Teaching

Fall 2006

CHEM 1113 - Introductory Chemistry for Physical Sciences 1

Topics to be included are: gases, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, buffers, equilibria involving solubility and complex ion formation, introduction to chemical thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. The class format is quite unlike the traditional lecture format. Students are assigned a specific section of the text to study before coming to class. The text is supplemented with notes equivalent to those which would normally be taken during a lecture. Most of the class time is spent in guided instruction in the use of the material studied rather than in note taking. Students are assigned one or two short questions from the text to be attempted at home after studying the assigned material. These will be handed in at the beginning of the class. The class itself is spent in working on problems or experimental data provided by the instructor and intended to illustrate ways in which the topic just studied can be used.

Text: Zumdahl, "Chemical Principles, 5^th Ed.”

CHEM 4823 - Applied Environmental Chemistry

Applications of analytical chemistry in elucidating the chemistry of the natural environment with an emphasis on current environmental issues. The course will focus on the role of analytical chemistry in studying the chemical composition of the natural environment and the cycling of natural and anthropogenic chemicals in the aquatic and terrestrial environment. Some of the topics that will be covered include pE/pH, acid rain, chemical speciation, metal bioavailability, dissolved organic matter, colloids, and soil chemistry. 

Text: None

Prerequisites: CHEM 3823 with a grade of C- or better, or permission of the department

Winter 2007

CHEM 1123 - Introductory Chemistry for Physical Sciences 2

This course provides an introduction to some of the theoretical principles required to explain experimental observations in chemistry. Topics to be included are: quantum chemistry, atomic theory, chemical bonding, molecular structure, chemical kinetics, the solid and liquid phases, and physical properties of solutions. This course complements Chemistry 1113 in which emphasis was placed on methods of providing a quantitative representation of experimental observations. The topics in this course therefore require competence with the material covered in Chemistry 1113.

Text: Zumdahl, "Chemical Principles, 5^th Ed.”

CHEM 2853 - Environmental Analytical Chemistry

An introduction to chemical analysis of samples taken from the environment. In this course the emphasis is given on theory and application of instrumental analytical techniques. Introductory part of this course will deal with the basics of measurement and sampling. Then the students will learn principles of several modern instrumental techniques that are applied for analysis of the environmental samples. Applications of these techniques for analysis of environmental contaminants will be considered at the final part of the course. The knowledge gained in lectures will be applied during laboratory practicum to acquire skills necessary for operation of such modern equipment as Atomic Emission, Atomic Absorption spectrometers, Gas-Liquid and High-Performance Liquid Chromatographs, Infrared and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrometers. In addition, there will be several experiments involving classical titrimetric analysis to review the basics of quantitative chemical analysis.

Text: Harris, "Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 6^th Ed.”

Prerequisites: CHEM 1023 or CHEM 1123 with a grade of C- or higher