CHEM254Laboratory Development ProjectSpring 2008
In the beginning of 2nd semester chemistry lab you will research, develop, and prepare an experiment that will be performed by the entire section. This project is aimed at guiding you through the scientific process that is often done at the beginning of an extended research project such as those done during summer research projects and graduate school. Science is all about building on and extending the work of those researchers who have gone before you. The great Isaac Newton said “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” When beginning a research project, in graduate school for example, the researcher is asked to read a series of scientific articles and then repeat some of the key experiments that others have published.
Why repeat what others have done when you are trying to discover something new and interesting? First of all, if you are doing original research you want to be sure to not inadvertently repeat the work of others. Second, you need become familiar with the equipment, instruments, and techniques that are required for the type of research you are going to be doing. What is more, you will discover that it is not so easy to repeat a published procedure. Surprisingly often, the literature procedure does not work the way it is supposed to. This may be because crucial details have been omitted by the authors. Or, more likely, it is because you had to do a certain amount of adaptation of the procedure to fit the resources that you have available in your lab. This is all part of the learning curve in becoming a research scientist.
In this project you will work as a team to research, select, develop, and lead a class experiment that addresses one of the topics of second semester organic chemistry. You will spend the first four weeks of the semester doing to the necessary steps to prepare an experiment. In the next four weeks of the semester the class will perform the experiments prepared by the different groups.
Week 1: January 14 &16
In Lab:
You will be divided into groups of three or four students in your laboratory section. The aim is to have four groups per section.
You will be assigned a topic (in order of appearance) from the following list: 1) Alcohols, 2) Diels Alder additions,3) Aldehydes/Ketones, and 4) Esters 5) Carboxylic Acids. These are broad topics that we will be addressing in the lecture section of the course.
You will research published Experiments for Sophomore Organic Chemistry that deal with your topic. These are the resources you have available: 1) Internet search engine, 2) Journal of Chemical Education online archives, 3) Dr. Friesen’s Links, and 4) Hard-copy laboratory manuals. Your goal is to identify 3-4 (depending on the number of students in your group)possible experimentsthat look interesting and reasonable enough to merit further scrutiny. One person in your group should be given the task to record the process you followed what words and/or phrases did you search, what was the quality of hits you received, what were important factors in vetting possible candidates, etc.... It is important to choose at least one Journal of Chemical Education experiment and one experiment from a laboratory manual. You will hand in the complete references for at least 6 to 8 possible experiments and a brief description of the selection process at the end of the laboratory period.
Home base will be the usual webpage:
However I am developing 2 other sites:
Homework:
Once you have identified 3 or 4 candidates, you will fill out an analysis sheet handout for each one. This will help you to determine which will be your final selection.You will hand in copies of the 3 or 4 completed analysis sheets at the beginning of Week 2.
Week 2: January 21 & 23
In lab:
As a group, you will choose the experiment that you will develop. Once you have chosen your experiment, inform the instructor to discuss the appropriateness of the experiment and the scale (in terms of quantities) at which it ought to be performed.
Once you have the okay from the instructor, make a list of chemicals and solutions that you will need. Estimate the quantities based on the number of students who will be performing the experiment. Check the stockroom list to see if we have these chemicals available. Go to the Sigma-Aldrich catalog (hard-copy or online) and check availability and pricing of all the chemicals, even the ones we already have available at Dominican. You will hand in a list of chemicals required for the experiment before the end of the laboratory period.
Make a list of materials required by the procedure. Think through each step carefully, because these are not always detailed out in the published procedures. Match the items on your list with the materials that we have available in your laboratory drawers. Identify any issues of adaptation that need to be addressed and discuss them with the instructor before you leave the laboratory. You will hand in a list of materials required for the experiment before the end of the laboratory period.
Make a list of instrumentation required by the procedure. Think through each step carefully, because these are not always detailed out in the published procedures. Match the items on your list with the instrumentation that we have available at Dominican. Identify any issues of adaptation that need to be addressed and discuss them with the instructor before you leave the laboratory. You will hand in a list of instrumentationrequired for the experiment before the end of the laboratory period.
Homework:
Your homework for the second week will be to start work on a customized handout for your experiment. You will work from outline that we used during the first semester experiments with few modifications:1) Introduction and background information, 2) Procedure, 3) Disposal,4) Safety 5) Prelab preparation, 6) Observations, and 7) Lab Report.
1) Introduction and background information: You may use the text from your original source, properly cited of course. Be sure that there is at least one reaction equation with complete molecular structures. Include the section(s) of our lecture textbook that address the topic of the experiment. Add information from at least one other source that contributes to this section. Any new techniques must be properly described. Pictures, tables, and diagrams are always nice additions. All sources must be properly cited as footnotes.
2) Procedure: Cut and paste in the procedure from your original literature experiment. You will work on this section during next week’s laboratory session.
3) Disposal: Detailed information on what will be disposed of and the proper disposal. Determine the hazard class of each chemical to be disposed of. Do not forget things like filter paper, paper towels, nitrile gloves, and weigh boats.
4) Safety: What are the safety concerns associated with this experiment?
5) Prelab: Complete a table for each chemical and solution like we did first semester.
6) Observations: You will work on this section during next week’s laboratory session.
7) Lab Report: What data will be generated? How will it be presented? How should it be interpreted?
Hand in the draft copy of your customized handout at the beginning of Week 3.
Week 3: January 28 & 30
In Lab:
You will perform the experiment at least once during this lab period. Designate one person in your group to record detailed notes and observations. Designate one person in your group as a photographer and take photos of key steps in the procedure. Be sure to identify any difficulties and/or ambiguities that arise. When the experiment is completed, meet as a group and write down a brief evaluation of the experiment. Did it work like you thought it would? Is there anything that needs to be improved or worked on?
Discuss your experiment with the instructor. Identify the proper analysis techniques that can be performed in our laboratories. This will most likely be the part of the original procedure that needs to be adapted to our particular facilities.
Hand in notes, observations and a brief evaluation of the experiment before you leave the lab.
Homework:
Work on handout: Make adjustments in the customized handout in light of your experiences in lab. Address the suggestions offered by the instructor. Interpret chromatography and spectroscopic data generated from your experiment.
Format photos or video taken during the experiment.
Create web page for your experiment. Appropriate links to background information. Historical information on the reaction, equipment, instruments, and techniques. Humor. Post photos that you took during lab.
Hand in the 2nddraft copy of your customized handout at the beginning of Week 4.
Include webpage URL on your handount.
Week 4: February 4 & 6
In Lab:
You may need to complete the analysis of last week’s products.
Do a final run-through of your experiment.
Prepare the reagents for your experiment: mix up solutions, make dispensing bottles for reagents, etc…
Hand in your Laboratory Technician’s notes before you leave lab.
Homework:
Finalize customized handout.
Finalize webpage.
Hand in the final copy of your customized handout at the beginning of Week 5.
Include webpage URL on your handount.
Grading:
You will generally be given points as a team unless you request otherwise.
Tentative point assignments:
Assignment / PointsWeek 1: In lab complete references for at least 6 to 8 possible experiments and a brief description of the selection process / 5
Beginning of Week 2 copies of the 3 or 4 completed analysis sheets. / 5
Week 2: In lab You will hand in a list of chemicals, equipment, and instruments required for the experiment before the end of the laboratory period. / 10
Beginning of Week 3 Hand in the draft copy of your customized handout. / 5
Week 3: In lab Hand in notes, observations and a brief evaluation of the experiment before you leave the lab. / 10
Beginning of Week 4 Hand in the 2nddraft copy of your customized handout. / 5
Week 4: In lab Hand in your Laboratory Technician’s notes before you leave lab. / 5
Beginning of Week 5 Hand in the final copy of your customized handout. / 20
Web page / 15
Total Points / 80