Chemistry Department Tour
- Welcome to a tour of the chemistry department, which is located in the
Noyce Science Center! Our tour begins with a view of the west side of the
Noyce Science Center.
- Climb the west stairway to the second floor to enter the chemistry department.
Suspended overhead is "Scattered Flight," an interactive mobile
by Steven Haas, which was constructed of brushed aluminum and designed to
rotate with convective airflow currents in the area and provide a constantly
changing visual reminder of the close association between science, nature
and art.
- Walk south from the stairs into the curved hallway (a.k.a. "2nd Floor
Elbow"). It's a great place to study, and a beautiful space for having
class poster sessions or informal meetings with visiting lecturers.
- The curved hallway overlooks the building's interior courtyard, complete
with tables, chairs and a spacious chalkboard on the east wall. Small classes
may meet out here on a whim during nice weather, or you might find students
studying or just eating lunch in the fresh air. It is also a good place to
take the group picture at the end of the ten-week summer research program.
- The main classroom, Science-2022, is equipped with computer/video projection
as well as the standard teaching technologies, with an adjacent prep-room
for the various demonstration materials used in class. Visiting Noyce Scholars,
like Professor John D. Roberts from CalTech in the picture at the top, have
taught courses here, and weekly seminars fill the tiered seating.
- The Chemistry Seminar Room, Science-2024, seats about 16, so it is used
for small classes and Tutorials, mentor study sessions, and department meetings.
When not reserved, the room is open to students who need to spread out while
studying or working on papers.
- The Hosick Chemistry Computer/Discussion Room, Science-2132, hosts a variety
of chemistry courses that utilize the computers and central discussion area.
International visiting scholars like Professor Peter Kroneck from the University
in Konstanz have taught here. Students also had an informal meeting in this
room with one of our Danforth Lecturers, the Nobel laureate Barry Sharpless.
- South hall, facing east. This row of faculty offices receives natural light
from a clerestory and is open to the first floor. There are study nooks on
both ends, and windows along the hallway allow visitors to observe the activities
in the introductory lab. "Flambeta," an interactive mobile by Steven
Haas, livens up the view by gently moving with the building's air currents.
- The Introductory Chemistry Laboratory, Science-2134, where all lab sections
of CHM-129 and CHM-130 are held. Students in these courses meet once each
week in the Introductory Chemistry Lab to apply what they have learned in
lectures. CHM-129 includes study of stoichiometry, ionic equilibrium, kinetics,
thermodynamics, and atomic and molecular structure. CHM-130 teaches the principles
of inorganic chemistry and elementary quantitative analysis, including ionic
equilibrium, electrochemistry, and acid-base chemistry.
- The Instrument room, Science-2331, is adjacent to both the Introductory
Chemistry Lab and the Organic Chemistry Lab. For a list of instrumentation
available in the department, visit the chemistry facilities
webpage.
- The Organic Chemistry Laboratory, Science-2133, is where CHM-221 and CHM-222
students meet once a week for hands-on experiments that explore the topics
learned in lectures. Each student has half of an 8-foot hood available to
work in. Organic Chemistry courses provide a comprehensive study of structures,
reactions, synthesis, and spectroscopy of aliphatic aromatic compounds, emphasizing
modern mechanistic models.
- NMR Spectroscopy Lab. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the
most powerful tool available to chemists for the elucidation of the structure
of molecules. It is used to identify unknown substances, to characterize specific
arrangements of atoms within molecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions
between molecules in solution. Grinnell's Bruker 400 MHz Fourier transform
NMR spectrometer, installed in 2000, is used extensively by students at every
level of the curriculum.
- The Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Science-2202. Phyisical Chemistry 1 is
an introduction to physical chemistry that emphasizes experimental and theoretical
aspects of chemical thermodynamics, chemical and physical equilibrium, and
kinetics. Physical Chemistry 2 covers selected topics, with emphasis on molecular
structure and chemical bonding and the application of thermodynamic and quantum
theory to a variety of physical chemistry phenomena.
- The Student Study Area, Science-2013.
- West hall, facing north. Plenty of natural light enters through the clerestory
above faculty offices and research labs. There are study nooks at both ends
of this corridor. Another interactive mobile by Steven Haas, "Bonsai,"
is seen overhead. Silhouetted against the far windows is "Press,"
artwork made of carved and turned walnut wood by Louis Zirkle.
- The Biological Chemistry Laboratory, Science-2102. BCM-262 is an introduction
to chemical properties and biological functions of proteins, nucleic acids,
carbohydrates, and lipids. Topics in lecture and lab include methods of purifying
and characterizing proteins, enzyme kinetics, and basic energy metabolism.
To find out more about Biological Chemistry as a major, click
here.
- The Advanced Synthesis Laboratory, Science-2101, is used for advanced organic
chemistry in the fall semester and for advanced inorganic chemistry in the
spring semester.
- Faculty Research Laboratories. The faculty members of the chemistry department
have their own research laboratories where they and their students can work
on research projects. During the summer, all laboratories in the department
are dedicated to research.
- The stockroom houses the chemicals and the glassware of the department.
Students can obtain special items they don't have in their laboratory drawers.
A computer in the stockroom allows the search for the location of any chemical
compound in the department.
- Analytical Instrument Room, Science-2105.
This is the end of the virtual tour. Thank you for visiting the Chemistry Department!
Links:
Go to Chemistry Department
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