Lycoming College Chemistry 333 Syllabus Spring 2002

While every effort has been made to make sure this electronic syllabus is error-free, it is not official.
The definitive source of course information remains the original (paper) syllabus distributed in class.

ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY 333
Lycoming College Spring 2001

Instructor: Dr. Charles H. Mahler, Phone 321-4351 or 322-8840 (h), mahler@lycoming.edu

Office Hours: Heim 202, MWF 11:10 AM - noon, MW 1-2 PM, by appointment, or drop by.

CLASS meets MWF from 10:15 to 11:05 AM in Heim 215.

LAB meets R from 7:45 to 11:35 AM in Heim 207.

Materials for Course: Inorganic Chemistry, Catherine E. Housecroft and Alan G. Sharpe; Calculator with logarithmic and exponential functions (no passing or sharing allowed in exams); Bound Laboratory Notebook with quadrille pages (for lab use only); Safety Glasses or Goggles; Experimental Procedures will be distributed in class. A lab deposit of $10 will be collected in the first lab - the cost of lab handouts will be taken from this.

Prerequisites: CHEM 330, MATH 129, and one year of physics; or consent of instructor.

Evaluation and Grading: Grades will be based on the following weighting scheme: 3 Exams (40%), Final Exam (20%), Lab (25%), Presentation (5%), and Homework and Quizzes (10%).

3 extra credit points (on a 1000 point scale, to a limit of 20) will be given for each Chemistry Colloquium attended. Alternative extra credit will be available for those whose schedules conflict with colloquium (must see me to arrange this before March 29, 2002). The final exam will be a comprehensive, multiple-choice test, prepared by the American Chemical Society.

ALL EXAMINATIONS ARE COMPREHENSIVE, ESPECIALLY THE FINAL.

The following scale will be applied to determine the final letter grade: A > 90% > B > 80% > C > 70% > D > 60% > F . Plus and minus grades are included in these ranges and will be determined at the end of the semester. Adjustments to this scale are possible, but unlikely.

Tests: Exam 1 Thursday, January 31, 2002 (in lab)

Exam 2 Thursday, March 7, 2002 (in lab)

Exam 3 Thursday, April 4, 2002 (in lab)

Final Exam Week of April 22 - 26, 2002, To Be Announced

Content: The course will cover topics from Chapters 1-4 (Basic Concepts, Nuclear Properties, Symmetry, Molecular Bonding), 5-8 (Metallic and Ionic Solids, Acid / Base, Oxidation / Reduction, and Non-aqueous Chemistry), 9-17, 19, 21, 22, 24 (Systematic Descriptive Chemistry of the Elements), 18, 20, 23, 25 (Coordination and Organometallic Chemistry, and Mechanisms). Details regarding which sections of these chapters we will cover will be given in class. Much descriptive chemistry will be covered with the in-class presentations.

If you have questions or comments about anything in the course, please come see me. I am ready and willing to meet with you and discuss your concerns, answer questions, explain concepts, solve problems, etc. I would rather help you to understand something before a lab or test, than to find out you don't understand it while grading your work.

Lecture Attendance and Absences: Lecture attendance with textbook and calculator is required. All unexcused lecture absences after three will be penalized 2 percent (of total possible points) per day. Only absences notified ahead of time may be excused. Notification is expected as soon as possible for planned (athletic events, class trips) or emergency (illness) absences; call or e-mail me or the Department Secretary (321-4180). The cause of absences must be verified by a Dean or substantiated (note from coach or parent, doctor's excuse, etc.).

Exam and Lab Absences: No make-up exams will be given. The (cumulative) final exam grade (as a %) will be substituted for one excused absence exam grade (as a %). Barring exceptional circumstances, all subsequent missed exams will receive a grade of zero. Because students often work in groups in lab, absences hurt everyone and should be avoided. Make up labs will vary (and may not be possible), depending on the circumstances of that week's experiment. In some cases, students may be allowed to work outside scheduled lab hours by first obtaining permission from a chemistry professor (who must be in the building while they work and be notified when they leave), and then having a "buddy" present.

Quizzes and Homework: Each chapter will have a set of recommended problems given for it (which students are strongly encouraged to work). In addition, many days there will be graded homework problems assigned. These are due at the start of the next lecture (or as soon as you enter lecture, if late), and we will go over the solution in that lecture. Many students find it useful to keep a copy of the problem to review. No late homework will be accepted and the lowest homework grade will be dropped. If you must be absent, have someone else take notes and hand in any assignments for you.

Keys for assigned problems and exams will be reviewed in class and/or posted. There will be a Periodic Table quiz given in lab - you will be given a blank periodic table and asked to fill it in with the proper symbols. For certain elements, the properly spelled name will be required. Students must take at least one periodic table quiz, with the best performance (of one, two, or three attempts) counting. Other quizzes are possible.

Presentation: All students will be required to research the descriptive chemistry of a group of elements and make a one-period oral presentation on this topic in the last lectures of the semester. Dr. Mahler will give a sample presentation earlier. Each presentation will cover a chapter of the text. Suitable chapters include: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 or 24. More details will follow.

Academic Honesty: On all exams and lab reports, copying someone else's work or allowing another to copy your work and submit it as their own is academic dishonesty and can lead to penalties such as failing the assignment or even dismissal from the college. Unless otherwise stated, all work submitted for a grade should be your own work (although you can study with others to understand the concepts). Always include citations for all sources consulted in labs or homework to avoid plagiarism. For further information on the college policy on academic dishonesty, see the Pathfinder or Student Handbook.

Administrative procedures (withdrawals, etc.) will follow the published guidelines and rules of the college and department. This syllabus and other class items (homework keys) can be found at http://www.lycoming.edu/dept/chem/spring2002/333syl.htm.

General Comments: Students are responsible for knowing material in the assigned reading, problems, labs, and lectures. Working problems, studying and understanding the material are keys to doing well. It is assumed that the students are familiar with the background material in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. While I am glad to help you in reviewing these topics, it is your responsibility to make up any weaknesses or deficiencies you might have. Much of the course material involves a high degree of conceptual understanding (not simple memorization), so adequate preparation and study are essential. It is not sufficient to learn the material from the lecture alone - you should read and think about the topics covered before attending lecture. If you still can't get a problem or concept, please see me for help. We will cover much detailed and difficult material this semester, so our pace must be geared toward those who are prepared to learn. In homework and exams be neat, box answers, show your work and units (partial credit will be given).

Safety and Labs: Unsafe behavior in Lab will not be tolerated. Repeated unsafe behavior will result in a zero for that lab. In lab: 1) Eyewear must be worn at all times; 2) No eating, drinking, or smoking; 3) No horseplay; 4) No unauthorized, 'independent' experiments; 5) Wear enclosed shoes only; 6) Legs must be covered; 7) See the additional safety rules distributed at lab check-in. You are expected to read the safety information given and to come to lab each week well prepared. A safety evaluation will be conducted. Report all accidents and injuries immediately. Know the location of all exits and emergency equipment (fire extinguishers, blankets, eye-wash, first aid kit, etc.) When in doubt, ask. Wearing contact lenses in lab is highly discouraged. If you do wear them in lab, please let me know (no penalty - it is good to know in case of an accident). Wear older clothes - they could be stained or ruined. Above all, use common sense and your chemical intuition - THINK. As an experienced student chemist, you will be working in many situations which demand your utmost care and attention to protect the safety and health of yourself, your fellow students, and the environment. Preparation and careful, patient work are needed to obtain the results required in each experiment.

Notebook and Lab Reports: Your Lab Notebook should be neat, well organized, up-to-date and complete, with a Table of Contents. The Table of Contents should be updated with each experiment. Leave room to record your data, the uncertainties in measurements, and any observations about the experiment. Make a copy of each notebook page and hand these in with the report. Each page should be clearly labeled with your name, the date and the name of the experiment (abbreviations are OK). Notebooks will be graded once during the semester. When working in groups, record the names of your group members and also note who performed what tasks, i.e. temperature data (from Jack), absorbance values (from Susie). Lab reports are generally described in the lab write-up and in prelab. The Title, Objective, Approach should be in your notebook before you start any experiment. When working in groups, each member will submit their own lab report. A group may submit only one copy of supplementary material (i.e. spectra, copy of an article, etc.). Reports are generally due one week after completion of the lab work - a deadline will be given for each experiment. Lab reports are considered late at the end of the lab they are due in (but may be handed in early). Late work will be penalized 5% per school day. Additional instructions and safety information will be given in the prelab lectures.

Posting: Scores will be posted after exams using a secret, four character code chosen by each student. If you prefer not to have your scores posted, let me know (in writing) by 1/11/2002.

Review Sessions: A review session will be held before each exam and the final (times to be chosen in class). If possible, review notes will be posted that evening.