Laboratory Syllabus
Description.
Chemistry is a laboratory science. All aspects of what we learn in
chemistry have originated, at least in part, from lab experimentation.
The lab portion of general chemistry is therefore vital, and I would like
to see you work toward the following goals during our lab times:
(1) A
recognition of the origins of many of our current notions in chemistry
(2) Creative
application of concepts learned in class
(3) Accumulation
of lab skills to be used in the future
Notebook Requirement. You will need to keep a bound lab notebook (no spiral or loose-leaf) in which you will write your experimental methodologies, measurements and observations. Details will be discussed in class.
Report Guidelines. Lab reports will be due one week after the experiment is performed. Most lab reports will take the form of a series of questions that will be attached to the lab handouts.
Schedule. The
tentative laboratory schedule is below.
| Date: | Experiment Title |
| 6/25/02 | Lab Safety and Designing a model air bag |
| 7/2/02 | Determination of partial pressure of CO2 in respired air |
| 7/9/02 | Nutty calorimetry |
| 7/16/02 | Solubility and spontaneity |
| 7/23/02 | Measuring reaction rates: the iodine clock experiment |
| 7/30/02 | Chemistry of antacid tablets |
| 8/6/02 | Alchemy (bring a bunch of new, shiny pennies!) |
| 8/13/02 | What's in a star? Measuring the hydrogen spectrum |
| 8/20/02 | Spectrophotometric Determination of an Equilibrium Constant |
| 8/27/02 | Making soap |