Chemistry 142: Introduction to Physical Chemistry

 

Syllabus

 

California State University, Sacramento

Fall 2012, Chemistry 142 – Introduction to Physical Chemistry   (4 units)

Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri  8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.

Alpine Hall 204

 

Instructor:            

Benjamin Gherman

Office Hours:        

Thursdays, 9:00a.m. – 10:30a.m. and by appointment

(appointments must be made 24 hours ahead)

Office:                  

Sequoia Hall 416-C

Phone:                  

916-278-6600

E-mail:                  

ghermanb@csus.edu  (please include “Chem142” in the subject line)

Website:               

www.csus.edu/indiv/g/ghermanb/F12_142.htm

 

 

Course description

Introductory presentation of the theoretical and practical aspects of thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, and kinetics. As time permits, other topics will be: solution chemistry, hydrodynamics, electrochemistry, and crystallography. Note: Not acceptable for the BS or the BA without concentration. Prerequisite: CHEM 001B, CHEM 024, PHYS 005A, PHYS 005B, MATH 031.

 

Course Texts

 

Required:

P. Atkins & J. dePaula, “Elements of Physical Chemistry,” 5th edition, 2009.  (ISBN: 1-4292-1813-4)

 

Recommended:

C. Trapp & M. Cady, “Solutions Manual to Accompany Elements of Physical Chemistry, 5th edition”, 2009.  (ISBN: 1-4292-2400-2)

 

Additional Resources on reserve at the Sacramento State library:

Laidler, Meiser, and Sanctuary, “Physical Chemistry,” 4th edition, 2003.

Chang, “Physical Chemistry for the Biosciences,” 2005.

 

Links to other supplementary material will be periodically posted to the course website.

 

Course Website

The course website is www.csus.edu/indiv/g/ghermanb/F12_142.htm.  The main page of the website will show announcements, and have links to the syllabus, course calendar, supplementary resource material, homework assignments, quizzes, and exams.  Any material presented in PowerPoint in lectures will also be posted.

Problem Sets

Problem sets composed of problems from the text will be assigned approximately weekly.  Homework assignments will generally be assigned on Wednesdays; it is expected that they will be completed within one week.  Problems sets will neither be collected nor graded. 

 

Solutions to the problems will be posted on the course website on the same day that homework is assigned.  It is strongly recommended that the solutions not be accessed until after the problem set is completed.  The solutions are provided to check your work and should not be used as a crutch for solving the problems.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Completion and understanding of the homework is absolutely key to success in the course.  In order to succeed in physical chemistry, you must devote time to thinking about and practicing with the concepts introduced in lecture.  Homework is an essential part of this process. If you have questions about the problems, please do not hesitate to visit during office hours to discuss them.

 

 

Quizzes

A total of 10 quizzes will be given during the course of the semester.  Each quiz will be worth 20 points.  Your lowest two quiz scores will be dropped.  There will be no make-up quizzes; if you miss a quiz, your score on that quiz will be 0.   Dates for the quizzes can be found on the course calendar below.

 

 

Exams

There will be 4 exams and a final exam according to the following schedule:

               

Exam 1

Monday, September 24

Exam 2

Friday, October 19

Exam 3

Friday, November 9

Exam 4

Monday, December 3

Final Exam

Wednesday, December 12, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 

Each mid-term exam will be worth 100 points; the final exam will be worth 200 points.  Your lowest mid-term exam score will be dropped.  There will be no make-up exams; if you miss an exam, your score on that exam will be 0.   

 

 

Regrade Requests

All regrade requests must be made in writing within 1 week of when papers are returned.  Your attached note must make clear why you think an error exists.  Any requests beyond this point will be not be considered. 

 

 

Course Grade

Grades in the course will be based on the total number of points received on quizzes and exams:

8 best quizzes

x   20 pts each

=  160 points

3 best mid-term exams   

x   100 pts each

=  300 points

1 final exam

x   200 pts each

=  200 points

 

 

-----------------

 

 

    660 points

 

 

Grade Scale (Subject to Change)

A to A-

100-90%

B to B-

89-80%

C to C-

79-70%

D to D-

69-60%

F

<60%

Attendance

Class sessions will typically involve a mix of lecture, example problems, and in-class exercises.  Lectures will not repeat the content of the assigned readings and will be used to highlight key points, concepts, and applications.  Quizzes and exams will be based upon both the material from class and the readings.  Thus, attendance is highly encouraged. 

 

How to succeed in this course

·       Complete the assigned readings before the class session.  Lecture can than serve to reinforce, build upon, and add to the material in the text.   Then after lecture, review the assigned reading to reinforce and/or clarify ideas from lecture.

·       Allow adequate time to complete the homework assignments.  Completion of the homework is crucial to developing a real understanding of the material. 

·       Keep up with the homework assignments according to the suggested completion dates.  Material in physical chemistry tends to build on itself… do not fall behind.

·       One of the most important goals of the course is to learn how to approach and solve physical chemistry problems.  On all quizzes and exams, you must show your work to receive full credit on a problem.  When completing your homework, you should practice carefully working through problems, clearly writing out each step in the solution of a problem. 

·       Take advantage of the resources available to you.  Ask questions when there are things you don’t understand.  Come to my office hours.  Visit the course webpage regularly.

 

Academic Dishonesty

Academic Dishonesty

Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking unfair advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else's work as your own can result in disciplinary action. The University policy on academic honesty can be found at http://www.csus.edu/umanual/AcademicHonestyPolicyandProcedures.htm.

 

Special Needs

Students with special needs should contact the office of Services to Students with Disabilities (http://www.csus.edu/sswd/sswd.html, Lassen Hall 1008, 916-278-6955) and be prepared to provide them with disability documentation. Please then discuss accommodation needs with me after class or during my office hours early in the semester.

 

Disruptive Classroom Behavior

Please silence all cell phones during class.  You may use an audio recorder if you wish.

Course Calendar

 

topic

reading

homeworks & quizzes

M 8/27

Introduction to thermodynamics

Chapter 0 (introduction)

and Chapter 2: Section 1

 

W 8/29

ideal and real gases

Chapter 1:

Sections 1-3, 9, 13

 

R 8/30

 

F 8/31

1st Law, enthalpies, and thermochemistry

Chapter 2 and

Chapter 3: Sections 2-7

quiz #1

M 9/3 *NO CLASS* (Labor Day)

 

W 9/5

homework #1 “due”

R 9/6

 

F 9/7

2nd and 3rd Laws, entropy, and free energies

Chapter 4

and

Chapter 6: Section 2

quiz #2

M 9/10

 

W 9/12

homework #2 “due”

R 9/13

 

F 9/14

Chemical Equilibria

Chapter 7

quiz #3

M 9/17

homework #3 “due”

W 9/19

 

R 9/20

 

F 9/21

review

n/a

homework #4 “due”

M 9/24

EXAM #1

 

 

W 9/26

Phase Equilibria,

Colligative Properties,

Binary Solutions

Chapter 5: Sections 4-6

and

Chapter 6: Sections 4, 6-7

 

R 9/27

 

F 9/28

 

M 10/1

Molecular Motion:

kinetic theory of gases

and diffusion

Chapter 1: Sections 4-8

and

Chapter 11: Section 11

quiz #4

W 10/3

homework #5 “due”

R 10/4

 

F 10/5

Kinetics Part I:

Fundamentals

Chapter 10: Sections 3-9

and

Chapter 11: Section 1

 

M 10/8

quiz #5

W 10/10

homework #6 “due”

R 10/11

 

F 10/12

Kinetics Part II:

Reaction Mechanisms and Catalysis

Chapter 11:

Sections 4-7, 12-13

 

 

M 10/15

quiz #6

W 10/17

homework #7 “due”

R 10/18

 

F 10/19

EXAM #2

 

 

 

 

 

topic

reading

homeworks & quizzes

M 10/22

Quantum Mechanics

Chapter 12:

Sections 1-7, 9

and

Chapter 13:

Sections 1-6, 8-13,                                    

               14-15

 

W 10/24

 

R 10/25

 

F 10/26

quiz #7

M 10/29

 

W 10/31

Molecular Orbitals and Chemical Bonding

Chapter 14:

Sections 1-11, 13-14

 

homework #8 “due”

R 11/1

 

F 11/2

quiz #8

M 11/5

 

W 11/7

homework #9 “due”

R 11/8

Spectroscopy Part I: Fundamentals (begin)

 

 

F 11/9

EXAM #3

 

 

M 11/12 *NO CLASS* (Veteran’s Day)

 

 

 

 

W 11/14

Spectroscopy Part I: Fundamentals (continued)

 

Chapter 10: Section 1

Chapter 19:

Sections 1-4, 6-7,

               10-13

and Chapter 20:

Sections 3-4

 

R 11/15

 

F 11/16

quiz #9

M 11/19

 

W 11/21

Spectroscopy Part II: Applications: Fluorescence and NMR

Chapter 20: Sections 5-6

and

Chapter 21:

Sections 1, 3-5, 8

homework #10 “due”

R 11/22 *NO CLASS*  (Thanksgiving)

 

F 11/23 *NO CLASS*  (Thanksgiving)

 

M 11/26

 

W 11/28

quiz #10

R 11/29

 

F 11/30

homework #11 “due”

M 12/3

EXAM #4

 

 

W 12/5

Electrochemistry

Chapter 9:

Sections 3-9, 13

 

R 12/6

 

F 12/7

homework #12 “due”

W 12/12 (8a.m.-10a.m.)

FINAL EXAM

 

 

 

Note:  This schedule is tentative and subject to change.  However, the dates of the exams will remain fixed.