CH302 Random Musings, March 4, 20041. We have a quiz coming up the Thursday before Spring Break. Five questions are from Chapter 17 onequilibrium and three questions touch on the very beginning of Chapter 18 on acid/base equilibria. The quizwill be worth 40 points. The 8 question types are:Equilibrium calculation (involves a quadratic)LeChatelier’s principle problemQ vs K in determining reaction directionIdentifying errors in the set up of an equilibrium calculationCalculation relating DG to K (while not forgetting CH 15)Relating pH to temperature in water equilibriumDistinguishing strong and weak acids and basesRelationship between pH and pOH2. The problems I have selected for Chapter 17 make this a pretty hard quiz (Chapter 18 stuff is easy for now.)However the sample quiz I will work on Tuesday next week will be a huge benefit in identifying the kind ofproblems you will be asked to work.3. Remember that if you have ANY kind of problem with your grading or the HW Service, please download aregrade request form and submit it to Anna or James during class.4. I have been deluged with questions about extra credit which reminds me of the time I offered 5 extra pointsto a collection of slacker upper division chemistry majors if they would go to a really boring seminar on asubject they would not possibly comprehend. It was my way of beefing up the audience for a talk that maybethree people in the world would find interesting. But then every one of the 80 students showed up and therewas no room for the people who wanted to hear the talk to get in. But what I could not understand was that ifinstead of being bored to death in a room for an hour the students had simply studied for the upcoming test anextra hour, they would have done much better than the crummy 5 extra point. Oh well.4. Anyway, here is your chance to earn 10 extra credit points that you can simply add to your cumulative pointtotals as you try to become exempt. I offer this opportunity to everyone but you must do exactly as I tell you toget the extra points. To earn 10 extra points, perform the following two steps by Friday, March 26 at 11:59p.m.:Step 1: During spring break I want you to teach a science-hater something interesting about chemistry that youhave learned in this class. To get the 10 points, the person you teach has to say to you, “gee, I had no ideachemistry was that interesting” when you have finished. You can choose what you teach but I wouldrecommend that it be something of utility, like the complications of cooking at high altitude if you happen to beskiing at spring break, or how to explode a fish if you happen to be at the beach, or why South Park was wrongif you happen to spend spring break with your kid sister, or why water doesn’t always have a pH of 7 and ballsup on windshields if you get a part time job washing dishes or working in a car wash. It is your choice.Step 2: When you get back from Spring Break you must e-mail me at [email protected]. Your subjectheading in the e-mail must be “interesting chemistry” (without the quotes.) In the e-mail put your completename at the top of the e-mail, then tell me in about 3 or 4 sentences about your experience, and then tell mehow swell I am for giving you this chance to talk about science with someone who doesn’t care. Make sure youfollow Step 2 precisely or you won’t get the credit.5. You can plan on one or two more extra credit opportunities after Spring Break--this assumes, of course, thatyour attendance at office hours stays pretty solid and I continue to be convinced you are my all-time favoriteclass.6. If you are in Natural Sciences, there are several things going on that I wanted you to know about. You willbe receiving an e-mail from your Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education (me) but why not hear it herefirst:a. A registration survey is available on-line at http://www.utexas.edu/cons/student/regsurvey--I have alreadycontacted you about this by e-mail, but in case you haven’t taken the five minutes, it would be great if youwould fill it out so we can do a better job of getting you the classes you need.b. The Jean Holloway Award recognizes outstanding teaching by Natural Sciences or Liberal Arts faculty. Goto the following link to make a nomination: http://www.TexasExes.org/news_item.php3?id=107c. The Natural Sciences Advisory Council recognizes outstanding teaching and advising. Go to the followinglink to make nominations for these two awards.: http://studentorgs.utexas.edu/nsc/d. The Natural Sciences Council holds an annual Props for Profs dinner each spring to which students caninvite a favorite professor. The dinner is very nice and very free. Go to the following link for moreinformation: http://studentorgs.utexas.edu/nsc/7. Other Public Service Announcements:Explore UT. This weekend is UT’s open house. I tell you this on the off chance that you are out of bed beforemid-afternoon on Saturday and see lots of children running around campus. Explore UT is actually open toeveryone and there are a zillion things going on in pretty much every nook and cranny of the University. Youcan even watch me do Chemistry Circuses in front of the Geology Building. Last year the effort deterioratedinto me simply allowing 4,576 kids to explode their own hydrogen balloon. Sadly, I blew out an eardrum andlost my hearing in one ear for about 3 months (no joke). Anyway. There is much to see and do if you wouldlike. For more info go to: http://www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut/noflashindex.htmlWomen in Science will be hosting an "Industrial Women" lunch-in on Friday, March 5th from 12:00 pm to 1:30pm in WCHogg 1.108. Enjoy a free lunch with a panel of women from various science-relted industries as theytalk about opportunities for jobs and recount their own personal experiences. We hope to see you there! Comefor the FREE LUNCH!!!8. Bad joke corner (brought to you from a fellow student.).Q: What happens when electrons lose their energy?A: They get Bohr'edQ: What do chemists use to make guacomole?A: Avogadros.Q: What do you call a tooth in a glass of water?A: A one molar solution.A small piece of sodium which lived in a test tube fell in love with the Bunsenburner. "Oh Bunsen, my flame. I melt whenever I see you . . .", the sodiumpined. "It's just a phase you're going through", replied the Bunsen burner.Q: Why does a white bear melt in water?A:
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