Honors Chemistry

Winthrop H.S.

DETAILED SYLLABUS FOR
HONORS CHEMISTRY
(SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
• Eli C. Minkoff, Ph.D. •
Revised December, 2010

A comprehensive first-year chemistry course for all students interested in any science.
Chemistry is fundamental to the understanding of all other sciences. The intellectual and practical
skills learned in this course are transferable to all other science fields and many nonsciences.
Please note that this syllabus remains subject to change.
_________________________

EXPECTATIONS:

Quizzes will usually be given each week, also longer tests at least once per marking period.
Reading assignments will be given in the text.
Homework problems will also be assigned. Penalty points will be assessed for late work, unless excused.
A biweekly schedule will be posted online and will include all tests, quizzes, and homework assignments.
Students are expected to consult all online postings, ESPECIALLY if absent.
Students absent more than two days should contact the instructor.
Laboratory work is an important part of this course.
Additional information is posted online at:
Http://abacus.bates.edu/acad/depts/biobook/win.htm

TEXT: Davis, Metcalfe, Williams, and Castka MODERN CHEMISTRY (2002 copyright or 2005 printing) (Holt Rinehart Winston).

UNIT 0. MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS (Chapter 2)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, standard III)

Overview of course; course procedures; safety contracts
What is chemistry? What is matter?
Scientific notation
SI measurements
Accuracy; uncertainty and precision
Significant figures
Dimensional analysis; unit conversions
Temperature
Density

UNIT 1. INTRODUCTION: MATTER AND ITS CHANGES (Chapter 1)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 1)

SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF MATTER, ITS PROPERTIES, AND ITS CHANGES
Scientific method
Matter; states of matter
Elements, compounds, mixtures
Chemical & physical properties
Chemical & physical changes
Separating mixtures
REVIEW

UNIT 2. THE ATOM AND ATOMIC STRUCTURE (Chapters 3-4)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, most of content standard 2; remainder in unit 9)

Elements
Dalton's atomic theory
Atomic structure; Rutherford's gold foil experiment
Protons, neutrons, electrons
Atomic numbers, masses, isotopes
Rutherford's atom (planetary model)
Octet rule and ion formation
Introducing the Periodic Table.
(SIMPLE IONIC COMPOUNDS will be introduced here, from ch. 7)
Atomic spectra; quantum levels
Wave mechanics and electron orbitals
Bohr's quantum model of the atom
Electron orbitals and their shapes
Aufbau principle, orbitals, and the periodic table
REVIEW

Target date: end of September

UNIT 3. PERIODICITY AND THE PERIODIC TABLE (Chapter 5)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 3)

DESCRIPTIVE CHEMISTRY of some elements (see the "Elements Handbook"
in the back of the text.)
Periodic relations; Mendeleev
Atomic properties and periodic trends

UNIT 4. CHEMICAL BONDING AND COMPOUNDS (Chapters 6-7)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 4)

Types of bonds; molecular compounds
Electronegativity
Bond polarity; dipoles
Ions and ionic bonds
Ionic compounds and their formulas
Naming ionic compounds
Compounds containing polyatomic ions
Special naming rules for acids
Target: End of 1st marking period
Covalent bonding
Covalent compounds and their names
Valence electrons and Lewis structures
VSEPR theory and molecular geometry
Writing formulas from names
Molecular weights
The mole; Avogadro's hypothesis or law
Molarity
Percentage composition problems
Determining formulas from percent composition
REVIEW
EXAM COVERING UNITS 0-4

Target: Thanksgiving break

UNIT 5. CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND QUANTITIES (Chapters 8-9)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 5)

Chemical reactions; evidence of a reaction
Writing and balancing chemical equations
Types of reactions: synthesis; decomposition; single replacement; double replacement
Predicting various reactions: precipitations, acid/base reactions, oxidation/reduction reactions, etc.
Molecular weights
Moles and Avogadro's law
Stoichiometry
Limiting reactants
Percentage yield
REVIEW

Target: End of 2nd marking period

UNIT 6. STATES OF MATTER: SOLIDS, LIQUIDS, GASES (Chapters 10-12 and 17)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 6)

GASES AND GAS LAWS (Ch. 10-12):
Importance of gases in chemistry; Lavoisier
Pressure and Torricelli
Gas laws: Boyle's, Charles's, combined; absolute temperatures
DESCRIPTIVE CHEMISTRY of some gases (see the "Elements Handbook"
in the back of the text)
Combining volumes
Gram-Molecular Volume; Avogadro revisited
Ideal gas law: PV=nRT
Dalton's law of partial pressures
Gases and balancing equations
Gas stoichiometry
Kinetic molecular theory
Effusion and diffusion
Target: end of February
LIQUIDS, SOLIDS, AND PHASE CHANGES (Ch. 12)
Water and its phase changes
Phase changes in general
Intermolecular forces, especially in liquids
Evaporation and vapor pressure
Metallic and nonmetallic solids
Bonding in solids
DESCRIPTIVE CHEMISTRY: Solid and liquid elements
REACTION ENERGY (THERMOCHEMISTRY) (Ch. 17)
Energy; heat and temperature
Thermodynamics; heat exchange and calorimetry
Enthalpy of a reaction
Exothermic and endothermic processes
Thermochemistry; Hess's law
Entropy and randomness
Free energy, spontaneity, and the "driving force" in chemical reactions
The Gibbs equation
Relation of spontaneity to equilibrium
Practical considerations; energy sources
REVIEW
CUMULATIVE EXAM THROUGH UNIT 6
Target date: End of 3rd marking period

UNIT 7. SOLUTIONS, RATES, AND EQUILIBRIA (Chapters 13-14 and 18)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 7)

SOLUTION CHEMISTRY
Solutions and solubility
Concentration; dilutions
Stoichiometry with solutions
Colligative properties
KINETICS
Kinetics; reaction rates
Collision theory
Activation energy and catalysts
Finding rate laws
EQUILIBRIUM CHEMISTRY
One-phase equilibria
Heterogeneous equilibria
LeChâtelier's principle
Applications
REVIEW
Target: end of April

UNIT 8. ACIDS, BASES, AND ELECTRON TRANSFER (Chapters 15-16 and 19)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, content standard 8)

ACIDS AND BASES
Acids and bases: Arrhenius; Brønsted/Lowry
Neutralization; titration; normality
Strong and weak acids and bases
Water as an acid and a base
pH scale
Buffers; acid-base equilibria
REVIEW
ELECTRON TRANSFER REACTIONS: OXIDATION AND REDUCTION
Oxidation states
Oxidation and reduction reactions
Balancing redox reactions (half-reaction method)
Electrochemistry: Galvanic cells, batteries, etc.
Electrolysis
REVIEW
CUMULATIVE EXAM THROUGH UNIT 8

Target: Memorial Day

UNIT 9. NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY (Chapter 22)
(Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, remainder of content standard 2 not already covered in unit 2)

Radioactivity
Transformations
Decay, half-life, dating; reaction series
Medical and other applications
Nuclear energy
Effects of radiation
REVIEW

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UNIT 10. INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (Chapters 20-21)

Importance of carbon
Hydrocarbons: alkanes
Isomers
IUPAC names
Petroleum chemistry
Alkenes, alkynes
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Functional groups
Alcohols, etc.
Other functional groups
Organic acids & esters; amines
Polymers
Biological chemistry
REVIEW
FINAL EXAM

Target: End of year

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