Recent Announcements for Chem. 1310 A

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Exam Keys - Exam 1A, Exam 1B / Exam 2C, Exam 2D / Exam 3A, Exam 3B / Final A, Final B / Grade Graph

12/15/2009 Yesterday I got 39 email messages from my Gen Chem students. I feel so popular (haha).

12/14/2009 !!!GRADES!!! Do not send me email until you read this completely. But then send me your thoughts (be nice). (i) The grade cutoffs are given on the graph above. In the beginning of the semester I announced that the average for our class would be 2.7. But the actual average is 2.9, because you were such a smart class. Some other sections of Chem 1310 had set cutoffs for grades (>85=A, etc). That was not the policy for our class, ever. Even though I might want to (and I do) I simply cannot increase our class average beyond 2.9. (ii) I have uploaded your final exam grades, broken down by section, to T-square, so that you can see how you did. The purpose of T-square is to allow you to see your exam scores, etc. But I do not use T-square to calculate your grades. I do that with a spreadsheet, which is the final authority. (iii) I am far away from Atlanta. I will return on Jan 1. If you would like to see your final, then come by my office (check first to make sure I am there) after Jan 1. (iv) Please do not ask me to give you a better grade than students who got higher scores than you. I cannot do that.

12/11/2009 (#1) The grades for Chem 1310 (A/B) have been uploaded.

12/11/2009 (#2)
Dear Dr. Williams, Is there some sort of extra credit that I can do to improve my grade. I have worked really hard in this class and I feel I don't deserve the grade I received. a student.

Dear Student,
Yes, I am sure that that you did work hard. But your grade is your grade. I cannot push you up over others that have higher scores. All of the students in our class are smart. Most of them worked very hard. Most of them have never received a C before this. But here, nearly half of the class got a C or worse. We are at Georgia Tech. In the end, by the time you graduate, you will be tough and resourceful and hopefully not too cynical.
Sincerely, Dr. Williams

12/11/2009 The final exam keys are posted (above). The averages are (i) Overall Final Exam: 71, (ii) Chapter 1: 83, (iii) Chapter 2: 73, (vi) Chapter 3: 80, (v) Chapter 4: 57, (iv) Chapter 5: 37. The frequency distribution for class total scores (averaged) looks like this.

12/5/2009 AM We are getting pretty close to the threshold for the number of students who have filled out the course evaluation form... Encourage your friends to fill it out.

12/4/2009 The powerpoint for Chapter 17 has been improved. There will probably be a review session at 4 PM on Sunday in our normal lecture hall, depending on whether a sufficient number of students fill out the course evaluation form (here).

12/2/2009 Your final exam schedule is posted here. Don't trust your professors, don't trust your friends. Look up your own schedule.

12/1/2009 The course evaluation form is posted here. If I get a 90% response rate, then I will have a review session on sunday afternoon. Exam 3 keys are posted above. For the final exam, please use the midterm exams as study guides. I will make my first draft of the final by pasting together all the midterm exams. Then I will revise and edit those, to change things up.

11/26/2009 A four page crib sheet will be allowed for the final.

11/16/2009 The review session schedule has been revised (see below). I have gone through the chapter 15 powerpoint, and clarified and corrected some things.

11/13/2009 Some notes from class, on how to get from entropy of the universe to free energy are posted here. I corrected a lot of typos from the chapter 15 powerpoint.

Review sessions
(1) Sunday afternoon 4:00 PM in our lecture room. Important: Check back here at 3:15 PM Sunday to confirm the location. I might have to change the room.
(2) Monday in class (after I finish deltaG=deltaGzero-RTlnK).
(3) Monday during recitation.
(4) Wednesday in class.

11/9/2009 PM Thermodynamics Notes for recitation are posted here.

11/2/2009 PM The Webassign deadline has been extended until Wednesday at 11:59 PM.

11/2/2009 AM Please bring this to recitation tonight.

10/30/2009 Today we start Thermodynamics - my favorite part of this course. The chapter 14 powerpoint slides are posted (above).

10/29/2009 The exam keys are given above. Two questions were omitted, so the absolute number of possible points is 90. Your score was obtained by taking the number of correct answers, dividing by 90 and multiplying by 100.

10/26/2009 PM I fixed a couple of typos in the chapter 13 lecture notes.

10/26/2009 AM Here are Exam 2C and Exam 2D keys.

10/26/2009 Bring this to recitation on monday.

10/19/2009 The ancillary pages for exam 2 are posted here.

10/14/2009 EXAM There is an exam on October 21 (next Wednesday). We will have a review session for the whole class on Monday night during recitation. There will be a special review session, for those who have not had AP chemistry, tomorrow (thursday) at 11am in 1201A MS&E (next to IBB). The lecture on the day of the exam will be a review session, if I am on schedule. The exam will cover Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

10/12/2009 The Chapter 10 lecture notes have been revised. Chapter 11 lecture notes have been posted.

10/11/2009 The web assign deadline for chapters 11 and 12 had been pushed back to Tuesday, October 20 at 11:59 PM.

10/07/2009 The web assign deadline had been pushed back to Friday at 11:59 PM.

9/30/2009 #2. WebAssign Fail. How many students in my class have experienced server problems with WebAssign?

9/30/2009 1#

I just successfully uploaded todays powerpoint presentation. Please see slide 33 for the summary of the equations that you should be familiar with. I will go back to that next lecture.

9/28/2009

(#1) Bring this to recitation today. (#2) The webassign deadline has been extended to midnight wednesday.

9/25/2009

Keys are posted (above)

9/22/2009

WebAssign is not working well. The deadline will be postponed.

9/21/2009

The schedule for review sessions (below has been revised). Dr. Cox and I have been unsucessful in reserving large rooms for additional review sessions.

My office hours are the same as usual, right after class. You can also attend Dr. Cox's office hours, which are MW 3:00 - 5:00, and T 12:30 - 3:00.

Question from student:
Dr. Williams,
The practice tests listed under resources in t-square say they are for chapters 3,4,12,13. Are these the chapters the test will be on? or chapters 5 and 6 as well?

Yes, this is very confusing. The book has been reorganized since last year. The chapters have been renumbered. The actual material is the same, this year and last year, but the chapter numbers are different. Exam I is through the end of chapter 6 (of this year's text).

The first and last pages of the exam are posted here.

9/15/2009
Review Sessions.
#1. Thursday, 11/17, 11AM, Room 1226 MS&E building. I will make this appropriate for those who have not had AP chemistry.
#2. Monday, 11/21 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm, lecture hall.
#3. Wednesday, 11/23, 10AM, regular class room.

9/14/2009 #3

There are issues with WebAssign. The deadline will be extended.

9/14/2009 #2

Are you having trouble getting on webassign? Send me email.

9/14/2009

I cannot do a review session tomorrow (tuesday). I will try on thursday. Check back.

9/11/2009

The hours for the tutor room (room 50) are here. The course polices have been revised, to correct an error. The correct time for the final exam is Dec 8 (Tue) 11:30am - 2:20pm.

9/8/2009

Quantum Mechanics: Print this out and bring it to recitation.

9/3/2009

Sugar with no carbon.
Bohr calculator.
Orbitals.

9/2/2009

Netwon's Cradle

Richard P. Feynman: "Electrons, when they were first discovered, behaved exactly like particles or bullets, very simply. Further research showed, from electron diffraction experiments for example, that they behaved like waves. As time went on there was a growing confusion about how these things really behaved ---- waves or particles, particles or waves? Everything looked like both.

This growing confusion was resolved in 1925 or 1926 with the advent of the correct equations for quantum mechanics. Now we know how the electrons and light behave. But what can I call it? If I say they behave like particles I give the wrong impression; also if I say they behave like waves. They behave in their own inimitable way, which technically could be called a quantum mechanical way. They behave in a way that is like nothing that you have seen before. Your experience with things that you have seen before is incomplete. The behavior of things on a very tiny scale is simply different. An atom does not behave like a weight hanging on a spring and oscillating. Nor does it behave like a miniature representation of the solar system with little planets going around in orbits. Nor does it appear to be somewhat like a cloud or fog of some sort surrounding the nucleus. It behaves like nothing you have seen before. " read the rest

9/1/2009

Do you need help with chemistry? There is free tutoring available through Success Programs (1-to-1 and PLUS), OMED, and most of the freshman dorms. In addition, there are chemistry TA's available for you in CoC room 50, next to the lecture hall. Your lab TA is there to help you. I will be providing review sessions. And you should come to my office hours.

8/31/2009

If you experience flu-like symptoms, stay home. Send me email. You will not be penalized form missing class because you are sick.

Note Taker. A student note taker is needed to take notes for a student with a disability. The note taker will be paid a stipend for this assignment. Skills needed are the ability to take accurate, legible, and organized notes and a commitment to attend every lecture (but not if you have flu-like symptoms!!!!). If interested, please contact Tina Allen at 404-894-2563 or via email at notetaker@vpss.gatech.edu. Be sure to indicate the Professor's name (Williams), time (10 am), day (MWF) and course number (chem 1310) in the subject line of the announcement.

8/30/2009

From a student:
Problem #12 of WebAssign homework asks the student to give the oxidation states of various elements in a variety of compounds.
I was able to finish all of them but one:
Fe3O4
O = 2- (2- has been verified as being correct by WebAssign)
Fe = ???

I have tried +2 and +3 for Iron. Both were incorrect. I even tried (4/3), which was also wrong. I must be missing something. I thought Iron could only be +2 or +3.

The sum of the oxidation states of all the atoms must give the net charge on the molecule, which in this case is zero. Four oxygens in the 2- state gives a charge of 8- which must be balanced out by the same total charge on the three iron atoms (but of the opposite sign). If you put two of the irons in the 3+ state and one in the 2+ state, it adds up to zero (including the oxygen atoms).

8/29/2009

There are issues with WebAssign like this. If you have examples of incorrect answers or ambiguous questions, please send me a screen shot.

8/28/2009 #2.

Your problems for recitation are here.

8/28/2009

There are many resources available to you. Room 50, right next to the lecture hall, has graduate students, waiting for you pretty much all day. The schedule is posted on the door. Your lab TA should have office hours and be ready to meet with you by appointment. I have office hours MWF at 11 am in Room 50, and can meet by appointment at other times. For my office hours, I don't sit around waiting. But I will be there if you tell me after class that you are coming.

Some important dates:
(1) First Exam: September 23 (evening).
(2) In class review sessions: September 21 and 23 (in class).
(3) Special Review session for non-AP Chem students: Thursday September 17, 11 am in room 1226 MSE Building.

8/27/2009

I want to know what you think about WebAssign. Have you had bad experiences? Read the note I got from a student below and email me your opinion. How much time are you spending on it? Please follow the rules on email, and put "WebAssign Issues" in the subject line.

Dear Professor, WebAssign is seriously a hassle. The questions are extremely vague and give little information as to what the question wants. For questions that need a chemical equation there is no example and when you enter it in the correct way the website still states that it is entered wrong. On several questions there are repeats or the correct headings are missing. This evening when i started my web assign assignment, i assumed it would take me at most 45 minutes to complete! Two and half hours later i had yet to complete the first 5 questions because i spent a majority of my time trying to figure out what the question called for. The other problem with this is while i tried to figure out the correct way the website wanted things entered i continued to use my submissions. I don't know what to do when trying to answer these questions that don't ask much of anything. I asked my TA if he had any idea about the program and he had little knowledge of the program! I am very concerned about how i am supposed to finish my assignments if i can barely understand them.

8/24/2009

(1) You have recitation tonight. Here is a handout that you will be using. Print it and bring it with you. (2) Bring your prs to class on wednesday, we will start to use them. (3) The tutoring center is open for business in room 50, right next to the lecture hall. (4) I have edited the powerpoint slides (see above).

8/21/2009

The course polices and syllabus have been revised. The links are on the course home page. Make sure that you do not accidently use documents from other sections. The documents for our section contain the header:
CHEM 1310 / Fall 2009 / Section A / Dr. Williams / (revised 8/19/2009)

8/19/2009

The course polices and syllabus have been revised. The links are on the course home page. Make sure that you do not accidently use documents from other sections. The documents for our section contain the header:
CHEM 1310 / Fall 2009 / Section A / Dr. Williams / (revised 8/19/2009)

8/18/2009

The General Chemistry enterprise is so large and complex it is compartmentalized. I do science. Contact me 24/7 by email if you have pressing questions about carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, the second law, quantum states, free energy, stoichiometry, the origin of life, the properties of DNA, RNA, protein, carbohydrate or lipids.

However, if you have questions about printing, logging on to a computer account, your lab, a malfunctioning prs, your schedule, etc., then do the following in order: (1) ask your friends, (2) ask your TA, (3) send an inquiry to genchem@chemistry.gatech.edu, (4) make new friends and restart at (1). But just this once, I did hear that your Web Assign access code is: gatech 0622 3291. Please use that 14 digit code and your personal access code (purchased) to set up your WebAssign account.

8/17/2009

Welcome to General Chemistry. This is where you look for daily announcements about Chem 1310A, which meets at 10 AM, MWF and is taught by me, Dr. Williams. First off, here are some rules and guidelines to help you do well this semester.

(a) Do not under any circumstance make travel plans that involve missing the final or missing a midterm exam.

(b) You must pass the lab to pass the class.

(c) If you are a member of a Georgia Tech Intercollegiate Athletic Team or the Marching Band, please send me an email message altering me within the first week of the semester. If you are going to miss class or an exam because of an officially sanctioned event, let me know as soon as possible.

(d) If you are an ADAPTS student, please send me an email message altering me within the first week of the semester.

(e) Learn the name of your TA. Memorize your recitation section. You will need that information for the exams.

(f) Your attendance is required in recitation. We will take attendance in recitation.

(g) Come to my office hours. Just come to introduce yourself so we can talk. Or come and ask questions about chemistry. If you come to my office hours, send me email, so I have a record.

(h) I like to get email from students. But please use reasonable punctuation and conventional words, lol. Sign off with your full name. Please follow all the email instructions on the course homepage.

below are last year's announcements (Fall, 2008) with some broken links.

12/12/2008
Keys: Final Exam Version C / Final Exam Version D. On average you did well. But if you answered "rainbow" then you need to spend your winter break (re)thinking about Bragg's Law.

12/11/2008
A key is posted here. The exams will be graded tomorrow.

12/11/2008 (1 am)
The final exam key for the spring 2008 final has been revised (problem 67). It is not necessary for you to send email reminding me that you missed an exam (for example because of a Marching Band trip) and that I need to conduct the grade substitution. That is all programed and will happen automatically.

12/9/2008
The description of material to be covered on the exam has been modified (omit 17.2). Exam stats (1/2/3)

12/8/2008
There will be a review session tomorrow night (tuesday) at 6:30 PM in our regular classroom (16 CoC). Also, the equations page (see previous) has been revised. The chemistry help center in the basement of the CoC is open this week, with the same hours as always.

12/7/2008
The formula page will look like this.

12/5/2008c
My (LDW) office hours this morning dragged on for longer than I anticipated. So to catch up, I have to cancel my office hours this afternoon. I will have office hours Monday at 1 PM, and possibly Tuesday (time TBD).

12/5/2008b
There is a description of intermolecular forces (here) that is more detailed than we need for this class, but still might be useful to you.

12/5/2008a
Crib Sheet. You are allowed two pages, 8.5x11, double-sided, hand-written.

12/4/2008
Section 4 on the final will cover chapter 15 (omit sections 15.7, 15.9), and the material covered in lecture. (10 questions)

Section 3 on the final will cover chapter 7 (omit 7.9, 7.10, 7.11), chapter 8 (omit sections 8.3, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10), chapter 9 (omit 9.7, 9.8), and chapter 10 (omit 10.13, 10.14), and the material covered in lecture. (15 questions)

Section 2 on the final will cover Chapters 5 (omit 5.11), 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 (Bragg Equation only in 16.3), 17 (omit 17.2, 17.8), and 6, and the material covered in lecture. (15 questions)

Section 1 on the final will cover chapters 3 (all), 4 (omit 4.10, 4.11, 4.12), 12 (all), 13 (all), and the material covered in lecture. (15 questions)

12/3/2008
All the midterm exams from this semester are together up at the top of this page for your viewing convenience. The exam times are listed below. For the 9am class (whetten), the exam is on wednesday. For the 10am class (williams) the exam is on thursday. DO NOT (1) take the wrong exam, with the wrong class, (2) even think of trying to use the "my alarm did not go off" excuse, (3) make travel plans that involve missing the final.

9:00am Class (L,M) Final Exam Time: Dec 10th (Wed) 2:50 - 5:40
10:00am Class (A,B) Final Exam Time: Dec 11th (Thu) 2:50 - 5:40

11/24/2008c
Here are the statistics on the exams.
Version A, mean 64 (10 am)
Version B, mean 63 (10 am)
Version C, mean 64 (9 am)
Version D, mean 63 (9 am)

11/24/2008b
Someone left a pretty nice calculator after the 10 am exam.

11/24/2008a
The key for Exam 3a is posted here.

11/23/2008b
Exam Info - Extra Credit. The exam consists of 20 questions, each worth 5 points. In addition, at the end of the exam there are 6 questions, each worth 1 point. These bonus questions are tougher then the others. The maximum score on the exam is 100 points. We will be very strict about ending the exam on time. If you are still working on your exam at 9:55 plus one second (for the 9 am class) or 10:55 plus one second (for the 10 am class), then we will not accept your exam.

11/23/2008a
The formula page has been revised. It is here.

11/20/2008a
The exam will contain a formula sheet like this.

11/20/2008b
There will be review session on Friday at 6 PM in B6 Boggs (ugh, my least favorite room).

11/19/2008b
There will be a review session on Friday evening. Time TBD.

11/19/2008a
REVISED Monday's exam will cover chapter 7 (omit 7.9, 7.10, 7.11), chapter 8 (omit sections 8.3, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10), chapter 9 (omit 9.7, 9.8), and chapter 10 (omit 10.13, 10.14). This list supersedes all others, including lists on powerpoint slides, etc.

11/11/2008
The following is a message to all Chem 1310 students from Dr. Bottomley.
You are almost finished with the bulk of lab for general chemistry. Your lab grade on T-square shows your current percentage without any drops. T-square will not allow me to drop any grades. I will recalculate your lab grade at the end of the semester with drops and send them to your instructor who will count it in as 20% of your overall grade. However, the current percent grade showing will give you a good idea of how you are doing in general in lab. Unfortunately there are a few of you that will have below a 60% for a lab grade. I wanted to remind you that you must pass the lab in order to pass the whole class. I strongly suggest that you discuss your lab grades with your TA as soon as possible if you think you are in this category. If you will make well below a 60 in lab there is no reason to finish lab or take the chem 1310 final. You should come and check out of lab however.Please come by and see me or your TA if you have any questions. It has been fun to watch you in lab. All of you have gained a lot of lab skill and proficiency during the semester.

11/7/2008
The class on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving will be an optional review session. For the final: do not make reservations that take you away from Tech before the final. You will not be allowed to take the final early or miss the final for any reason. Do not even ask about it.
The exam has been rescored. Your grade has been revised, if necessary.
Version A
Q 10: A or B are both correct.
Q 18: B or E are both correct.
Version B
Q 3: B or D are both correct.
Q 9: B or E are both correct.
And so on for Versions C and D.

10/27/2008
Lecture notes for chapter 7 are posted above.

10/25/2008c
New Email Rule. Email will only be accepted from Georgia Tech accounts. Please do not send email to me, Dr. Whetten, Dr. Baron, of Dr. Cox from Gmail, Hotmail, etc. In the interests of your privacy, we need to know that you are really you.

10/25/2008b
Marching Band. If you are a member of the Georgia Tech marching band send email to Dr. Williams. Follow the usual email rules, but put "Marching Band" as the last field of the subject line. If you play an instrument other than the clarinet, explain why.

10/25/2008a
Exam 2 keys are here A B C D.

10/22/2008d
The back pages of the exam are posted here. If you want additional information added to that, send it in (very soon). The front page of the exam looks like this.

10/22/2008c
Who lost a cell phone? Amanda?

10/22/2008b
Revised: The next exam covers Chapters 5 (omit 5.11), 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 (Bragg Equation only in 16.3), 17 (omit 17.2 and 17.8), and 6.

Review session: Tonight 6-7 PM in our usual lecture room. We have to be out of the room at 7:00, so be on time.

10/22/2008a
Here is an example of a series of coupled chemical reactions.

10/20/2008
The next exam covers Chapters 5 (omit 5.11), 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 (Bragg Equation only in 16.3), 17 (omit 17.8), and 6. There will be a review session on Wed evening probably at 7 PM, but look back at this page for more details.

10/15/2008
Lecture notes for chapter 6 have been posted above.

10/14/2008
Movie of the enzyme Pyruvate phosphate dikinase.

10/10/2008
Chapter 17 lecture notes are posted above.

10/8/2008
Revised office hours: M 11 am (chem annex), W 11 am (chem annex), F 2 pm (1309 IBB), because so many people seem to have conflicts with the previous schedule.

10/2/2008
Yesterday we discussed molecular interactions (aka intermolecular interactions). Here is a summary that you might find useful.

9/26/2008
Lecture notes for Chapter 5 have been revised.

9/24/2008
Lecture notes for Chapter 5 are posted, above.

9/22/2008
Exam Keys - version A /B /C /D
If you have issues with the key, send email. Ignore the green text. The average is 75, the standard deviation is 15. If you are greater than one SD below the mean (i.e., if your score is less than 60), then you need to make some serious changes in how you prepare.

9/18/2008
Williams (10am) and Whetten (9am) classes: Your exam on monday is in your regular lecture hall at the regular lecture time. Be on time.

9/18/2008
This is what the cover of the exam will look like.

9/17/2008 (1:10 PM)
REVIEW SESSION. The review session will be from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM on thursday evening in our lecture hall. Sorry it is so late, but that is the only time I could get the room.

9/17/2008 (12:15 PM)
The exam will cover chapters 3 (all), 4 (omit 4.10, 4.11, 4.12), 12 (all), 13 (all), and the material covered in lecture. I am still waiting confirmation of the room for the review session.

9/17/2008
Change in the date of the exam review. Pending confirmation of the room it will be conducted thursday evening at 7 PM. Check back here for the confirmation.

9/16/2008
New email policy!!! Please use subject line = "Chem 1310, time of lecture, firstname lastname, subject". Example "Chem 1310, 9am, Mia Hamm, Eduspace problem"

9/14/2008
There will be review session on friday from 5 to 7 PM in our lecture room (see revision above).

9/14/2008
Chapter 13 lecture notes are posted here.

9/13/2008
Eduspace: The deadline for the Chapter 5 pre-lecture assignments has been changed to Tuesday, September 23 at midnight. The Eduspace notice posted on 9/11 has been revised accordingly.

9/12/2008
The lecture notes for chapter 12 have been revised (the revisions start at slide 72).

9/11/2008
If you have problems with eduspace please send me (williams) email immediately. Be very specific about the problem. Please use subject line = "Chem 1310, firstname lastname, Eduspace Problem".

9/11/2008
Eduspace has been restarted. Look here for details.

9/10/2008
Someone had a really bad day at Tech square. I took this picture from inside the T-mobile store. If that is your car, then then you are excused from class and lab for a week, so you can go home and explain it to your parents.

9/10/2008
For students in the 9am section of 1310: (A) Print out this empty Periodic Table. (B) Label the blocks (spdf). (C) Write out the electronic configuration (1S22S22P6, etc) for two of heavy atoms of your choice from remote places on the periodic table. (D) Send me email by Friday confirming that you have labeled the periodic table. The email should contain the two atom names and the configurations. Please use the required syntax for all email: subject line = "Chem 1310, firstname lastname, subject". (E) Don't forget you have an exam on Monday, September 22.

9/10/2008
Did you loose an iPod? A pair of glasses? Send me email to claim them.

9/08/2008 (A) For the blank periodic table assignment, you must label the blocks (spdfg) and write out the electronic configuration for a couple of heavy atoms. Send me email by wednesday confirming that you have done it. (B) Don't forget we have an exam on Monday, September 22.

9/07/2008
The lecture notes for Chapter 12 (below) have been revised.

9/07/2008
Print out this empty Periodic Table and bring it to class tomorrow (monday).

9/06/2008
Eduspace continues to be discontinued. Don't bother with it until further notice.

9/04/2008
Chapter 12 Lecture notes are posted here.

9/03/2008
The following is to help you 'understand' Quantum Mechanics

Richard P. Feynman: Electrons, when they were first discovered, behaved exactly like particles or bullets, very simply. Further research showed, from electron diffraction experiments for example, that they behaved like waves. As time went on there was a growing confusion about how these things really behaved ---- waves or particles, particles or waves? Everything looked like both.

This growing confusion was resolved in 1925 or 1926 with the advent of the correct equations for quantum mechanics. Now we know how the electrons and light behave. But what can I call it? If I say they behave like particles I give the wrong impression; also if I say they behave like waves. They behave in their own inimitable way, which technically could be called a quantum mechanical way. They behave in a way that is like nothing that you have seen before. Your experience with things that you have seen before is incomplete. The behavior of things on a very tiny scale is simply different. An atom does not behave like a weight hanging on a spring and oscillating. Nor does it behave like a miniature representation of the solar system with little planets going around in orbits. Nor does it appear to be somewhat like a cloud or fog of some sort surrounding the nucleus. It behaves like nothing you have seen before. read the rest

8/29/2008
Chapter 4 Lecture notes are posted (here).

8/28/2008
We are suspending Eduspace for at least the next week. Cease doing any work on Eduspace. Cengage (formerly Houghton Mifflin) continues to have "server stability issues". They also give out incorrect info on their help line. Other major issues are registration and grading of problems. They probably outsourced their tech support and fired all of their competent staff to save money.

8/27/2008
There are definitely some problems with Eduspace. So we will have to limp along the best we can for a while. (I bet their tech support has been outsourced.)

8/27/2008
None of you come to my office hours...

8/25/2008
Contrary to any other information you have may have received, your attendance is required in recitation. We will take attendance in recitation.

8/25/2008
Chapter 3 lecture notes (below) have been revised.

8/23/2008
I have posted some information for using Eduspace and WebAssign.

8/18/2008
Welcome to General Chemistry
Chapter 3 lecture notes are posted here.