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Browser Compatibility: We've had one report of browser incompatibility. To check that your browser is compatible, scroll down to the bottom of the page. Look for a "Submit Answers" button just to the left of the button that says "Clear the Form and Start Over" and between two paragraphs of red text. If you find the "Submit Answers" button, then your browser is compatible.
If you don't see the "Submit Answers" button, then try loading this page (www.haverford.edu/chem/dept/placement/vs2011.htm) using a different browser or, if necessary, on a different computer; if you do have incompatibility issues, please email the details (browser and operating system versions) to rscarrow@haverford.edu.
Your Name- First: MI: Last:
HAVERFORD COLLEGE INFORMATION FOR FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY PLACEMENT
The purpose of the placement questionnaire and test is to assist the Haverford Chemistry Department in recommending the appropriate chemistry class for you., We base our recommendation on several factors, including your previous exposure to Chemistry (Part I), your comfort with algebra and problem solving (Part II, and your SAT scores), how well you retained some important concepts from Chemistry (Part III), and your reasons for wanting to take chemistry (Part I).
Part 1. INFORMATION
Please give us some information about yourself to help us in the placement process. We want to do the best possible job of placing you at the proper level. If you have any questions about our process, please see any member of the Chemistry Department once the placements are posted during Customs Week. We assume you are all following the Honor Code of Haverford College.
Your SAT scores: critical reading math writing
If you took the SAT Subject Test for Chemistry, your score:
If you took the ACT's instead of the SAT's please provide those scores:
Eng Read Math Sci
If you took the chem AP test, your score (1-5):
If you took the higher level International Baccalaureate Chemistry course, your score (1-7):
Please outline your secondary school CHEMISTRY experience by selecting the best answer from each pull down menu.
Freshman Year Select... No chemistry Non-honors chemistry class Honors chemistry class Chemistry only as part of integrated science course
Sophomore Year Select... No chemistry Non-honors chemistry class Honors chemistry class AP chemistry class (or higher level IB course) Chemistry only as part of integrated science course
Junior Year Select... No chemistry Non-honors chemistry class Honors chemistry class AP chemistry class (or higher level IB course) Chemistry only as part of integrated science course
Senior Year Select... No chemistry Non-honors chemistry class Honors chemistry class AP chemistry class (or higher level IB course) Chemistry only as part of integrated science course
(Optional) Is there anything else relevant to your Chemistry placement that you wish to tell us about your academic background?
Finally, please categorize your present reasons for taking chemistry, as best you can. We do realize that your answers are likely to be VERY tentative! Please check all relevant statements:
Interested in possibility of chem major. Mostly interested in biology, for which chem is needed. Thinking about grad school in science. Strong premed interest. Tentative premed interest. "Just keeping all my options open." Leaning toward humanities major, but considering med school. Will be taking course primarily to satisfy distribution requirement.
Other (please state):
Haverford College Chemistry Placement Questionnaire and Test (Continued)
We do not expect students to study for the placement test that consists of parts II and III below; please answer these questions to the best of your ability; it is OK to select an answer you are unsure of, but please do not randomly guess for the multiple choice questions.
Part II: A few math problems. Solve the problem on another sheet and then fill in the blank or choose one of the answers provided for each question.
1. A unit conversion problem. You may use a calculator to answer this problem, but do not use the conversion keys on the calculator (if it has them).
1 pound is 453.6 g and 1 kg = 1000g. (g stands for gram, and kg for kilogram). What is the weight, in pounds, of a person who weighs 63.0 kg? (round off the answer to the nearest pound).
pounds
2. An algebra question. Do not use your calculator for this question.
Rearrange the following equation to solve for x (i.e. "x = ...?)
a) x =
b) x =
c) x =
d) x =
e) I don't know how to answer this question
3) More algebra (and logs: "log" means the common (base 10) logarithm. if you haven't studied logarithms, just leave this problem blank) Do not use your calculator for this question.
Rearrange y = -log(x) to solve for x.
a) x = 10y
b) x = -10 y
c) x = e -y
d) x = 10-y
HAVERFORD COLLEGE FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY PLACEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE AND TEST (Continued)
PART III. This is the chemistry portion of the placement test. Answer questions using by filling in the blanks with a number that will be recognized by the computer; for very large or small numbers use the "E" scientific notation recognized by computers ("E" means "times 10 raised to the power of ...")
You may use a calculator to answer these problems, but do not use the conversion keys on the calculator.
The information box below may be used in answering these questions. Click here to open the information box in a new window. We recommend that you print out this information box or keep it visible on your monitor as you are answering the questions in Part III.
CO(g) + Fe2O3(s) →
Fe(s) + CO2 (g)
7. The redox half-reactions shown below need electons on one side or the other. Describe how you would add electrons to balance each half-reaction, and label each as an oxidation or reduction.
a) Mg → Mg2+
To balance Mg → Mg2+, add select... one two electron(s) on the select... left right side of the equation. This is a(n) select... oxidation reduction half-reaction.
b) Br2 → 2Br –
8. Consider the following balanced chemical equation:
CH4(g) + 2 O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2 H2O(l)
If 2.0 moles of CH4 react with 3.0 moles of O2, and the reaction goes to completion, how many moles of CO2 will be produced?
9. Consider the following skeletal structure:
Convert this structure to a proper Lewis structure by adding lone pairs to some of the atoms, and/or by converting some of the single bonds to double and/or triple bonds. Then answer the following questions:
9a) How many double bonds are there in this structure?
double bonds
9b) How many lone pairs of electrons are there in this structure?
10. Consider the following balanced chemical equation:
2 H2(g) + O2(g) → 2 H2O(l)
If 8.0 g of H2 is combined with 8.0 g of O2 and reacted (boom!) to completion, how many grams of gas will remain unreacted? Will this gas be hydrogen or oxygen?
11.Mercuric oxide (HgO, 217 g/mol) decomposes when heated; the products are liquid elemental mercury and gaseous elemental oxygen.
If 21.7 g of HgO is completely decomposed and the oxygen produced is cooled to 27° C (300. K) at 1.00 atm pressure, what is the volume of the oxygen produced?
Hint: Molecular oxygen behaves as an ideal gas.
12. Consider water, H2O (it may be helpful to draw a Lewis structure)
12a. What is the arrangement of atoms in water, (i.e. how are they bonded)?
a) O-H-O b) H-O-H
c) H-H-O d) O-O-H
12b. How many lone pairs of electrons does the Lewis structure for water have?
12c. What is the shape of the real water molecule?
13. The Lewis structure for the nitrate ion ( NO3– ) has more than one equivalent resonance structure. Draw one such Lewis structure, and answer the following questions:
13a) How many double bonds are there in the Lewis structure you drew?
13b) What are the bond angles in the nitrate ion (answer approximately if the exact answer is not given)?
select... 180 150 120 109.5 90 ° (degrees)
13c) In the real nitrate ion, are all bonds the same length?
a) Yes
b) No; two bond lengths are the same but shorter than the other(s)
c) No; two bond lengths are same but longer than the other(s)
d) No; all bonds are different lengths
Technical details: On some browsers/systems, hitting Enter or Return is equivalent to clicking the Submit button. To prevent accidentally submitting information before you have finished filling in or checking this form, don't fill in your email address or check the box below until you are ready to submit.
E-mail address:
I certify that I have filled out this questionnaire and test to the best of my ability and without assistance from other sources (people, textbooks, internet sites, etc.) in the spirit of the Haverford College Honor Code.
Click on the "Submit Answers" button in the next line when you are done. Be sure to fill in all the answers and your e-mail address and check the certification box above before submitting the answers.
Important note: Placement results are posted the Friday before the start of fall semester classes. If you are submitting this after the designated time of the Chemistry placement exam (Thursday morning of the week before the start of fall semester classes), please send email to Rob Scarrow (Professor of Chemistry) to ensure that we are aware of your submission and know how to contact you with your placement results. If you forget to include your email address or check the box above and try to submit, you will get an error message. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.
Important note: Placement results are posted the Friday before the start of fall semester classes. If you are submitting this after the designated time of the Chemistry placement exam (Thursday morning of the week before the start of fall semester classes), please send email to Rob Scarrow (Professor of Chemistry) to ensure that we are aware of your submission and know how to contact you with your placement results.
If you forget to include your email address or check the box above and try to submit, you will get an error message. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.
Javascript and content Copyright 2006, Robert Scarrow. Contact info: Robert Scarrow, Haverford College, Haverford PA 19041 USA. rscarrow@haverford.edu.