ÒChemistry - The Molecular Nature of Matter and ChangeÓ, by Martin S. Silberberg, 4th edition, sold at the UVM Bookstore. The ÒSolutions ManualÓ containing the worked-out solutions to all of the end-of-chapter problems is packaged with the text. The ÒStudentÕs Study GuideÓ is not required, but can be a very useful resource in mastering the material.Four exams will be given on Wednesday evenings, starting at 7:00 p.m. They are designed to be one-hour exams, but you may take the full two hours if you like. Our lecture room will also serve as the examinations room. The exams will occur at approximately equal intervals on the following days:
I will not give make-up exams. If you miss an exam for illness or any other reason, your zero will be thrown out in the tally (see ÒCourse GradingÓ below). Any additional such absence will count as a zero. If you have a bona fide conflict with the time of the exam, you must contact me one week prior to the exam to get my permission to take it at another time that day. You must furnish me with contact information such as, for example, your coach, lawyer, etc. so I can verify your request. If you work in the evenings, please try to reschedule with your supervisor now.
Exams from last yearÕs Chem 32 course will be posted on the course web page. Clearly, the questions will not be identical (or even cover the same concept) but the length and level of difficulty will be similar.
The entire course will be graded on 1000 points that you are able to garner from lecture (800 points) and from lab (200 points). Your grade will be based on the following scale:
| >900 = A | >800 = B | >650 = C | >550 = D |
| >880 = A- | >780 = B- | >600 = C- | >540 = D- |
| >860 = B+ | >760 = C+ | >580 = D+ | <540 = F |
This scheme has been used throughout the first-year Chemistry program, and has been deemed fair and equitable, resulting in a course average of C+. Some time during the semester, I will re-evaluate this grading scale. I reserve the right to modify this scale to achieve a more equitable distribution of grades, if necessary, and will announce any changes to this scale.
| Points | |
| Total possible for entire course | 1000 Points |
| 1. Four exams at 100 points, dropping the lowest score | 300 Points |
| 2. One final exam | 200 Points |
| These 500 points from exams will be multiplied by 1.4 | 700 Points |
| 3. Ten quizzes at 10 points each | 100 Points |
| 4. The lab score (details below) can generate a possible | 200 Points |
Attending the lab section you were assigned is mandatory. Permission to attend another lab will only be given by me, and only if there is written documentation of debilitating sickness, a family crisis, a scheduled sports competition, or a similarly unavoidable situation - and only during the week that a particular lab is running (set-ups are prepared by the stockroom only on a week-to-week basis). To reiterate: you must contact me, and if a move is granted, I will contact your TA about your absence and alert the receiving TA about the extra person.
Chemistry is an experimental science. We consider the laboratory experience of paramount importance to the discipline of chemistry. Thus, if you miss more than two labs (even for legitimate reasons), you will get a failing grade for the entire course!
| Week | Experiment # | Description |
| Feb 6 | 1 | Molecular Mass from Freezing Point Depression |
| Feb 13 | 2 | Ksp of Fe(SCN)2+ Complex |
| Feb 20 | 3 | Thermodynamics of Borax (Monday labs have this week off) |
| Feb 27 | 3/4 | Acid Neutralization of Antacids (MondayÕs lab catches up #3) |
| Mar 6 | 4 | MondayÕs lab does Experiment #4; other labs have week off |
| Mar 13 | 5 | Acid-Base Equilibria and Buffers |
| Mar 20 | no lab | Spring Break - see you in Nashville! |
| Mar 27 | 6 | Ksp of Copper(II) Tartrate |
| Apr 3 | 7 | Oxidation of Bleaches |
| Apr 10 | 8 | Potentiometric Determination of Ka |
| Apr 17 | 9 | Electrolysis / Electroplating |
| Apr 24 | 10 | Iodination of Cyclohexanone |
| May 1 | Check out of Laboratory |