CHEMISTRY 331
CHEMICAL METHODS OF ANALYSIS
Fall 2012, TR 8:00 – 9:15 AM, W or R 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Professor: Whitney King
Office Hours: Fridays 9-10 AM, by appointment, or stop by my office.
Office: 211 Keyes (x5755)
Home: 207-873-6154
Cell: 207-649-9674
Email: dwking@colby.edu
Textbook: Daniel C. Harris, “Quantitative Chemical Analysis”, 8th ed.
Course Overview
A study of the fundamentals of analytical chemistry. Students in this course learn how to use physical measurements to make quantitative chemical measurements reported with defined uncertainties. Concepts of chemical mass and charge balance are used to calculate chemical speciation in complex acid/base and redox systems. Lectures and homework focus on problem solving skills that provide solutions to new problems based on fundamental chemical principles and constants. The required laboratory introduces students to advanced volumetric, potentiometric and spectroscopic techniques for quantitative chemical analysis. Written lab reports reinforce the technical writing style used in chemical communications.
Grading
Homework 10 %
Semester Exams and Quizzes 40 %
Final Exam 25 %
Lab 25 %
Lecture Topics and Approximate Exam Schedule (Updated Weekly)
Treatment of Analytical Data Read chapters 1-5
Chemical Equilibria and Solubility Read chapter 6
Quiz –-September 25, 2012
Volumetric Analysis Read chapter 7
Activity and Systematic Equilibrium Calculations Read chapters 8 & 9
Acid-Base Equilibria Read chapter 10 & 11
Spectrophotometric Analysis Read chapter 18, 19
1st Exam — October 11, 2012
Titrations and Distribution Functions Read chapters 12
Complex Formation Read chapter 13
Fundamentals of Electrochemistry Read chapter 14
2nd Exam — November 20, 2012
Potentiometry and Redox Methods Read chapters 15 & 16
Electrogravimetric, Coulometric and Voltammetric Analysis Read chapter 17
Final Exam
Homework
The Homework is a very important component of the course. Homework will be assigned every week. Answers to the homework are provided in the back of the book. Your job is to work out the solutions that yield the answers. All homework will be graded and should reflect your own knowledge of the problem.
Many problems will be best solved using a computer program/spreadsheet. Include a hard copy of the results with your homework assignment and also place the program/spreadsheet used to solve the problem into your folder on the file server. You should have your own backup copy of your homework!!! You will be allowed to use some of your computer programs to solve problems during hour exams.
Prelab assignments
Prelab exercises are an important component of the laboratory. The prelabs familiarize you with the current week’s experiment making you more efficient in the laboratory and often improving your results. A short lab quiz will be given before each new lab exercise.
Academic Honesty
All students are expected to do their own work. In some cases I will ask you to work on experiments in small groups. I expect and encourage you to discuss the procedures and results of these experiments with your fellow classmates. It is also acceptable to work together on difficult homework assignments. However, the final lab reports and completed homework assignments should be your own work. This means that you should be able to explain in detail all of the steps and procedures used to solve a particular homework problem or lab assignment. All spreadsheets should be your own work, including the equations! If you work with other students on homework or lab assignments you should acknowledge this collaboration by listing their names on the top of your assignment.
Attendance Policy
The attendance and exam policy for the Department of Chemistry is posted on our WEB page (www.colby.edu/chemistry).