Spring 2018

Syllabus

Continuously updated. You should check this before EACH class so you prepare adequately!
Approximate associated sections of the text are in parenthesis. Read these BEFORE class along with any other information provided for each class day. (There might be a quiz.)

Blank lines delimit separate weeks.

29 Jan    What is Energy? (8.1)
             Make sure you know the energy definitions covered in 8.1.
             Review your CHEM151 materials for definitions and calculations of Energy. (Always bring your calculator to class!)
31 Jan    The First Law, Work (8.2-8.3)
             Besides knowing definitions, pay attention to positive and negative signs indicating the direction of energy flow.
             In calculations, be aware of units and review last semester's chapter on gases if necessary.
02 Feb    Heat, Enthalpy and Calorimetry (8.4-8.5)
             Note that you may treat Enthalpy Change and Heat synonymously.
             Be careful of the multiple ways that heat capacity can be expressed.
             As you can tell from everything we've done so far, definitions are important!

05 Feb    Standard Enthalpies of Formation and Hess' Law (8.6-8.9)
             The reason any of these calculations work is because enthalpy is a state function!
             Be sure you can draw energy diagrams representing endothermic and exothermic reactions.
07 Feb    Formation of Ionic Compounds: Hess' Law Again! (3.9)
             Look over CHEM151 notes to make sure you know what I.E., E.A. and lattice energies are, their signs (positive/negative) and factors affecting their relative magnitudes.
09 Feb    Burning Fuels, Standard Enthalpies of Combustion (8.7, 8.9, 8.11)
             Also read this primer on Line Structures
             Appendix B is your friend. You'll be using it a lot.
             While we will use combustion as an example, similar strategies can be used to calculate enthalpy changes for any chemical reaction.

12 Feb    Bond Energies and Reaction Enthalpy (4.3, 8.10)
             Be careful of the signs. It depends on how you define bond energy.
             For CO2, the exact bond energy is 800 kJ/mol, very different from the average C=O in Table 8.3.
             Note from the table that bond strength is affected by whether they are multiple, how long they are, and their relative polarity (recall the definition of electronegativity).
14 Feb    Entropy and the Second Law (8.12, 16.1-2)
             Important Concepts: Spontaneity, Entropy, Second Law (briefly from 16.6)
             In particular, it is important to recognize situations in which entropy increases or decreases.
             Watch these three short videos before class.
16 Feb    Entropy at the Molecular Level (16.3-16.5)
             You should be able to calculate the change in entropy of the system given standard molar entropies, and explain if your results make sense.
             Also watch this video before class: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjOqaD5tWB0.

19 Feb    Calculating Entropic Changes (16.5-16.6)
             A second way to find deltaS of the system is to run a reaction under reversible conditions.
             In CHEM152, a reaction under reversible conditions (both forward reactions are running at the same rate) is said to be at equilibrium.
21 Feb    Exam #1
23 Feb    Free Energy and Spontaneity (8.13, 16.7-16.9)
             One of the most important equations in CHEM152 is deltaG = deltaH - T deltaS
             While standard free energies of formation are in Appendix B, it's more important to calculate deltaH and deltaS separately, because it's important to interpret how each affects deltaG.

26 Feb    Thermodynamics and Phase Changes (10.4-10.5)
             Besides knowing the signs of deltaH and deltaS for phase changes, you should be able to calculate T under reversible conditions.
             Which is larger in magnitude for deltaH and deltaS? Going from solid to liquid, or liquid to gas? Why?
28 Feb    Burning Fuels Again: Reconsidering Efficiency
             We can now calculate free energies of combustion! You should know how to do this based on previous classes.
02 Mar   Solutions and Solubility (11.1-11.4)
             Being able to calculate the quantities in Table 11.3 is important.
             Explaining the thermodynamic principles behind solubility is important, be it a solid, liquid or gas dissolving in water.

05 Mar   Vapor Pressure and Raoult's Law (11.4-11.6)
             Vapor Pressure lowering and Raoult's Law can be conceptually challenging, so be sure to read ahead if you don't want to feel lost in class.
07 Mar   Colligative Properties (11.7-11.9)
             While the calculations of b.p./m.p. changes are straightforward, be sure you can make the thermodynamic arguments too.
             Review phase diagrams (10.11) from last semester so that Figure 11.12 makes sense.
             Note the similiarity between the osmotic pressure equation and P=(n/V)RT
09 Mar   Rates of Reactions (12.1-12.3)
             Important things to know how to do:
             • Understand, write and use the General rate of reaction expression (p446).
             • Write a rate law and understand how orders impact reaction rate.
             • Determine the rate law using Method of Initial Rates

12 Mar   Integrated Rate Law (12.4-12.8)
             Everything here is important. Make sure you can correlate the straight-line graph to the appropriate order of reaction.
             In class we will discuss strategies to find the rate law given a data table.
14 Mar   Linking Mechanism to Rate Law (12.11-12.13)
             Know the definition of an elementary reaction. In a multi-step mechanism, each step is always elementary (following the law of mass action).
             Given a reaction mechanism and the slow step, you should be able to write the rate law.
             Given a rate law, any proposed mechanism can either be consistent or inconsistent with it.
16 Mar   How Temperature affects Rates (12.9-12.10)
             The Arrhenius equation is key here. Make sure you can use it qualitatively and quantitatively in the natural-log (ln) form.

19 Mar   Catalysis (12.14-12.15)
             The definition of a catalyst is important.
             Also you should be able to identify catalysts in a multi-step reaction and distinguish it from an intermediate.
21 Mar   Exam #2
23 Mar   Chemical Issues in the Origin of Life
             No reading beforehand! We'll talk about how kinetics and thermodynamics are relevant to the difference between life and non-life.

Spring/Easter Break

04 Apr    Chemical Equilibrium (13.1-13.4)
             Equilibrium is the eventual fate of all chemical reactions in a closed system.
             Given a balanced equation, you should be able to write an expression for the equilibrium constant, K.
06 Apr    Calculations with Equilibrium Constants (13.5-13.6)
             You should know the definition of Q (reaction quotient) and how it differs from K, and predict which way a reaction will proceed.
             There will be lots of numerical problems to solve.

09 Apr    Le Chatelier's Principle (13.7-13.11)
             Be sure to know the definition of Le Chatelier's Principle and be able to use it in different situations.
             We will cover: concentration changes, external P changes, T changes, and adding a catalyst.
11 Apr    Linking Equilibria, Kinetics and Free Energy (13.3, 16.10-16.11)
             Read this post from The Curious Wavefunction: The two equations you should know
             There are two crucial equations (boxes in 16.10 and 16.11) you should know and be able to use. (One is similar to the post above.)
             We will also look carefully at the effect of k_fwd, k_rev and K_eq when a catalyst is added.
13 Apr    Acids, Bases and the pH scale (14.1-14.2, 14.4-14.7)
             The Arrhenius and Bronsted-Lowry definitions of acids and bases (and their conjugates) is important.
             For any acid, you should be able to write its dissociation reaction and an expression for K_a. (Similarly for bases and K_b).
             Be sure you know how K_a relates to acid strength (and K_b to base strength).
             Know the definition and value of K_w at standard conditions.
             From last semester, you should know the definition of pH.

16 Apr    Weak Acid Equilibria (14.8-14.11)
             Given K_a, you should be able to calculate pH and vice versa.
             Polyprotic acid problems are similar to multi-step monoprotic acid problems.
18 Apr    Weak Base Equilibria, Relationship of Ka and Kb (14.12-14.14.14)
             Given K_b you should be able to calculate pH and vice versa.
             You should know how to use K_a.K_b = K_w for a conjugate acid-base pair.
20 Apr    Lewis Acids/Bases and Factors Affecting Acid Strength (14.15, 14.3)
             Know the definition of Lewis acids and bases and be able to identify them.
             We will use qualitative arguments to evaluate acid strength. The easiest way to do this is to examine the conjugate base!

23 Apr    Buffer Solutions (15.3-15.4)
             Be sure to know the definition of a buffer solution and how to identify one based on concentrations of chemical species.
             The Henderson-Hasselbach (Buffer) Equation is crucial will be used multiple times throughout Chapter 15.
25 Apr    How to prepare a Buffer Solution
             We will devise a protocol for how to prepare any buffer solution given the target pH and total concentration.
27 Apr    Neutralization and Titration Curves (15.1, 15.5-15.9)
             After today's class, you should know how to sketch any titration curve, identify the four main regions, and the major species in each region.
             This will help you solve numerical problems related to titration.
             Going through the numerical examples in 15.7 and 15.8 carefully will help you with solving MasteringChem problems.

30 Apr    Solubility Equilibria and the Common Ion Effect (15.2, 15.10-15.12)
             Be able to write an equation for the dissolving of ionic compounds, along with an expression for K_sp.
             Given K_sp and calculating Q, predict if a precipitate will be observed.
             Given saturation concentrations and/or masses, be able to calculate K_sp and vice versa.
02 May   Complex Ion Equilibria (15.12-15.14)
             Define and use K_f, the equilibrium constant for complex ion formation.
04 May   Exam #3

07 May   Electrochemistry and Galvanic Cells (17.1-17.3)
             Be sure you can identify all parts of the galvanic cell and represent it in shorthand notation.
             The equation connecting deltaG to cell potential is important!
09 May   Standard Reduction Potentials and the Activity Series (17.4-17.5, 7.8)
             Don't confuse the cell potential with standard reduction potentials! You can use the latter to calculate the former.
             You should be able to predict which way a reaction will proceed in a galvanic cell using the Activity Series.
11 May   Nernst Equation and Applications of Electrochemistry (17.6-17.8)
             Be sure you can use the Nernst equation.
             You should qualitatively be able to describe electrochemistry applications we discuss in class.
             Optional: Here's a quick late-breaking news story on a potential new Manganese-hydrogen battery.

14 May   Q-and-A before Final
             Come with questions! I might have answers.

Final Exam for Section 04 is Fri, May 18, 11am-1pm
Final Exam for Section 01 is Mon, May 21, 8-10am
Equations for Final Exam