Welcome to the 'General Chemistry Laboratory Program'.  Please detach these pages from Experiment One and keep them in a safe place.  They contain information that you may need to refer to during the semester.

Resources on the Web.

    All  laboratory materials are on the web and you are expected to print your own copy.

    You will also find a vast amount of course and laboratory related material on the web.  These include, sample prelab quizzes, past exam questions sorted by subject, prior final exams given by various instructors, etc.  The address, https://genchem.chem.umass.edu , follow the course links from there.

What Equipment/Supplies Do I Need?

Students in any General Chemistry laboratory must wear safety glasses at all times. These may be purchased in the Campus Store. Students who wear prescription lenses must wear the safety glasses over their regular glasses. No substitution will be permitted except by written permission of Dr.T.Whelan on the basis of equivalent protection.   Calculator, electronic, scientific  (must do logs, roots, etc.)   'Student Laboratory Notebook', this can also be purchased at the Campus Store.

The laboratory Notebook:

    This notebook is never to leave the laboratory all work must be completed in the laboratory. Your TA will indicate what we are paying particular attention to, in each experiment. However in each experiment, recording data showing the accuracy of the instrument used, units, significant figures, and your method of calculational are all important areas. Deductions in these areas get harsher as you proceed though the experiments.  See 'Lab Notebook' on the Chem 112 Laboratory Web Site for a general overview on a laboratory notebook with a sample write up.

    Each experiment follows a similar pattern.  At the start of each laboratory your TA will administer a prelab quiz.  The object of this quiz is to test your preparedness for the experiment.  Have you read the lab and do you have some feel for what you are about to do.  With regards to the experiment itself, your TA will give you all the help required to do the calculations surrounding the lab.  Do not mistake help for 'giving you the answer', they will not do the latter but rather, guide you through the underling principals, so that you can come up with the answer yourself. 

First Lab Period - What to Expect!

    The general chemistry laboratories are located on the first floor of the Integrated Sciences Building.  There are two main laboratories each containing 5 modules.  As you enter the vestibule, to your left is Room 160 which has five 16 student laboratories, numbered 160A through 160E.  To your right is Room 155 which also has five 16 student laboratories, numbered 155A through 155E.  Room assignments will be posted in the vestibule the day of your first lab and thereafter can be viewed on the General Chemistry Web Site.

Grading:
 
Please Read the Following Carefully

1. The laboratory grade constitutes 17-20% of the overall course grade.
   The exact % is at each Lecture Instructor's discretion and can be found in their Syllabus.
   The final laboratory grade tends to be high, ~90⁺% and thus enhances your overall course score.
   Thus failure to complete ALL the laboratories will have a notable impact on your final Course.
    
2. A final laboratory grade will be posted at the end of the semester before your final exam. It will be posted in your CLASS OWLS.
   This grade is based on the following:-
   

   *1		Prelab Quiz		25%
   *2		Laboratory Reports		70%
   *3		TA Assessment		5%

*1:  This is administered by the TA, in a paper format, at the start of the lab.  The 6 questions that make up the Quiz are taken directly from the sample quizes found on the 112 Lab Web Site.  So make sure you take a look at these and make sure you arrived to the lab on time - the TA is not required to give a student who is late a Quiz.

*2:  You have two options here. The choice of which is at the TA discretion.
 i) The TA may require you to keep a lab notebook and will as the lab course progresses teach you the various aspects of doing this correctly.
  
ii) The TA may require you to write a Lab Report and and will as the lab course progresses teach you the various aspects of doing this correctly.

There is notable subtle differences between i) and ii) and the TA's choice depends on which they are most comfortable teaching teach so that you learn the correct method associated with whichever one they choose.
 
3: Can have a small affect on your final lab grade.  It is simply your TA's perception of your preparedness for lab and how you performed while in the lab.  Things like, failure to continuously wear safety glasses while in lab and leaving your lab space in a messy conditions can result in a low score here.

1. Discuss them with your TA. Very often the TA is not immediately aware that their actions are causing you concern and they are more than willing to listen and accommodate your concerns. If you wish to have a mediator present, your supervisor will act as one. The role of the mediator is not to take sides but to make sure that both sides get the opportunity to express their point of view. 
 
2. Still not resolved or the above is not a viable option. Then please see me, Dr. Tom Whelan, director of the laboratory program. I will in strict confidence look into your complaint and resolve it. 
 
3. Not happy with my resolution. Then you may see Prof. Beatrice Botch, Director General Chemistry.

I missed a lab, how do I go about making it up?

    For a documented legitimate excuse you have up to two weeks from the time you missed the scheduled lab to make up that lab with your assigned TA.  Once this time period has elapsed a grade of 0 will be recorded for that laboratory.  In the case of a prolonged illness you may appeal to Dr. Tom Whelan for an excused absence, documentation must be provided to support your request.  An excused absence will mean that your final laboratory grade will be determined based on the labs you have completed.

If I do not arrive on time for lab I will not be able to take the pre-lab quiz?.

    This is true.  With the exception of the first laboratory, the prelab quiz is given at the start of the lab.  If you arrive late you will receive a 0 for that pre-lab quiz.  Of course if the reason for you being late was beyond your control you will be allowed to take it. 

    Bottom line, be on time.

If I do not complete all the labs then I fail the course, is this true?.

    No this is not true.  You cannot automatically fail the course because of the Lab Portion.  However bear in mind that if you complete all the labs, by putting in an honest effort then you will be rewarded with a good lab score.  Missing labs will seriously reduce this and as stated earlier it will have a notable impact on your final Course.