Mr. Coach Marsh 

Charles.marsh@sfisd.org 

G202 

Santa Fe High School 

 

AP Chemistry Syllabus

 

Student Textbook:

Brown, LeMay, Bursten, Murphy, and Woodward Chemistry, 12th edition (2011)

 

Teacher textbook:

Zumdahl Chemistry, 9th Edition (2016)

 

This AP Chemistry course is designed to meet the criteria of the College Board’s AP Chemistry course and to match the level of rigor of a college General Chemistry course. This course is designed around the six “Big Ideas”:

 

Big Idea 1: The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements of atoms. These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions.

 

Big Idea 2: Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and the forces between them.

 

Big Idea 3: Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons.

 

Big Idea 4: Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the molecular collisions.

 

Big Idea 5: The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter.

 

Big Idea 6: Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition, sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations.

 

The course is also centered around the seven Science Practices

 

Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems

 

Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately

 

Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course

 

Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies in relation to a particular scientific question. [Note: Data can be collected from many different sources, e.g., investigations, scientific observations, the findings of others, historic reconstruction, and/or archived data.]

 

Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence

 

Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories

 

Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains

 

 

Other texts:

 

POGIL Activities for High School Chemistry from Flinn Scientific

 

AP Chemistry Guided-Inquiry Experiments: Applying the Science Practices, College Board

 

Inquiry-based experiment for AP Chemistry, PASCO Scientific

 

POGIL activities written by the instructor

 

 

Sample student activities meeting the learning objectives of AP Chemistry Curriculum Framework

 

Big Idea	Learning Objective	Student activity
1	Learning objective 1.7 The student is able to describe the electronic structure of the atom, using PES data, ionization energy data, and/or Coulomb’s Law to construct explanations of how the energies of electrons within shells in atoms vary.	Students will work in small groups on a POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) activity in which they determine how PES data can be used to determine the shell structure of an atom.
2	Learning objective 2.5 The student is able to refine multiple representations of a sample of matter in the gas phase to accurately represent the effect of changes in macroscopic properties on the sample.	Students will work in small groups on a POGIL activity in which they will examine a computer simulation of the motion of gas particles at different temperatures and how this affects observed pressure and volume of a gas.
3	Learning objective 3.1 Students can translate among macroscopic observations of change, chemical equations, and particle views.	Students will (a) observe demonstrations of precipitation or (b) be given a precipitation reaction equations or (c) given a drawing of a precipitation reaction at the atomic level; then asked to describe/write/draw the other two representations.
4	Learning objective 4.6 The student is able to use representations of the energy profile for an elementary reaction (from the reactants, through the transition state, to the products) to make qualitative predictions regarding the relative temperature dependence of the reaction rate.	Students will work in small groups on a POGIL activity in which they will learn how to lab energy profiles as reactants, transition state and products, activation energy and change in enthalpy. They will compare these energy profiles to along with rate data to determine the relationship between activation energy and rate.
5	5 Learning objective 5.8 The student is able to draw qualitative and quantitative connections between the reaction enthalpy and the energies involved in the breaking and formation of chemical bonds.	Students will work in small groups on a POGIL activity in which they compare bond enthalpies to the overall change in enthalpy of a reaction, then use the bond enthalpies to estimate the ΔH of a reaction.
6	6 Learning objective 6.4 The student can, given a set of initial conditions (concentrations or partial pressures) and the equilibrium constant, K, use the tendency of Q to approach K to predict and justify the prediction as to whether the reaction will proceed toward products or reactants as equilibrium is approached.	Students will work in small groups on a POGIL activity in which they learn to calculate Q and then, given time versus concentration data from appropriate reactions, determine the tendency of Q to approach K in a reaction and that this represents a state of equilibrium.
	Connecting chemistry to societal and technological concerns	Students will conduct brief experiments on radiated heat retention of a beaker filled with CO2 and another filled with air, as well as the effect on pH of adding CO2 to water. These effects will be discussed in terms of rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere on heat retention in the atmosphere and the pH of the world’s oceans. Students will then write short responses analyzing these observations in the context of LeChatelier’s principle and equilibrium.

 

AP Chemistry Topic Order

Unit I: Atoms, matter and reactions

1. Atoms and Isotopes
2. Isotopes and mass spec
3. Classification of matter
4. Solids in water
5. Naming Ionic compounds (two days)
6. Molecular nomenclature (re-title "naming molecular compounds")
7. Chemical reaction equations
8. Net ionic reaction equations
9. Loss and gain of electrons
10. Acids, bases and their reactions
11. Acid and base reactions Il
12. Decomposition and synthesis reactions

 

Unit Il: Stoichiometry and gas laws

1. Significant digits
2. Introduction to stoichiometry
3. Chemical stoichiometry Il
4. Topics in formula stoichiometry
5. Reaction stoichiometry
6. Limiting reactants
7. Concentration of solutions
8. Making solutions
9. Molarity calculations during reactions
10. Kinetic Molecular Theory
11.  What is temperature?
12. Gas laws
13. Gas stoichiometry
14. Real gases (maybe move to after IMF)

 

Unit III: Electrons, bonding and intermolecular forces

1. Electron configurations
2. Electron configurations - advanced topics
3. Light
4. Luminescence
5. Coulomb's law
6. First ionization energy
7. Atomic and ionic radius
8. The covalent bond (Lewis dot structures)
9. Using Lewis dot structures to predict molecular properties
10. VSEPR and hybridization
11. Electron density and dipoles
12. Molecular compounds and their forces
13. Intermolecular forces Il
14. Forces in solids (including network covalent and ionic)

 

Unit IV: Thermochemistry and Kinetics

1. Bond energy
2. Heat, temperature and heat capacity
3. Enthalpy
4. State functions and Hess' Law
5. Calculating AH from tabulated values
6. Enthalpy of phase transitions
7. Intro to Kinetics data
8. Reaction speed at the atomic level
9. Boltzmann distribution
10. Reaction mechanisms
11. Nuclear kinetics and half life

 

Unit V: Equilibrium

1. Intro to equilibrium
2. Equilibrium constant
3. RICE problems
4. Q versus K
5. LeChatelier
6. Weak acids and weak bases, pH calculations
7. Acid concentration versus pH
8. Kw temperature dependence
9. Acid-base properties of salts
10. Buffers
11. Ksp

 

Unit VI: Thermodynamics and electrochemistry

1. Introduction to entropy
2. Gibbs free energy
3. Connecting equilibrium to thermodynamics (AGO - -
4. Gibbs free energy at non-standard conditions
5. Electrochemical cells I
6. Electrochemical cells Il
7. Electrolysis

 

 

 

The AP Chemistry Laboratory

Because AP Chemistry meets (and often exceeds) the requirements of a university General Chemistry course, we will spend a minimum of 25% of class time in the laboratory engaged in hands-on laboratory work.

 

The goal of the laboratory program within AP Chemistry is to provide hands on experience with laboratory equipment and practices and to increase your understanding of chemistry and the science practices. As such and all labs listed are guided inquiry which force students to use the Science Practices in the lab.

 

 

Laboratory Activities

 

Below is a list of the “core” 16 labs we will perform this year. Additional labs may be added.

 

All 16 activities below use (in part or in whole) guided inquiry.

 

Lab number	Lab Title	Source	Science Practices Addressed
1	What is a Chemical Reaction?	Instructor	1.1, 1.5, 6.1
2	What can conductivity tell us about how compounds behave in water?	Instructor	1.4, 6.1, 6.4, 7.1
3	How can color be used to determine the mass percent of copper in brass?	College Board	5.1, 4.1, 6.4, 4.2, 2.2
4	Using the principle that each substance has unique properties to purify a mixture	College Board	5.2, 2.1, 2.2, 6.1, 5.1, 6.4, 4.2
5	What has more Vitamin C? (Redox titrations)	PASCO	4.2, 4.3
6	How much acid is in the Skittles?	Instructor	4.2, 4.3, 6.1
7	Separating mixtures (Intermolecular forces and solubility)	PASCO	1.4, 5.1, 6.4
8	The hand warmer design challenge	College Board	1.4, 6.4, 7.2, 4.2, 5.3, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1
9	How long will that marble statue last?	College Board	4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2
10	Measuring the speed of a reaction (Crystal violet kinetics)	PASCO	4.2, 5.1, 5.3
11	How can we make the colors of the rainbow? LeChatelier’s principle	College Board	4.1, 4.3, 4.2, 5.1, 6.2, 6.4
12	How do the structure and initial concentration of an acid and a base influence the pH of a resultant solution during a titration?	College Board	1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
13	Introduction to Buffers	PASCO	1.4, 6.4
14	Buffer capacity	PASCO	1.4, 6.4
15	Electrochemistry: Introduction	Instructor	4.2, 4.3, 6.1
16	Electrochemistry: The effect of concentration	Instructor	4.2, 4.3, 6.1

 

Lab reports. All labs will consist of a short pre-lab exercise, the lab itself, and follow up questions. At the end of each lab you will summarize your results in a short lab report, written directly in the student’s permanent bound notebook. Because all of our labs will be inquiry-based, we will use the Science Writing Heuristic format for lab reports.

 

1. Beginning Question for the lab
2. Safety
3. Procedures (brief outline)
4. Data and observations
5. Claim: What is the answer to the beginning question?
6. Evidence: Describe how the data/observations provide evidence for our claim.
7. Readings and reflections: These will vary from experiment to experiment

 

What is AP Chemistry?

 

AP Chemistry is a first-year college level course taught here at SFHS.  This course follows the Advanced Placement curriculum set by the College Board.  Students will have the opportunity to take the AP Chemistry Exam in MAY, 2019 to possibly receive college credit for the course.  This allows students to take second year chemistry courses as freshmen, take other courses that require chemistry as a prerequisite, or get the necessary laboratory science credit or other elective courses out of the way so the student can take more classes in their desired areas of study.

 

Who should take AP Chemistry?

 

Students who have successfully completed Pre-AP Chemistry (preferably with 82% or higher), have a desire to go on in the sciences post high school, have a strong desire to achieve, have a good aptitude for math and problem solving, and have an excellent attitude and work ethic.  Enrolling students should possess a 3.0 science GPA and understand that they will be expected to do college level work.

 

Is this course difficult?

 

In one word – YES!  As you receive the course outline you will notice the large volume of material that must be covered before the AP exam in the spring.  THIS MEANS WE WILL MOVE VERY QUICKLY!  My goal will be to cover the required material by the May AP test date.  To accomplish this goal, you should expect to have an average of at least one hour of homework per school night.    I realize that many of you have other events (clubs, sports, work, youth group, etc.) that occupy your time, so plan and organize your time accordingly.

 

We will be meeting 5 times per week for 50 minutes.  Approximately 1 class period per week will be spent for laboratories. You should be spending approximately five to seven hours a week working on problems, reading the textbook, and/or studying. This class moves very quickly covering a large amount of material. You need to continuously keep up by reading the chapters and working through problems. Even one day of absence can hurt you by putting you far behind.  

 

Are we going to do a lot of labs?

 

Laboratories are an essential part of this course.  We will do as many of the recommended AP labs (or a similar substitute) as possible.  Students will be asked to prepare for all labs prior to lab day. This includes reading the assigned material and/or handouts and, on occasion, may include devising your own experimental procedures.  Many of the labs we will be performing use materials that are both expensive and perishable.  This means that if a student misses a lab for any reason, it cannot be made up (except in extreme instances).  ATTENDANCE IS OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE!

 

We will spend approximately one 50 minute class period on laboratory work every week.  For every laboratory experiment you will be asked to write up a formal lab report (or entry in your lab journal) that includes the following components: experiment title, date, purpose, procedure, data and calculations, conclusion and sources of error as well as any pre-lab and post-lab questions (see Lab Report Guidelines at the end of this packet).   Lab reports will go into 30% of your grade.

 

Grading policy: daily grades are 10%, quiz/lab grades are 30%, and tests/projects are 60%.  The semester final is 20% of you first semester grade.  The semester grades will be a combined total of an average of both 9 weeks (80%) and the semester final (20%).  The final grade in the class is an average between semester 1 and 2. 

 

There will be at least, but not restricted to, two grades per week.  About every three weeks there will be a test.  Assignments are expected to be turned in on time.  Due dates for the assignments will be given the time it is distributed.  Class work is expected to be turned in at the end of class.  Homework is typically expected to be turned in the next class period, unless determined otherwise by the Coach Marsh.  Late assignments will receive a grade no higher than a 75 and will become a 0 after 3 days.  Assignments need to be turned in during the 9 weeks it was assigned, none will be accepted out of their designated 9 weeks.  Each student will receive a student handbook.  Students should follow the guidelines spelled out in the handbook.  Cheating policy is outlined in the student handbook and will be followed. Tarries and absences are also spelled out in the student handbook. 

 

An Interactive notebook (INB) will be created and updated by the student.  Contents of the INB will include but is not limited to notes, graphs, charts, graphic organizers, and labs.  I have found that students who update and use their INB daily tend to be more successful in my class than students who do not. 

 

Tutorials will be held after school Monday and Wednesday from 2:35-3:15. 

 

Food that students bring will not be allowed in the class at any time.  The only thing allowed will be a clear water bottle.  Please refrain from bring cups or contains. 

 

Material list: these items will help the student achieve success in this class 

• Two composition notebooks 
• A pack of 20 pencils 
• A pack of college ruled paper 
• Backpack 
• box of Kleenex

 

Class rules 

1. Listen carefully and follow directions 
2. Raise your hands to speak 
3. Respect others 
4. Use kind words 
5. Always do your best 
6. Help each other 
7. Treat others as you want to be treated 
8. Ask questions 
9. Cellphones may only be used with teacher permission 

 

 

Cell phone policy:  If a device is out in class when it is not supposed to be, the first time it is seen will be a warning, the second time the teacher will take up the device till the end of class, and the third time the teacher will take up the phone and hand it into the office.  Students will have to pay a fine of $15 to receive their device back at the end of the day.  Any further violations of the policy will see an automatic device sent to the office for a fine to receive it back and possible further consequences.