Chemistry Course Descriptions • Chemistry • Carthage College

The Carthage chemistry curriculum is approved by the American Chemical Society, which recognizes baccalaureate chemistry programs that are rigorous and broad-based. Scroll down to read descriptions of the chemistry courses offered at Carthage, or click on the following links for additional resources.

Carthage students begin their coursework by completing the General Chemistry sequence and taking calculus. They then move on to study organic chemistry and physics in their sophomore year. Junior and senior years are spent taking advanced courses in analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry, and also performing independent research.

Better Living Through Chemistry (LAB SCI)

CHM 1000 / 4 credits
A one-semester introduction to the field of chemistry with various themes, such as environmental chemistry. Topics covered include chemical reactions and stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, thermodynamics, kinetics, and acid-base chemistry. The structures of organic and biological molecules also are discussed. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods. Students cannot fulfill the Natural Science distribution requirement by taking both CHM 1000 and CHM 1010.
Prerequisite: None
Spring

General Chemistry I (LAB SCI)

CHM 1010 / 4 credits
The basic principles and concepts of chemistry, including atomic structure, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, gas laws, thermochemistry, and periodic classification of the elements. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods.
Fall

General Chemistry II (LAB SCI)

CHM 1020 / 4 credits
A study of chemical and ionic equilibria, kinetics, electrochemistry, thermodynamics, and acid-base chemistry. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 1010 with at least a C-, departmental approval, or two years of high school chemistry with an average grade of B. A grade of C or better in CHM 1020 provides credit for CHM 1010
Fall/Spring

Organic Chemistry I (LAB SCI)

CHM 2070 / 4 credits
A study of the compounds of carbon, stressing syntheses, reaction mechanisms, and the intimate connections between molecular structure and reactivity. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 1020 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Fall

Organic Chemistry II (LAB SCI)

CHM 2080 / 4 credits
A continuation of CHM 2070, involving increasingly complex molecules, including biochemicals. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 2070 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Spring

Inorganic Chemistry

CHM 2120 / 4 credits
A study of the principles of molecular orbital theory, coordination chemistry of transition metals and its relationship to magnetic and spectroscopic properties, solid-state chemistry, and nanomaterials. Lecture, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 2070 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Spring

Biochemistry (LAB SCI)

CHM 3010 / 4 credits
A study of the chemical nature of cellular components such as nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Intermediary metabolism will be studied. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 2080 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Fall/Spring

Advanced Biochemistry

CHM 3020 / 4 credits
A study of advanced topics in biochemistry, such as molecular recognition and specificity, protein folding, membrane dynamics, drug discovery, molecular signaling, and modern spectroscopy methods like nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Prerequisite: CHM 3010 with a grade of C- or better

Advanced Synthesis Laboratory

CHM 3100 / 4 credits
This laboratory performs state-of-the-art techniques and studies theory involved in the synthesis of organic and inorganic compounds while conducting multiple synthetic projects. Techniques used will include air-free synthesis, column chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Synthesis and use of organometallic compounds will also be done. Laboratory, 4 periods per day.
Prerequisites: CHM 2080 and CHM 2120 with C- or departmental approval J-Term

Advanced Integrated Laboratory

CHM 3110 / 4 credits
This course provides an integrated laboratory experience that mimics what chemists do in industry and graduate school-related to instrumentation use, method development, calibration curve generation, and data analysis. The use of multiple instrumentation techniques and methods, including bomb calorimetry, high-resolution IR spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, gas and liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, electrochemistry, and molecular modeling, will be done in this laboratory. Laboratory, two three-hour periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 2080 with C- or approval by the department
Spring

Physical Chemistry I

CHM 3130 / 4 credits
A study of equilibrium thermodynamics, phase transitions, the properties of solutions, molecular motion, and reaction kinetics. Lecture, three periods.
Prerequisites: CHM 2080, MTH 1220, and PHY 2200
Fall

Physical Chemistry II

CHM 3140 / 4 credits
A study of quantum theory; the electronic structures of atoms and molecules; molecular modeling and simulations; and vibrational, electronic, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Lecture, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 3130 Corequisite: Physics 2210
Spring

Analytical Chemistry I (LAB SCI)

CHM 3230 / 4 credits
A study of the principles, methods, and calculations of volumetric, compleximetric, and potentiometric methods of quantitative analysis. An understanding of the analytical method, with a focus on sampling. Lecture, three periods; laboratory, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 2080 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Fall

Analytical Chemistry II

CHM 3240 / 4 credits
A study of the principles and methods of modern instrumental analysis with emphasis on the underlying concepts involved. Vibrational, nuclear, atomic, and electronic spectroscopies are treated as well as electrochemical and chromatographic techniques. Lecture, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 3230 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Spring

Chemistry Seminar

CHM 4000 / 4 credits
A study of primary scientific literature and written and oral communication of chemistry concepts. Emphasis on the integration of multiple subdisciplines of chemistry and research.
Fall

Advanced Organic Chemistry

CHM 4070 / 4 credits
An advanced survey of modern organic chemistry, linking structural aspects to reaction behavior. Concepts, including stereochemistry, kinetics, thermodynamics, and orbital symmetry, are rigorously applied to selected reactions. Lecture, three periods.
Prerequisite: CHM 2080 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Fall/Spring

Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

CHM 4120 / 4 credits
A focus on the chemistry of the transition metals. Advanced treatment of chemical-bonding theories, symmetry, and spectroscopy. Chemistry of organometallic and bioinorganic compounds is studied. Lecture, three periods.
Prerequisites: CHM 2120 with at least a C- and CHM 2080 with at least a C- or departmental approval
Spring

Research in Chemistry

CHM 4900 / 2-4 credits
Work on a research topic under the direction of faculty members. Students may enroll for credit more than once if taken for 1 or 2 credits.
Prerequisite: The student and instructor must agree on a topic before the term begins.
Fall/Spring/J-Term