For students interested in the sciences, engineering or medicine, either Chem 130 or Chem 210/211 can be their starting point. Students who have had a strong course in high school (which may include AP credit in chemistry) are advised to start in Chem 210 and 211, the laboratory course that accompanies it. Chem 130 is recommended for all other students. Section 400 of Chem 130 is reserved for students who would benefit from a smaller lecture section and more frequent contact with both senior faculty and teaching assistants.
Students who have had little or no laboratory work in high school should plan to elect Chem 125 with Chem 130. Other students electing Chem 130 may postpone laboratory to a subsequent term.
105/AOSS 105. Our Changing Atmosphere. (3). (NS). (BS).
This course considers the science needed to understand human-induced
threats to the atmospheric environment, with special emphasis on the global
changes that are taking place, or are anticipated. We will discuss the greenhouse
effect (and its impact on climate), ozone depletion, the polar ozone holes,
and urban air pollution. Some basic meteorology will be presented, including
how climate changes might affect the frequency and severity of hurricanes
and tornadoes. Students will have access to real-time weather information
via computer. This lecture course is intended for non-science concentrators
and there are no prerequisites. Grades will be based on three one-hour exams
(no final exam) and homework. Cost:1 WL:1 (Barker)
125. General and Inorganic Chemistry: Laboratory. To be elected
by students who are eligible for (or enrolled in) Chem. 130. No credit granted
to those who have completed Chem. 211. (2). (NS). (BS). Laboratory fee ($60)
required.
This laboratory course can be elected with, or following, Chem 130 or
230. It is intended that students planning to enroll in Chem 130 that have
had little or no previous chemistry laboratory enroll concurrently in Chem
125. The focus of this guided inquiry laboratory is to foster critical thinking
that allows students to design, perform, and interpret experiments. Although
an ability to collect and analyze data in a quantitative manner is developed,
the emphasis of the course is to provide a qualitative understanding of
the basic concepts of chemistry. This is accomplished by demonstrating that
chemical principles are derived from experimental data. The goal is to provide
students both with a more accurate picture of the scientific process and
also with skills that are relevant to solving real life problems. Student
"research teams" work collaboratively, share data, and analyze
the class databank with the assistance of computers. Teams address questions
which require them to organize the class data using commercial graphing
software. The format of the course is organized into three sections. Pre-laboratory
reading and questions are completed prior to each multi-period project laboratory.
A one-hour lecture provides support for the topics that are investigated
in the laboratory. The second component is performance in the laboratory
where team data are shared, analyzed, and evaluated. The third begins in
the final hour of each multi-period project lab where groups communicate
their findings during a student led discussion. There are two one-hour written
examinations, scheduled for Tuesday evenings, that constitute 30% of the
grade. The remaining 70% of the grade is based on the points acquired in
laboratory. Refer to the Time Schedule for examination dates and
times. Cost:2 WL:2 (Kerner)
130. General Chemistry: Macroscopic Investigations and Reaction Principles.
Three years of high school math or Math. 105; one year of high school
chemistry recommended. Placement by testing, or permission of Chemistry
department. Intended for students without AP credit in chemistry. (3). (NS).
(BS). (QR/2).
This General Chemistry course is intended to fulfill the one term chemistry
requirement for students interested in science, or as a natural science
elective for non-science concentrators. This course may also be used as
the first term in a four or more term chemistry sequence (probably 130,
210/211, 215/216, 260, 241/242 etc.) for science concentrators and pre-professional
students.
Chemistry 130 provides an introduction to the major concepts of chemistry, including the microscopic picture of atomic and molecular structure, periodic trends in the chemical reactivity, the energetics of chemical reactions and the nature of chemical equilibria. Students will be introduced both to the fundamental principles of modern chemistry, the descriptive chemistry of the elements, and to the underlying theories that account for observed macroscopic behavior. In Chem 130, students will learn to think critically, examine experimental data, and form generalizations about data as chemists do. Chem 130 will meet three times each week in lecture sections with senior faculty (the intensive section will have four lectures a week), and once a week in small group discussion classes led by graduate teaching assistants (the Comprehensive Study Program discussion class will meet three times a week). Lecturers and teaching assistants will have scheduled office hours for outside of class help, and computerized study aids will be available to all students. Course grades will be determined from discussion class evaluation, writing assignments, and 3 one-hour examinations (Tuesday nights) and a final examination. See Time Schedule for examination times and dates. (Griffin, Hallada, Cordes)
The intensive lecture section (section 400) is intended for those students who would benefit from a smaller lecture section (maximum 100 students) and more lectures so that the pace is slower and there is more feedback. Placement by LS&A testing or permission of the Chemistry Department (Room 1500 Chemistry) is needed for enrollment in this section. The CSP discussion section is intended for those students who would benefit from more group study meetings with a graduate teaching assistant. Permission of the Comprehensive Studies Program is needed for enrollment in this section. Cost:4 WL:2
210. Structure and Reactivity I. High school chemistry. Placement
by examination during Orientation. To be taken with Chem. 211. (4). (NS).
(BS).
Chemistry 210 is the first course in a two-term sequence in which the
major concepts of chemistry are introduced in the context of organic chemistry.
Emphasis is on the development of the capacity of students to think about
the relationship between structure and reactivity and to solve problems
in a qualitatively analytical way. This course is a particularly good first
course for students with AP credit in chemistry, Honors students, and other
students with a strong interest in chemistry and biology. The course has
three lectures with the professor and one hour of discussion with a teaching
assistant per week. There are three hour examinations (Tuesday nights) and
a final examination. See Time Schedule for examination times and
dates.
NOTE: This course is linked to Chemistry 211. The recitation sections for Chemistry 210 and the corresponding laboratory sections for Chemistry 211 are listed together in the Time Schedule under Chemistry 210. Students must elect both Chemistry 210 (for 4 credits) and Chemistry 211 (for 1 credit). Cost:3 WL:2 (Ashe, Coppola, Nolta)
211. Investigations in Chemistry. To be taken with Chem. 210.
(1). (NS). (BS). Laboratory fee ($67.50) required.
Chemistry 211 is a laboratory introduction to methods of investigation
in inorganic and organic chemistry. Students solve individual problems using
microscale equipment and a variety of techniques such as thin layer chromatography,
titrations, and spectroscopy. The course consists of a four-hour laboratory
period with a teaching assistant under the supervision of the professor.
Prelab discussions given by the professor are part of the four-hour period.
Students keep laboratory notebooks, which also serve as laboratory reports.
Short quizzes that review the basic concepts of stoichiometry are also given.
Grades are based primarily on performance in the laboratory and the laboratory
notebooks.
NOTE: This course is linked to Chemistry 210. The recitation sections for
Chemistry 210 and the corresponding laboratory sections for Chemistry 211
are listed together in the Time Schedule under Chemistry 210. Students
must elect both Chemistry 210 (for 4 credits) and Chemistry 211 (for 1 credit).
Cost:1 WL:2 (Ege, Nolta)