Columbia University

UN1500 General Chemistry Laboratory

Fall 2016
Instructor:

Sarah J. R. Hansen

sjh2115@columbia.edu

(212) 854-8120

MC 3184 (outside of 340 Hav.)

Joseph C. Ulichny

jcu2102@columbia.edu

(212) 854-4122

MC 3182 (outside of 340 Hav.)

Undergraduate Chemistry Office:

340 Havemeyer

(212) 854-2163

The basis of our understanding of the chemical world comes from controlled experimentation
and observations made in the laboratory. This course is designed to introduce you to standard
laboratory techniques and procedures used in the chemistry lab. This learning experience will
focus on developing laboratory skills and strengthening your understanding of the concepts
behind the experimental findings by using collected data to construct conclusions grounded in
chemical theory.

We will operate common lab instruments, such as the balance, spectrometer, and pH meter.
We will perform experiments that demonstrate fundamental concepts in chemistry, such as
solubility, oxidation-reduction reactions, acid-base theory, coordination chemistry, kinetics, and
electrochemistry. In addition to familiarizing you with standard lab practices, we hope to
increase your comfort level and self-confidence in the lab.

Regardless of your purpose in taking this course, we hope you will encounter practical
applications of chemistry to the non-laboratory world and that your chemical understanding will
increase.

There is a lab fee of $140.00 associated with this course, which will be assessed by the
Registrars Office.


Course Objectives
This laboratory course introduces standard techniques central to all chemistry laboratory work,
such as weighing, filtering, and operating analytical instruments. You will learn to accurately
record scientific data and to derive results from it. By analyzing data collected in the lab and
interpreting these findings, you will develop your scientific writing and reasoning skills.

Course Organization
You must be registered for a Lab Lecture section (UN1501) AND a Lab section (UN1500).

All Lab sections have a REQUIRED Monday Lab Lecture that will either be from 11:40AM
12:55PM (UN1501.001) or from 7:35PM8:50PM (UN1501.002) in 309 Havemeyer Hall. You
need to attend the Lab Lecture for which you are registered. Afternoon Lab sections (Tuesday,
Wednesday, or Thursday) meet from 1:10PM-4:55PM to complete the experiments; the
evening Lab section will meet on Tuesday from 6:10PM9:55PM to complete the experiments.
All Lab sections meet in 302 Havemeyer.

Course Materials
During the first experiment, you will be provided with lab glasses or goggles and a lab coat.

The required textbook for this course is Laboratory Manual for General Chemistry, John Wiley
& Sons, Inc, 2014. This book is a Wiley Custom Manual derived from Jo Allan Beran,
Laboratory Manual for Principles of General Chemistry, 10th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc,
2014.

There are several options available through which you can purchase this book. The lab
manual will be available at the Columbia Bookstore in hard copy. You can also order
the lab manual directly from Wiley in either hard copy or eBook at the following link:
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828357.html

We will be using Lab Archives, an electronic lab notebook platform. We will have iPads in lab
in order to access Lab Archives. More information will be provided in lab about this.

Information related to each experiment is available on Canvas in the Modules tool and should
be consulted before writing up each experiment in your electronic laboratory notebook.

It is advisable that you consult a General Chemistry textbook in addition to the lab manual.
Following is a list of possible references that are available in the Science and Engineering
Library (Northwest Corner Building).

- Zumdahl, S.S. & DeCoste, D. J. Chemical Principles (8th Edition). Cengage Learning,
2017.

- Zumdahl, S.S. & DeCoste, D. J. Chemical Principles (7th Edition). Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning, 2013.
- Oxtoby, D.W., Gillis, H.P., and Campion, A., Principles of Modern Chemistry (6th
Edition). Brooks Cole, 2008.

Grading of the Course

The average grade in this course over the past few years has been B+. Most students who
have completed this course have received grades between B- and A.

Questions about all graded assignments need to be asked within one week of receiving the
graded item (quiz, lab report, etc.) back. Such questions should be brought to the attention of
the person who graded that particular assignment (Instructor or TA). Questions after one week
will not be considered for grade adjustment.

Full Lab Reports: Exp. 3, 4, 5, & 9

4 x 35 pts = 140
10

Knowledge of Procedure & Clean-up

Observations & Data

Calculations & Graphs

10

Results & Discussion

10

Pre-Lab Notebook Preparation

Safety, Technique,

Full Lab Report Total

Notebook Lab Reports: Exp. 1, 2, & 7

35

Pre-Lab Notebook Preparation

Safety, Technique,
Knowledge of Procedure & Clean-up

10

Observations & Data

Calculations & Results

2
10

Notebook Discussion

3 x 30 pts = 90

Notebook Report Total

Partial Lab Report: Exp 6, 8, & 10

30

Pre-Lab Notebook Preparation

Safety, Technique,
Knowledge of Procedure & Clean-up

10

Observations & Data

3 x 25 pts = 75

Calculations, Graphs, & Results

10

Partial Lab Report Total

10 Quizzes (10 points each, Quiz #1 will be on Sept 19th)
Writing Assignments (2 x 10 points each)
Quiz Questions (2 x 5 points each)
Dry Lab 2A (5 points); Dry Lab #3 (10 points);
Titration Simulation (5 points)
Midterm (Experiments 1-6)
Final Exam (All Experiments)

25

Lab Lecture Attendance (2 points each lecture, starting Sept 12th)

TOTAL

100
20
10
20
45
90
10 x 2 pts = 20
610

Course Information
Calculator
The only calculator permitted for use on exams and quizzes is the TI-30XS MultiView. This
is the policy of the Chemistry Department. You should label your calculator with your name
and UNI.

Lab Locker
You will have access to a locker outside the lab (302 Havemeyer) only for the duration of your
lab session. You may store your belongings in the locker only during your lab session since
other lab sessions use the same lockers. You must bring a lock for this locker. We reserve
the right to cut off any locks after your lab session has ended.

Proper Lab Attire
You are required to wear completely closed (toes, heels, tops and sides), non-absorbent shoes
in the chemistry laboratory; completely closed tennis shoes are permissible. You must wear
ankle length attire (no shorts, nylons, leggings, spandex, short skirts, Capri pants, etc.) that
reaches your shoes, and remove contact lenses before entering the lab. Long hair should be
pulled back and all jewelry removed. You must wear lab glasses/goggles at all times in the
lab, even if experimentation is complete.

Late Work
A three-point deduction will be imposed for the first day a laboratory report is late. A half point
will be deducted for each business day thereafter (excluding weekends and holidays). The last
day to turn in any work is the day of the final exam.

Note: If a legitimate reason prevents you from completing an assignment on time or if
you cannot attend lab due to an acceptable excuse, email your Instructor as soon as
possible.

Makeup Policy
A legitimate excuse (medical/family emergency or religious holiday) grants you the right to
make up the missed lab on another day of the week when the experiment is being performed
(if space allows) or during a make-up session. If you are absent from lab or know you will be
absent, please contact Joseph as soon as possible.

Unexcused absences result in a 5-point penalty (e.g. the lab is worth a possible 30 points
instead of 35 or 25 points instead of 30) when you make up the lab. Even if you have already
missed the lab, you must speak to Joseph or Sarah regarding the absence.

If you miss a quiz in Lab Lecture, you should immediately email Joseph or Sarah to inquire
about a make-up.

Recording the Course Lecture
All students who would like to record the class lecture must contact Joseph or Sarah to fill out
a waiver form.

Office Hours
Teaching Assistants and the Instructor will hold weekly office hours in Chandler 454 and the
schedule will be posted on Canvas once the semester begins. You may ask any TA or
Instructor about the pre-lab notebook write-ups, lab reports, Beran Post Laboratory Questions,
Study Problems or Beran Prelaboratory Assignments. However, all questions about grading
must be discussed with the person who actually graded the assignment within one week of
receiving the graded item back.

Calculation and conceptual questions must be addressed at office hours and not
through email. Email is reserved for notification of class absences, administrative
issues and related items that lend themselves to electronic correspondence.

Email Communication
The University expects that every student will receive email at his or her Columbia University
email address and will read email on a frequent and consistent basis. A student's failure to
receive and read University communications in a timely manner does not absolve that student
from knowing and complying with the content of such communications.
For more information, please see: http://www.essential-policies.columbia.edu/student-email-
communication-policy.

Academic Integrity
Cheating of any form will not be condoned in this course. Students are expected to work in
accordance with the Honor Code
(https://www.college.columbia.edu/ccschonorcode).

Some relevant examples of cheating (this list is not comprehensive) that pertain to UN1500
General Chemistry Laboratory include:
copying answers from another student during quizzes, exams or for lab reports,
communicating with another student during a quiz or exam,
possessing course material (quizzes, lab reports, exams, lab data) from a previous
semester of S/W1500 General Chemistry Lab,
plagiarizing in lab reports.
All instances of cheating will be brought to the attention of Student Conduct and Community
Standards.

For more information, see:
https://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/academicintegrity
https://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/integrity-statement

In addition to hard copy submission of all lab reports, we will be using TurnItIn, an online
evaluation program. You will be submitting the discussions for full lab reports to this program,
as well as the writing assignments. Details will be provided in advance of the first lab report.

General Chemistry Laboratory (UN1500) Fall 2016 Course Schedule

DATES
Week One*
09.05 09.09

ACTIVITIES / EXPERIMENTS

QUIZ

Course Introduction & Lab Check-in

Week Two

Exp. 1: Basic Lab Operations (1), Identification of a

09.12 09.16

Compound (2) & Chemistry of Copper (28)

Week Three

Exp. 2: Limiting Reactant (8)

09.19 09.23

Dry Lab 3

Week Four
09.26 09.30
Week Five
10.03 10.07

Exp. 3: Vitamin C Analysis (30)

Exp. 2

Dry Lab 2A
Excel Dry Lab (directions provided on Canvas)
Exp. 4: Spectrophotometric Metal Ion Analysis (35) +
Preparing a Vitamin Sample (included in Exp 4

10.10 10.14

18)

Week Seven

Exp. 6: Transition Metal Complexes (36) & Malachite

10.17 10.21

Synthesis (see pdf on Canvas)

Week Nine
10.31 11.04
Week Ten
11.07 11.11
11.11
Week Eleven
11.14 11.18
Week Twelve
11.21 11.25

Exp. 2 Report (Notebook)

Dry Lab 3
Exp. 3 Report (Full)
Dry Lab 2A
Exp. 4 Report (Full)
Exp. 5 Report (Full)
Titration Simulation

Exp. 8: Kinetics (24) & Catalyst (23)

Exp. 7

Exp. 7 Report (Notebook)

Exp. 8

Exp. 8 Report (Partial)

Exp. 9

Exp. 9 Report (Full)

Optional Q/A Session for the Midterm @ TBA in TBA

Midterm Exam @ TBA in TBA (Friday)
Exp. 9: Aspirin Synthesis & Analysis (19)
No Class Thanksgiving Holiday

end of custom manual)

12.12

Exp. 1 Report (Notebook)

Exp. 6 Report (Partial)

11.28 12.02

Week Fifteen

Exp. 5

Integrity Policy Quiz

Exp. 6

Exp. 10: Biological Chemistry (see pdf on Canvas or

12.05 12.09

Exp. 4

Safety Video & Academic

Exp. 7: Galvanic Cells (32) & Electrolytic Cells (33)

Week Thirteen
Week Fourteen

Exp. 3

Notes) Titration Simulation (see pdf on Canvas)

Exp. 5: Volumetric & Potentiometric Analysis (9 and

10.24 10.28

None
Exp. 1

Week Six

Week Eight

ASSIGNMENT DUE

Lab Check-out

Exp. 10 Exp. 10 Report (Partial)

Last Day of Class

Final Exam (Date To Be Determined by the Registrar)

*Due to the holiday on Monday, September 5th, the Introductory Lab Lecture will be on
Friday, September 9th at 1:00PM in 309 Havemeyer.
Quizzes 1-8 may include questions from the Prelaboratory Assignment for the experiment being carried out that week;
although these Prelaboratory Assignments are not graded, it is suggested you complete them.