Syllabus
Welcome
Welcome to General Chemistry I Lab!. This laboratory course is the first of two in the general chemistry series. In developing the lab I tried to focus on three key concepts: 1) the experiments should challenge the student to think independently about chemistry both in the lab setting and in the world environment, 2) the experiments should support and expand upon the material that is being covered in the classroom, and 3) the experiments should build the student’s skills in basic chemistry techniques.
In addition to the 3 focuses above I have also tried to install some fun back into the labs. Keep in mind that investigation and discovery are a scientist’s main source of fun, but along those lines several of the labs have been redesigned to allow you, the student, to become a true investigator. Solving the puzzle, so to speak. We have also left some of the labs incomplete, allowing you to design your own method of investigation. We hope that by varying the styles of the labs and exposing you to as many different ways of learning as possible, we will both spark your imagination and deepen and prolong your interest in chemistry.
As with any science course, this lab course will demand a lot of your time and energy. I always warn students not to underestimate the time it will take them to complete the pre-lab assignments or write their lab reports as this can get you into difficulty very quickly. My best peices of advice: Don't Procrastinate!! and get help immediately if you don't understand a concept or assignment. The TAs and I are always willing and able to help.
Well, good luck with your semester and I look forward to seeing you in lab.
Dr. Stephanie R. Dillon
Coordinator of General Chemistry Laboratories
The Florida State University
| The Liberal Studies Program at Florida State University has been designed to provide a perspective on the qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations of human beings, the past and present civilizations we have created, and the natural and technological world we inhabit. This course has been approved as meeting the requirements for Liberal Studies Area V, Natural Science, and in combination with your other Liberal Studies courses, provides an important foundation for your lifelong quest for knowledge. |
CHM 1045L.General Chemistry I Laboratory (1). Pre- or Corequisite: CHM 1045. This laboratory offers an introduction to quantitative techniques and to the chemical laboratory. Topics include stoichiometry, atomic spectra, gases, as well as acids and bases. Safety goggles and a scientific calculator are required for every class. Lab meets three hours a week.
IMPORTANT: If at any time the co-requisite course CHM1045 is dropped during the semester you are enrolled in CHM1045L you will be required to drop the lab as well. No Exceptions.
Labs Covered
Exp 1: Excel: The Scientist’s Friend; Exp 2: Lighter than Air? A Density Study; Exp 3: Calculating Your Jitters: The Mass Percent of Caffeine in Coffee; Exp 4: Acids and Bases: A Fruity Titration; Exp 5: A Rainbow of Redox: The Colors of Vanadium; Exp 6: Heavy Metal Precipitation: ‘Getting the Lead Out’; Exp 7: Under Pressure: Studying the Formation of Clouds/ Effusion of CO2: How the Balloon Fell Flat; Exp 8: Mythbusting: Candy and Soda Go Boom?; Exp 9: Endothermic Enthalpy: A Calorimetric Study; Exp 10: Lasers: A Study of Light and Intensity; Exp 11: Fool’s? Gold: Testing Metal Unknowns; Exp 12: Molecular Geometry and Shape
Dr. Stephanie R. Dillon
Office: 324B DLC
Phone: (850) 644-0166
E-mail: sdillon@chem.fsu.edu
Office Hours: T 9-11am or by appointment
Required -
(1) Online Laboratory Manual from Bluedoor Labs
(2) Laboratory research notebook (carbonless copy)
(3) A NON-PROGRAMMABLE Scientific Calculator
(4) Lab Coat (thigh length)
(5) Laboratory Goggles (Indirectly Vented)
Cell Phones: All cell phones are to be turned off at all times during the laboratory period. Students whose cell phones ring during a lab will be asked to leave and the missed lab will be counted as an unexcused absence.
Lab Attire: All students are required to wear long pants (from hip to foot, No Capris, No Shorts), closed-toe shoes and lab coats which completely cover the torso area including long sleeves and a length to mid-thigh. Long hair should be pulled back and jewelry such as rings and bracelets should be removed during the lab period. Students who do not comply with the policies regarding attire will be asked to leave and the missed lab will be counted as an unexcused absence.
Missed Lab Policy: Labs missed for an acceptable reason will be handled as follows: The missed lab report will be pro-rated by averaging the rest of your lab report grades and substituting that average for the missing lab grade. Pre-lab assignments should be completed as usual since they are available all the time not just on the day of the lab.
Labs missed without a reasonable excuse will receive a grade of zero. Students missing 4 or more laboratories for any reason (excused or unexcused) will recieve a failing grade for the lab. If the absences are for illness or another excusable reason, students are encouraged to withdraw from the lab. Incomplete grades will no longer be issued for excessive absences.
University Attendance Policy: Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.
Reasonable Excuses (Documentation) Include: Illness (Note from Doctor or Thagard) Jury Duty or Court Date (Copy of Summons) Car Accident or Breakdown (Accident report or bill including time of incident) Death in Family (Copy of Obituary or service Document). This is not an all inclusive list but should give you a general idea of the magnitude of an acceptable excuse and the type of documentation required to substantiate it. Other problems will be dealt with on an individual basis. Students should provide documentation to their TA at the next lab meeting.
| Total Points for Each Exercise |
| Lab 1 Exercises |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 1 |
30 |
| Prelab 2 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 2 |
30 |
| Prelab 3 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 3 |
30 |
| Prelab 4 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 4 |
30 |
| Prelab 5 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 5 |
30 |
| Prelab 6 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 6 |
30 |
| Prelab 7 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 7 |
30 |
| Prelab 8 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 8 |
30 |
| Prelab 9 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 9 |
30 |
| Prelab 10 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 10 |
30 |
| Prelab 11 |
|
10 |
|
Lab Report 11 |
30 |
| Lab 12 Exercises |
|
40 |
|
|
|
|
| Lab Notebook |
|
50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
550 |
Lab Reports are due one week from the completion of the lab experiment. See Lab Report Format for more details. Reports must be typed into the Lab Report Generator in your lab manual and submitted as a PDF file through Turnitin in the Lab Reports folder in Blackboard. No late or emailed lab reports will be accepted. Lab reports are due one week after the completion of your lab experiment. For example: If your lab is Wednesday at 2:30 PM, your lab report must be uploaded no later than 3:00PM the following Wednesday. Due dates and times will be clearly posted in the Lab Reports folder in Blackboard. Please keep in mind that the Turnitin system can only handle so much traffic at a time so the closer to the due date and time you attempt to submit your report, the longer it will take and there is always a possibility that the system will get overwhelmed and your report not accepted. It is totally your responsibility to get the report in on time. If you procrastinate and your report is not accepted, we will not accept an emailed copy. No exceptions.
NOTE: If you experience technical difficulties when uploading your report you should contact Blackboard Support Immediately (not Dr. Dillon or your TA as they cannot fix technical problems) using the support tab on the Blackboard website.
Pre-lab Assignments are located on the Webassign system. An access code to the system is packaged with your new lab manual. Once you use the access code to register for the system you will need to add your laboratory course section. Each lab section has its own webassign course code based on the section for which you are registered. Pre-Labs are available from the beginning of the semester up until 30 minutes before the lab meeting time corresponding to that Pre-lab. No late pre-lab assignments will be accepted.
The Lab Notebook should be kept up-to-date and in traditional scientific format. The notebook will be collected and graded at the end of the term. See Lab Notebook Format for details regarding the grading criteria.
Lab Prep Assignments For each laboratory experiment you perform in the lab proper you will need to write the lab procedure found in the Bluedoor lab manual into your lab notebook. This procedure does not have to be word for word but must have sufficient detail for you to complete your lab experiment. Although there are no points associated with these assignments, failure to complete this lab preparation will result in your not being allowed to perform the lab experiment and a corresponding loss of those lab report points.
The Grading Scale: Final grades in the course will be assigned based on the percentage of total possible points in the course, according to the following percentile scale: 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C Below 70% D/F
The CHM1050L Lab Schedule contains not only the list of labs being performed but also the due dates for both the pre-labs and the lab reports. Please consult the lab schedule each week to make sure you are preparing for the correct lab experiment. The lab manual is a book and we will not always follow the manual's order of experiments.
Academic Honor Policy
The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University’s expectations for the integrity of students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “. . . be honest and truthful and . . . [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.”
See Academic Honor Policy for more details.
NOTE: All violations of the Honor Policy will result in a failing grade in the laboratory course.
Americans With Disabilities Act: Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class. This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request. For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the:
Student Disability Resource Center 874 Traditions Way 108 Student Services Building Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167 (850) 644-9566 (voice) (850) 644-8504 (TDD) sdrc@admin.fsu.edu http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/
Free Tutoring from FSU For tutoring and writing help in any course at Florida State University, visit the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) Tutoring Services’ comprehensive list of tutoring options - see http://ace.fsu.edu/tutoring or contact tutor@fsu.edu for more information. High-quality tutoring is available by appointment and on a walk-in basis. These services are offered by tutors trained to encourage the highest level of individual academic success while upholding personal academic integrity.
Syllabus Change Policy
Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.
