Wednesday)
M 10/9,
T 10/10		 No classes on Monday (Columbus Day), Tuesday follows a Monday's schedule at BU

Lecture on lab 4: fundamentals of spectroscopy
W 10/11 Lab #4: introduction to molecular spectroscopy tutorial
M 10/16 Lecture on lab 5: more fundamentals of molecular spectroscopy
W 10/18 Lab #5: Modeling conjugated dyes with the particle in a box model
WR #2: structure of scientific papers (due next Wednesday)
M 10/23 Lecture on lab 7: colorimetric analysis
  • Tools: volumetric flasks (DCH: 2-5 (43-44))
  • Linear regression (DCH: 4-6, 4-8 (90-93, 95bottom-97middle); using Excel)
  • Uncertainty from linear regression (DCH: 4-7, 4-8 (93-97middle))
  • Solution preparation (DCH chapter 2, videos 2.1-2.3)
Additional helpful reading includes the introductory material from lab 2 (LM) on:
  • Accuracy, Precision, Uncertainty, and Error
W 10/25 Lab #7: colorimetric determination of iron
               (data analysis and questions for thought (no paper) are due before lab on 11/1)
M 10/30 Lecture on lab 8: atomic spectroscopy and standard additions
  • Atomic emission/absorption spectroscopy (DCH: 20-1, 20-5 (435-437top, 446))
  • Standard additions (DCH: 5-3 (111bottom-112top, 114middle-115top))
W 11/1 Lab #8: Determination of iron in food samples
WR #3: voice and style of scholarly papers (due next Wednesday)
M 11/6 Lecture on lab 9: logistics of gas laws in the lab, back-titrations
W 11/8 Lab #9: Stoichiometry of Mg and HCl reaction
M 11/13 Lecture on advanced statistical analysis
  • Two-sample t-tests and comparing distributions
W 11/15 Lab #9: analysis work and assignment preparation
  • L1 (12:20pm with Sandy) will meet in SAR 300
  • L2 (12:20pm with Alex) will meet in CGS 321
  • L3 (5:30pm with Sandy) will meet in CGS 423
  • L4 (5:30pm with Alex) will meet in CGS 323
WR #4: conventions in technical writing (polished draft due by Monday 11/20 before pre-lab lecture)
M 11/20 Writing workshop and peer review in pre-lab lecture
WR #4: final assignment due on Wednesday 11/29
W 11/22-
Su 11/26 		Thanksgiving Recess -- No classes
M 11/27 Lecture on lab 10: thermochemistry and calorimetry
W 11/29 Lab #10: Hess's law and calorimetry
M 12/4 Lecture on lab practical
W 12/6 Lab Practical
M 12/11,
T 12/12		 No pre-lab lecture Monday,
Classes end on Tuesday

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 9:18 PM