November 20

Chapter 6 Exam is next week, so make sure you can balance equations!  Due are your lab report and the answers to the review questions.

November 13

Complete the test on Chapter 5 this week.  This is an open-book test, but your chemistry book is the only source you can use.  Test is due next Wednesday, November 20.

The review questions for Chapter 5 are not due.

Then, skim Chapter 6 for now, focusing mostly on balancing equations.

November 6

Chapter 5 is all about covalent molecules and how they look in three-dimensional space.  You’ll need to read the chapter, memorize the 7 homonuclear diatomic elements, and also understand how to “draw” the molecules correctly.

October 30

Test on Chapter 4 is next week.  I’ll take the worksheet you worked on in class today instead of the review questions…but you should still do the review questions to prepare for the exam.

Lab 4.3 (modified) is due next week.

October 23

Chapter 4, The Modern View of Atoms and Their Chemistry, is great fun!  I know it’s daunting at the moment, but you’ll get it.  Plus, these concepts — where the electrons live, how they combine to form compounds, how to “name” ionic compounds — are foundational to the rest of this course.

Read the chapter and practice the example problems.

October 16

Test on Chapter 3, Making Sense of Atoms and Elements, next week.  Please complete all of the Review Questions for homework, and make sure you’re comfortable with the equations.  Practice is the only thing that will help your comfort level!

October 9

Short and sweet today:  Read Chapter 2, Making Sense of Atoms and Elements.

Memorize the first 21 elements for a quiz, name and symbol.

The equations are not difficult, but you’ll need to practice!  So practice those.

October 2

Moving right along, it’s now time for your Chapter 2 exam.  Study well, answer the Review Questions for homework, and write two lab reports for Experiments 2.2 and 2.3.  Whew.  Lots to do this week.

September 25

One exam down!  If you thought it was easy, good for you – this means you studied well.  If not, then you’ll simply learn from your mistakes and keep going.  The next chapters will not be as easy as this one.

This week we began Chapter 2, “What’s the Matter?”.

1. Read the entire chapter.
2. Work the CC problems as you come to them. Check your answers.  These are NOT due.
3. Write your lab report for Experiment 2.1, “Separating a Mixture of Salt and Chervil”…but we used oregano, so write that instead.

September 18

It’s time for your first exam, chemistry students.  You’ll need to reread Chapter 1, Measuring Up.  Also, do these, please –

1. Work all the review problems/questions on pages 34-35. Remember to show your work when figuring equations, including unit conversions, etc.
2. Chapter 1 isn’t difficult, it’s just new. Be sure you are comfortable with the metric system units, significant figures, and density.
3. Write a lab report for Experiment 1.3, Density. Use the format explained in the lab report handout I gave you today.  If you were absent, contact me for a copy.
4. If you would like to see the answers to the review questions, email me after you’ve completed them, and I’ll send those to you.

Probably there is no need for you to arrive early next week because this is a straight forward exam; but, if you want to have a bit more time, you can show up anytime after 10 a.m.

Thanks!

 

 

Dear students and their parents,

You are on the “homework blog” page for chemistry, where I will post your assignments each week.  My intent is to post by Wednesday afternoon; however, if you don’t see your assignment here by Thursday morning, please kindly send me an email reminder.  Thanks!

Bring these supplies to class each day:

1. A 3-ring binder, with plenty of lined notebook paper inside. You may not use a spiral notebook.
2. A calculator, capable of scientific notation. Please understand that you will need your calculator every single class day, and that you may not use a cell phone calculator.  You may also NEVER share a calculator with a classmate.  (Should you forget your calculator on exam day, you’re taking the exam without one.)
3. Pen/pencil.

Chemistry is hard.  You will be challenged and frustrated this year, just like every single chemistry student I’ve taught over the past 25 years.  But, like most of them, you will survive this course with a passing grade, as long as you follow this advice:

1. Keep up. We’ll cover one chapter every two weeks; if you try to “cram” your reading and homework into the week before an exam, you will not succeed.
2. Work all the practice problems. Answers to “comprehension check” problems are in the book:  work the problem on your own, check your answer, throw your paper away, and work the same problem the next day.
3. Ask for help. I’m here for you!  So is Abby – she’s terrific with algebra, and sometimes if you don’t understand me, you’ll understand her.
4. Read each chapter TWICE. Read it through the first week; read it through again the second week.  Read for understanding.
5. I will assign the “review” questions for homework on the week before a chapter exam. Work those carefully, and then email me to ask for the answers.  Don’t wait until the last minute.

Chemistry is fun.  Besides high school English, chemistry is my favorite course to teach, and I’m happy you’re here!  See your homework, below.

September 11 HOMEWORK

1. Read Chapter 1, Measuring Up.
2. Work the Comprehension Check problems as you go, and then check your answers. These are NOT DUE, but you’ll fail your upcoming exam if you haven’t practiced them.