Chemistry Course Descriptions

A study of the chemistry underlying topics of interest to artists and art historians. Topics may include: papermaking; pigments, dyes, and binders; photography; glass and ceramics; metals; and printmaking. The course is designed for all students. Combined lecture and laboratory.

Contemporary life is enriched by abundant energy, but the negative environmental impacts from its use demand new methods of generation, storage and efficiency. This course examines the fundamental chemistry and physics behind conventional and emerging energy technologies, with a laboratory component to further explore their design and function. The course stresses the intersection of technology with economics, policy, and other social factors affecting its use. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have previously received credit for PHYS 112/ENST 115

As a chemist, an in-depth understanding of basic mathematical concepts, including numerical calculations, algebraic functions, and data handling, is necessary for success. This course offers the opportunity to explore the mathematical ideas needed to understand chemistry. In this course, you will practice mathematical ideas, apply them to chemical contexts, and explore common mathematical misconceptions. No chemistry background is required for this course.

Introduction to the basic principles of chemistry, emphasizing structures of chemical species (atoms, ions, and molecules), stoichiometry, the relationships between structure and reactivity, basic chemical models (gas laws, e. g.) and laboratory skills. This course will serve primarily to prepare students who have not had any previous (high school) coursework in chemistry for CHEM 116. Three lectures and one laboratory session each week. Students with high school chemistry should normally take 116 instead of this course. See the chemistry department's web page for placement examination information. PREREQUISITES: Placement examination

Introduction to the study of chemistry, for students who have taken high school chemistry or CHEM 115, emphasizing structural and quantitative models of chemical behavior. Topics include bonding, thermochemistry, equilibrium, kinetics, and related applications. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Enrollment is determined by placement examination for students who have not completed CHEM 115. See the chemistry department's web page for placement examination information. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 115 or placement examination

Intended for students not majoring in the natural sciences, this course will provide an overview of molecules and molecular design. Students will learn how molecular structure and intermolecular forces dictate a material’s properties, from color and taste to pharmaceutical activity and mechanical strength. Laboratory projects will give students a tactile appreciation of the relationship between structure and function. No priorchemistry knowledge will be assumed.

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Student Initiated Course form required to register for this course. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

An opportunity to connect work experiences in industry, government, or the non-profit sector to the academic program in chemistry. Internships, either summer activities or full- or part-time work experiences during the academic year, are arranged by students in consultation with a Lawrence instructor. In each case, the academic credit (and grading) is based on related readings, discussion with the instructor, and a summary report, plus a presentation on campus, usually in the chemistry seminar series. Advance consultation and application is required, normally by the fifth week of the previous term. PREREQUISITES: Sophomore standing; To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor

A course in the quantitative description of chemical equilibria in solution (acid-base, complexation, redox, solubility) using classical, separation, electrochemical, and spectrochemical methods of analysis. This course covers methods of quantification, statistics, and data analysis as applied to modern chemistry. Students will have the opportunity to individually design projects. Three lectures and two laboratory periods per week. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 116, placement exam, or consent of instructor; concurrent enrollment in CHEM 211 required

This course covers methods of statistics and data analysis as applied to modern chemistry. Students in this course will develop a working knowledge of the basic and advanced capabilities of the spreadsheet program Microsoft Excel. Topics explored include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression, and tests of significance. This course is taught in a exercise-oriented approach where we use real data collected during CHEM 210. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 116, placement exam, or consent of instructor; concurrent enrollment in CHEM 210 is required

This course focuses on the fundamental chemical processes that control Earth's atmosphere, ocean, soil, and climate. The course emphasizes the mechanisms that regulate the flow of energy in different ecosystems, the environmental role of particulate matter and solar radiation, chemistry-climate relationships, and the anthropogenic impact on the environment. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 116 or consent of the instructor

This hands-on course develops essential analytical skills for environmental science through lab work and project-based learning. Students explore experimental design, method validation, pollutant quantification, and error characterization. The course culminates in a project where students select and implement a standard method (e.g., EPA Method 351.2, ASTM D2974), gaining practical experience in data collection and evaluating each method's strengths and limitations for diverse applications. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 116 and sophomore standing

This course provides an introduction to the novelty, challenge, and excitement of nanoscale science and technology. Emphasis on the physical and chemical properties and phenomena at the nanoscale and their influence in chemistry, biochemistry, and environmental chemistry. Opportunities for individually designed projects. No formal laboratory. PREREQUISITES: At least one introductory course sequence in either chemistry (115, 116) or physics (150, 160 or 120, 130)

A study of the relationship between structure and function in organic compounds. Basic topics such as molecular orbital theory, conformational equilibria, stereochemistry, and nucleophilic substitution are covered. Students also learn to use instrumental analysis (NMR, IR, GC-MS) to identify and characterize compounds. One four-hour laboratory per week. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 116 or 119 or consent of instructor

A study of organic reactions and their mechanisms. The focus of the class is synthesis, both in the concrete sense of building molecules and in the abstract sense of pulling together disparate concepts to solve problems. Case studies from the polymer and pharmaceutical industries underline the relevance of the discipline to everyday life. One four-hour laboratory per week. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 250

A survey of structures, properties, reactivities, and interrelationships of chemical elements and their compounds. Topics include unifying principles and concepts that enable the interpretation of experimental data associated with materials. Emphasis on multidisciplinary aspects of inorganic chemistry. Lectures and weekly laboratory. Laboratory projects involve synthesis and studies of compounds using a variety of experimental methods. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 250

An introduction to the study of biological processes at the molecular level with emphases on protein struction and function, enzyme mechanism and kinetics, fundamentals of physical biochemistry, and the chemistry of biological molecules, including carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 250 or concurrent enrollment, or consent of instructor

Develops and explores theoretical descriptions of chemical systems: physical states, the laws of thermodynamics as applied to chemical and physical equilibria, chemical reaction kinetics, and catalysis. No laboratory. PREREQUISITES: MATH 155, PHYS 150, CHEM 116; or consent of instructor

A series of presentations by visiting chemists and Lawrence students, faculty, and staff, featuring current issues in chemistry, important applications of chemistry, and professional development topics appropriate to chemistry majors or minors. Approximately one meeting per week. Two or more short “reaction papers” (a short seminar critique or summary) required of each student. Offered annually in the Fall Term. May be repeated for credit. PREREQUISITES: Sophomore standing; offered annually in the Fall Term

Advanced reading and/or laboratory work in chemistry on topics not covered in regular offerings. Available to both majors and non-majors. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

An opportunity to connect work experiences in industry, government, or the non-profit sector to the academic program in chemistry. Internships, either summer activities or full- or part-time work experiences during the academic year, are arranged by students in consultation with a Lawrence instructor. In each case, the academic credit (and grading) is based on related readings, discussion with the instructor, and a summary report, plus a presentation on campus, usually in the chemistry seminar series. Advance consultation and application is required, normally by the fifth week of the previous term. PREREQUISITES: Sophomore standing; To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor

Original experimental or theoretical research in cooperation with a faculty member. Seniors considering an honors project should register for this course for one or more terms. Available to both majors and non-majors. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

An advanced course in instrumental methods of quantification and identification in modern chemistry. Emphasis on instrument design, operating principles, interpretation of instrumental data, and discrimination between techniques. This course focuses on spectroscopic, chromatographic, and electrochemical techniques and their application in fundamental and applied research. Students will have the opportunity to individually design projects. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 210 or consent of instructor

This advanced hands-on course immerses students in Standard Environmental Analysis Methods, emphasizing implementation, evaluation, and skill development in troubleshooting and problem-solving with chemical instrumentation. Through a primary project, students independently select and conduct an analysis method (e.g., EPA Method 351.2, ASTM D2974), gaining practical experience in data collection and critically assessing each method's strengths and limitations. The course emphasizes growth as an independent researcher in diverse environmental contexts. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 116, CHEM 210 or instructor approval

A continuation of inorganic chemistry addressing cross-disciplinary topics such as organometallic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, nanosciences, inorganic spectroscopy, and main group chemistry, with examples drawn from the primary literature. The course is especially recommended for majors who plan to continue studies in graduate or professional school. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 252, CHEM 370 recommended

Compounds with metal-carbon bonds are important throughout organic, inorganic, biological and polymer chemistry. In this class, we will explore the structure and reactivity of both main-group and transition-metal organometallic compounds, and the bonding properties which give these compounds their activities. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 252 and CHEM 320 or consent of instructor

A continuation of Biochemistry I. A study of biological processes at the molecular level with an emphasis on metabolic pathways, recent advances in biochemical medicine, and biochemical aspects of gene replication, protein synthesis, molecular motors, and sensing. The course is divided between lecture and discussion and will rely heavily on current biochemical literature. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 340 or consent of instructor

The advanced biochemical, molecular, epidemiological and biotechnological aspects of animal, bacterial and plant viruses will be covered in this course. Specific areas of virology will be covered, including viral structure and assembly, viral replication, viral recombination and evolution, virus-host interactions, viral transformations, antiviral drugs, and vaccines. Selected virus families are discussed individually with respect to classification, genomic structure, virion structure, virus cycle, pathogenesis, epidemiology and immunity. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 340 or BIOL 354

A study of modern topics in organic chemistry, emphasizing current literature. Topics may vary from year to year, but the class typically covers organic synthesis in depth. Students will often use the literature and their own expanding understanding of chemical reactivity to design synthetic routes to complex drugs and natural products. No formal laboratory; lab exercises may occasionally substitute for lectures.

Develops and explores theoretical methods and models for the quantum description of atoms and molecules as chemical systems; statistical methods that link the macroscopic and molecular levels of these descriptions are also explored, along with the treatment of deviations from equilibrium. No laboratory. PREREQUISITES: MATH 155, PHYS 150, CHEM 116; or consent of instructor

Students will use the laboratory setting to connect quantitative models with observed chemical phenomena using physical chemistry concepts. Lectures will guide students in analyzing their data, and developing the tools needed to communicate their results via research articles and presentations. Experimental topics include thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, quantum mechanics, and spectroscopy. PREREQUISITES: MATH 150, PHYS 151, CHEM 370 or CHEM 470; or consent of instructor

A seminar course intended primarily for junior majors and minors in chemistry or biochemistry. Students learn the character and organization of the chemical literature and become familiar with article databases, critical reading strategies, and interpretation of research. Each student selects a topic and, guided by the instructor, conducts survey of the relevant literature, constructs a literature review of the topic, and prepares an end-of-term presentation highlighting key research findings related to their chosen topic. PREREQUISITES: Junior standing, or consent of instructor

A laboratory course to integrate chemistry perspectives from organic, inorganic, biochemistry, analytical and physical chemistry. Students will practice advanced experimental design, data analysis, synthesis methods, spectroscopic/spectrometric techniques, and computation methods through experiments that overlap the primary chemistry division. Students will write results in the form of research articles and participate in the peer-review process. An additional independent research project involving proposal, experiment, and written article cold be used as a foundations for a senior experience project. Two laboratories weekly; no lectures. PREREQUISITES: CHEM 210, 250, and 320

Advanced reading and/or laboratory work in chemistry on topics not covered in regular offerings. Available to both majors and non-majors. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

An opportunity to connect work experiences in industry, government, or the non-profit sector to the academic program in chemistry. Internships, either summer activities or full- or part-time work experiences during the academic year, are arranged by students in consultation with a Lawrence instructor. In each case, the academic credit (and grading) is based on related readings, discussion with the instructor, and a summary report, plus a presentation on campus, usually in the chemistry seminar series. Advance consultation and application is required, normally by the fifth week of the previous term. PREREQUISITES: Sophomore standing; To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor

Original experimental or theoretical research in cooperation with a faculty member. Seniors considering an honors project should register for this course for one or more terms. Available to both majors and non-majors. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

A seminar course for senior majors, culminating in an individual seminar presentation by each student.

Advanced reading and/or laboratory work in chemistry on topics not covered in regular offerings. Available to both majors and non-majors. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

An opportunity to connect work experiences in industry, government, or the non-profit sector to the academic program in chemistry. Internships, either summer activities or full- or part-time work experiences during the academic year, are arranged by students in consultation with a Lawrence instructor. In each case, the academic credit (and grading) is based on related readings, discussion with the instructor, and a summary report, plus a presentation on campus, usually in the chemistry seminar series. Advance consultation and application is required, normally by the fifth week of the previous term. PREREQUISITES: Sophomore standing; To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor

Original experimental or theoretical research in cooperation with a faculty member. Seniors considering an honors project should register for this course for one or more terms. Available to both majors and non-majors. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.