S125 Experimental Chemistry I Honors Ð FALL 2004

Course Syllabus

 

Instructors:

Dr. F. A. Schultz LD 326L Phone: (317) 278-2027 Fax: (317) 274-4701 E-mail: Schultz@chem.iupui.edu Office Hours: by appointment

Dr. Gavin F. Kirton LD 326P Phone: (317) 274-0052 E-mail: gkirt@chem.iupui.edu Office Hours: by appointment

 

Laboratory Meeting Times:

 

         Wednesday 9:30 AM Ð 12:30 PM, LD 364 (Section 13557)

 

Required Materials and Practices:

 

á      Safety goggles: Approved goggles are available in the Jag Bookstores or maybe purchased from the Chemistry Club. Goggles must be worn at all times in the laboratory.

á      Footware: No open-toed footware is permitted in the laboratory.

á      Laboratory notebook: 8.5 x 11 inches, quadrille-ruled with duplicate pages. These are available in the Jag Bookstores or may be purchased from the Chemistry Club.

á      General Chemistry (C105) textbook.

á      C105 enrollment: C105 is a pre- or co-requisite for S125. If C105 is dropped, a student must also drop S125.

á      Attendance: Laboratory attendance is mandatory. There will be no opportunity to complete missed assignments.

á      Safe practices: Be aware of safety facilities, know about possible hazards in the experiments, and practice good housekeeping skills.

 

 

 

Expectations:

 

The objective of this course is to introduce students to fundamental chemical concepts through laboratory experimentation. Experience is gained in setting up and running experiments, collecting and interpreting data, and preparing scientific reports. The material provides the student an opportunity to learn manual laboratory skills, to construct and test hypotheses, and to develop critical reasoning ability. Students are asked to note and to follow the ethical and safety guidelines posted in the laboratory.

 

Evaluations and scoring:

 

Laboratory performance will be evaluated on the basis of Report Sheets, Formal Reports, and Notebook Pages as outlined below. The scoring is given in the table below, and the grade will be based on the total points earned as a percentage of the possible 740 points.

 

Assignment	Points each	Number	Total
Report sheets	50	9	450
Formal reports	100	2	200
Notebook pages	10	9	90
			740

 

Report Sheets

 

A report sheet is required in conjunction with every experiment. The report sheet is a means of transmitting the results of scientific experiments to a knowledgeable individual in a concise way. Directions for completion of each Report Sheet and the data on which it is due (usually 1 week after) will be distributed with the description of each experiment. The Report Sheet typically consists of a summary of data from the experiment, calculations or graphical presentations of data, and answers to questions pertaining to the experiment. In addition, duplicate copies of laboratory notebook pages must be attached to the report sheet.

 

 

Formal Reports

 

Two Formal Reports are required during the semester. A Formal Report is a lengthier document, which contains materials sections beyond a Report Sheet. These sections will include interpretation and rationalization of the experimental results and a discussion of their significance. Guidelines for the preparation of Formal Reports will be distributed and discussed during the semester.

 

Laboratory Notebook Pages

 

A Laboratory Notebook should contain records of all operations actually carried out in the laboratory, all observations made during the course of the experiment, and a summarization of the results. It should be clear to another individual what was attempted and what resulted. The following guidelines must be observed:

á      Date all pages used.

á      Always use ball-point pen for records, never pencil, never felt-tip pen.

á      Record all operations and observations at the time the work is done, and directly into the notebook.

á      Do not record any data/observations on scrap pieces of paper for later transcription.

á      Do not blot out or erase errors. Always have single line through the incorrect entry and write the correction nearby.

Further details from the American Chemical Society publication ÒWriting the Laboratory NotebookÓ will be made available in the laboratory to assist students in making good laboratory notebook records. The following are the more important points from this reference:

á      Table of contents: Use the card insert or reserve the first few pages of the notebook for a table of contents. This must be kept up-to-date.

á      Introduction: Begin by recording the title of the experiment, the date it was attempted, and a clear statement of the scientific problem.

á      Experimental plan: Describe the plan or outline of the experimental work; eg. What measurements will be conducted and for what purposes? A flow chart of activities may help. DonÕt reiterate the instructions provided in the experimental handouts.

á      Observations and Data: Raw data is precious information. Record it carefully, accurately, and completely in this section. A useful format is given on pp 90-91 of ÒWriting the Laboratory NotebookÓ. Be flexible and observant. Write down Òwhatever happens when it happensÓ.

á      Evaluation of Data: Construct tabulations of results calculated from raw data and graphs of results directly in the notebook. Reduced photocopies of Tables and Graphs should be pasted in directly. See pp 92-93 of ÒWriting the Laboratory NotebookÓ for an example.

á      Conclusion. Provide a brief conclusion that indicates the extent to which the goal of the experiment was accomplished.