Tentative course schedule - CH201 - Fall 2018

You will get the most of lectures if you have done the appropriate preparation beforehand. In this course, the preparation ahead of lecture will include:

  • Reading the lab that will be discussed;
  • Watching some short videos (links in the schedule below are to helpful review videos that you should watch before lecture); and
  • Reading additional parts of the lab manual (LM), or the writing guide (WC) at the end of the lab manual.

Also, make sure to prepare for upcoming technique workshops during the labs by working through the sections in the Appendix for each technique/skill before arriving at the lab.

Date Details
W 9/5 Welcome to course, syllabus
  • Read section on "Professional standards" (LM)
Lecture on lab 1: tools, techniques, and approaches in quantitative analysis
R 9/6 Lab check-in, safety tour, and orientation (in the lab)
  • TopHat assignments on Professional Standards due before lab today
Lab #1: Tools of the trade for quantitative labwork
               (post-lab for lab #1 is due two hours before the start of lab on 9/13)

Techniques: as new techniques are being introduced in lab, you will be asked to work through the section of your lab manual about each new technique before lab. Then, in lab, there will be one-on-one workshops on each technique. Before lab 1, please make sure to review the material about:
  • Laboratory practices (LM: Appendix A.1)
  • Micropipettes (LM: Appendix A.4), and
  • Balances (LM: Appendix A.3; skip A.3.2 and A.3.4).
When lab 1 is complete (and submitted), review basic statistics and data handling (also see Top Hat):
W 9/12 Lecture on lab 2: estimating molecular size (and experimental design)
  • Make sure to complete the reading/watching related to lab 2 that is listed above
  • Preparing lab research notebooks (LM section on Notebook and Assignments, video)
  • TopHat pre-lecture assignment is due 1 hour before lecture (this will typically be the case for each lecture, unless otherwise announced)
Feedback:
  • The lab TFs provide detailed feedback and guidance on the post-lab assignments
  • Typically, TFs make an effort to have the feedback available by Tuesday evening of the week following submission
  • Imporant details on how to access and interpret the feedback are presented in the "Turnitin Assignments - Getting Feedback" document posted on blackboard in the "Course Documents"
R 9/13 Lab #2: Determining the surface area of a molecule of stearic acid
               (post-lab for lab #2 is due two hours before the start of lab on 9/20)

Techniques:
  • Glassware and measurement fundamentals (LM: Appendix A.2)
  • Glass transfer pipettes (LM: Appendix A.5), and
  • Vacuum filtration
Self-assessment of assignments: technical documents, especially in the sciences, can be challenging to perfect -- that is normal. A detailed rubric designed to help you polish your work is posted under "Course Documents" in blackboard. Use the "Post-lab Assignment Rubric" to help you assess and refine your work.
W 9/19 Lecture on lab 3: experimental design and gravimetric analysis
  • Principles of gravimetric analysis (video)
  • Hydrates(video)
Lecture on lab 3: statistical analysis of experimental data (1)
R 9/20 Lab #3: Gravimetric analysis of calcium
               (post-lab for lab #3 is due before the start of lab on 6/5)

Techniques:
  • Mass by diference (LM: Appendix A.3.2) and
  • Burettes (LM: Appendix A.7)
W 9/26 Lecture on scientific communication and argumentation
  • Introduction to scientific writing (WC 1)
  • Claims and Argument (WC 3, GRA1, GRA2)
  • Structure of scientific arguments (WC 4)
R 9/27 Lab #3: preparing a convincing scientific argument
               (argument assignment is due at the end of the lab)
  • Section L1 will meet at 8am in FAB 244
  • Section L2 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 218
W 10/3 Watch online review lecture on acid-base concepts and titrations before lecture today. Lecture on lab 15: difference between endpoint and equivalence point
  • Acid-base indicators (LM Intro to lab 15)
  • How balances work, Buoyancy (LM: Appendix A.3.4)
  • Statistical significance with t-test and F-tests (video)
R 10/4 Lab #15: Statistical survey of the use of indicators in acid-base titrations
               (post-lab for lab 15 is due before lab on 10/11)

Techniques: pH meters (LM: Appendix A.8)
W 10/10 Lecture on lab 16: acid/base titrations of polyprotic acids ()
  • Titrations of weak acids (videos 5.21-5.23)
  • Derivative plots in Excel (video)
R 10/11 Lab #16: Potentiometric titrations of weak polyprotic acids (part 1)
               (post-lab for part 1 -- Questions 1 -- is due before lab on 10/18)

Techniques: ChemDraw (LM: Appendix A.11)
W 10/17 Lecture on lab 16: speciation of biomolecules Lecture on light and matter interactions
R 10/18 Lab #16: Potentiometric titrations of weak polyprotic acids (part 2)
               (post-lab questions 2 and 3 are due before lab on 10/25; Paper on lab 16 is due on 11/1)
W 10/24 Lecture on spectroscopy and light (lab 4)
R 10/25 Quiz #1
  • Section L1 will meet at 8am in FAB 244
  • Section L2 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 218
Lab #4: After quiz, work on Pre-lab quesions, and review general chemistry topics related to lab 4 Techniques:
  • Volumetric flasks and solutions (LM: Appendix A.6)
  • Benchtop spectrophotometers (LM: Appendix A.9)
  • Cary 60 Research-grade UV-Vis spectrophotometer (LM: Appendix A.10)
W 10/31 Lecture on spectroscopy and light (lab 4)
R 11/1 Lab #4: Introduction to molecular spectroscopy
               (scan of tutorial is due before lab on 11/8)

Techniques: review volumetric pipettes and volumetric flasks
W 11/7 Lecture on lab 7: colorimetric analysis
  • Linear regression (using Excel)
  • Uncertainty from linear regression
  • Review: Solution preparation (videos 2.1-2.3)
  • It would be helpful to review the readings for lab 2 (LM).
R 11/8 Lab #7: colorimetric determination of iron
               (data analysis and questions for thought (no paper) are due before lab on 11/15)
W 11/14 Lecture on lab 8: atomic spectroscopy and standard additions
  • Atomic emission/absorption spectroscopy
  • Standard additions
R 11/15 Lab #8: Determination of iron in food samples
  • Data Analysis and Questions for Thought due before Thanksgiving recess: 11:59pm on Tuesday 20 November 2018.
  • Abridged scholarly paper due before lab on 11/29.
W 11/21 - F 11/23 No classes, Thanksgiving recess
W 11/28 Lecture on lab practical exams, writing skills workshop
R 11/29 Lab Practical - Part 1 in the lab
W 12/5 Quiz #2 in lecture
R 12/6 Lab Practical - Part 2 in the lab
W 12/12 Review for final exam
TBA Final exam

Thursday, October 18, 2018 10:46 PM