CHEMISTRY 271 (CHEM 271), SECTIONS 21XX (2 CREDITS): GENERAL CHEMISTRY AND ENERGETICS SPRING, 2009: MW 9:00-9:50 A.M., CHEMISTRY 1407 Assoc. Prof. Jason D. Kahn, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. Maryland, College Park Office: Chemistry 2500A (Biochemistry, Wing 5 of the Chemistry complex) Office hours: Mon. 1-2 p.m., Weds. 3-4 p.m., Chemistry 2500A Contacting me: [email protected] much preferred to 301-405-0058. There are 200 of you: please include “CHEM271” in your subject line, please quote any previous correspondence, and please do not drop in to my office or lab. I will set up appointments outside of office hours if necessary. Web and email: The course web site is available through the ELMS system (http://elms.umd.edu). The e-mail reflector provided through ELMS will be used. Discussion TA: Daniel Gowetski ([email protected]), 5-1815 (see above for contact directions) Office Hours: Tues. 2-3 p.m., Thurs. 2-3 p.m., Chemistry 2507 Discussion Sections: 2122(14008) Tu........ 9:30am-10:20am (TYD 2108) [TYD = Tydings Hall] 2124(14009) Tu........11:00am-11:50am (CHM 0122) [CHM = Chemistry] 2125(14010) Tu........12:30pm- 1:20pm (PLS 1111) [PLS = Plant Sciences 2142(14011) Th........ 9:30am-10:20am (PHY 1219) [PHY = Physics] 2144(14012) Th........11:00am-11:50am (CHM 0122) 2145(14013) Th........12:30pm- 1:20pm (CHM 1228) Course Description Chemistry 271 is the fourth semester of our integrated introduction to general and organic chemistry. This course covers aspects of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics. Thermodynamics is the study of what is possible and the extent to which it is possible. Kinetics is the study of how rapidly the possible chemical transformations actually occur. The material covered here is required for a fundamental understanding of biochemistry. It will help place your qualitative understanding of chemical reactivity from organic chemistry on a more quantitative basis. Physical chemistry will explore more of the underlying theories for the concepts developed here. The following areas will be emphasized:  Acid-base reactions and equilibria, buffers  Thermodynamics: enthalpy, entropy and free energy  Relationships among thermodynamics and chemical equilibria  Electrochemistry and oxidation-reduction reactions, and their connection to thermodynamics  Reaction rates and orders, elementary reactions, activation energy There are two sections of Chemistry 271, each including different special topics that are extensions of the core material above. This section is the “bio-flavored” one, as I am a biophysical chemist. Time permitting, the special topics we will cover are listed below. I may provide photocopies or web-based material to accompany the lectures on these topics.  Acid-base: Modulation of protein folding and enzymatic activity and mechanism by pH  Thermodynamics: Theory and application of DNA hybridization (duplex formation)  Redox: Alternative metabolic lifestyles among the single-celled set  Kinetics: Pharmacokinetics, or blood considered as a beaker2 Relationship to Other Sections and Courses Prerequisites for this course include Chemistry 131, 231, and 241, none of which I hope you have forgotten. We will use some calculus as well, although you will not need to use it for assignments or exams. Some of this course may be review for you, but I think there will be new material for all. The two lecture sections of Chemistry 271 (this one at 9 and Dr. Mignerey’s at 12) have independent schedules and will cover different material, especially in the extension sections. Exams are independent. We may or may not choose to have some common questions on the final. You are strongly advised to attend the lectures for the section for which you are registered. The sections will have similar curves, so your section choice should not affect your grade. The Discussion sections for the class are required. There may be material that is presented in only in Discussion for which you will be responsible on exams. There will be short required quizzes given in Discussion, but you will always be notified the week before if there is to be a quiz. You are permitted to attend different discussion times if it is okay with Dan, but as above you are strongly urged to remain with this section of the course rather than attending any of the 22xx discussions. Many of you are concurrently taking the bioanalytical chemistry laboratory course, Chemistry 272, with Dr. Michelle Brooks. Dr. Brooks and I have attempted to coordinate coverage between lab and lecture, but we may not always be successful. Chemistry 272 is a stand-alone course, and the grading policies and the curve or lack of same for the two classes are completely independent. This course sequence is still under development. Please bear with us as we continue to smooth the rough edges, and feel free to send feedback about how the sequence could be better organized. Assignments, Procedures, and Grading The breakdown for points (500 total) is as follows: Hour exam 1: 100 points Hour exam 2: 100 points Quizzes and homework: 100 points. I anticipate two graded problem sets × 30 points each and two discussion quizzes × 20 points each. I will also assign ungraded problems. Thoughtful completion of all assigned work, whether or not it is graded, is strongly correlated with overall success! Final exam: 200 points The exams will be difficult. You are not expected to get 90% to get an A. When in real life do we ever really expect to approach perfection? Formal letter grades will not be assigned for individual exams, only at the end of the course. As mentioned above, final grades will be based on a curve, with a distribution of about 25:30:30:15 A:B:C:D/F, with some adjustment possible depending on how the class as a whole performs. Thus the median will probably be a low B/B–. D’s and F’s will be given only as needed, but given without hesitation: I would be thrilled to give none, but typically I am forced to give about 10-15% D’s and F’s. Plus/minus grades will be given. Your grades will be available on ELMS. If there is clerical error on an exam grade, just let me know and we will fix it. If you believe there is a substantive grading error, you can