Printable, Downloadable Copy of Syllabus


Course Description:


Chemistry 437 is an advanced level, survey course covering a variety of methods of analysis using chemical instrumentation. The emphasis is on the operational principles and application of instrumental methods for quantitative determination of elements and chemical compounds. The course is intended for undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry majors or for well-prepared students in closely allied fields. This course presumes knowledge of basic physics and electrical circuits, chemical nomenclature and some prior exposure to classical chemical analyses carried out using volumetric or gravimetric methods. Concepts such as the figures of merit of an analysis are introduced to provide a framework for discussing the advantages and disadvantages of various methods used to relate physical properties to analyte concentration in different sample matrices.


Course Objectives:


The objectives of Chem. 437 are that the student be able to


1) describe the scientific and operational principles of the methods discussed;

2) describe the operation of instrument components and the layout of those components in prototypical instruments;

3) calculate analyte concentration and uncertainty from typical measurements;

4) evaluate results of measurements using figures of merit and/or knowledge of noise and common interferences;

5) select an appropriate method for important classes of analytes and discuss a method’s advantages and disadvantages in the context of particular analyses.

CHEM437: Syllabus

Course Instruction:


Instructor:

Office:

Lab:

E-Mail:

Office Hours:



Prof. S.L. Neal

107 LDL, Telephone: 831-0719

123 LDL, Telephone: 831-1948

sneal@udel.edu

M: 1:30 - 2:30 pm; F: 2:30 - 3:30 pm or by appt.

Teaching Assistants:


  1. K.Perrine

  2. J.DePalma

  3. K.J. Wang

J. Gao



831-0667

831-4265

831-2625

831-0667



LDL 113

LDL 125

LDL 005

LDL 113



F: 10:00 - 11:00 am

W: 4:00 - 5:00 pm

M: 3:00 - 4:00 pm

R: 4300 - 4:00 pm


Course Logistics:


Time:

Place:




T, R: 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

BrL 206

Required Text:


D.A. Skoog, F.J. Holler and S.R. Crouch, Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th Ed., Brooks/Cole (Thompson Learning), 2007, available at the UD student bookstore and elsewhere.  This book is designated as "SHC" in the schedule and assignments.

Other resources:


The course website is http://www.udel.edu/chem/sneal/sntch/CHEM437/Chem437.Home.htm .


Templates (headings and unlabelled diagrams) for class discussions may be purchased in a workbook at the UD Bookstore.  The Workbook contains topics that may not be covered in the course.  The lecture schedule on the course website will be updated regularly to reflect course progress and changes in topic coverage. 


If you took Chem119/120 at UD, you may find discussions in the text used in that course helpful. It is not required but many find its writing style and approach easier to follow:


D.C. Harris, Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 5th Ed., W.H. Freeman and Co., New York, NY, 1998.  The location of discussions of course topics in this text are provided as an additional resource.  They are designated as "DCH" in the schedule.  Some course topics are not covered by this text.


Tentative Course Schedule (See updated schedule on the Homework Page):

Week of

8/30/10

09/06/10


09/13/10

09/20/10


09/27/10

10/04/10


10/11/10


10/18/10

10/25/10

11/01/10

11/08/10

11/15/10

11/22/10

11/29/10

12/06/10

12/13/10

Topic

Introduction, Elem. of Chem. Anyl.

Basic Electronics


Signals, Noise & Instrument Figures of Merit

Spectroscopy Basics, Elemental (Atomic) Spectral Analysis


Review I, Midterm #1

Electronic Molecular Spectral Analysis


Vibrational Molecular Spectral Analysis


Elemental Mass Analysis

Molecular Mass Analysis

Review, Midterm #2

Electrochemical Analysis

Chromatography Principles

Gas Chromatography

Liquid Chromatography

Review

Final Examination *

Text References

SHC: 1A - 1C, 1E

SHC: 2A†, 2B†, 2C, 2E-2, 3A-C, 4A-C

DCH: 0-1-3, 3-4-5, 4-1-5, 5-1-5

SHC: 5A-C, a1A-D, 1D

SHC: 6A-E†, 7A-G‡, 8A-C, 9A-D, 10A

DCH: 21, 22


SHC: 7A-G‡, 13A-D, 14A-D2, 15A-15C

DCH: 19, 20

SHC: 7H, 7I, 16A-C, 17A, 18A-D

DCH: 19, 20

SHC: 11A – C; DCH: 24

SHC: 20A-E; DCH: 24


SHC: 22A-F, 23A-H; DCH: 14, 15, 18

SHC: 26A-F, 27A-F; DCH: 23, 24

SHC: 26A-F, 27A-F; DCH: 23, 24

SHC: 26A-F, 28A-H; DCH: 23, 25


All course materials

Midterm exams will be held on the Thursday of the week indicated

† Review

‡ Components described in Ch. 7 will be distributed across the Spectral Analysis Discussions.

* TBA by Registrar

Grading:


Students will be graded based on their performance on homework exercises and exams. The grade earned will be determined by the total number of points earned. Optional problem sets and in-class exercises (checked not graded) will determine class participation.  Any student who has completed or been excused from all requires class exercises and earned more than 100% of the points available in the required and optional exercises will earn an A without taking the final. The distribution of points will be:

Activity

Class participation (optional)

Homework Sets      (4 sets, 25 pts each w/o extra credit)

Midterm Examinations  (2, 100 pts each w/o extra credit)

Final Examination                                  

TOTAL

Points

  50 pts

100 pts

200 pts

200 pts

550 pts

Percentage

  10 %

  20 %

  40 %

  40 %

110 %

Letter grades will be assigned based on the total number of points earned by the student using a scale close to the following:

Points

465

440

420

400

385

370

350

325

295

275

250

Percentage

93%

88%

84%

80%

77%

74%

70%

65%

59%

55%

50%

Grade

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

C

C-

D+

D

F

Policies:

Instructor Absences:


The instructor may be absent a few times during the semester due to work related travel.  In most cases a substitute instructor will be present; if necessary, notice of class cancellation will be made by email and on the Announcements page of the course website.


Academic Honesty:


You are encouraged to become familiar with The University's Policy of Academic Honesty found in the UD Student Guide to University Policies.  More on the issue of academic integrity can be found at this link to the Catalog. The policies delineated there apply to this course.  While problem sets for Chem 437 can (and should!) be done in collaboration with others in and outside the course, all written work submitted for grading, including homework and examinations, must be done entirely independently. By turning these into the instructor of this course, you acknowledge that you are aware of the academic honesty policy and affirm your adherence to it.

Attendance and Excused Absences Policy:


Though attendance is not taken at lecture, you are expected to attend all scheduled lectures and laboratories. Some information provided in lecture may not be duplicated on the class web site

and you will be responsible for that information, whether or not you were absent.  The class policy on absences follows the University policy, which can be found online.  Absences from exams and homework will be excused for medical reasons (serious illness requiring a doctor's care), family emergencies, some University sanctioned events, and employer-required absences. Scheduled absences should be arranged by email with the course instructor in advance so that the due dates of assignments can be adjusted. Any unscheduled absences from exams or late homework should be reported as soon as possible. The student who has missed an exam or homework assignment must document the legitimacy of their absences in order to be allowed to make up the missed work. All documentation must be submitted to the instructor electronically.


Special Accommodations:


Students requesting special accommodations in Chem 437 must already be registered with UD's ADA Center or Academic Services Center, as appropriate. Those students should contact the course instructor well in advance of any course activity to arrange for special accommodations that follow the terms of the arrangements set by the Center staff.


E-Mail Policy:


Important notices and correction of errors will be sent to the e-mail distribution list for the class to provide the fastest dissemination of the information. The registrar will include your campus e-mail account on these class distribution lists, so plan to activate your campus e-mail account quickly and to check it regularly.


Every effort will be made to respond promptly to e-mailed questions or concerns from students. Be aware that because University antivirus software and SPAM filters may trap and remove mail - especially external mail - under some circumstances, only e-mail originating from UD accounts will receive responses.  UD virus and spam filters currently remove "zip" and closely related, executable file attachments whether or not they show signs of infection, so information sent in the form of "zip" files or their executable relatives cannot be received. 


Cell Phone Policy:


Placing and especially receiving phone calls in class is disruptive and discourteous to your fellow students and to the instructor. You are expected to turn your cell phone off and stow it during lectures, labs and course help sessions. Accessing a cell phone during any Chem 437 exam may result in the immediate expulsion of the student from the exam.

(c)2010 University of Delaware

Access this document from the Course Home Pages link on the Chem. & Biochem. Dept.  site:

www.udel.edu/chem/course.htm