CH302 Random Musings February 1, 2007 1. Class is about to be in full swing though we are still gearing up with the e-book and the grading. I do apologize for the inconvenience. Such is the consequence of change. We should have everyone on the same page in time to prepare effectively for exam 1. 2. Which of course means that this spot is reserved for grading results for quiz 1. Perhaps I will fill them in, in which case I got them before I read these musings, or perhaps you are reading what I am writing now, which is that I don’t have then yet, which means that you should refer to item 3 below. 3. Quest—As with any new piece of software you have to be patient. So you are not seeing quite the turnaround time with grades you might have expected—the problem was they didn’t think I would be giving in class tests (or in my case quizzes) until the middle of February, so they weren’t quite ready when I needed them to be. So there will be a bit of a delay. All I can offer is that patience is a virtue and that you will be able to access your grades from quiz 1 about five minutes after we can access them. 4. I met with the sales rep from the publisher of the Atkins Jones e-book this morning and this is what is happening on that front: • The online ChemPortal price will be set to $40. This will be just for 1 week, starting today at 3PM and ending next Friday 2/8. • Tech support will credit the 6 students that have already paid full price an amount of $40--this will be done as an actual credit. It is my find hope that when I post a practice quiz 2 this weekend on the Chemportal that all of you will take it. 5. I was looking at my schedule and saw that I was scheduling a quiz for Tuesday, just one week after the first one and about two days before I could reasonable expect you to know the material on worksheet 2. So I am delaying quiz 2 until Thursday next week. My apologies for the inconvenience. . 7. Here are the question types for quiz 2: • Theory: creating equilibrium expressions from chemical reactions • Calculation: determining K from equilibrium concentrations • Calculation: determining equilibrium concentrations from K • Problem: appreciating what the magnitudes of K values mean • Problem: predicting reaction direction from Q and K • Theory: LeChatelier’s principle • Problem: LeChatelier and reaction direction • Calculation: Van’t Hoff equation relating K to T Note that there is a question type on the van’t Hoff equation relating K to T. Somehow this topic was dropped from my lecture notes a few years ago. I am adding it back now. It can be found at the end of the musings and is also on the web site in the lecture materials as an addendum to lecture 7. 8. A very nice worksheet 2 is posted with answers to help you prepare for the quiz. 9. A bit of advice on how to know whether to go to my office or to the classroom for my office hours: Method 1. I will tell you in the musings each week. For example: • Next Monday and Tuesday I will hold office hours in my office • On Wednesday and Thursday before the quiz I will hold them in the assigned classrooms Method 2. Make up a little poem to assist with a common sense assessment. Here are two I have written: • If there’s a quiz or a test, it’s not in Dave’s nest • Is there a quiz or test soon? Go to the classroom. One of your classmates also provided some little jingles. Most make no sense to me or seem just wrong, but hey, I don’t pretend to understand today’s youth, so maybe you’ll like his better. For example:• If you don't want your grade to go 'ka-boom' see Dr Laude in a larger room • On days when you use a calculator, Judy will say "see you later" • If you'll be nerv-ous, there will be more-of-us • If you will fill out a sheet, Dr Laude is across the street 10. Valentine’s Day is close at hand and this is your chance to submit your favorite poetry for publication in a special poetry musings on the 15th. Only lovingly sweet poetry will be published at this time. This is your chance, like on radio stations, to dedicate a poem to someone. Then, in the new millennium equivalent of listening to songs dedication by Kasey Kasem in the 80s, you can go to my web site and point out to your beloved, a dedication on my random musings link. 11. Public Service Announcements—feel free to submit yours to the musings. • Contagious Smiles is a new organization at the University of Texas at Austin that focuses on dedicating quality time with children who have prolonged visits to hospitals in the surrounding area. We plan to volunteer at the Brackenridge Children's Hospital in Austin. We aspire to bring smiles to children by creating numerous activities that are fun and have an educational aspect to them. This organization is unique in the sense that we want to commit to spending quality time regularly with the children. Meeting Times: Every other Tuesday @ 7 pm. Location: MEZ 1.208. Next meeting is February 12. Please come if you’re interested in finding out more! FREE FOOD!!! For more information, check out the Facebook group “Contagious Smiles” http://utexas.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2255557482 Email: [email protected] • Circle K International (CKI) Meetings are every Tuesday at 7:30 PM in Sanchez Building (SZB) 278. Circle K International is the largest collegiate service organization in the world and is looking for people interested in volunteering and serving the community. Past volunteer opportunities include volunteering at parks, working with Austin State School, tutoring at Matthews Elementary, and volunteering at the Austin Humane Society Animal Shelter. CKI is affiliated with Key Club and Kiwanis. Feel free to come to any meeting or e-mail [email protected] for more information. 12. Poetry Corner. For poetry corner today I offer up a pretty funny story told by another professor who teaches freshman chemistry—it is the challenge that every parent, who knows more than is good for them, faces. DIALOGUE WITH SARAH, AGED 3: IN WHICH IT IS SHOWN THAT IF YOUR DAD IS A CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR, ASKING "WHY" CAN BE DANGEROUS By Stephen McNeil - FROM THE ARCHIVES - SARAH: Daddy, were you in the shower? DAD: Yes, I was in the shower. SARAH: Why? DAD: I was dirty. The shower gets me clean. SARAH: Why? DAD: Why does the shower get me clean?SARAH: Yes. DAD: Because the water
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