PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY

Fall 2009 C. Baumann

http://academic.scranton.edu/faculty/cab302 Loy 109

cab302@scranton.edu 941‑6389

Lab Text: "Experiments in Physical Chemistry", Nibler, Garland, and Shoemaker, Eighth Ed., McGraw-Hill, 2009.

The experiments for a given period will be assigned. Before each experiment, a spreadsheet for the experiment must be submitted to the instructor before the experiment may be started. A carbon copy of all data must also be turned in at the end of the lab period.

The course grade will be a composite of report grades (80%) and laboratory technique. Attendance at all sessions is required. Failure to participate in the experimental procedure (due to unexcused absence or lack of an acceptable spreadsheet) will result in a grade of ‘F’ for that experiment. Laboratory reports for each experiment will be turned in the week after the experiment is completed. A penalty of one letter grade per week (or part thereof) will be assessed on late reports.

Date	Experiment	Reference
August 27	Introduction and Dummy Experiment	I-III
September 3	Digital Computer Fundamentals	XVI
September 10,17	Compressibility Factor	notes
	Heat Capacity Ratio	3
September 24, October 1	Cryoscopic Determination of Molecular Weight	10
	Heats of Ionic Reaction	8
October 8, 15	Partial Molar Volume	9
	Binary Liquid-Vapor Phase Diagram	14
October 22, 29	Binary Solid-Liquid Phase Diagram	notes
	Temperature Dependence of EMF	18
November 5,12	Knudsen Effusion	V, notes
	Activity Coefficients from Cell Measurements	19
November 19	Computational Chemistry	III
December 3	Glass Blowing	XX

Format for Laboratory Reports

The laboratory report for an experiment in this course must minimally contain the following:

1. Introduction:

A brief statement of the purpose of the experiment and the theory behind the experimental procedure.

2. Experimental:

A description of the experimental procedure, referenced whenever possible to the textbook or accompanying materials. Deviations from the reference procedures should be noted in this section.

3. Results:

Data should be presented in tabular and/or graphical form in this section. Explanations of calculations, including sample calculations, should be included, as should statistical computations and sample spectra.

4. Discussion:

A brief analysis of the results of the experiment, sources of error (this is a numerical analysis, not an opportunity for a mea culpa) and suggestions for improvement of the procedure. Comparison of experimentally obtained quantities with literature values should be made whenever possible.

5. References:

A list of all sources used in the laboratory report.

6. Appendix:

Carbon copies of notebook pages, computer output, and spectra should be included in this section.

Academic honesty:

The first time that a student is caught plagiarizing or using fabricated data in a report, he or she will receive a grade of zero points for that assignment. For further consequences of violating academic ethics please refer to the University of Scranton Academic Code of Honesty: http://matrix.scranton.edu/student_handbook/policy_academic_code_honesty.html .