Chem 120 Syllabus - Prof. Bryan Hanson - DePauw University

Chemistry 120C Spring 2010
Structure and Properties of Organic Molecules
Prof. Bryan Hanson

If you are reading a printed version of this syllabus, remember that it is up to you to follow the links and read the information contained in all the related pages. It is your responsibility to know the class policies.

Class Policies (including grading, late assignments & attendance issues)
Class Schedule
Assignments: 1 2 3 4 5
Academic Integrity
Organic Chem Resources
Study Questions

Answer Keys:

Exam 1 Key

	Class Meetings	Lab Meetings
Chemistry 120C	10:30 - 11:30 MWF Julian 374	8:30 - 11:20 Th Julian 342

Texts:

Organic Chemistry by Hornback, 2nd Edition
Study Guide & Solutions Manual to accompany Hornback
Making the Connections: A How-To Guide for Organic Chemisty Lab Techniques by Anne Padias
Lab Notebook with duplicate pages

Note: Texts for the course are very expensive! If you have a lab notebook with duplicate pages from a previous course, and there are still pages left in it, you may use it. Also, Hornback exists in an identical international edition for much less money. The lab manual with the experiments will be provided in class for the cost of printing and copyright permissions. If you plan to take Chemistry 320, keep your texts from this course.

Office Info: JSMC 363 phone 658-4602 e-mail "hanson" Please feel free to drop by almost any time or make an appointment if you have any questions or problems. More detailed information about contacting me and my office hours policies is here.

Grading: Grades will be calculated based upon exam scores, lab work and quizzes. There will be three 100 point midterm exams and a 200 point final. Weekly quizzes will be given on Fridays. Problems will be assigned at appropriate intervals but will not be turned in or graded. However, the material in the problem sets will appear on the quizzes and exams. Details about how I will calculate grades can be found here. It is vital that you read about it; it is your responsibility to know it.

Have Questions? Having Trouble? All students have questions from time to time. If you don't, you are probably not engaging with the material deeply enough. Unfortunately, many students never seek answers to their questions. If you have questions about the material, and you don't want to ask them in class, please ask after class, before class, or during lab. If you are really in a bind, you could even make an appointment to see scary old Prof. Hanson ;-) If that prospect is too frightening, you might seek help at the Q Center. They have students dedicated to helping folks with organic chemistry. Finally, if you don't mind spending more money on a book, here is a good one that might give you a different view of the material:

Organic Chemistry as a Second Language: Translating the Basic Concepts by David R. Klein (2nd Edition, Wiley, 2007).

Exam Schedule:

Exam 1: Friday March 5th
Exam 2: Friday April 2nd
Exam 3: Wednesday April 28th
Final for Chem 120A (note - the final is cumulative): Tuesday May 18th 8:30 - 11:30 am

Other Important Dates & Stuff:

The drop deadline is Monday February 8th.
Progress Reports are due Monday March 15th: you will receive an estimate of your course grade.
Last day to withdraw from course with only a W on your transcript is Friday March 19th.
Do Not make travel plans which require you to miss the class right before a break, the last class of the semester, a lab, or which interfere with the final exams!

Other Chemistry Courses of Interest, and What Will I Take Next? Those students considering continued work in Chemistry should consider registering this semester for Chemistry 170, Stoichiometric Calculations. This is a self-paced, 0.25 credit course covering basic chemical calculations such as mole conversions, yields, solutions and gas laws. Since these topics are generally covered well in high school chemistry, it might be wise to take the course sooner rather than later. Chemistry 170 is a pre-requisite for Chemistry 260, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium and Kinetics, as well as Chemistry 320, Organic Mechanisms and Synthesis.

After you complete Chemistry 120, the courses you should consider taking include Chemistry 130 (Structure and Properties of Inorganic Compounds), Chemistry 240 (Structure and Function of Biomolecules), and Chemistry 260 (Thermodynamics, Equilibrium and Kinetics). You and your advisor can discuss which course(s) are most appropriate for your major and career objectives.

Course Background: Chemistry 120 is intended for students who have had high school chemistry. The course is titled "Structure and Properties of Organic Molecules" and so we will naturally focus on the structures of organic molecules and how that structure affects their properties and behavior. The main areas we will cover are listed below.

The organic functional groups, chemical symbolism and chemical language
Molecular properties
Bonding theory
Spectroscopy
Stereochemistry

Course Content Goals:

To understand the language and symbolism of chemistry so that you can communicate with others on the topic
To understand how the structure of a molecule affects its behavior and properties
To understand the theory of bonding, from atomic structure to molecular orbital theory
To understand how spectroscopic techniques can tell us about a molecule's structure
To understand the nature of stereochemistry and isomerism, and the role they play in chemical structure

Course Process Goals:

Develop thinking skills useful beyond the context of organic chemistry (analytical, conceptual, abstract)
Learn something about your learning style preferences, and how to optimize your learning
Develop problem solving skills
Work on laboratory skills
Work on computer skills
Learn to use the language and jargon of organic chemistry appropriately, and to express yourself accordingly
Learn how to digest fairly large amounts of material, identify the essentials concepts, and package it in your own way