Chemistry 134 Lab

 

Course Objective:  To provide students with an explanation of the basic concepts, laws and theories of chemistry and to apply them to chemistry problems through a laboratory setting.  The student will demonstrate basic laboratory techniques and be able to apply them in a practical chemistry setting.

 

Student Learning Outcomes:  Upon completion of this course, the students are expected to

  • apply chemistry concepts to problem solving.
  • apply quantitative methods to problem solving.
  • demonstrate the knowledge of issues facing modern science, and have the confidence and laboratory skills needed to complete routine experiments.
  • demonstrate the knowledge of the influence of modern technology on chemistry by using instrumentation to collect data during laboratory experiments.

 

CHE 134/134L Exemplary Educational Objectives

 

Objective 1

On completion of this course, students are expected to master and apply chemistry concepts to problem solving.

Assessment Instrument

Experiment 17-Kinetics: Determination of the order of a reaction is selected to assess the outcome. Students are required to determine the order of a decomposition reaction. They have to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of reaction rates and apply the correct method according to the lab procedure to determine reaction order by experiment. Graphic calculators can be used to help get the best slope for graphs.

Assessment Criteria

70% students will meet or exceed a satisfactory performance in lab with a grade of 60% or higher

 

Objective 2

On completion of this course, students are expected to master and apply quantitative methods to problem solving.

Assessment Instrument

Experiment 16- Volumetric analysis: Redox titration is selected to assess the outcome. In this experiment, the titration involves oxidation and reduction reaction. The titrant (reducing agent thiosulfate ion) will be standardized quantitatively, and used to determine the normality of iodine in an unknown sample.  Averages and standard deviations of the normality needs to be reported.

Assessment Criteria

70% students will meet or exceed a satisfactory performance in lab with a grade of 60% or higher

 

 Objective 3

To identify and recognize the differences among competing scientific theories.

Assessment Instrument

None

Assessment Criteria

Our courses present the prevailing scientific theories in chemistry.  There are past theories that over time have been revised because of better instrumentation or knowledge, but there are no “real” competing theories in chemistry at this level of instruction.  Some examples of revised theories are Bohr’s Theory, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Acid/Base Theory, and Dalton’s Atomic Theory.  We typically cover the original theory and how it compares to today’s version.  We explain what scientists thought many years ago and what present scientists think today.  While we assess student’s knowledge of chemical scientific theories, we do not assess their knowledge about the competition of theories because material is not presented in that fashion. 

 

Objective 4

On completion of this course, students will have the ability of problem solving, demonstrate the knowledge of issues facing modern science, and have the confidence and laboratory skills needed to complete routine experiments.

Assessment Instrument

Experiment 15-Total hardness of water by EDTA is selected to assess this outcome.  The hardness of water is an environmental problem in some areas of the United States.  The total hardness can be determined by titration analysis using a solution of the disodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as the tritrant

Assessment Criteria

70% students will meet or exceed a satisfactory performance in lab with a grade of 60% or higher

 

Objective 5

On completion of this course, students will demonstrate the knowledge of influence of modern technology on chemistry by using instrumentation to collect data during laboratory experiments.

Assessment Instrument

Experiment 18 – Spectrophotometric analysis: Concentration of a solution using Beer’s Law is selected to access this outcome. Two types of spectrophotometers (Spectronic 20 and Spectronic 70) will be used in this experiment to determine the concentration of Co(NO3)2 in an unknown sample.

Assessment Criteria

70% students will meet or exceed a satisfactory performance in lab with a grade of 60% or higher