Chemistry 320

Physical Chemistry I

Kinetics and Thermodynamics

Fall 2002

 

Professor Carol Parish

Lansing 206, parish@hws.edu

 

Office Hours:  M, T 5 – 6:30, W, F 11:15 – 12:15 and by appointment

 

Required Materials:

Physical Chemistry A Molecular Approach, McQuarrie and Simon

Laboratory safety glasses

Bound laboratory notebook, duplicate sheets, carbon/carbonless copies

 

Helpful Supplemental Materials:

Laptop computer, if available

Problems and Solutions to Accompany Physical Chemistry by Cox

Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables, Murray Spiegel and John Liu

 

Introduction:  Welcome to the world of Physical Chemistry!  In many ways, you are about to discover the very core of chemical science.  Physical chemistry is concerned with achieving the most detailed, quantitative view of molecules and of chemical phenomenon.  This is a subject with applications in every area of molecular science, and to study physical chemistry is to pursue a very fundamental understanding of chemistry.   You’ll see how scientists have obtained such incredible insight into the workings of the unseen world of atoms and molecules.  Your first exposure to physical chemistry can be fascinating and very rewarding provided we all do our part.  Your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to make a sincere commitment to this course.  This means studying physical chemistry daily, and working problems religiously, until the concepts are familiar to you.  My mission is to help you understand and master this fundamentally important material.  Feel free to come to me with questions–don't let them build up.  Work together with other students, but make sure you understand the material and can problem solve individually.  Participate freely in class – my goal is to help you see that physical chemistry can be understood and mastered.  Feel free to ask questions and hypothesize new ideas.  You’ll learn faster and it will be more fun for everyone involved. 

 

Course Policies

Lecture: 

  Attendance at lectures is mandatory.  This course moves rather quickly and missing a lecture puts you at a significant disadvantage.

  Please come to class on time – we begin promptly at 8 am.

  Please make sure to complete the required reading assignments before the corresponding lecture because I prepare my lectures according to this expectation.  You will benefit much more from the lecture having read the chapter ahead of time.

 

Laboratory: 

  Chemistry is a hands-on science.  Attendance at labs is mandatory.  If you must miss your regularly scheduled lab, you must notify me ten(10) days in advance to allow time for alternate arrangements.

  Please come to lab on time.  The lab begins at 1:30 p.m. sharp.  Labs are scheduled until 5 p.m. and you should plan to be there the entire time.

  You must notify me if you need to work in the laboratory outside of the regularly scheduled time.  Never work alone in the laboratory.

  Make sure to come to lab prepared - read the lab write-up and record the laboratory procedure into your notebook beforehand.  Before entering the laboratory you must have me check your pre-laboratory work.  Bring your safety goggles and bound laboratory notebook to all labs.

  Laboratory reports and notebook write-ups are due 7 days after each lab has been completed, unless otherwise indicated.  Reports and notebooks will be graded.  Late labs will be marked down 10% the first day late, 30% after three days, etc.  Please have me sign your lab notebook at the end of every lab session, before leaving the lab.

  Chemistry is an experimental science.  Your laboratory grade is a significant portion of your final grade.  Successful completion of the laboratory component is required to receive a passing grade for the course.

 

Homework:   Problem sets will be assigned at the end of every lecture.  It will be up to you to work the problem sets before the next lecture.  Work with the problem sets until you feel you’ve mastered the material.  You should come to my office during office hours with any questions on the homework or the material covered in lecture or lab.  Problem sets will be collected and randomly graded.  Solutions to problem sets not available in the Student Solutions Manual will be posted outside my office.

 

Grading:

We will have regular quizzes to help you evaluate your understanding of the material.  Two midterms will help you integrate the various topics and prepare for the American Chemical Society cumulative final exam.

 

            Quizzes                                                                        10 %   

            Exams                                                                          30 %   

            Homework, Class Participation                         10 %   

            Laboratory                                                                   25 %   

            Final Exam                                                                   25 %   

 

Chemistry Department Seminar Series:  Seminars are an integral part of science.  Attendance at departmental seminars is mandatory. A seminar schedule is attached.

 

Tentative Exam schedule:

EXAM #1                                F Oct. 5

EXAM #2                                F Nov 16

FINAL EXAM