Links to download Zoom Lab Videos and PDF files
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2020
This was just a meet and greet introductory session. You'er welcome to watch the video, but there is no real course content that we went over.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, September 3, 2020
Today we did a full introduction to the course structure and how the lab grade and the lecture grade are integrated and there is only one Canvas shell for the course. There is not a separate shell specifically for lab. We did our first introduction to how numbers are handled in Chemistry. We covered how to properly take measurements using different types of measuring devices. We also discussed the two types of exact values used in chemistry - counted and definitions, and how they differ from measured values. We then did a short exercise of calculating the area of a rectangle and how the uncertainty in measurements needs to be reflected in any value those measurements are used to calculate. There is no submission due for this lab period. Our first lab exercise will be on Tuesday September 8th.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, September 8, 2020
Today we did finished up the information required to complete the Math and the Calculator Lab Activity found in Module 1 on the canvas shell. Mostly we spent time covering significant figures rules.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, September 10, 2020
Today was all about dimensional analysis. We discussed the difference between conversion factors and equalities - how they are written and used. We looked at the process of solving dimensional analysis problems from parsing the problem, identifying given and desired units and equalities. We discussed road maps and strategies for writing out road maps. We showed how to write out the problem as a dimensional analysis expression of multiple conversion factors. And finally we discussed using significant figures to appropriately round the answer to the correct precision in alignment with the data and conversion factors used in the problem. In addition we covered a few conversion factors that are key to solving these types of problems and that are highly recommended to be memorized - my 3 keys - on for length, one for volumen and one for mass.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2020
In preparation for the Atoms and Elements lab we looked at the structure of the periodic table and noted certain useful classification groups such as metals, non-metals, metalloids, main or representative groups, transition metals, inner transition metals, alkali earth metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens and nobel gases. We discussed properties of metals, non-metals, and metalloids. We also discussed the origin of the elements in the universe and the basic construct of the periodic table organizing the elements into families of similar chemical reactivity. We discussed the subatomic components of protons, neutrons and electrons and their roll and location with the atom. Nuclide symbols were covered and the relationship of isotopes discussed.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, September 17, 2020
This was our introduction to electronic configurations. We looked at the experiments that led to the discovery that there existed structure within the electron could of the elements. From there we discussed the layout of that electronic structure. After explaining the basic construct of principle energy levels, sublevels, orbitals and spin, we examined the energy diagrams and electronic configurations for the first ten elements in the periodic table. We correlated that electronic structure to the layout of the periodic table and showed how the pattern continues. I'll do another short video regarding a few of the more advanced topics in electronic configurations to further support your completion of Activity 26 Electronic Configurations and get it posted here in the next day or two.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2020
We set the lab curriculum aside this week to focus on review subjects for the exam. Today the questions revolved around how to tackle dimensional analysis problems (word problems), unit conversions, the SI system, and a bit of math and calculator work. I hope you guys find this helpful. And just a note - when I review I, I review based on students' questions. On Thursday I plan to once again ask those in the session what they would like to work on. If you would like to get your specific questions answered you are all welcome to join me in the live session. Office hours work too, but the live sessions are just another opportunity to get individualized assistance in an otherwise remote learning environment. I'm here for you, but you have to meet me halfway.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, September 24, 2020
Today we continued our review for Exam 1 on Monday. In this session we covered the use of percents in dimensional analysis problems, the types of percents and how to apply units to them, density problems, sig figs rules for addition, how to apply sig figs in the order of operations when addition/subtraction is in the same problem with multiplication/division, metric conversions, mixtures vs. pure substances, compounds vs. elements, homogeneous vs. heterogeneous mixtures, and how to use the periodic table to determine the charge state on a main group element as well as looking at the multiple charge states of the transition metal elements.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Today we covered activity 5 - Compounds and their Formulas. We reviewed the difference between ionic compounds and molecular compounds and the different types of bonding in each, ionic vs. covalent. We looked at a number of compounds and described both the physical appearance of the compound and the constituent elements in the compound. We then looked at a specific experiment involving iron and sulfur, a mixture of iron and sulfur and iron(II) sulfide. The experiment was described and the results discussed. Information was provided to complete the rest of the worksheet. This worksheet is due October 6th.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, October 1, 2020
Part-1 of Activity 8
This is going to be a two part video lecture. Activity 8 is all about nomenclature. This lab is designed to give you the practice you need to learn how to write and name ionic compounds. We usually expect that you have had a lecture on nomenclature prior to coming into this experiment, which is not always a good assumption. So, this first lecture is all about nomenclature. I've given you the basics of the nomenclature system and ways to reduce the cognitive load by grouping your memorization. I'll post another video tomorrow night on specific information on how to complete the lab assignment. In that video I'll address and model the actual experiment and go through what you'll need to know to complete the exercise. For now start making flash cards and working on your memorization of the polyatomic ions.
Part-2 of Activity 8
Here is the experimental part of Experiment 8. In this video we look at how we do small scale experiments. We discuss double displacement, also called double replacement or precipitation reactions. We show how to write the products of a chemical reaction between two ionic compounds in aqueous solution and how to tell which of them are solid and which are still aqueous. Tips for answering the lab questions are also discussed.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Nomenclature is one of those topics where repetition really helps. In todays lecture we takel activity 9 - Nomenclature Worksheet. While I do a bit of review in this video lecture, you may find that reviewing the video lecture part 1 from October 1st above to be very helpful. Here we cover the older system of nomenclature for the transition metal ions, as well as binary covalent nomenclature and acid nomenclature.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, October 8, 2020
Today we did Activity 4 - Writing Formulas and Names. This is yet another opportunity to learn nomenclature. This lab nicely correlates electron configurations with ion formation. Towards the end of this lab all of the nomenclature types are combined within the exercises such that you need to take care to use the correct nomenclature rules for each compound. Many examples are worked out in the video.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
In this video we look at Activity 12 - Balancing Chemical Equations. We start with an introduction to chemical equations, how to read them, the different symbols used, and other information that they can contain. We discuss the need for balancing in order to preserve the mass balance between the reactants and the products consistent with the idea of conservation of matter. The rules for balancing were discussed as well as a recommended steps to balance just about any Chem30A problem in 4 steps or less. Lots of examples were presented.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, October 15, 2020
We take on Activity 13 - Counting by Weighing and Activity 14 - The Mole Worksheet today. both of these activities are stoichiometry exercises. Stoichiometry is the process of doing mass to mole conversions. In the video we develop a general stoichiometry road map and show how to use it. This general road map will serve for the rest of the semester and we'll keep adding new in roads and out roads as the semester goes forward. Unlike the dimensional analysis problems where the road maps change for each problem, stoichiometry road maps are very predictable and consistent and the process can be memorized.
There are two exercises here that need to be completed:
- Activity 13 - Counting by Weighing
- Activity 14 - Mole Worksheet
Be sure that you download both from the canvas shell in Module 5, complete both and get them back uploaded. I would strongly recommend showing your work and working on separate pieces of paper to turn your work in for both of these exercise.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Today we looked at Activity 11 - Energy Changes of Solution Formation. This is one of my favorite labs as it looks at both enthalpy (the energy associated with chemical bonds) and entropy (the measure of disorder in a chemical system). It turns out that chemical reactions can be driven by changes in energy associated with the bonds in the products and reactants (changes in enthalpy), or by sufficiently increasing the disorder within the sytem (changes in entropy), or by both! In describing all of the terms we also look at endothermic (increase in enthalpy) and exothermic (decrease in enthalpy) for chemical reactions. The experiment is described, but also we go through all the questions for this lab. All you need to do is to complete the question section in your own words and turn it in!
- Lecture Date: Thursday, October 22, 2020
Exam 2 Review - Today we reviewed chapters 3 - 5 in anticipation of exam 2 this coming Monday. We used Christa's review topics as a guide and addressed student questions from there. It's hard to do an in depth review in an hour and a half, so I was really reviewing and not trying to teach from scratch. Hopefully you guys find this useful. Good luck everyone!
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Today we are continuing our exploration of endothermic and exothermic reactions. In this video for Activity 25 - Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions, we explain in more detail the energy changes associated with endothermic and exothermic reactions and how to recognize a reaction that exothermic or endothermic by looking at how the temperature of the reaction changes as the reaction proceeds.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, October 29, 2020
Well, it appears that we are ahead in the lab schedule. There was no assigned lab today. I had proposed doing an open study session like open office hours for help completing outstanding assignments, but having no takers we opted to do an introduction to gas laws. We introduced the model of an ideal gas, approximations made to simplify the relationships of the properties of gases. From there we looked at the units associated with pressure, volume, temperature, and moles. Having the units straightened out we built a theoretical experiment to investigate the relationships of pressure with temperature, volume and moles. We then developed the ideal gas law and introduced the idea of the proportionality constant R which is the ideal gas constant. We did a couple of example problems using the ideal gas law, and then showed a derivation to the combined gas law. Next week we'll show how to use that combined gas law to do the Boyle's law lab.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Today we did the Boyle's law experiment. This is a supplemental experiment that is not in the lab manual. The experiment worksheet can be downloaded from the Canvas shell in Module 7. In this experiment we use pressure and volume data to discover the relationship between pressure and volume for an ideal gas. We look at the data both qualitatively in terms of how the data is trending, but also demonstrate how to look at the data graphically.
- Lecture Date: Thrusday, November 5, 2020
Given that we were ahead in the lab section, and that we didn't have a lab scheduled for today, we took the opportunity to do some homework problems from chapter 7. Rather than doing your exact homework problems, I picked problems that were identical to the ones assigned but with different numbers. We hit Boyle's Law, Charle's law, combined gas law, ideal gas law, and Dalton's law problems. Hopefully you guys will find this helpful as a review and tools for attacking gas law problems.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2020
The subject of today's lab is the Solubility Worksheet. We covere the different types of solubility (ionic vs. molecular) and review the types of intermolecular forces involved in solutions. From there we show how we make solutions and determine the different types of concentration - Molarity, %w/w, %w/v and Osmolarity. We developed roadmaps for most of the problems in the worksheet.
- Lecture Date: Thrusday, November 12, 2020
Given that we were ahead in the lab section, and that we didn't have a lab scheduled for today, we took the opportunity to do some homework problems from chapter 7. Rather than doing your exact homework problems, I picked problems that were identical to the ones assigned but with different numbers. We hit Boyle's Law, Charle's law, combined gas law, ideal gas law, and Dalton's law problems. Hopefully you guys will find this helpful as a review and tools for attacking gas law problems.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Today we did a lab on acids and bases. This is Activity 21 Proton Transfer. This is a discovery lab to find which compounds are acids and which are bases. We use a series of what are call indicators, compounds that change color in the presense of acids or bases, to probe the nature of each of the compounds in the lab. The worksheet for this lab is tight on space. It may be helpful to work on separate sheets of paper to complete the work to turn in for this lab.
- Lecture Date: Thursday, November 19, 2020
We are getting down to the last couple of labs. Today we look at the Acids and Bases worksheet. This is a fairly lengthy worksheet that looks at all aspects of acids and bases from writing dissociation formulas for strong acids and bases to weak acids and bases, neutralization equations, and calculating pH and hydrogen ion concentrations.
- Lecture Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2020
We are into chapter 10 and nuclear chemistry. Today we take a look at activity 24 and the Radioactivity Worksheet. The lab lecture covers the different types of radioactive decay, how to write radioactive decay equations and the calculation of half-life for radioactive isotopes.