Fall 2018

The theme of our class this semester is:
"Hiding in Plain Sight: Elucidating the Secret Structure of Matter"
It fits in well with our LLC theme of Illuminate!

Approximate associated sections of the text are in parenthesis. More detailed instructions to prepare for each class will be added as we progress through the semester.

• Due dates for problem sets or non-online homework will be in the Quiz and Homework Log page.
• There is online SmartWork5 homework due on most MWF (8am). Make it a habit to start on the homework within 24 hours of our covering the material in class.

Blank lines delimit separate weeks.

05 Sep  Introduction, Molecular view of Matter (1.1-1.4,1.6)
              Read through the entire syllabus carefully!
              Skim 1.1-1.2 and 1.6 (most of it should be straightforward or look familiar)
              As you read 1.3-1.4, take note of the definitions (in bold). They will crop up regularly in class.
              Optional: If you enjoy philosophy or poetry, you can read Lucretius "On The Nature of Things". I recommend the sections titled:
              • Nothing Exists Per Se Except Atoms and the Void
              • Character of the Atoms
07 Sep   Measurements and Units (1.7-1.9)
              Watch this YouTube video: Crown of Syracuse (in LEGO!)
              Skim 1.7-1.9 if you've seen it before. If not, go through it carefully. We will discuss aspects of 1.7-1.8 in class, while you should know all of it for lab.
              Make sure you know:
              • the prefixes for kilo, deci, centi, milli, micro, nano, pico in Table 1.1
              • how to use scientific notation (the exponentials in Table 1.1)
              • how to convert Celcius to Kelvin and vice versa and volume conversions (m^3, dm^3, cm^3 and the equivalence to L, mL)
              • the difference between precision and accuracy

10 Sep   Structure of the Atom and Key Experiments (2.1)
              At the AIP Online Exhibits website read Discovery of the Electron and Rutherford's Nuclear World.
              Then read 2.1 carefully.
              Optional: Why should I care if the neutron is slightly more massive than the proton?
12 Sep   Nuclide Symbols and the Periodic Table (2.2-2.5)
              Everything in 2.2 and 2.4 is important.
              In 2.3, it is important to have a broad overview of the layout of the periodic table and know the main groupings.
              In 2.5, just read the first part on the definition of the mole, look at Figure 2.13, and the definitions above it. We'll cover the rest of 2.5 in two classes' time.
14 Sep   Nuclear Chemistry and Isotope Stability (21.1-21.3)
              In 21.2, you should know the main modes of radioactive decay and explain the belt of stability.
              You should be able to balance a nuclear reaction.
              In 21.3, don't worry about the equations (to be covered in CHEM152), but you should understand Figure 21.5 and read the section on Radiometric Dating.

17 Sep   Moles and Masses (2.4-2.5)
              The calculations and conversions in this section will come up repeatedly, particularly everything in 2.5.
              Also go through Sample Exercise 2.13 at the end of the chapter.
              Instead of reading 2.6, we'll do a simplified version of this, so read Mass Spectra of Elements. (Do skim the link that says "how a mass spectrometer works".)
19 Sep   Waves and Photons (1.5, 3.1, 3.3)
              The relationship between frequency, wavelength and speed of light is important.
              Get a broad sense of what constitutes the EM spectrum (Figure 3.1). We'll cover what's crucial in class.
              Planck's equation (3.3 and 3.4) are particularly important in section 3.3. We will cover the photoelectric effect two classes hence.
              Optional: How do you see stuff? Check out the Ray Model of Light: Reflection and Refraction
21 Sep   The Interaction of Light & Atoms and the Bohr Model (3.2,3.4)
              In 3.2, be able to distinguish line, absorption, emission spectra and explain when and why they are observed.
              Everything in 3.4 is important.

24 Sep   The Photoelectric Effect and Wave-Particle Duality (3.3,3.5)
              The photoelectric effect in 3.3 is a key experiment. Also be able to do the calculations.
              In 3.5, focus more on the conceptual understanding, and not on the equations/calculations.
26 Sep   Quantum Numbers and Orbital Shapes/Sizes (3.6-3.7)
              Everything in 3.6-3.7 is important, especially the Figures in 3.7.
              Note the definition of the orbital. It is different from "orbit".
              You'll want to get familiar with Orbital Notations. They are composed of the n quantum number and the subshell letter corresponding to the l quantum number (see Table 3.1).
28 Sep   Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Orbital Energies (3.8 first bit)
              We will see how the simple energy diagram of H (Figure 3.18) becomes more complicated for other elements (Figure 3.32).
              Read the first bit of 3.8 up to the Effective Nuclear Charge section (which is the key part). Also look closely at Figures 3.27 and 3.29.
              Also read this pdf file on Photoelectron Spectroscopy. It will make what we cover in class much clearer.

01 Oct   Electron Configurations (3.8-3.9)
              Writing ground-state electron configurations is guaranteed to show up on exams.
              Be sure you can also draw electron configurations, determine the net spin and if an atom/ion is paramagnetic or diamagnetic.
03 Oct   Periodic Trends (3.10-3.12)
              Being able to use the Periodic Table predictively requires knowing trends, i.e., how properties change across a row or down a column.
              Atomic size is one of those important trends and is the foundation for other trends. We will focus on atomic/ionic size and ionization energy. (We will briefly cover electron affinity.)
05 Oct   Retrospect: History of the Periodic Table
              Read this chapter about Mendeleev and why his Periodic Table was successful. You don't need to memorize anything in here. Just get a sense of what Mendeleev struggled with.
Take-Home Exam #1 this weekend.

08 Oct   How do Atoms Interact? Models and Pictures (4.1)
              For today, skim 4.1 but don't sweat the details (we'll get back to them). Pay attention to the overall graph shape in Figures 4.1 and 4.3.
              We will lay the foundation for chemical bonds in today's class by looking at how any two particles interact energetically, and visualize this using an important graph.
              This is very important because chemistry is all about making and breaking chemical bonds!
10 Oct   Ionic Bonds, Ionic Compunds (4.1-4.2)
              Look carefully at the Ionic Bonds section in 4.1. You should be able to explain how and why ionic bonds form and the results in Table 4.1.
              From 4.2 you should be able to:
              • name and write balanced formulae of ionic compounds.
              • memorize the following common ions in Table 4.3: ammonium, cyanide, hydrogen carbonate, hydroxide, nitrate, carbonate, sulfate, phosphate. (These are very commonly encountered.)
              In class we will also discuss the four properties of ionic compounds and connect it to the atomistic level structures.
12 Oct   Probing the Structure of Solids (18.2, 18.7, skim 18.9)
              We won't delve into 18.9; just skim it so you get the gist of the experimental methods.
              Our main focus in 18.2 and 18.7 is to recognize the three main cubic structures, their unit cells, how the atoms pack and where the holes are.

15 Oct   Covalent Bonds and Bond Polarity (4.1,4.6)
              Read the Covalent Bonds section in 4.1 and all of 4.6.
              Electronegativity is a very important concept. Make sure you know the definition and can explain its periodic trend.
17 Oct   Lewis Structures and the "Octet Rule" (4.3-4.4)
              Be sure you can name simple covalent compounds as discussed back in 4.2. (We won't discuss it in class.)
              Drawing Lewis structures is the most important topic in CHEM151. We'll cover simple structures today.
19 Oct   FALL HOLIDAY. No classes.

22 Oct   More Complicated Lewis Structures (4.4,4.7-4.8)
              You have to be able to draw good Lewis structures, even for more complicated molecules. We'll do some harder cases in class today!
              Drawing Lewis structures is sure to come up on exams (and in other Chem classes)!
24 Oct   Molecular Shape (5.1-5.3)
              Everything here is important. You must be able to predict the shape of a molecule after drawing its Lewis structure.
              You should also be able to predict ideal bond angles and deviations from the ideal.
              And you should be able to determine if a molecule has a net dipole based on both bond polarity and molecular shape.
26 Oct   Properties of Covalent Molecules and Structures (4.5)
              Everything in these sections is important.
              From Table 4.6, think about what makes covalent bonds stronger or weaker.
              Also read through this website on Bond Lengths and Energies but skip the part on evaluating enthalpies of reactions (that's for CHEM152).
              After today's class you should be able to order covalent bonds by relative length and relative strength

29 Oct   Hybridization (5.4)
              The most important part of this section is identifying the hybridization of an atom in a molecule after drawing its Lewis structure.
              Our focus will be on sp, sp2 and sp3 hybridization. You should also be able to draw "balloon" diagrams representing orbital overlap. (You can skip Hybrid Schemes for Expanded Octets.)
              You should be able to count the number of sigma and pi bonds in a molecule and recognize a pi-delocalized system.
31 Oct   Chirality (5.6) and Extended Carbon Structures (18.6)
              In 5.6, you should be able to identify if a molecule has a chiral center and what differentiates enantiomers from each other.
              In 18.6, you should be able to connect the physical properties of graphite and diamond to their respective atomic-level structures.
02 Nov  Metallic Bonding: A Simple Picture
              Read this description for a simple model of Metallic Bonding.
Take-Home Exam #2 this weekend.

05 Nov  Intermolecular Forces (5.3,6.1-6.2)
              Review 5.3 to make sure you can identify if a molecule has a net dipole. For the purposes of CHEM151, a molecule containing only C and H has practically no net dipole.
              In 6.1-6.2, it is VERY IMPORTANT to know the types of Intermolecular Forces and their relative strengths. This topic comes up repeatedly all over chemistry and biology!
              You should be able to explain boiling point trends (see the Figures and Tables for examples).
07 Nov  Miscibility and Phase Diagrams (6.3-6.4)
              In 6.3, the terms hydrophobic and hydrophilic are important. We will use simple arguments to explain miscibility.
              From 6.4, you must be able to sketch a phase diagram, identify the main points, and figure out if a phase transition might occur.
09 Nov  Water, Water Everywhere! (6.5)
              Water is weird. What properties of water make it unique? Think about these before class today. (I'll be asking!)
              Read Chapter 8 from Peter Gleick's book Bottled and Sold (Copley Library)
              Then watch this video on Water Memory and Structured Water by AcquaPhi.
              Note anything that jumps out at you from the reading and the video. We'll discuss it in class.

12 Nov  Balancing Chemical Equations, Stoichiometry (7.1-7.3,7.7)
              Be able to balance chemical equations and calculate the amounts of reactants used and products formed. In 7.7, we will introduce %yield in today's class.
14 Nov  Limiting Reactants and more complex calculations (7.7)
              Remember, after writing the balanced chemical equation, always check if there is a limiting reactant!
16 Nov  Determining Chemical Formulae (7.4-7.6)
              You should be able to convert between chemical formulae and %masses of elements.
              Note that when you calculate a formula from %masses of elements, you can only calculate the empirical formula. You also need the molar mass to convert the empirical formula to the actual molecular formula in covalent compounds.
              More information (the molar mass) is needed to calculate the actual molecular formula.

19 Nov  Reactions in Solution (8.1-8.3)
              While you've learnt how to calculate molarity in lab and perform dilutions, we will extend our stoichiometry calculations from last week to handle reactions in solution.
              From 8.3, you should be able to determine and explain what makes something a strong, weak or non electrolyte.
21 Nov  THANKSGIVING. No classes.
23 Nov  THANKSGIVING. No classes.

26 Nov  Precipitation Reactions (8.5)
              Everything in 8.5 is important.
              In particular, pay attention to the states. You should be able to identify spectator ions and write net ionic equations.
              While you do not need to memorize the solubility table (Table 8.4), you should have a decent idea of the solubility rules and their principles (to be discussed in class).
28 Nov  Acid-Base and Redox Reactions (8.4,8.6,8.7)
              Everything in 8.4 and 8.7 is important.
              Be sure you know the Arrhenius definitions of acids and bases.
              You should also be able to explain why an acid/base may be weak/strong and solve neutralization numerical problems.
              From the first half of 8.6, today we will cover the definition of redox reactions, and you should be able to:
              • identify what gets oxidized, what gets reduced, the reducing agent, the oxidizing agent, in any redox reaction.
              • assign oxidation numbers.
              • check if oxidation numbers change in a chemical reaction.
30 Nov  Balancing Redox Reactions (8.6)
              Today we will focus on the second half of 8.6, covering the more complicated balancing of redox reactions using a half-equation method.
Take-Home Exam #3 this weekend.

03 Dec   Gases (10.1,10.3-10.5,10.7)
              Be sure to know the definition of pressure in 10.3 and the relationship among P, V, T in the Gas Laws (10.4-10.5)
              Being able to use and manipulate the ideal gas equation (10.6-10.7) for calculations is particularly important.
              Be sure to know standard conditions of temperature and pressure (10.6).
05 Dec   Kinetic Molecular Theory (10.2)
              Everything in 10.2 is important. Key points:
              • Understand what assumptions define an ideal gas
              • Be able to calculate average kinetic energy and root mean square speed of a gas.
              • Be able to sketch and explain Figures 10.8 and 10.9.
07 Dec   Calculations involving Gas Mixtures in Chemical Reactions (10.8-10.9)
              Everything in 10.8-10.9 is important. Numerical problems may be combined with material from chapter 7.

10 Dec   Real Gases (10.10)
              There's no such thing as an ideal gas, so gases may behave more or less ideally depending on the conditions. We'll explore these!
              We'll also explore how one consequently modifies the ideal gas equation.
12 Dec   Applications of studying gases
              Reading will be sent via e-mail on Mon, Dec 10.
14 Dec   Q&A before Final Exam

Final Exam is Mon, 17 Dec, 8-10am