CHEM 120 :: Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

Week 1

4-Jan-16

Course notes for CHEM 120 are available for purchase ($32) from Chem Stores, ESC 109. Lectures will be conducted using these course notes. The course notes from earlier semesters of CHEM 120 are essentially identical in content and can be used in the current W16 course.

10-Jan-16

Supplemental week 1 lecture notes (mass spectrometry) posted.

10-Jan-16

The weekly 1-hour tutorial will start tomorrow, DC 1351, 1:30-2:20pm. Attendance is optional; questions for the TA are welcome! Further details are available in the course syllabus.

10-Jan-16

MapleTA is now operational for CHEM 120. Log in with your Nexus username and use your UW student ID number as your password. Once you've logged in, reset your password to something convenient and memorable; we suggest using the same password as you use for Learn, Quest, etc. Detailed instructions can be found in the course syllabus.

If you are a late enrollee in CHEM 120 and are unable access MapleTA, contact Prof. Lee to be added to the MapleTA roster.

The initial on-line assignment (Assignment 0) has been posted, with a recommended due date of 11:59pm, 22 Jan (the Friday after next Friday). This first assignment is intended to familiarize students with the MapleTA system and with course policies.

Week 2

14-Jan-16

Supplemental week 2 lecture notes (net ionic equations) posted.

14-Jan-16

LAST NOTICE: If you are a late enrollee in CHEM 120 and are unable access MapleTA, contact Prof. Lee to be added to the MapleTA roster. You must provide your UWID (Nexus username) and student ID number in order to be added to the roster; it may take up to 48 hours from the time of request before access is granted.

Week 3

18-Jan-16

The next MapleTA assignment (Assignment 1), covering lecture notes Module 1, has been posted. The recommended due date is Fri, 29 Jan. You can only proceed to Assignment 1 after Assignment 0 is marked.

20-Jan-16

Tutorial slides from weeks 2 and 3 posted.

Week 4

25-Jan-16

To help students prepare for the upcoming term test, the third and fourth MapleTA assignments, covering Chapters 5 (aqueous reactions) and 6 (gas laws), have been posted. The recommended due dates are Fri, 5 Feb and Fri, 12 Feb, respectively. However, because the first term test will cover material through Chapter 6, it is strongly recommended that students work these on-line problems prior to the test.

25-Jan-16

The first term test will be held during the class hour on Wed, 3 Feb. Important exam information and sample term tests from previous years have been posted. If you would like specific questions or topics to be discussed as review, please e-mail them to Prof. Lee.

26-Jan-16

Tutorial slides from week 4 posted.

28-Jan-16

The first term test will be held this coming Wed, 3 Feb, in DC 1351 (for students with last names beginning with A- to O-), RCH 211 (last names P- to V-), and RCH 204 (last names W- to Z-).

The exam will cover material corresponding to the course notes Modules 1-3 (including gas laws, equivalent to textbook Chapters 1-6). See the exam link for additional information. Prof. Lee will go over important exam details at the beginning of class on Mon, 1 Feb.

The tutorial on Mon, 1 Feb, will be used as a review session for the test. Student-submitted questions will be answered either in class or in tutorial. Reminder: E-mail questions or topics that you want reviewed to Prof. Lee by Sun, 2 Feb.

To provide additional help, Prof. Lee will hold office hours the week of the exam on Mon, 3 Feb, 3:00-5:00pm and Tue, 4 Feb, 3:00-5:00pm in C2 382. The TA, Paul Dymond, is also available at his regular office hour on Tue, 1-2pm, and also by appointment; his Thu office hour is cancelled for the exam week.

29-Jan-16

Drop-in tutoring sessions for the upcoming CHEM 120 term test are available in REV Hall on Sun, Mon, and Tue evenings (31 Jan, 1-2 Feb), 6pm-12am. The class TA (Paul Dymond) will be at the sessions.

Week 5

1-Feb-16

Supplemental week 5 lecture notes (effusion/diffusion relationships and real gases) posted.

1-Feb-16

UPDATE: The first term test will cover all material up to basic applications of the ideal gas law, Module 3, p. 10. The exam guidelines have been updated to indicate this.

5-Feb-16

The first term test has been marked. Preliminary exam scores (indexed by the last five digits of student ID numbers) and exam statistics are available under the exam link. The exam answer keys will be posted this coming week.

If you sat the exam and your ID number is not listed, or if there is some other problem with your exam mark, contact Prof. Lee immediately.

Week 6

9-Feb-16

Answer keys for the first term test have been posted.

11-Feb-16

The fifth MapleTA assignment (Assignment 4), covering thermochemistry (Module 4 and Chapter 7), has been posted. The recommended due date is Fri, 4 Mar.

11-Feb-16

Tutorial slides from week 6 posted.

12-Feb-16

Updated exam scores and statistics have been posted. The update includes marks previously missing due to incomplete identification sections on Scantron answer cards. AGAIN: if your exam score is not listed, there is a problem with your Scantron card, and you currently have a mark of zero for the first term test. See the course TA, Paul Dymond, after tutorial or during office hours to resolve the problem.

Week 7

24-Feb-16

Tutorials and office hours are cancelled next week (29 Feb - 4 Mar). If you need to see the TA, contact him directly to schedule alternate times.

24-Feb-16

The sixth MapleTA assignment (Assignment 5), covering quantum mechanics and electrons in atoms (Module 5 and Chapter 8), has been posted. The recommended due date is Fri, 11 Mar. Due date notwithstanding, because the second term test will cover material through Chapter 8, it is strongly recommended that students work these on-line problems prior to the test.

24-Feb-16

Supplemental lecture notes (interference and diffraction) and tutorial slides for week 7 posted. In addition, slides for the cancelled week 8 tutorial have also been posted.

Week 8

29-Feb-16

The second term test will be held during class hour on Wed, 9 Mar. The test procedure is the same as that for the first term test. Students should report to DC 1351 (for students with last names beginning with A- to O-), RCH 211 (last names P- to V-), or RCH 204 (last names W- to Z-). Be sure to complete the identification sections of the exam materials correctly! On the Scantron answer card, fill in the entries and corresponding bubbles for your student ID number and test version, and provide your name, student number, and signature on the exam booklet.

The exam will cover Modules 3-5 of the course notes (equivalent to Chapters 6-8 of the textbook). Module 3 will be covered in its entirety. A working knowledge of the material from earlier modules/chapters is assumed. See the exam link for additional information and sample term tests from previous years. Prof. Lee will go over important exam details in class on Mon, 7 Mar.

The tutorial on Mon, 7 Mar, will be used as a review session for the test. If you would like specific questions or topics discussed as review during tutorial, please e-mail them to Prof. Lee or Paul Dymond.

1-Mar-16

Updated exam scores and statistics have been posted. The update includes marks previously missing due to incomplete identification sections on Scantron answer cards. AGAIN: if your exam score is not listed, there is a problem with your Scantron card, and you currently have a mark of zero for the first term test. See the course TA, Paul Dymond, after tutorial or during office hours to resolve the problem.

3-Mar-16

UPDATE: The exam will cover Modules 3-5 of the course notes, equivalent to Chapters 6-8 of the textbook (up to section 8.9 of Chapter 8; the particle-in-a-box system will not be covered). Module 3 will be covered in its entirety. A knowledge of the material from earlier modules/chapters is assumed.

For additional pre-exam assistance, Paul Dymond will be available at the drop-in session on Tue night, 8 Mar, 7-10pm, in the V1 Training Room.

Week 9

11-Mar-16

Updated scores and statistics for term test 1 have been posted. The update includes marks previously missing due to incomplete identification sections on Scantron answer cards.

11-Mar-16

The second term test has been marked. Exam scores (indexed by the last five digits of student ID numbers) and exam statistics are available under the exam link. These scores were processed for immediate posting and are preliminary in nature; they may change if errors are discovered.

If your exam score is not listed, there is a problem with your Scantron card, and you currently have a mark of zero for the second term test. See the course TA, Paul Dymond, after tutorial or during office hours to resolve the problem.

Student exams (booklets and Scantron answer cards) can be viewed by appointment with Paul Dymond .

11-Mar-16

If you are interested in additional assistance, drop-in tutoring sessions are available in REV Hall this Sun, Mon, and Tue evenings (13-15 Feb), 6pm-12am. This is part of pre-midterm preparation for CHEM 123, but CHEM 120 students are welcome.

Week 10

15-Mar-16

The seventh MapleTA assignment (Assignment 6), covering multi electron atoms and periodic properties (Module 6 and Chapter 8-9), has been posted. The recommended due date is Wed, 30 Mar.

15-Mar-16

Answer keys for the second term test have been posted.

18-Mar-16

Supplemental lecture notes (Lewis structures, formal charges, and oxidation states) posted.

Week 11

21-Mar-16

Updated scores and statistics for term test 2 have been posted. The update includes marks previously missing due to errors in identification sections on Scantron answer cards.

21-Mar-16

Tutorial slides for weeks 10 and 11 posted.

28-Mar-16

The last MapleTA assignments, covering structure and bonding (Assignment 7a: modules 7 and the first part of 8) and molecular orbital theory (Assignment 7b: the last part of module 8), have been posted. The recommended due date is Mon, 11 Apr. Final exam testing of molecular orbital theory (Assignment 7b) will depend on the material covered during the last week of lecture.

Week 12 and Beyond

1-Apr-16

If you have not already done so, please complete the online course evaluation survey or bring an internet-capable device (e.g., laptop, tablet, smartphone) to the final lecture on Mon, 4 Apr, to complete the survey in class. Some class time will be set aside specifically for this purpose.

1-Apr-16

The CHEM 120 W16 final exam will take place on Sat, 23 Apr, 9-11:30am, in PAC 1 and 2. Important information and a sample exam have been posted. Note that assigned seating will be used for the final exam. Consult the following website to determine where to sit the exam: odyssey.uwaterloo.ca/teaching/schedule; log on by entering your Quest username and password.

4-Apr-16

Updated exam scores and statistics for the first and second term tests have been posted. The update includes marks previously missing due to incomplete identification sections on Scantron answer cards. LAST NOTICE: if your exam score is not listed, there is a problem with your Scantron card, and you currently have a mark of zero for that term test. Contact Prof. Lee to resolve the problem.

15-Apr-16

Final exam guidelines and question outline have been posted.

Paul Dymond and Prof. Lee are available for pre-exam assistance by appointment. In addition, Prof. Lee will hold scheduled office hours from 2-4pm on Thu, 21 Apr, and Fri, 22 Apr in C2 382.