In the Analytical Chemistry courses and the associated laboratories, the students are introduced to the foundations of making accurate and precise measurements and to important technological aspects of making such measurements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, the student should understand:

1. the importance of calibration, sampling strategy, sample matrix, sample handling and of record keeping for the generation of quantitatively meaningful data,
2. critical quantifying parameters for various analytical methods,
3. understand basic statistical methods for data refinement, acceptance and presentation.
4. the basic design principles of the major analytical instruments in use today and the way in which these principles affect detection limits,
5. the strategies for selection of an instrument for a specific analytical task,
6. how to produce valid data at the detection limit and how to treat instrument data output for the production of valid results

CHEM 274 Analytical Chemistry

Prerequisite: CHEM 162 or 171 or 181A; MATH 216 or MATH 242 or MATH 252A

Description: Selected methods and principles, e.g. phase equilibria, ionic equilibria, electrode equilibria, separations, spectroscopy, automation and process control.

CHEM 274L Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

Prerequisite: 162L or 171L or 181L, and 274 (or concurrent)

Description: Phase separations, chromatography, titrimetry, spectrophotometry etc.

The Biochemistry courses and the associated laboratories introduce the student to the foundations of biochemistry.

Student Learning Outcomes

Specifically, the Learning Outcomes are:

1. students will become well grounded in laws and theories of chemistry, including how to use quantitative measurements and spectroscopy to analyze molecular structure.
2. students will demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles of biochemistry, including structural and mechanistic understanding of the major pathways of metabolism, biosynthesis, replication, transcription, and translation.
3. students will demonstrate a qualitative and quantitative understanding of biomolecular structure and reactivity, and the manner by which enzymes can catalyze chemical reactions that transform biomolecules.
4. students will develop the ability to use the scientific method to ask meaningful questions, to design experiments to address these questions, to acquire and critically analyze the data, to draw appropriate conclusions, and to communicate the results and conclusions in both written and oral format.
5. students will learn how to use the biochemical literature and databases to obtain relevant published information.
6. students will be able to prepare solutions, buffers, and standards, to use appropriate instrumentation to make accurate measurements, and to statistically analyze the data.
7. students will be able to use modern instrumentation and computational tools to record data pertaining to the structure of molecules, to interpret the data using appropriate mathematical models and statistical analysis, and to propose structures
   consistent with the data.
8. students will be able to grow microorganisms in order to purify, characterize, and manipulate small biomolecules, proteins, and DNA.
9. students will be able to use modern instrumentation to monitor biochemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes and to analyze the resulting data to extract meaningful thermodynamic and kinetic information.

CHEM 361 Physical Biochemistry

Prerequisite: CHEM 162, PHYS 272, and MATH 242 or 252A with a grade of C or better for all prerequisites

Description: Biochemical thermodynamics, chemical and enzyme kinetics, biomolecular structure, and biomolecular spectroscopy.

CHEM 372 Bioorganic chemistry

Prerequisite: CHEM 273 (with a grade of C or better)

Description: This course will briefly discuss protein structure, general features of enzymes, and general catalytic mechanisms. We will then examine the biosynthesis and chemical transformations of the major groups of biomolecules: lipids, sugars, amino acids, nucleotides, and a few more complex natural products. The course will conclude with a survey of modern biophysical methods used to study enzymes.

CHEM 462 Advanced Biochemistry

Prerequisite: CHEM 361 (with a grade of C or better), CHEM 372 (with a grade of C or better), and BIOL 402 (with a grade of C or better)

Description: Advanced topics in biochemistry including nucleic acid replication, transcription, and translation; genetic and epigenetic regulation; bioenergetics and control of metabolism; alternative metabolic strategies; and enzyme structure and mechanism.

CHEM 462L (Formerly Chem 463L) Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory

Prerequisite: 274L (with a grade of C or better), 372 (with a grade of C or better), and BIOL 275L (with a grade of C or better), and BIOL 402 (or concurrent)

Description: Advanced biochemistry lab techniques: protein purification and characterization, enzyme kinetics, ligand binding, nucleic acid structure, protein structure, fluorescence.

General Chemistry courses are core science courses that, in addition to serving as the first step towards an undergraduate chemistry degree, also lays the foundation for students to pursue more specialized studies in other fields of science and engineering. The overall goal of General Chemistry courses is to teach students to think about the properties and behavior of the macroscopic world in terms of the structure and arrangement of the constituent molecules and atoms.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Learning Outcomes for General Chemistry are: to understand the molecular nature of all phases of matter, to understand the various ways of depicting chemical compounds and chemical reactions, to develop an ability to solve basic quantitative problems regarding the properties of molecules, chemical equilibria, and chemical kinetics, and to develop the ability to appropriately apply this knowledge to general scientific problems in various fields of science and engineering.

Upon completion, the student should understand:

1. The basic structures of atoms, ions, and molecules, and ways to quantitatively describe the properties of atoms and molecules in the various phases of pure matter and in mixtures.
2. The reactivity of atoms, ions, and molecules, and the various qualitative and quantitative methods for describing or depicting chemical reactions.
3. The concept of chemical equilibrium, and the energies that drive chemical reactions: an introduction to the field of thermodynamics.
4. The concept of chemical kinetics and the energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.
5. The relationship between the electronic configurations of atoms and molecules and their chemical properties: an introduction to the field of quantum mechanics.

CHEM 131 Preparation for General Chemistry

Prerequisite: None

Description: For students lacking preparation in chemistry, i.e., who have not taken high school chemistry or were not able to pass the chemistry placement exam. All students should attempt the chemistry placement exam before registering for Chem 131. Chem 131 provides background in algebra and elementary concepts of chemistry in preparation for entering the General Chemistry sequence. Students can only count credit for one of Chem 131, 161, 171 or 181A. Most science degrees at UHM require Chem 161 rather than 131.

CHEM 161 General Chemistry I

Prerequisite:  C (not C-) in CHEM 131 or C (not C-) in CHEM 151 (survey course available as transfer credit only) or successful completion of placement exam (a score of 16/25 or greater) or AP score of 3.

Description: First general chemistry course for science majors with accompanying lab (Chem 161L).  Students can only count credit for one of Chem 131, 161, 171 or 181A. Most degrees require Chem 161 rather than 131.

CHEM 161L General Chemistry I Laboratory

Prerequisite:  Chem 161 (or concurrent)

Description: Lab accompanying first general chemistry course Chem 161) for science majors. Introduces techniques and fundamental principles of chemistry.

CHEM 162 General Chemistry II

Prerequisite:  C (not C-) in CHEM 161 or AP score of 4.

Description: Continuation of first-year general chemistry sequence (Chem 161/162) for science majors with accompanying lab (Chem 162L). Solutions and colligative properties. Continuation of thermodynamics, including entropy and free energy. Principles and applications of chemical equilibrium, including acid-base chemistry (titrations, buffers). Kinetics. Redox reactions and electrochemistry.

CHEM 162L General Chemistry II Laboratory

Prerequisite:  C (not C-) CHEM 161L and CHEM 162 (or concurrent)

Description: Lab accompanying first general chemistry course Chem 162) for science majors. Introduces techniques and fundamental principles of chemistry.

The chemistry department occasionally offers two alternatives to complete the first year general chemistry sequence in the Fall. These accelerated one-semester courses generally do not meet Professional School requirements (Medical, Dental, etc).

CHEM 171 Principles of Chemistry

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory Placement Exam score (21/25) or an AP score of 4, and MATH 241 (or concurrent) or MATH 251A (or concurrent)

Description: Principles, theories and elementary analytical methods of chemistry. Lecture course intended for select physical science majors (CHEM, PHYSICS, ICS, MATH) and engineers who have a strong math background. The accompanying lab is Chem 171L.

CHEM 171L Principles of Chemistry Laboratory

Prerequisite:  CHEM 171 (or concurrent)

Description: Lab accompanying Chem 171. Laboratory experiment illustrating fundamental principles of chemistry.

CHEM 181A Honor General Chemistry

Prerequisite:  High-school chemistry and MATH 215 or MATH 241 or MATH 251A

Description: Rigorous, in-depth introduction to chemical principles with emphasis on experimental and applied aspects of modern chemistry. (Three lecture hours/ week) Fall only. DP (Has not been offered in recent years)

These course provides an intermediate and advanced inorganic chemistry, expanding on the treatment in the General Chemistry courses.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, the student should understand:

1. acid/base theory and the concepts of soft/hard acids/bases,
2. the preparation, structure and spectroscopic properties of coordination compounds,
3. the basics of organometallic chemistry.

CHEM 425 Synthesis and Analysis of Inorganic Compounds

Prerequisite: CHEM 351 (or concurrent) or CHEM 361 (or concurrent)

Description:   Capstone lecture on advanced methods of preparation and characterization of inorganic compounds and materials. A-F only.

CHEM 425L Synthesis and Analysis of Inorganic Compounds Laboratory

Prerequisite:  CHEM 425

Description: Capstone laboratory experience on advanced methods of preparation and characterization of inorganic compounds and materials.

 CHEM 427 Synthesis and Analysis of Inorganic Compounds

Prerequisite: CHEM 425

Description:   Classification, description, fundamental theory.

The Organic Chemistry courses and the associated laboratories introduce the student to the foundations of carbon chemistry.

Student Learning Outcomes

Specifically, the Learning Outcomes are:

1. To make the students knowledgeable about the fundamentals of carbon chemistry,
2. To understand the consequences (reactivity, properties) of the three-dimensionality of molecules,
3. To be able to interpret patterns of reactivity on the basis of mechanistic reasoning,
4. To be able to design syntheses of organic molecules of moderate complexity
5. To be able to deduce molecular structures from spectroscopic data.

CHEM 272 Organic Chemistry I

Prerequisite: C (not C-) or better in 162 or 171 or 181A

Description: First semester Organic Chemistry course for science majors with accompanying lab (272L). Also suitable for students interested in professional schools.  Topics covered include molecular structure, nomenclature, stereochemistry, reactions and mechanisms, synthesis of organic compounds.

CHEM 272L Organic Chemistry Laboratory I

Prerequisite: CHEM 162L, 171L or 181L and CHEM 272 (or concurrent)

Description: Organic Chemistry Lab for science majors that for students in Chem 272. Techniques, synthesis and qualitative analysis, applications of spectroscopy.

CHEM 273 Organic Chemistry II

Prerequisite: C (not C-) or better in 272

Description: Second semester Organic Chemistry course for science majors with accompanying lab (273L). Also suitable for students interested in professional schools.  Topics include molecular structure, nomenclature, stereochemistry, reactions and mechanisms, synthesis of organic compounds.

CHEM 273L Organic Chemistry Laboratory II

Prerequisite: CHEM 272L and 273 (or concurrent)

Description: Organic Chemistry Lab for science majors that for students in Chem 273.  Techniques, synthesis and qualitative analysis, applications of spectroscopy.

CHEM 445 Synthesis and Analysis of Organic Compounds

Prerequisite: C (not C-) or better in 273

Description:   The capstone experience in organic chemistry that brings together topics from many courses. Introduction to multi-step synthesis and instruments/analytical techniques used to characterize organic compounds. Topics include concepts from instrumental analysis, retrosynthesis and diastereoselective reactions; spectroscopy (optical methods, NMR), mass spectrometry.

CHEM 445L Synthesis and Analysis of Organic Compounds Laboratory

Prerequisite: CHEM 273

Description: Capstone laboratory experience on the preparation of organic compounds and physical methods for their characterization.

 

Physical chemistry is taught as a two-part sequence, with thermodynamics and kinetics in the first semester, and quantum chemistry and spectroscopy in the second. In essence, the two-semester CHEM 351-352 sequence teaches the physical basis of chemical concepts. CHEM 351 also serves students in other fields of study, such as oceanography, geology, physics and biology. Both courses are calculus based and present a quantitative and rigorous treatment of concepts encountered earlier in the curriculum.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, the student should be able to

1. understand the energetics that drive chemical reactions and physical changes;
2. understand the relationship between macroscopic properties and the molecular make up of matter;
3. read and understand the research literature concerning quantitative aspects of chemical equilibria and phase transitions.
4. define the fundamental concepts of quantum chemistry, using models for the energies encountered for atoms and molecules;
5. discuss their applications to atomic and molecular spectroscopy;
6. know the fundamental concepts of chemical kinetics.

CHEM 351 Physical Chemistry I

Prerequisite: CHEM 274/274L, MATH 243 or MATH 253A, and PHYS 272 and PHYS 272L

Description: Principles and theories; physico-chemical procedures.

CHEM 352 Physical Chemistry II

Prerequisite: CHEM 351

Description: (Continuation of 351). Principles and theories; physico-chemical procedures.

 CHEM 352L Physical Chemistry II Laboratory

Prerequisite: CHEM 274L, 352 (or concurrent)

Description: Modern laboratory techniques.

Survey Chemistry courses are designed for non-science majors and intended to provide a broad overview of chemical properties and reactivity.