Advance Placement Chemistry
2010-2011 Course Description and Syllabus
Mr. Daw (Adapted from Mrs. Graves)
Stuarts Draft High School
Room 46
Contact Information
School Phone: (540) 946-7600 Email: or
Course Description
Advance Placement Chemistry is designed to be equivalent to a first-year college chemistry course. Since this course is taught at a college level it will be very demanding in terms of both time and effort. To be successful, students will have to spend 5-6 hours outside of class each week (45-60 minutes per day) studying chemistry and doing homework. Students may work in groups and/or get help from teachers.
Each unit of study will consist of lectures, demonstrations, activities & laboratory experiments followed by a comprehensive exam. The class will meet daily for 45 minutes, but may require additional time each week to collect data and complete experiments. Students will take the AP Chemistry examination in May 2011. A score of 3/5 on the AP exam is required for credit at most universities.
Classroom Goals and Objectives
The students will be able to:
· Develop reading, writing, speaking, and studying skills essential for college.
· Set ambitious personal goals and achieve them with integrity.
· Work effectively as part of a team to accomplish complex tasks.
· Analyze and solve scientific problems using a systematic approach.
· Ask questions, make predictions, gather data, analyze results, draw conclusions and operate safely in a scientific laboratory setting.
· Understand and appreciate the order and beauty of the natural world.
Textbook
Steven S. Zumbahl and Susan Zumbahl, Chemistry, 5th Ed., Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 2000.
Materials
Students are required to have the following materials and bring them to class every day:
· Pen & pencil (Dark colors work best.)
· Scientific calculator (A graphing calculator would be useful.)
· Notebook with paper & dividers (3 ring binders are easier to organize.)
· Textbook & supplementary documents (Fast Track to a 5 is a useful guide to exam success.)
· Periodic Table of the Elements (This will be supplied by teacher.)
· Laboratory Notebook (must be a “composition” notebook; NOT a spiral notebook).
Helpful Hints
A student’s success in this course will reflect the amount of time and effort put into it.
· Be in class, on time, ready to work every day. (Absences will be very difficult to make up.)
· Pre-read each chapter/section before lecture. (Have specific questions in mind.)
· Work on problems as we cover them in class. (Have examples to look at while doing homework.)
· Ask questions as soon as they arise. (Don’t wait until the test!)
· Take good notes and review them often. (Rewriting notes is a great way to “make it stick”.)
· Keep up with your assignments and due dates. (Staying organized will minimize frustration.)
· Use your text, notes, websites, office hours and classmates to help solve problems. Study groups are good learning experiences; however, you must be able to work/solve problems on your own.
Student Responsibilities
Each student is responsible for the contents of this document including the expectations, procedures, schedules and grading policies for AP chemistry. Students are responsible for what goes on in class whether they are in attendance or not. If absent, please find out what was missed and make up assignments ASAP. If possible, check with Mr. Daw beforehand to avoid falling behind. Because we will be moving at a rapid pace, it will be very difficult to catch up once a student falls behind. If you are unsure about a topic or class expectation, please ask! Remember, AP chemistry is designed to be the equivalent of a college chemistry course, so be responsible for your learning!
Class Room Rules
1. Students are expected to respect safety rules, the teacher, and fellow students.
2. Students are expected to be in class, seated with materials out, and ready to begin when the tardy bell rings.
3. Students are expected to complete all assignments before arriving to class and to bring all necessary materials to class EVERY DAY.
4. Students are expected NOT to eat or drink, litter, “horse-play”, stray from directions, or perform unauthorized experiments with any equipment in the classroom.
5. Class will be dismissed when all materials and/or lab equipment have been properly put way and laboratory areas are cleaned according to laboratory procedures.
Absences
Daily attendance is essential for student success in this course. If absent, a student must obtain all missing assignments and/or notes from a classmate. For excused absences, students will have one day to make-up any assignments missed. Students are strongly discouraged from missing test (exam) dates. Tests may be given early by prior arrangement. Students absent during a test (exam) period, are expected to make up the test the day they return. Attendance/participation will count for approximately 10% of the final grade.
Homework
Homework will be assigned weekly (including weekends and school breaks). Students should complete assignments by due dates; no late homework will be accepted. Please ask questions or get help before homework is due. Students will be provided with solution keys to most of the homework assignments. In order to receive full credit for homework, students must complete all assigned problems, show formulas and steps, use the correct number of significant figures, and circle the answer with the correct units. Homework will count for approximately 10% of the final grade.
Quizzes and Tests
There will be regular quizzes for each topic, some announced and some “pop” quizzes. There will be a comprehensive test, similar in format to the AP test, for each unit. The quizzes and tests will consist of multiple choice questions, short answers questions, numerical problems and essay questions. Students will be given the opportunity to correct and return tests (as well as some quizzes) for additional (approximately ½) credit. Do not expect to “ace” many quizzes or tests. Learn from your mistakes!
In order to prepare for the AP exam, to the extent possible, tests will be graded using the same rubric used on the actual exam. Since the scoring system is different for the AP test, some adjustments (i.e. a “curve”) will be used to calculate the students’ test grades for Stuarts Draft High School. (Since a 3/5 on the AP exam is required to earn credit at most universities, that percentage (60%) will be approximately equivalent to a D (75%) in my grade book.) Remember that students will have the opportunity to return corrected tests for additional credit and that AP chemistry is a weighted grade. Quizzes and tests will account for approximately 50% of the final grade.
Schedule, Text Sections & Topics for AP Chemistry
½ / Safety and Technique / -Discuss laboratory safety rules and expectations.
-Examine various instruments and glassware used in a laboratory.
-Identify proper laboratory techniques.
Summer / Ch. 1: Chemical Foundations / -Identify the steps and parts of the scientific method; design an experiment using the steps.
-Define theory and law; distinguish between the two.
-Define SI base units of measurement and convert between metric units, English units, and various temperature scales.
-Differentiate between accuracy and precision.
-Discuss various types of error and calculate percent error in an experiment.
-Define significant figures and discuss rules concerning reporting correct number of sig. figs.
-Examine the properties of matter and classify properties as intensive or extensive.
-Define the states (phases) of matter and their properties in terms of shape, volume, and compressibility.
-Classify matter as a substance or mixture.
-Identify ways to separate mixtures such as filtering, chromatography, and distillation.
Summer / Ch. 2: Atoms, Molecules, and Ions / -Chronologically list scientists and study of the atom; beginning with Democritus to modern.
-Discuss Dalton’s Atomic Theory and modifications made to his postulation.
-Discuss Thomson’s and Millikan’s roles in discovering the mass and charge of electrons.
-Describe Rutherford’s experiment and how it led to the discovery of the nucleus.
-Define subatomic particles, their location, masses, and charges.
-Discuss the atomic scale and atomic mass units.
-Define quarks.
-Discuss and define isotopes.
-Distinguish between atomic mass, mass number, atomic number and determine how to calculate each as it appears on the Periodic Table.
-Review parts of the Periodic Table such as group names.
-Define molecules and covalent network substances.
-Compare/contrast molecular and ionic compounds.
-Predict charges on ions and determine formulas for ionic compounds.
-Review naming rules for ionic and covalent compounds.
Summer
+ 1 / Ch. 3: Stoichiometry / -Define moles and Avogadro’s number.
-Convert moles
- mol to gram (gram to mol)
- mol to particles (particles to mol)
-grams to particles (particles to grams)
-Calculate formula mass (molar mass of a compound).
-Calculate percent composition.
-Define empirical and molecular formulas; distinguish between the two.
-Discuss how ionic and molecular compounds are related to empirical and molecular formulas.
-Calculate empirical formula and molecular formulas.
-Review chemical equations and information that may be obtained from the equation.
-Review steps to solving stoichiometry problems and practice calculations.
-Identify limiting reactant (reagent) in a reaction.
2 / Ch. 4: Types of Chemical Reactions and Solution Stoichiometry / -Review the classification of matter.
-Define a solution and identify parts: solute and solvent.
-Distinguish between saturate, unsaturated, and supersaturated solutions.
-Compare electrolytes and nonelectrolytes.
-Discuss dissociate and compare dissociate between ionic and molecular compounds, and strong acids/bases and weak acids/bases.
-Define molarity.
-Calculate molarity and amount of solute needed to prepare solutions with certain concentrations.
-Calculate concentration of diluted solutions.
-Identify types of reactions such as single-replacement, double-replacement, and redox reactions.
-Discuss the activity series of metals and halogens.
-Determine and memorize solubility rules.
-Distinguish between oxidation and reduction.
-Discuss rules for assigning oxidation numbers.
-Predict products for redox reactions.
1 / Ch. 5: Gases / -Define ideal gases in terms of the Kinetic Molecular Theory.
-Discuss the nature of gases.
-Define pressure and identify ways/units of measuring pressure.
-Define standard temperature and pressure.
-Review converting between Celsius and Kelvin.
-Identify and calculate variables of the following gas laws:
-The Combined Gas Law
- Boyle’s Law
- Gay-Lussac’s Law
- Charles’ Law
- Avogadro’s Law
- The Ideal Gas Law
-Use molar volume to convert between moles and liters.
-Define density of gases and discuss the relationship between density and the Ideal Gas Law.
-Solve gas stoichiometry problems.
-Discuss Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures.
-Discuss the parts of the Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases.
-Distinguish between diffusion and effusion.
-Calculate rates of effusion and diffusion using Graham’s laws.
-Compare real gases to ideal gases.
1 / Ch. 10: Liquids and Solids / -Discuss/compare the magnitude of forces between intermolecular forces and bonds.
-Discuss the following intermolecular forces:
-Hydrogen bonding
-London forces
-Describe how intermolecular forces are related to boiling points.
-Discuss the properties of liquids such as surface tension, viscosity, and capillary action.
-Differentiate between the types of solids.
-Identify Bragg’s Law
-Discuss the types of crystalline structures (cubic, monoclinic, tetragonal, orthorhombic)
-Discuss the “packing” of metals.
-Examine the structure of metal alloys.
-Discuss the structure of solid molecular compounds.
-Define equilibrium vapor pressure.
-Interpret a phase diagram of water and discuss the phase changes.
-Interpret a triple-point diagram of water, carbon dioxide, carbon, and sulfur and compare the diagrams.
2 / Ch. 6: Thermochemistry / -Define energy types and laws of conservation of mass (energy).
-Define heat and work in terms of the change in energy.
-Describe the relationship between work, volume, and pressure.
-Differentiate between endo- and exothermic reactions in terms of energy.
-Discuss calorimetry.
-Define joules.
-Identify a calorimeter and discuss how it works.
-Define specific heat.
-Perform calculations using specific heat.
-Identify Hess’ Law.
-Calculate the heat of reaction.
2 / Ch. 8: Atomic Structure and Periodicity / -Describe how atoms at like waves and particles.
-Discuss the electromagnetic spectrum, its components, and how it relates to atomic structure.
-Describe the relationship between the energy of electromagnetic radiation and frequency using the equation E = hλ.
-Discuss the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and energy.
-View the spectroscopic analysis of light.
-Discuss electron transitions and “jumps’ to different energy levels and evidence to support this.
-Define quantum numbers and how to assign numbers.
-Utilize the Pauli Exclusion Principle to place electrons in orbitals.
-Define an orbital.
-Explain how the Schrödinger Wave Equation relates to finding electrons.
-Describe the Heinsburg Uncertainty Principle.
-Compare the different types of orbitals, their sizes, and shape.
-Describe the relationship between the Periodic Table and quantum numbers and orbitals.
-Use the Periodic Table to fill orbital diagrams.
-Discuss some irregular electron configurations of transition metals.
-Discuss periodic trends such as atomic radii, first ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity, and ionic radii.
1 / Ch. 18: The Nucleus / -Identify nuclear symbols.
-Balance nuclear equations.
-Discuss and compare alpha decay and radiation, beta decay and radiation, and gamma decay and radiation.
-Discuss the production of positrons.
-Define electron capture.
-Discuss nuclear stability.
-Define half-life and calculate the half-life of radioactive isotopes.
-Compare nuclear fission and fusion.
-Discuss how nuclear changes affect mass and energy.
-Examine a fission reactor and how it functions.
1 / Ch. 8: Bonding: General Concepts / -Define electronegativity.
-Describe ionic bonding and character.
-Identify Coulomb’s Law.
-Compare ionic radii and relationship to arrangement on Periodic Table.
-Describe and view the structure of ionic compounds, such as the crystal lattice structure of NaCl.
-Describe covalent bonding and various intermolecular forces.
-Determine the relationship between bond length and energy and enthalpy.
-Review the Octet Rule.
-Discuss exceptions to the Octet Rule.
-Draw Lewis Structures.
-Compare double and triple bonding.
-Discuss resonance and its relationship to bond energy.
-Describe resonance in polyatomic ions.
-Use VSEPR to predict shapes of molecules.
1 / Ch. 9: Covalent Bonding: Orbitals / -Discuss various molecular bonding theories including VSEPR, bond hybridization, and molecular orbitals.
-Describe and predict geometries, bond angles, molecular polarities, and molecular orbital configurations.
-Discuss the De-Localized Electron Model.
2 / Ch. 11 Properties of Solutions / -Classify matter based on properties.
-Define the components of a solution.
-Perform calculations to determine mole fractions, molality, molarity, conversion between concentration units, and dilution problems.
-Discuss trends in solubility such as temperature, surface area, pressure, and “like dissolves like”.
-Define the different types of solutions.
-Interpret a solubility graph.
-Identify Henry’s Law and Raoult’s Law.
-Compare and contrast non-, weak- and strong electrolytes.
-Examine colligative properties and determine molar mass from colligative properties.
-Define colloids and identify their properties.
-Describe the Tyndall Effect.
2 / Spectroscopy and Chromatography / -Define spectroscopy and chromatography.
-Discuss how each is used to identify chemicals.
-Examine various spectra.
-Identify Beer’s Law.
-Research the theory and mechanisms related to spectroscopy and chromatography.
-Examine a laboratory using spectroscopy and chromatography.
2 / Ch. 12 Chemical Kinetics / -Define reaction rate.
-Write a differential rate law.
-Determine order using concentration and time data.
-Discuss integrated rate laws.
-Calculate rate constants.
-Identify rate-determining steps and intermediates of a reaction.
-Examine the Collision Model.
-Discuss the factors that affect rate of reactions.
-Compare and contrast endo- and exothermic reactions.
-Identify and perform calculations using the Arrhenius Equation.
-Discuss catalysts and their affects on reaction rates.
2 / Ch. 13 Chemical Equilibrium / -Define chemical equilibrium.
-Define and calculate equilibrium constant.
-Interpret an equilibrium constant expression.
-Calculate the equilibrium concentration given the original concentration.
-Define LeChatlier’s Principle.
-Predict the direction of a reaction using LeChatlier’s Principle.
2 / Ch. 14 Acids and Bases / -Define and identify acids and bases based on different definitions.
-Discuss the relationship between pH, pOH, and [H+] [OH-] and perform calculations.
-Discuss reactions of acids/bases in water (proper ionic notation) and acid/base titrations.
-Interpret acid/base titration curves and determine pH at endpoint and equivalence point.
-Define Ka, Kb (for strong acids and bases) and determine Ka from pH and percent dissociation.
-Discuss the properties of salts.
2 / Ch. 15 Applications of Aqueous Equilibria / -Discuss the reaction of weak bases with water.
-Define buffers, describe how they work, and how they are made,
-Identify Acid/salt and Base/salt buffer pairs.
-Examine a graph of a buffered solution.
-Perform calculations using the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation.
-Define indicators and examine the pH range of various ones.
-Interpret Ksp expressions and solve solubility problems.
-Use the solubility rules to determine the formation of a precipitate.
-Describe the common ion effect.
2 / Ch. 16 Spontaneity, Entropy, and Free Energy / -Define Spontaneity, Entropy, and Gibb’s Free Energy.
-Determine the values of each for reactions using data tables.
-Describe the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.
-Describe the relationship between free energy, pressure, equilibrium, and work.
2 / Ch. 17 Electrochemistry / -Identify rules for assigning oxidation numbers, oxidizing and reducing agents, and balancing redox reactions.
-Examine electrochemical cells and identify components.
-Determine the standard cell potential for a given cell.
-Perform calculations using the Nerst Equation.
-Determine the strength of oxidizing and reducing agents.
-Calculate the equilibrium constant from cell potential.
-Describe the electrolysis of water and electroplating of silver.
1 / Ch. 20 Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry / -Describe the electron configurations of transition metals.
-Define coordination compounds.
-Define ligands and identify some common ligands.
-Discuss rules for naming coordination compounds.
-Discuss the various types of isomerism.
-Describe bonding in complex ions.
-Explain the Crystal Field Model.
1 / Ch. 22 Organic and Biological Molecules / -Distinguish between alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
-Discuss nomenclature rules for each.
-Discuss isomerism and geometry of simple organic compounds.
AP Chemistry Laboratories