Syllabus of topics covered in chemistry

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far.  We seem to have wandered into the hot part of NC summer a bit early but that's part of the joy of living in NC (and I'll happily have that over an Illinois winter any day!  :)  )

Thank you so much for being a part of this year's chemistry class.  I know there are many options for homeschoolers and I'm honored that you chose me to be a part of your education process.  I truly hope everyone felt that class was enjoyable and educational.

I hope to see many of you again next year, either in the Raleigh biology class or perhaps in my Chapel Hill physics class.

I've included a syllabus below that details all the topics we've covered this year.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

May your summer be wonder-filled,

Jim Mueller

(919) 907-3217

Recording of 5/12 Chemistry Class - Review for final

https://youtu.be/9OT7xRNWPTE

5/12 Chemistry Update

Hi folks,

Class this week was primarily a review of old material. Several students had some excellent questions and it allowed us to review some key and difficult material.

No homework due next week. Just be sure, if you haven't been already, to look over all those old quizzes. Please feel free to email me if you get stumped.

Good luck everyone!

Jim Mueller

5/5 Chemistry update and homework due 5/12

Hi folks,

For today's class we did quite a bit of review of some older topics. We reviewed a couple of heat transfer problems and oxidation reduction problems as well. We also discussed endothermic and exothermic reactions a bit more as well.

The week after next is the final exam. The final will be on material from the beginning of the year to now. The best way to study for the final is to look over all old quizzes. So… homework for next week is to REVIEW ALL OLD TESTS AND QUIZZES!!! I'll take as much time as needed next week to answer questions so please take this week to look over old material and see if you have any problems understanding any of it. Many folks are really struggling with redox reactions, so, to them, I would recommend completely redoing that assignment to make you understand that material.

Also, if you feel you have any homework missing please feel free to email me so I can give you a list of what you may be missing.

Good luck everyone.

Jim Mueller

Recording for 5/5 Chemistry class

https://youtu.be/dzQICTdvHNk

Recording for 4/28 Chemistry Class - Energy of Reactions

http://youtu.be/gB76bzXUdas

4/28 Chemistry class update and homework due 5/5

Hi folks,

Today we spent some time getting familiar with how energy works within reactions. We will spend a bit more time with this next week as well.

Homework for this week is to:

Read pages 279 - 293 in the text

Do Questions 17 - 33 on page 302

Finally, Take a look at today's lab. Categorize the reactions we did as either exothermic or endothermic.

Extra Credit possibility

Hi folks,

This is a great and fun way to get a handle on stoichiometry and limiting reagents.  Spend some time with this site.  I highly recommend starting with the sandwiches part, then moving to the molecules part.  After that, try your hand at the game.  10 point of extra credit if you send me screen shots of your scores after doing each level of the game.  Three screen shots in all, one for each of the three levels.  You need to score at least a 4 out of 5 stars for it to count.

Have fun and good luck!

Lab page for homework

Sorry, forgot to include this in the last email.

4/21 Chemistry update and homework due 4/28

Hi folks,

Today we took a bit of a look at electrochemistry. We did a small lab with it last week and today we discussed what electrochemistry is.

We also spent time performing a titration lab which is a very important skill in chemistry used to find the proportions of compounds in a substance.

Homework for next week is to finish the calculations in today's lab (see photo of page included below).

Also:
Read the text book pages 337 to 357 and
Answer 1-11 Key Terms and Matching Definitions page 358
Answer 1 - 5 Review Questions page 358
Answer 9 - 18 Review Questions page 358

10 points extra credit for doing the experiment on page 341. Take pictures or a video to document your work.

A good video explaining redox reactions

If you are feeling you may want another look at redox reactions, this video does a nice job explaining what we've covered in class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX6rh-eeflM

Jim Mueller

Recording for 4/21 Chemistry Class - Electrochemistry

http://youtu.be/kAFVGWSzY54

Here's the link to the video we watched in class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt7-VrmZuds

4/14 Chemistry update and homework due 4/21

Hi folks,

Today we did two activities in class. For one, we slightly electroplated a coin using a penny, and for the other we examined the pH's of many common household chemicals. We will talk a bit more next week about the concepts behind both of today's experiments.

For homework this week:

Read pgs 307 - 331 in the Conceptual Chemistry book
Do Review Questions on pgs 332 and 333 #'s 1 - 17

Recording of 4/7 Chemistry Class - Redox reactions

https://youtu.be/MjvnCfgMwig

4/7 Chemistry update and homework due 4/14

Hi folks,

So, today we got deeper into redox reactions and explored the fascinating world of half reactions as we tried to find out where the electrons went in the reaction.

Homework for this week is to do the enclosed worksheet.

Chemistry Recording for 3/31 - Figuring out oxidation numbers

http://youtu.be/Fzsxfkr5dqk

3/31 Chemistry update and homework due 4/7

Hi folks,

Today we stepped into another aspect of chemistry with oxidation and reduction reactions.  We went over the rules of finding oxidation numbers today and we will get into half reactions and electron transfers next week.  

From here on out, the material should be quite a bit easier.  We've finished stoichiometry with is some of the hardest material of the year.  After oxidation and reduction, we will be covering acids and bases and then we will get to the gas laws.

For homework this week I'd like you to find the oxidation numbers for each of the elements in the following molecules.

1.  LiNH2

2.  N2H2

3. Ca(NO2)2

4. CO2

5. BF4-  (Notice the - on this one)

6. PO4 ^3-

7.  ClNO

8.  S8

9.  MnO2

10. H2SO4

11. CO3 2-

12.  MgCl2

13.  KNO3

14. SF6

Answers:

1. Li +1 N -3 H +1

2. N-1 H +1

3. Ca +2 N +3 O -2

4. C +4 O -2

5. B +3  F -1

6. P +5 O -2

7. Cl -1 N +3 O -2

8. 0

9. Mn +4 O -2

10.  H +1 S +6 O -2

11. C +4 O -2

12. Mg +2 Cl -1

13.  K +1 N +5 O -2

14. S +6 F -1

Chemistry Recording for 3/24 class - Limiting reagents and naming review

https://youtu.be/561ePSneqLw

Formulas for labwork

Hi folks,

In case you don't have them here are the formulas for the lab work this week.

C2H4O + NaHCO3 —> H2O + CO2 + NaC2H3O2
Acetic acid Baking Soda Sodium Acetate
in vinegar

3/24 chemistry class update and homework due 3/31

Hi folks,

Today we primarily did a lab dealing with limiting reagents but we also spent a bit of time reviewing the math of limiting reagents and naming ionic compounds.

The latest quiz seemed to indicate that many folks haven't quite mastered the concept of naming ionic compounds so for homework this week I'd like you to do a bit more work on that by doing some naming as well as answering questions about today's lab.  Answers are included for the naming section.

1.  What was the limiting reagent in the first trial?  

2.  How much excess reagent did you have in the first trial?

3.  What was the limiting reagent in the second trial?

4.  How much excess reagent did you have?

5.  What was the limiting reagent in the third trial?

6.  How much excess reagent did you have?

7. In a perfect world, how much baking soda and vinegar would you need to yield 300 g of sodium acetate?

8. Name the following compounds.

a.  AgCl3

b. CrO

c. CaI2

d. Zn2Br2

e. Fe2O3

f. FeO2

g. SrI2

h. Zr(OH)2

i. V(NO2)2

j. Ag(SO4)

k. Mn(PO3)

Answers to Names

a.  Silver (III) Cloride

b. Chromium (II) Oxide

c. Calcium (II) iodide

d. Zinc (I) Bromide

e. Iron (III) Oxide

f. Iron (IV) Oxide

g. Strontium (II) Iodide

h. Zirconium (II) Hydroxide

i. Vanadium (II) Nitrite

j. Silver(II) Sulfate

k. Manganese (III) Phosphite

Recording of 3/17 Chemistry Class - Limiting Reagent and Percentage Composition

https://youtu.be/TTWyWVb1JFA

3/17 Chemistry update and homework due 3/24

Hi folks,

Lots of math today. We took a look at how to figure out percent compositions and how to find the limiting reagents in a chemical reaction.

Homework due next week is to do the enclosed .pdf and answer the following questions.

1. What is the percent composition of oxygen in ZnSO4?

2. What is the percent composition of Mn in KMnO4?

3. Calculate the empirical formula of a compound with a percent composition of 88.9% oxygen and 11.1% hydrogen.

4. Calculate the empirical formula of a compound with a percent composition of 49.5% carbon 5.2 % hydrogen 16.5% oxygen and 28.8% nitrogen.

Formulas for chemistry lab work

Hi folks,

Some folks don't have the sheet for the lab work they need to do so here are the formulas.  Formula's:  Glue C4H6O2, Borax Na₂B₄O₇·(10H₂O)

Remember, no class on 3/10 due to spring break.

See you all next week.

Never Stop Wondering

"Science Jim"  Mueller

(919) 907-3217

A Fun Approach to Serious Physics!

Sciencejim

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3/3 Chemistry update and homework due 3/17

Hi folks,

First off, NO CLASS NEXT WEEK. We have spring break next week so we won't be holding class.

Second, no video of class this week. Just about the entire class was spent doing the lab, so there was nothing much to record.

Today we took the time to do another lab. I had the students create silly putty using water, borax and glue. The point of the experiment was to carefully measure the masses of the three different substances and determine the ideal ratios of the materials needed to create just the right amount of silly putty with nothing left over.

Homework for this week is to:

1. Figure out (if you haven't already in class) how much water, borax and glue you would need to create 1000g of silly putty with nothing left over.

2. Using the masses you found in class, calculate how many moles of materials you used to create your "perfect" silly putty. The formulas for Borax and glue are on the sheets you received in class. Borax has a very strange formula with a 10H2O thing tacked to it. That's what happens when it combines with water.

Read pp. 271 - 279 in the Conceptual Chemistry book.
Do exercises pg. 303 #'s 1 - 9
Do problems pg. 304 #'s 1-4

Recording for 2/24 Stoichiometry

http://youtu.be/_TgLo2Scw4k

2/24 Chem update and homework due 3/3

Hi folks,

Well, today we had an interesting class online since we were snowed in for the second week in a row. However, I think we were able to get some good progress on understanding the final step in stoichiometry.

Homework this week is to spend some quality time with the following .pdf. Many quiz questions will be based on this material so please take your time with this stuff.

Do questions 1, 3, 5 and 6 in the .pdf.

2/10 Chemistry update and homework due 2/17

Hi folks,

Today we inched a little bit forward on the road to understanding stoichiometry. We also used our new and wonderful knowledge of the mole to discover the width of a molecule during lab in class.

Homework for this week is a take home quiz. This quiz will be worth 30 points and will be graded like normal quizzes. Feel free to use your notes, the book or go to the class lectures to figure out the answers. Good luck!

Recording for 2/10 Chemistry Class - more moles

http://youtu.be/zzx5ht_7Yc4

Recording of 2/2 Chemistry Class - Moles

http://youtu.be/-9Y2HtSO6QQ

2/3 Chemistry update and homework due 2/10

Hi folks,

Today we started out on our stoichiometry block. Stoichiometry is a very important part of chemistry since it is the way to find out how much of something to put in to the reaction and how much of something you will get out of the reaction. We will be spending a good amount of time on this over the next few weeks.

Homework for this week is to do the enclosed .pdf. Please take your time on this and MAKE SURE you understand what's happening here. This is the foundation for the next couple of weeks so do yourself a favor and get yourself on solid ground to start off with.

Recording for 1/27 Chemistry class - Quantum Electron Configuration

http://youtu.be/tv1qjGG7UgQ

1/27 Chem update and homework due 2/3

Hi folks,

Today we spent time on one of the more confusing concepts of chemistry. The confusing concept of the quantum method of electron configuration. This is quite tricky since it is something that is very hard to visualize. Once you do a few, however, it gets fairly simple. Homework this week will be to do quite a few of these configurations.

Homework due next week is to:

Write the quantum electron configurations of
a. Na b. P c. Ar d. Rb e. Ru f. Sb g. Po

Read Chapter 5 pgs.146-152
Answer Review Questions Pg 166 and 167 #'s 22 - 37

Error on this weeks homework for Chemistry

Hi folks,

Robert caught an error I made on the homework. In #10 there is an extra 2Cl2 in the products. Remove that. It shouldn't be there.

Jim Mueller

1/20 Chemistry update and homework due 1/27

Hi folks,

Today we spent a bit more time on getting that tricky ionic molecule naming down pat.  It's quite counter-intuitive and so takes quite a while to get straight.  We also spent some time on getting to know some of the major reaction types.  Combustion, synthesis, decomposition, single displacement and double displacement.  

Homework for this week is to do the following questions AND take a look at the photo included in the email.  See if you can find the actual products for all of the names on the shopping list.

What type of reaction are the following reactions.

1. 2Li + 2H2O —> 2LiOH+ H2

2.  CA(OH)2 + 2HCl —> CaCl2 + 2 H2O

3.  C + O2 —> CO2

4. 2NaOH + H2SO4 —> 2H2O + Na2SO4

5. Sr + I2 —> SrI2

6. Mg + Zn(NO3)2 —> Mg(NO3)2 + Zn

7. BaCl2 + K2CO3 —> BaCO3 + 2KCl

8.  C3H8 + 5O2 —> 3CO2 + 4H2O

9. 2Be + O2 —> 2BeO

10.  CH4 + 2Cl2 —> 2Cl2 + CH2Cl2 + 2HCl

Recording of 1/13 Chemistry Class - Balancing Equations and Polyatomic Ions

http://youtu.be/ZnLh7xpwEqY

1/13 Chemistry update and homework due 1/20

Hi folks,

Today we spent some time getting to know some of the major polyatomic ions.  We also took time figure out how to use the polyatomic ions in terms of naming molecules.  With that out of the way, we now have learned the alphabet (the periodic table) and how to make words with it (making molecules).  This brings us to creating sentences with our words, in other words, chemical equations.  We took a look at the different parts of a chemical equation and began to work a bit on balancing them.  

For homework this week, 

Do the exercises in the enclosed .pdf.  I've included the answers as well.  

I would HIGHLY recommend taking another look at the naming worksheet I had you do for homework  a while back.  Quite a few of you did poorly on that part of the last exam.   

MAKE SURE if you get something wrong you know EXACTLY why it's wrong.  Sorry for all the caps and the bold but I get the feeling folks are just doing the problems, checking their answers and moving on.  That's a No No!  If you get it wrong, you really need to know why.  Otherwise it's going to come along on a test and get'ya.  If you get a problem wrong on the homework, REDO IT FROM SCRATCH.  Do Not Assume you know how to do it from just looking at the answer.  It took me until college to figure this out.  I'm handing this piece of advice to you for no extra charge.  Take advantage of it.  :)

1/6 Chemistry Class Update and Homework due 1/13

Hi folks,

Today we took the time to go over a bit more background vocabulary and take a look at a few more periodic trends. We examined the concepts of electronegativity, ionization energy and atomic radius.

Homework for this week is to do the enclosed .pdf.

Hint: most metallic means that is its dying to give away an electron. It is the opposite of "electronegative" and is often called "electropositive".

Recording for 1/6 Chemistry Class - Periodic Trends

http://youtu.be/DI9Rejv4OIA