TEXT: Chemistry: Principles and Reactions by Masterton, Hurley & Neth

HONORS CHEMISTRY

INSTRUCTOR:Fr. Bernard Johnson

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A Guide to the Elements, 2nd edition by Albert Stwertka

The Honors Chemistry course is designed to present the students with the principles of chemistry at an accelerated pace and in greater depth than in the regular chemistry course. Emphasis is on qualitative relationships and more sophisticated problem solving skills. Topics covered include but are not limited to, the nature of matter, atomic theory, periodic properties of the elements, chemical bonding, chemical reactions and equations, molar relationships, stoichiometry, properties of gases, thermodynamics, reaction rates, equilibria, andacids and bases. The course involves hands-on laboratory activities. The nature of scientific inquiry and the use of the scientific method to investigate chemical systems is also addressed. This course meets the requirements of the California State Framework for science and the Next Generation Science Standards as well as Common Core Math and English Language Arts standards.

General course objectives are intended to enable the student to

develop an understanding of the main concepts and processes of chemistry.
develop an awareness of the diversity and complexity of chemical processes and interrelationships.
develop an understanding of the scientific method and how it is used and how scientific hypotheses and theories are formulated and tested.
develop models based on evidence.
recognize patterns and use them as evidence of causality.
plan and carry out investigations to produce evidence in support of a model.
develop an understanding of measurement accuracy and precision.
use mathematical representations of phenomena to support claims.
develop skills in solving chemistry related word problems especially conversions.
develop an understanding of the major theories and paradigms used in chemistry and chemical research.
develop an awareness of the history of science and the men and women who have contributed to the advancement of the chemical and physical sciences.
develop an understanding of the different types of written reports used in chemistry, including but not limited to laboratory notes, laboratory reports, research articles and news abstracts.
understand and connect the study of chemistry to the “expected schoolwide learning results” pertaining to Catholicism, Character, Curriculum, and Community.

Specific course objectives will enable the student to

Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of patterns of chemical properties.
Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the macroscopic scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
Apply scientific principles to provide an explanation about the effects of changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at which a reaction occurs.
Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.
Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.
Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.
Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).
Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.
Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.
Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.
Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.
Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.
Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
determine atomic mass, formula mass, and molar mass of elements and compounds, determine percent composition of compounds, balance chemical equations; use balanced equations to relate masses of reactants and products.
determine relationship among wavelength, frequency, energy, and quantum mechanics; use quantum mechanics to determine electron configurations of atoms and ions.
determine bond type; draw Lewis structures; and use the VSEPR model to predict molecular geometry of covalent compounds.
determine temperature relationships for closed systems; write thermochemical equations and use them to determine bond energies of reactants and products.
identify intermolecular forces in polar and nonpolar substances and determine their effects on physical properties.
differentiate between acids and bases and use indicators and titration to determine acidity.