Chemistry is everywhere! Actually everything we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell has a firm basis in chemistry. The high quality of life that we experience today is due in no small part to many significant chemical discoveries over the past 150 years. Chemistry, as a pure science, seeks to describe and make comprehensible the nature and transformations of matter. As an applied science, it provides society with knowledge and tools to achieve its material purposes. By coupling creative thought and critical thinking skills with experimentation, the study of chemistry contributes to a liberal arts education. The courses in Chemistry are designed to emphasize the fundamental principles of the science, to reflect its interdisciplinary nature, and to develop experimental skill.
Because chemistry is the “central” science, a wide variety of opportunities awaits those with training in this field. The chemistry department offers a program meeting the needs of students pursuing a variety of study and career options in the chemical sciences. Included are students who anticipate careers as:
The Department of Chemistry has “approved” status by the American Chemical Society. This prestigious recognition is granted to less than one-quarter of the nation’s colleges and universities. The ACS promotes excellence in chemistry education for undergraduate students through approval of baccalaureate chemistry programs.
Current students and graduates will:
For more information about the Chemistry major leading to a teaching certification, please contact the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education.
An introductory course for broad exposure to chemistry in life. Particular emphasis upon the relevancy of chemistry to problems of modern existence.
Laboratory to accompany CHE100 Liberal Arts Chemistry, an introductory course for broad exposure to chemistry in life. Particular emphasis upon the relevancy of chemistry to problems of modern existence.
This initial course on the principles of chemistry is for those who may have a continuing interest in the natural sciences. Content includes the structure of matter, stoichiometry, chemical reactivity, gases, thermochemistry, atomic structure, and periodic relationships of the elements.
Laboratory course to accompany CHE111 General Chemistry I. This initial course on the principles of chemistry is for those who may have a continuing interest in the natural sciences. Content includes the structure of matter, stoichiometry, chemical reactivity, gases, thermochemistry, atomic structure, and periodic relationships of the elements.
This course is a continuation of the material in CHE 111. It will include chemical bonding, molecular geometry, intermolecular forces, solutions, rates of reactions, equilibrium, and acid-base chemistry. Lecture only.
CHE113 is the separate, Corequisite lab component.
This course involves laboratory experiences that accompany the General Chemistry II lecture. The activities are designed to develop skills in the chemistry laboratory via quantitative analysis, synthesis, molecular modeling, rates of reactions, and inorganic qualitative analysis. Practical experiments that correlate with the lecture material are designed to aid the understanding of modern chemical concepts. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE112.
This course is designed to expose science majors to some of the many practical applications of chemistry, such as nuclear power, plastics, household products, nutrition, or drugs, as well as the interaction of chemistry with other segments of society.
CHE111.
This course will examine the principles of cooking and the chemistry of food using scientific principles. Students will have the opportunity to test theories of improving cooking and to determine how and why certain foods are used in recipes. Lab is not required with CHE271.
CHE102 or CHE271.
The nomenclature, reactions, preparations, electronic and structural features of carbon-containing compounds will be covered in this course. These compounds include many medicines, pesticides, plastics, fibers, solvents, and fuels. The study of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, and alkyl halides is emphasized.
CHE112, 113.
Concurrent with CHE202.
This is a technique-oriented course focusing on the ability to carry out standard operations in the laboratory. Content includes learning how to determine the melting and boiling points of compounds as well as purifying liquids by distillation and solids by recrystallization and sublimation. Also covered are methods of synthesizing and proving the identity of compounds, chromatographic methods of analysis, and general safety considerations.
CHE112, 113.
Concurrent with CHE201.
Introduction to chemical concepts covered in-depth in advanced courses such as equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear reactions. The major focus will be on the periodic properties of the elements, descriptive main group and transition metal chemistry, and solid state chemistry. The lab (CHE213) is optional.
CHE112.
Laboratory experiences to accompany CHE211 will include qualitative inorganic analysis and inquiry-based labs on topics relevant to descriptive inorganic chemistry. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE113.
Students will examine raw ingredients and the methods to prepare foods from a chemical perspective. The effects of temperature, acidity, and polarity on the texture and flavor of foods will be examined. No science prerequisite, but a core knowledge of the basic structure of an atom and scientific method will be presumed. Students should have completed the writing sequence prior to taking this course. The lab is optional. Students with credit for CHE102 should take this course as CHE135.
Qualitative and quantitative analyses dealing with both the theoretical and practical aspects of classical gravimetric and volumetric chemical techniques, spectrophotometry, chromatography, and electrochemistry are covered. This course places an emphasis on both accuracy and precision in the lab and incorporates a discussion of elementary statistics and uncertainty in measurements. Includes a 3-hour lab each week.
CHE112, 113.
This continuation of CHE201 emphasizes the chemistry of aromatics, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, and amines. Multistep synthesis ties it all together. The theory and interpretation of spectral methods is also included.
Concurrent with CHE310.
This lab utilizes more advanced synthetic methods than those covered in CHE202. Classical methods of organic qualitative analysis, including refractive indices and densities, are used to determine the identity of unknown compounds and mixtures. Skill in obtaining and interpreting ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass (MS) spectra is emphasized.
Concurrent with CHE309.
This course covers modern analytical methodology, including the theory, instrumental analysis, and advanced spectral interpretation of UV-Visible, IR, NMR, MS, Fluorescence, and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. In addition, this course, like many other upper-level courses, gives students a chance to review the basic concepts introduced in the General and Organic sequences. Includes a 3-hour lab each week.
CHE309.
Students will study the scientific principles and analytical techniques applied to forensic investigations associated with crime scenes, legal proceedings, and current TV dramas. The class will study the history of forensic science and will be introduced to typical analytical techniques used for drug identification, arson investigation, forensic serology, DNA typing, and trace evidence investigation.
CHE201
This laboratory course is designed to complement CHE317 Forensic Chemistry. Experiments include soil, hair, and fiber analysis; matching glass and plastic samples; fingerprinting; drug and toxicology tests; analysis of gunshot and explosives residues; detecting forgeries and fakes; impressions such as tools and footprints; and instrumental analysis. CHE317 is optional.
CHE112
This lab provides experience in the use of modern electrochemical instrumentation and in the study of the characteristics of the three types of natural radioactivity. Materials containing safe, low levels of radioactivity are utilized. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE202.
In this course, you will learn about radiation, radioactive decay, nuclear energy, interactions between radiation and matter, nuclear medicine, fission, fusion, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection. You will also measure and discuss several properties of specific nuclear isotopes (half-life, range, energy) as well as properties of radiation in general (counting statistics, shielding, and background level).
Advanced synthesis and characterization of inorganic and organometallic compounds using solution and solid state techniques, along with the study of the properties of these materials. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE202.
Offered concurrently with CHE 400.
This course covers the basic categories of medicinal compounds and the chemical methods by which many are prepared commercially. It will also cover the principles by which pharmaceutical preparations are developed into usable form and the biochemical mode of action and transformations of selected compounds (such as aspirin and penicillin). The chemical and legal processes required to bring a compound to market and the history of the development of some of the important classes of drugs will also be covered. The lab is optional.
CHE309.
This lab includes the multi-step synthesis and analysis of a variety of medically significant materials using modern instrumentation. One 3-hour lab per week. CHE327 is optional.
CHE310.
Offered concurrently with CHE327.
An advanced treatment of chemical principles will include quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular structure, the first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics, thermochemistry, and chemical equilibria in gas phase reactions. Includes a 3-hour lab each week.
CHE112, MAT225, PHY211.
Topics will include molecular spectroscopy, the properties of gases, kinetics, and chemical equilibria in solution phase reactions. The lab is optional. CHE331 and 332 may be taken in any order.
CHE201, MAT225, PHY211.
In this laboratory course, students will perform detailed measurements of density, viscosity, conductivity, and freezing point depression. A series of unknowns are identified using physical measurements, various types of spectroscopy (UV-Visible, IR, NMR, MS, Fluorescence), and known literature values. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE202.
CHE332.
By combining chemical principles with issues of environmental concern, this course explores the flow of energy through nature, air pollution (global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion, photochemical smog, and indoor air), water pollution and purification, and toxic substances. Analytical techniques that are used to measure pollutants in the environment are also covered. The lab is optional.
CHE201.
By working with EPA sampling techniques and using modern instrumentation to separate and analyze real samples for environmentally significant materials, students will gain an appreciation for measuring trace components in complex samples. One 3-hour lab per week. CHE337 is optional.
CHE202.
Offered concurrently with CHE337.
This class focuses on the molecular structures, functions, and naming systems of the four major classes of biomolecules (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids). It includes the acid-base behavior of biomolecules, enzyme kinetics, bioenergetics, and practical considerations of personal nutrition. The biochemistry of glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and electron transport is also covered. The optional lab is offered in even springs.
CHE309.
Students will be introduced to the theory and application of modern biochemical techniques. Experiments will emphasize amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid chemistry; protein isolation and characterization via column chromatography and electrophoresis; enzyme kinetics; and membrane biochemistry. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE341.
This course will explore the structural and functional diversity of lipids. The structures and synthesis of a variety of lipids including fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol and steroids, Phospholipids, eicosanoids, and sphingolipids will be presented. The roles of lipids in membrane transport and signaling processes will also be examined. Additionally, pathways involving the absorption, storage, and mobilization of lipids in response to hormones will be studied. Defects in lipid metabolism impacting human health will be addressed.
CHE309.
This course is a survey of the principle topics in Physical Chemistry: the Laws of Thermodynamics, Chemical Equilibria, Electrochemistry, Rates of Reaction, quantum mechanics, the chemical bond, and spectroscopy.
CHE309, MAT125, and PHY211
Selected courses from fields such as chemical energetics, separations, toxicology, surface and materials chemistry, polymers, and mass spectrometry. Typically, one topic is offered each year.
CHE112, 113.
Advanced principles of inorganic chemistry will be introduced by focusing on the periodic properties, bonding, and structural theories of the elements, particularly the transition metals. Symmetry and group theory, acid-base theories, coordination compounds, and bioinorganic compounds are also covered. The lab (CHE325) is optional.
CHE331.
This lab will utilize powerful, yet convenient, molecular modeling software suites to model the chemical and physical properties of organic, inorganic, and biological molecules. Modern theoretical methods will examine molecular structure, spectra, bonding, and reactivity. Studies of Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) and the molecular dynamics of physical processes will be included. One 3-hour lab per week.
CHE201.
A student will work closely with a chemistry faculty member to identify a problem, define a course of investigation, accomplish the study in the library or laboratory, and submit a document recording the project. One hour of credit for each 3-hour lab per week.
Students will present several short presentations based on the chemical industry and the chemical literature. Resume preparation, small group activities, and talks by visiting speakers are included.
This continuation of the seminar series includes a 30-45 minute seminar presentation by each student on a current chemical topic.
CHE450.
Students may receive graduation credit for internships with appropriate disciplinary content that meet the facultyapproved criteria for academic internships. Such experiences include a significant reflective component and must be supervised by a full-time member of the Georgetown College faculty.
consent of the supervising instructor.
