Chem 502 -
Instrumental Analysis
Section 001, Course# 11945, 3.0 Credit Hrs, Fall Semester, 2025
Time/Location: 12:30 - 1:45 TR / Sims 113B
Professor: Dr.
Cliff Calloway, callowayc@winthrop.edu
Office/Phone:
312-B Sims Science Building / 323-4945 / Cell: 803-329-4582
Office Hours: MTR 10:00 - 12:00 {And
other times by appointment. Please don't hesitate to contact me.}
Textbook: Skoog, D.A., Holler, F.J.,
Crouch, S.R. Principles
of Instrumental Analysis, 7thedition, 2018.
Pre-requisites: Grade
of C or better in Chem 313, 314 and Chem 301
Co-requisite:
Chem 503, Instrumental Analysis Lab
Registration
Calendar (link to important dates for registration, S/U, graduation, etc)
Introduction:
Chemical analysis methods
are used in many areas, such as biotechnology, pharmaceutical, environmental,
geological, materials development, forensic, medical, nutritional, energy and
industrial labs every day and have a profound impact on decisions made around
the globe. Scientists and engineers conducting
research and development for these industries often seek answers to chemical
identity, structure, or amounts questions. As such, chemical analysis plays a
critical role in scientific discovery and the quality of our
lives. Qualitative and quantitative methods of
chemical analysis for organic, biochemical, and inorganic compounds fall into
two categories, classical (or wet) methods and instrumental
methods. Although there is not always a
clear barrier between the two, the primary difference arises from the type of
physical property used to provide information. Classical methods often rely on
reactivity or physical properties such as solubility, color, melting and/or
boiling points, odors, optical activity or refractive indices for qualitative information, while
gravimetric, volumetric, and titrimetric measurements provide quantitative
information. Classical methods for the
separation of mixtures are mainly solvent extractions, precipitation, and
distillation. Instrumental methods of analysis typically utilize other physical
properties such as absorption or emission of light, mass-to-charge ratio,
electrode potential, current, or charge measured with modern sophisticated
electronic devices. Separations are
carried out by more efficient chromatography and electrophoresis methods.
Unfortunately, some scientists view and utilize these instruments as
"black boxes". The term implies a device in which the scientist
places a sample and somehow a number is generated that influences the
scientist's decision-making process. It should be apparent that this approach
could be dangerous, as the old saying "Garbage In/Garbage Out" is
often true. As such, any scientist using sophisticated instrumental equipment
needs at least a basic understanding of how these devices are designed to work.
Winthrop University's faculty adopted a set of four "University Level Competencies (ULCs)" that describe the qualities our students develop during their Winthrop career. It is easy to see that this course involves solving problems and developing written communication skills. However, you will also learn the responsibilities of chemists to the greater good of our planet and society, as well as the global nature of the chemistry enterprise. Within the discussions of chemical analysis instrument design and applications to the environment, health and materials we use every day, I think you will find this course fits well with all four competencies.
- Competency 1:Winthrop graduates think critically and solve problems.
- Winthrop University graduates reason logically, evaluate and use evidence, and solve problems. They seek out and assess relevant information from multiple viewpoints to form well-reasoned conclusions. Winthrop graduates consider the full context and consequences of their decisions and continually reexamine their own critical thinking process, including the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments.
You will be using sophisticated mathematical and descriptive methods to solve problems found in environmental, pharmaceutical, biomedical, energy, food, forensic and electronic fields, for example.
- Competency 2:Winthrop graduates are personally and socially responsible.
- Winthrop University graduates value integrity, perceive moral dimensions, and achieve excellence. They take seriously the perspectives of others, practice ethical reasoning, and reflect on experiences. Winthrop graduates have a sense of responsibility to the broader community and contribute to the greater good.
Chemistry touches 95% of everything we use, daily. Chemists must be critically aware of industry impacts on the environment and human health.
- Competency 3:Winthrop graduates understand the interconnected nature of the world and the time in which they live.
- Winthrop University graduates comprehend the historical, social, and global contexts of their disciplines and their lives. They also recognize how their chosen area of study is inextricably linked to other fields. Winthrop graduates collaborate with members of diverse academic, professional, and cultural communities as informed and engaged citizens.
Chemistry is a global enterprise with many industries located around the world that impact our quality of life. Chemistry is a core topic, touching most fields of interest from science, to art, to technology.
- Competency 4:Winthrop graduates communicate effectively.
- Winthrop University graduates communicate in a manner appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience. They create texts - including but not limited to written, oral, and visual presentations - that convey content effectively. Mindful of their voice and the impact of their communication, Winthrop graduates successfully express and exchange ideas.
Science, in general, is difficult to understand, so correct, clear and effective communication methods are key. Peer review is fundamental to scientific communications.
Course Goals:
Instrumental Analysis is a broad and
continually expanding subject as new technologies emerge, but these methods can
generally be categorized as spectroscopic, electrochemical, or
chromatographic. In this course, we will
essentially take the cover off these "black boxes" to see how these
instruments are constructed and how measurements are made from the underlying
chemical and physical properties of the substance. In fact, you are likely to see
instrumentation represented from other courses you've taken, demonstrating the
broad impact instrumentation has in science. Quantitative problem solving will be utilized as a means to demonstrate
the chemical and physical principles applied to the design and performance of
instruments.
The
goal of this course is NOT to make you an "expert" on every type of
instrumentation to be encountered in a science lab, but rather to introduce and
educate you to the common principles as well as the variety of instrumentation
available for chemical analysis and the type(s) of information these
instruments provide. It is my hope that you will then expand your knowledge of
the instruments you come into contact with during your scientific career,
thereby avoiding the "black box" problem.
Student Learning
Outcomes:
By the end of this
course, you should be able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of how chemical and
physical properties of substances are used in the design and construction
of modern sophisticated instrumentation used for chemical analysis
- a broad knowledge
of the types of instrumentation generally available and the information
provided by each
- a knowledge of
appropriate instrumental methods for addressing a chemical analysis
problem
- the advantages,
disadvantages, and limitations of different instruments used for similar
types of analyses
- rigorous
mathematical methods to evaluate instrument performance
Course Requirements for Grading/Evaluation:
Student Conduct Code: "Responsibility for good conduct rests with students as adult individuals." Since all graded work (including homework to be collected, quizzes, papers, mid-term examinations, final examination, research proposals, laboratory results and reports, etc.) are used in the determination of academic progress, no collaboration on such work is permitted unless the instructor explicitly indicates that some specific degree of collaboration is allowed. This statement is not intended to discourage students from studying together, seeking help from the instructor, or working together on assignments that are not to be collected. Refer to the "Academic Misconduct Policy" in the online Student Handbook: https://www.winthrop.edu/studentconduct/
Grades in this course will be determined
from three requirements, as follows:
- Homework (20%): Periodically, homework
problems will be assigned and collected.
Due dates for each assignment are the final date each assignment will be
accepted. Your lowest homework
assignment will be dropped before averaging.
- Exam 1: September 18
- Exam 2: October 16
- Exam 3: November 6
- Exam 4: December 2
- Final Examination
(20%): Thursday, December 11, 11:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. This will be a
cumulative final examination given during exam week. If you score higher
on the final exam than your lowest mid-term exam, the final exam grade
will replace the lowest exam grade, before averaging.
Letter grades will
be assigned as follows:
|
94
- 100%: |
A |
90-93%: |
A- |
86-89%: |
B+ |
82-85%: |
B |
78-81%: |
B- |
|
74-77%: |
C+ |
70-73%: |
C |
66-69%: |
C- |
62-65%: |
D+ |
58-61%: |
D |
|
55-57%: |
D- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Attendance:
You are expected to attend each class meeting
for the full scheduled time. Instrumental Analysis is a difficult upper-level course and this
will help you to concentrate on the appropriate material and reinforce the
assigned readings and problems. You are
required to bring pencil, paper, textbook, and a scientific calculator to each class. Cell phone calculators are not acceptable.
Accessibilty:
Winthrop
University is dedicated to providing access to education. If you require specific accommodations to complete this course, contact
the Office of Accessibility at 323-3290 (Macfeat House),
http://www.winthrop.edu/student-affairs/accessibility.. Once you have your
official notice of accommodations, please let me know as early as possible in
the semester so we can plan.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Level
Credit:
Students wishing to receive graduate level credit for this course are required to complete a 5-7 page review paper on a cutting edge analytical technique. Resources can be found by reviewing either the "Fundamentals Review" or "Applications Review" issues of the journal, Analytical Chemistry (June 15th issue of even & odd years, respectively). The paper must cite a minimum of 10 primary literature sources and must be submitted by December 7, 2023. Graduate students should be aware that Winthrop's +/- grading system is not applicable to courses taken for graduate credit. Letter grades will be assigned as follows: 92%-100% A; 83%-91% B; 74%-82% C, 55%-73% D.
Syllabus Changes:
While unlikely, the Professor
reserves the right to change the course syllabus if circumstances dictate. You will be notified of any change via class
meeting time and/or email.
AI Statement: Understanding how and when to use generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL-E) is quickly emerging as an important skill for future scientists. To that end, you are welcome to use generative AI tools in this class as long as it aligns with the learning outcomes and goals associated with an assignment. You are fully responsible for the information you submit based on a generative AI query (such that it does not violate academic honesty standards, intellectual property laws or standards of non-public research you are conducting through coursework). Your use of generative AI tools must be properly documented and cited for any work submitted in this course.
Course Calendar:
*Revised August 25, 2025
|
Tentative
Schedule*: |
|
|
|
|
Date |
|
Lecture Sections |
Topic |
|
T,
26-August
|
|
Introduction,
Ch.1 |
|
|
R,
28-August
|
|
Ch.
2A |
|
|
T, 2-September |
|
Ch.
2B-C |
|
|
R, 4-September |
|
Ch.
3A-C |
|
|
T,
9-September
|
|
Ch.
5A-B,
|
|
|
R,
11-September
|
|
|
|
|
T,
16-September
|
|
Ch. 6C-D |
|
|
R,
18-September
|
|
|
|
|
T,
23-September
|
|
Ch.
7A-B |
|
|
R,
25-September
|
|
Ch. 7C-D |
|
|
T,
30-September
|
|
Ch. 7E-7F |
|
|
R,
2-October
|
|
Ch. 7G-7H, Review |
Electronic Spectroscopy I, Review |
|
T,
7-October
|
|
Ch.
13A |
|
|
R,
9-October
|
|
Ch. 13B-D |
|
|
T,
14-October
|
|
|
|
|
R,
16-October
|
|
|
|
|
T,
21-October
|
|
|
Luminescence II
|
|
R,
23-October
|
|
Ch. 16A |
|
|
T,
28-October
|
|
Ch. 16B |
|
|
R,
30-October
|
|
Ch.
18A |
|
|
T, 4-November |
|
Ch. 19A-C |
|
|
R, 6-November |
|
|
|
|
T,
11-November
|
|
|
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance II |
|
R,
13-November
|
|
Ch. 20A-B |
|
|
T,
18-November
|
|
Ch. 20C-E |
|
|
R,
20-November
|
|
Ch. 30A-B |
|
|
T,
25-November
|
|
Ch. 30C-D; Review |
|
|
R, 27-November |
|
Thanksgiving Break |
|
|
T, 2-December |
|
|
|
|
R, 4-December |
|
|
|
|
T,
9-December
|
|
Study Day |
|
|
R,
11-December
|
|
Final Exam - 11:30 am |
|
*Subject
to change, if weather or events make it necessary.
Useful links:
Lecture Notes (password needed)
Chapter
Competencies (essential skills for each chapter and a useful study guide
for exams)
Old Exam 3
Old Exam 4
My advice, to help you
succeed in this course:
- Read the textbook.
- Be sure you know
how to do mean, standard deviation, and linear regression slope/intercept
with your calculator.
- Stay ahead of the
lectures in your reading.
- Work the homework
problems by yourself, without any aid.
- Don't fall behind.
- Did I say "Read the
textbook"?
- Wear sunscreen.
- Floss at least once
a day.
- Talk to your
professor, especially if you are confused.
- Get a good night's rest.
- Sing occasionally.
- And finally, read
the textbook.