Chem 35 - Lab Info

Chemistry 35
GENERAL CHEMISTRY
Fall 2000

Laboratory Information

General Procedures:

During the first laboratory session you will check into the lab and then carry out Experiment 1. You will not be allowed into the laboratory unless you have a breakage card. You should have a pre-lab (including data charts) written in your BOUND lab notebook for Experiment 1 (Lab Safety I and Density of Some Pure Metals). A pre-lab consists of the title, date, purpose, brief procedure and data charts for the experiment. Leave a page in the front of your notebook for the "Table of Contents".
At the end of the semester you will have to check out of the laboratory and replace (using your breakage card) any missing or damaged equipment. If you do not check out of the laboratory, you will not receive a grade or credit for the course, and you will forfeit the breakage fee.
Remember your lock combination! There will be a charge of $1.00, after the first week, if we have to look it up for you.
You are required to wear OSHA approved safety glasses or goggles while working in the laboratory. If you persist in working without them, you will be asked to leave and given a zero for the lab. If you forget yours, you can rent a pair for 50 cents from the stockroom for the day. Contact lenses should NOT be worn in the lab; they can absorb and preconcentrate noxious vapors and are very dangerous should you accidentally get some chemicals in your eyes. Wear your glasses to lab, instead!
All work, data, observations, etc. are to be recorded in ink in your notebook, not on loose pieces of paper.
You are expected to keep the laboratory clean.
There is ample time to do all of the experiments in the scheduled time, provided that you are prepared when you arrive; i.e., if you have read and understand the material in the laboratory manual for that week's experiment. The schedule for the laboratory experiments is included in the Course Schedule that is attached to the syllabus. for the course
It is expected that every student will attend their regularly scheduled lab section unless it is ABSOLUTELY impossible for them to do so. All lab sections are full and switching to another lab is extremely difficult to arrange even for one week.
If you MISS a lab for a documented sickness or family crisis, you need to notify your T.A. immediately or leave a phone message for your T.A. at the Chemistry Office (x62594) BEFORE the lab so that arrangements can be made with the T.A. to make up the lab that same week. Remember: if you miss more than two labs without a documented excuse, you will receive a failing grade for the course.

Laboratory Format:

Each laboratory will be preceded by a brief introductory lecture from your T.A.
Each week there will be a laboratory quiz consisting of two questions: one about the previous experiment and one about the current experiment (or about a current lecture topic). Missed quizzes may NOT be made up, so plan to be in lab on time.
You will be expected to record all of your observations and data in a BOUND laboratory notebook in ink. Your T.A. will check your lab notebook TWICE during each laboratory period: 1) at the beginning of the period to ensure that you have prepared adequately for the day's experiment, and 2) at the end of the period to ensure that you have a complete written account of the day's experiment in an organized, legible fashion. If you need to use some of your partner's data in the calculations, they should be copied into your notebook (with proper acknowledgement) BEFORE leaving lab. Based on these observations, your T.A. will give you either 3 points (acceptable), 1 point (deficient), or 0 points (unacceptable).
Before the end of the lab period, your T.A. will gather the class back together to go over the data collected and the necessary calculations for the experiment. BEFORE LEAVING THE LAB every student MUST have their T.A. sign their data/calculations sheet. At this time, students should also have done all of the calculations that the experiment requires.
Each experiment will require a brief written report organized as follows:
- Title (date) (partner's name - if applicable)
- Introduction =>2 pts
  - 25 words or less
- Experimental Procedure => 1 pt
  - very brief summary
  - equations, etc.
  - 50 words or less
- Data and Calculations => 6 pts
  - Tables of Data
  - Sample Calculations
  - Tabulated Results
- Results & Discussion => 6 pts
  - Observations
  - Meaning of results, measurements
  - Qualitative error analysis
  - Conclusions, possible improvements in experiment
All lab reports MUST follow the above format! Lab reports should be LEGIBLE and should be approximately 3 pages in length. All labs are graded on a 15 point scale (see above).

Grading:

Reports. There are a total of ten experiments. Each of the experiments is worth 15 points. Maximum points for all reports = 150.

Quizzes. There are 10 quizzes (4 pts each). Maximum points for all quizzes = 40.

Lab Notebook. Graded each week out of 3 points. Maximum lab notebook points = 30.

Lab Performance. At the end of the semester, your T.A. will be asked to evaluate you on the basis of your technique, effort, record-keeping, cooperation, etc. Maximum points for T.A. evaluation = 30.

These add up to a total of 250 points, or 25% of your points for the semester. The T.A. only assigns points for the lab, NOT letter grades. These total points are normalized by each professor to compensate for differences in individual T.A. evaluations. They are then added to your exam score totals to give the course semester letter grade.

Created and copyright by Joel M. Goldberg. Last updated: August 28, 2000

Back to Chem 35 HomePage jgoldber@zoo.uvm.edu