Course Outline and Content
Honors Chemistry 2008-2009
Dr. Stephanie Katz

Objectives

Essential Process Skills for “Doing Science”
In order to be scientifically literate in the 21^st century, students should know how to:

1. observe, measure, and evaluate scientific phenomena
2. analyze, research, and interpret scientific discoveries using a variety of resources
3. solve general problems by applying critical thinking skills and habits of mind
4. synthesize previous scientific knowledge for applications to new problems
5. utilize acquired scientific knowledge to be a socially responsible, environmentally aware members of the global community

What does this mean?
These are the skills I hope my students will have after taking my class:

I hope my students will be able to:

1. scientifically acknowledge the world around them and interpret what they see to mean something.
2. conduct appropriate literature studies for new scientific findings so they can form educated opinions.
3. know where to find answers when they don’t know the answers they seek and have the patience to find these answers.
4. take what they have learned and apply this knowledge to new, unfamiliar situations to create new knowledge.
5. use the skills and knowledge they learned to better the world so future generations here and around the globe will benefit from what they learned.

 
Essential Knowledge for “Doing Chemistry”
Successful Honors Chemistry students will demonstrate knowledge in these four categories:

1. The ABCs of Chemistry: Matter and Energy Relationships
2. The Organization of Matter (subatomic particles, nucleus, periodicity, bonding)
3. The Language of Chemistry (reactions and equations)
4. The Interactions of Matter (gases, phase changes, and solutions)

Using strategies consistent with their dominant learning style, students will:
               
The ABCs of Chemistry: Matter and Energy

1.      investigate safe laboratory studies of chemical and physical changes, report properly rounded significant digits for calculations, in scientific notation when necessary, always use correct metric units and uncertainty in measurement, and recognize the difference between observation and interpretation.

2.      calculate and analyze percent error in laboratory investigations and recognize the relationship to accuracy and precision; students will also explain what the uncertainty in the measurement comes from and that the uncertainty in any measurement is based upon the instrument used.

3.      utilize measurements to facilitate calculations which, through dimensional analysis (factor label method) may arrive at derived units or new information; e.g. mass in grams divided by volume in milliliters is equal to density in grams per milliliter. Students will be able to apply this new information to new situations or the scientific method.

The Organization of Matter (electrons, nucleus, periodicity, and bonding) with respect to Energy

4.      identify and understand the historical progression of scientific theory about matter, including the history, significance, and long term effects of the discovery of the atomic bomb and the associated terminology with nuclear reactions, including balancing nuclear equations.

5.      complete simple calculations for, and be able to explain the associated terminology of, the quantities of atoms, molecules, moles, mass, formula units, subatomic particles, naturally occurring isotope percent distribution, atomic mass, mass number, atomic number, and half-life.

6.      demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and energy of visible light and identify the relative energies of electromagnetic radiation to visible light and its to chemical properties of electronic behavior.

7.      formulate an electron configuration for various atoms and ions, demonstrate understanding of atomic orbitals in terms of relative size, shape, energy, capacity, and normal filling order, and predict violations to Hund’s Rule and the Pauli Exclusion Principle.

8.      assess the similarities amongst the chemical properties within a group, evaluate important periodic trends with respect to electron configuration, and classify elements of the periodic table with respect to their individually named regions.

9.      compare and contrast characteristics of ionic and covalent bonding with respect to electron arrangement, VSEPR theory, polyatomic ions, polarity, and Lewis Dot Structures.

The Language of Chemistry (reactions and equations) with respect to Matter and Energy

10.  compose names for a variety of chemical compounds, identify components of and classify a variety of chemical equations, predict the products of and balance a variety of chemical reactions, and write appropriate chemical equations for specific chemical processes.

11.  complete simple calculations for, and be able to explain the associated terminology of, the quantities of molar volume, moles of reactant, volume of reactant, grams of reactant, percent yield, reaction stoichiometry of a balanced chemical equation, limiting reactant, excess reactant, and predict products formed in a chemical reaction when non-stoichiometric amounts of reactants are present; be able to write a lab report for a chemical investigation.

The Interactions of Matter (gas laws, phase changes, and solutions) with respect to Energy

12.  recognize and explain the nature and significance of the Kinetic Molecular Theory as it relates to gas behavior, gas properties, gas laws, and the interconversion of variables of pressure, temperature, density, molecular mass, volume, and moles of gas with respect to each other.

Unit 1 Objectives (Ch 1& 2)
a. Metric prefixes
   1) measuring with
   2) conversions between
   3) relative sizes of
b. Measurements
   1) uncertainty in, on various instruments
   2) relative accuracy of
   3) calculating percent error of
   4) analyzing percent error of, with respect to accuracy
   5) reporting correct units for, with respect to mass, volume, temperature, and length
   6) applying to calculations,
       e.g. calculating density from mass and volume or calculating percent error from actual and experimental values
c. Reporting significant digits
   1) in calculated values
   2) in measured values
   3) in scientific notation
   4) when converting from one metric prefix to another
   5) in rounding

Unit 2 Objectives (Ch 3& 21)
Mole concept

1. finding atomic mass on the PT and calculating molar mass if you have a molecule
2. using molar mass (atomic mass) and Avogadro’s number as conversion factors
3. calculating number of grams, moles, or atoms from grams, moles, or atoms
4. know how many atoms are in a molecule using subscripts in formula

Atomic Mass Calculations

1. understand how atomic mass is calculated and that it appears on the PT
2. know the standard isotope used for the atomic mass unit
3. be able to calculate atomic mass from naturally occurring isotope percent distributions and isotope masses
4. be able to calculate percent distributions of naturally occurring isotopes from atomic mass and isotope masses

Isotope Symbols

1. know the correct way to write isotope symbols including atomic mass and mass number
2. know that mass number does not appear on the PT but atomic number does
3. know the significance of atomic number
4. know the similarities and differences between two isotopes
5. know the names and mass numbers of the three hydrogen isotopes

Nuclear Chemistry

1. know how to write and balance nuclear reactions
2. understand the significance of a short vs a long half-life
3. understand the significance of BE/nucleon
4. be able to calculate binding energy in kJ/mole using E = mc²
5. be able to analyze a radioactive decay sample ratio of reactant to product to determine how long it has been present if given the half life info
6. know the difference between fusion and fission and which of these we currently use in power plants today
7. know some benefits of nuclear chemistry and radionuclides in today’s society

Unit 3 Concepts Covered: EM spectrum; Electron configuration; Periodic table; Orbital diagrams; Atomic orbitals; Electron spin; Hund’s rule; Pauli Exclusion Principle               
1. Calculate wavelength, frequency, and energy of visible light; identify the relative energies of electromagnetic waves;
2. Describe atomic orbitals in terms of their shape, size, and energy; 
3. Identify the electron configurations of selected atoms and ions; 
4. Demonstrate the principals of orbital energy, orbital capacity, and electron spin; 
5. Draw an orbital diagram; Identify violations to Hund’s Rule and the Pauli Exclusion Principle; 
6. Recognize the exceptions to the order of orbital filling;

 Unit 4 Concepts Covered: Periodic table; Periodic properties; Periodic law; Electronegativity; Electron affinity; Ionization energy; Atomic radius; Alkali metals; alkaline earth metals; Halogens; Noble gases; Metals; Metalloids; Non-metals; Lanthanides; Actinides; Transition metals      
1. Understand the periodic law; 
2. Explain why elements in a group have similar properties; 
3. Identify the four blocks of the periodic table;
4. Explain four important periodic trends (IE, EA, AR, & EN) and explain how each trend is reflected in the electron configurations of the elements; 
5. Distinguish between Mendeleev’s periodic table and the one we use today.

Unit 5 Objectives (Ch 6 & Ch 7.1, 7.2):

• To write systematic names and formulas for binary ionic and covalent compounds.
• To write traditional names for binary and ternary ionic compounds.
• To identify names and formulas of selected polyatomic ions.
• To identify, compare and contrast, and know the relative strength of several different types of bonding.
• To draw the best Lewis structures for selected binary and ternary compounds.
• To predict the molecular geometry and polarity of selected compounds.
• To understand formal charge, bond length, bond order, and resonance as they relate to VSEPR theory.

ALL students should...