CH 221 Chapter Guides

Chapter Guide Four: Overview | Resources | Practice

  Overview of Chapter Guide Four

The goal of this assignment is to learn how molecules "stick" together. This section includes topics such as the Lewis structures, VSEPR, polarity, formal charges, and more.

Electrons form the bonds that hold molecules together; yet since the electrons repel each other, certain geometries are observed often in organic and inorganic chemistry. In this chapter we will learn how Lewis structures, VSEPR, formal charges, bond polarity, molecular polarity,, and much more.

For a complete list of important concepts, see the Chapter 4 Study Guide.

  Resources for Chapter Guide Four

For this module, you should read Chapter 4 in the textbook.

The following screencasts and Complete Lectures might prove useful to you as you study this chapter.

The Chapter Four Lecture notes which accompany this lesson will be helpful when going through this section. These are Web versions of the lecture notes used in the "normal" CH 221 class and should let you see what is important in this chapter. You can also view the Lecture Notes in presentation software for Chapter Four (Keynote, PowerPoint)

A variety of handouts are available from Chapter Four. Feel free to explore all of them or just the ones which give you difficulty.

Once you have mastered the concepts listed above, check out the Chapter Four Concept Guide for a series of worked problems relating to this chapter. They will help you to ensure the mastery of the knowledge from this chapter.

Finally, test yourself (and get extra-credit in the bargain!) on the following chemistry concepts. If you get 9 out of 10 correct (or some multiple thereof), submit the information to receive extra credit.

  1. Lewis Structures Informational Only
  2. Using Bond Enthalpies
  3. Born-Haber Cycles
  4. Dipole Moments

  Practice the Concepts of Chapter Guide Four

Complete problem set #4 to further explore the molecule and compound concepts. Problem set #4 covers several questions from Chapter 4, and it can be found here. We will discuss problems like these during recitation, so come prepared to ask and answer questions.

For additional practice, try completing practice problem set #4 (with answers included at the end) and/or the non-assigned problems in Chapter 4. Answers to many of those problems are listed in the back of your textbook.

If you need assistance on these problems, you have several options. You can visit the AVID / Learning Success Center located above the MHCC library on the Mt. Hood Community College campus; they have tutors available to help you with your chemistry homework. You can also contact me if you have any questions.

This sample Quiz #4 (with answers at the end) which was given during a previous year's CH 221 class will help you understand the kind of questions that will be asked on the quiz.

You can also test your mastery of the subject matter by trying the self quiz for Chapter 4. This is an ungraded quiz that you can use to gauge your comfort level with these concepts.

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The Chapter Guides:

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Questions? Contact me!