A MINIMUM SYLLABUS FOR A COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSE IN CHEMISTRY
E I G H T E E N years ago the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers published a "Syllabus for a College Preparatory Course in Chemistry."' I n 1941 the College Entrance Examination Board adopted a syllabus that conformed rather closely to the NEACT re~ommendations.~Later, however, the CEEB discontinued for policy reasons its syllabus and thus deprived chemistry teachers of what had become a valuable guide in course planning. At a symposium held a t the University of Maine during the Tenth Summer Conference, August, 1948, the need was stressed for a syllabus which would enable teachers to retain the freedom emphasized by the CEEB but which would contain the hard core of a chemistry course for students who are being prepared to take additional chemistry in college. As a result, a new committee was chosen from college and secondary school representatives to draw up a statement of the minimum requirements for the secondary school preparatory course in chemistry. The resulting syllabus was adopted a t the Eleventh Summer Conference a t the University of New Hampshire, in August, 1949.3 I n the Fall of 1955, a Committee on the Revision of the Chemistry Syllabus was appointed to review once more the provisions of the Minimum Syllabus which members had found to be very helpful. The Committee made a preliminary report at the 283rd Meeting of the As~ociation.~This committee presented its final report a t the next meeting on December 8, 1956. Very few changes were re~ommended.~The revised minimum syllabus is presented herewith. The required section is divided into two parts: Part I, Descriptive Chemistry; and Part 11, General Chemistry. The order of topics as listed in the syllabus is not necessarily the order in which they should be taught. Every teacher must feel free to decide when and how each topic will be taken up. The NEACT also stipulates that individual laboratory work, including preparation of gases, quantitative exercises, and ionic reactions should be an essential
"Report of the NEACT's Committee on College Entrance 16, 46 (1939). Examinations," THIS JOURNAL, "The Chemistry Examination of the College Entrance Ex18, 441 (1941). amination Board," THIS JOURNAL, "A Minimum Syllabus for a. College Preparatory Course in 27.46 (1950). Chemistry," THIS JOURNAL, Report of the NEACT, OfieidBusiness, THIS JOURNAL, 33, 146, (1956). 34. "eport of the NEACT, Oficial Business, TnIs JOURNAL, 1.53, (1957).
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VOLUME 34, NO. 6, JUNE, 1957
part of the course. At least oue double period each week should he assigned to laboratory work and four single to classroom discussions and demonstra- periods . tions. Part I11 is a list of Supplementary Topics. I t includes subjects that are important but not essential and is presented simply for the guidance of those teachers who have additional time or gifted &dents and who may select material from it adaptable to their courses. PART I.
Descriptive Chemistry
A . Chemistry qf Some Noninetals and lheir Common C o w pounds: Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen (nitric acid and nitrates, ammonia, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide); sulfur (hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfdric acid, and sulfates); carbon (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbonic acid and carbonates, methane, methyl- and ethyl-alcohols); halogen family (halides and related acids). B. Composition pf Air: Relation of air to rombustion and life processes. C . Water: Properties, composition, and purification; treatment of water for drinking; softening of hard xater. D. Chemistry of T h w Metals and Their C n ~ n i Compounds, a Sodium (sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, sodium csrbonate: and sodium hydrogen carbonate); aluminum; and iron. 1. Definition and properties of metals in general. 2. Typical methods of extracting metals from ores. 3. Occurrence of theae threemetals and their extraction from com~oundsand from ores. 4.' Simple reactions into which they enter. E. Industrial Processes: Haber; Ostweld; contact process for sulfuric acid PART 11. General Chemistry A . Physical Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases: 1. Kinetic-molecular theory: Dependence of the kinetic energy of motion of molecules upon the temperature; differences between solids, liquids, and gases from kinetic-molecular vie=-noint,. r - ~ ~ ~ ~ . 2. Properties of solids and liquids:
3. Properties of gases: Effect of changes in temperature and pressure on the volume of gases; explanation in terms of the kinetic-molecular theory; Avogadro's Isw; derivation of grammolecular weight and vohnne. The treatmmt of the gas laws is to be quantitative. B . Chemical Changes: 1 . Elements, mixtures, and compounds: Sature of chemical changes; types of chemical reactions; electrochemical series. 2. Balsnoingof s i m p l e c h e m i o ~ l e g ~ ~ ~ t i o n s ( b y i n ) . 3. Quantitative relationships: Problems based on chemical equations, hy weight, by volume, and by weight and volume; derivation of formulas from percentage composition; mole and molar solutions. 4. Chemical combination explained in terms of atomic stnlc-
h e : Combination and replacement reaotions in terms of electron transfer; ionic nature of substances entering double decomposition reactions; sharing of electron pairs in formation of eovdent honds. 5. Valence: Ionic valence (electro-valence), equal to the charge pos~essedby theion; omphasis on essential ionic nature of salts; electrolysis of fused salts; covalence, in simple molecules, equal to number of pairs of electrons shared with other atoms; emphasis on essential nonionic nature of nonelectrolytes. C . Solutims: 1. Definition of concentrated and dilute solutions. 2. Solutions of electrolytes: Complete dis~ooiationof salts, strong acids, and hydroxides of alkali metetals; degree of ionization of weak acids and weak bases (NH,OH); definition of acids and bases (Arrhenius concept); hydrolysis of salts-reactions of ions with water; reason why some ionic reactions go to completion (formation of u-eakly ionized product, and formation of an inaoluhle gas or solid); electrolysis of aqueous solutions. D. Strtrctare of illattw: 1. Dpfinition of atom and molecule; Dalton's Atomic Theory. 2. Nuclear charge and the arrangement of electrons (limited to first twenty elements). 3. Periodic law and its relationship to atomic structure (brief treatment only); elements should be studied with reference to their position in the table. 4. Explanation of periodicity in terms of properties of e l e ments. E. Nt~elronies: Radioactivity, isotopes, agents of transmutation (alpha particles and nentrons); fission; fusion.
Pmr 111. Supplementary Topics A . Organic Chemistry: Simple hydrocarbons, alcohols, acids, esters, aldehydes, ketones, isomerism. B. Eoailib~ium: LeChatelier's mincinle: i . . Law of ~ a s Aetion. C. Molecular Weights: Determination by depression of freezing point and elevation of boiling point. D. Epivalent Weights and Nonnal Solutions. E . Balancing Eqzmlias by E l e d r a Transfer: Oxidationreduction. F . Metals: Copper, ~ i n clead, , and titaninm. G. Nonmetals: Phosphorus, silicon. H . Applied Chemistry: Plastics, rubber, glass, cement, textiles, and foods. The Cmnnzittee a the Revision q f the Chemistry S&bus which reviewed the minimum syllabus, was comprised of the fallowing: Maurice M. Whitten, Chairman, Gorham State Teachers College, Gorham, Maine. Sister Ernestine Marie, Msgr. Ryan Memorial High School, Dorchester, Massachusetts. Anna Jane Harrison. Mount Holvoke Colleee. - , South Hadler. ., Massachusetts. Eleanor M. Tucker, The Ahhott Academy, Andover, Masssehusetts. John A. Timm, Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts. Dorothy W. Gifford, Lincoln School, Providence, Rhode Island.
OFFICIAL BUSINESS 289th MEETING
The 289th meeting of the Rew England Association of Chemistry Teachers mas held a t Bradford Durfee Technical Institute, Fall River, Massachusetts, on Saturday, February 9, 1957. President Coombs of the Institute mas presented by James Watters, Chairman of the Southern Division, who explained that the new science building at Durfee Institute has been named the Leslie B. Coombs Science Hall, for cause, at the mggestion of the Institute faculty. President Coombs, who has been a member of NEACT since 1939, extended a cordial welcome to approximately fifty members and guests. Dale W. Button, Laboratory Director of the Globe Manufacturing Company, Fall River, was the first speaker. He discussed "Building a natural rubber latex compound." His paper was published in this section of THIS JOURNAL last month (May, 1957, p. 255). The next speaker was Dr. Hervey B. Elkins, Chief of Laboratory, Division of Industrial Hygiene, Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries, whose subject was "Some toxicological problems in chemical industry." Using a series of informative slides, he explained the principles behind the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) or practical working tolerances, recommended by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists. With nice dry humor he told several anecdotes about his life as an enforcement officer of industrial hygiene regulations in Massachusetts. His data, highly important for anyone concerned with laboratory work, contained many snrprises, among them the low MAC values for such common solvents as carbon tetrachloride and benzene. He recommended that, where possible, less toxic ma-
terials be used to replace them, such as methyl chloroform or toluene, respectively. After an excellent luncheon at the Eagle Restaurant, members returned to Coombs Hall for the usual business meeting and afternoon program. The afternoon speaker, George Ball, control chemist a t Arnold Hoffman Company, Dighton, Massachusetts, and a senior student in the chemistry department a t Bradford Durfee Technical Institute, outlined some "Ice-color recipes for high-school chemistry." He presented equations for the diazotization and coupling reactions involved in preparation of ice colors and described the necessary procedures in some detail, concluding by demonstrating the preparation and use of four ice colors. During the day, members and guests of the Association had an opportunity to examine the facilities of the new science hall. They found pleasing the combining of tile and cinder block, as used in the interior finish, the general arrangement of laboratories, and the restful and attractive hall in which the meeting was held. Business Meeting
President Marco H. Scheer opened the business meeting a t 2 :00 P.M. The secretary, as chairman of the membership committee, read the list of new members admitted since the December, 1956, meeting. Several are student members. Carl W. Clader, Chemistry Teacher, New Trier Township High School, Winnetka, Illinois. Joanne Emidp, Teacher of Chemistry and Physics, Burrillvillr Hieh School. Harrisville. Rhode Island. ~ a r b i r aA. ~ a t t a senior , student s t Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, Connectiout. Mary C. Frohnhoefer, senior student a t Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, Connecticut.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
