575.643.81 - Chemistry of Aqueous Systems

Expanded Course Description

Prerequisites 

This course builds upon content covered in college-level general (first-year) chemistry courses. As such, you are expected to bring a working knowledge of important concepts from general chemistry with you into this course. Otherwise, no prior experience in environmental chemistry is assumed. 

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into 12 modules that can be accessed by clicking Modules on the menu. A module will have several sections, typically including an overview, lectures, readings, practice problems, and assignments. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. All modules run for a period of seven (7) days. Beginning work early within each seven-day period is a key to success in this course; doing so ensures that you have time to ask for clarification when needed. Modules will officially begin on Tuesdays. Module content will typically be released on the preceding Saturday to permit students to work ahead if desired. 

Course Topics

Please see the Course Outline for lists of topics that we will cover in this course.

Course Goals

Through this course, you will learn how the principles of chemical equilibrium can be used to explain and predict the chemistry of a variety of aqueous systems, ranging from rain to rivers, groundwater to oceans, and drinking water to wastewater. You will discover how the chemistry of aqueous systems can evolve in response to natural and anthropogenic inputs. You will also explore how the tools of analytical chemistry can be used to determine the chemical composition of aqueous systems. 

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Describe the sources of chemical species that are likely to influence water quality in natural and engineered aqueous systems.
• Calculate the equilibrium composition of aqueous systems using the principles of chemical thermodynamics, mass balance, and charge balance.
• Discuss the advantages and limitations of equilibrium models when solving quantitative problems in aquatic chemistry.
• Assess the accuracy of aquatic chemistry problem-solving strategies presented by your peers.
• Perform speciation calculations using Visual MINTEQ, a free software program based on code developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• Explain how selected constituents in aqueous systems can be measured using modern analytical methods.
• Apply the principles of aquatic chemistry to physical/chemical processes in real-world environmental contexts.

Textbooks

Required 

Benjamin, M. M. (2015). Water Chemistry (2nd ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc. 

ISBN-10: 1-4786-2308-X

ISBN-13: 978-14786-2308-3 

For additional textbook information, search the MBS website at http://ep.jhu.edu/bookstore. 

Optional 

Access to a college-level general chemistry textbook is highly recommended, particularly if you wish to review concepts covered in freshman-level chemistry courses. An excellent (and free!) general chemistry textbook is available online at: https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e.

Required Software

Visual MINTEQ (version 3.1) 

This chemical speciation software is available for free at https://vminteq.com/download/.

Student Coursework Requirements

Each module will likely take 7 – 12 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown for a typical module: watching lecture videos (1 – 2 hour per week), completing the assigned readings (2 – 3 hours per week), working on quizzes or discussion-based problem sets (3 – 5 hours per week), working on the independent project (1 – 2 hours per week). 

This course will consist of four types of graded assessments: 

Discussion-Based Problem Sets (30% of Final Grade) 

A total of six problem sets will be included as components of Modules 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10. You will participate in a discussion forum related to the problem set so that you can share your insights with your peers. Your participation in each discussion contributes 5% to your final grade. The problem set guidelines and grading rubric (including the policy concerning late submissions) are available in Module 1. 

Quizzes (30% of Final Grade) 

A total of four quizzes will be delivered at the end of Modules 2, 5, 7, and 9. Quizzes will be open note/open book and will align with the learning objectives associated with the current and recent modules. Each quiz contributes 7.5% to your final grade. Quizzes must be completed without consulting any other person (including people not enrolled in this course). Instructions concerning quiz submission will be available in the aforementioned modules. 

Submitting quizzes on time is imperative to receiving timely feedback and ensures that you are ready to begin the subsequent module without delay. Accordingly, quizzes submitted up to one day late will be charged a 10% late fee (based on the total points available on the quiz). Quizzes submitted more than one day late will not be graded. Answer keys to each quiz will be posted on Canvas approximately three days after each quiz is due. Studying the answer keys will help you understand any questions you answered incorrectly and provide you with alternative solution approaches for problems you answered correctly. 

Independent Project (20% of Final Grade) 

The Independent Project involves developing an educational product (deliverable online) that summarizes state-of-the-art knowledge related to the chemical speciation, environmental fate, measurement methods, treatment technologies, and biological effects associated with one inorganic element. Final versions of all projects will be posted on the course Canvas site. Full guidelines and grading details are available in the Independent Project section on Canvas. 

Topic selection is due by the end of Module 1. An annotated bibliography is due by the end of Module 4 and contributes 3% of the course grade. The educational product is due by Day 5 of Module 11 and contributes 14% of the course grade. During Module 12, you will explore the projects developed by your classmates while participating in a Virtual Symposium. Your participation in the Virtual Symposium discussion is worth 3% of the course grade. A rubric explaining how I will grade your participation in the Virtual Symposium discussion will be available in Module 12. 

Final Exam (20% of Final Grade) 

The final exam covers concepts associated with Modules 1 – 11. The final exam will be released at the beginning of Module 11. The final exam is due 48 hours after the end of Module 12, so you will have approximately two weeks to complete the exam. Final exams submitted after the deadline will be charged a late fee of 10% per day (based on the total points available on the exam). Final exams submitted more than three (3) days late will not be graded. The final exam must be completed without consulting any other person (including people not enrolled in this course, but excluding your instructor). 

Note: All due dates/times for this course are based on the local time in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in the Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Course Calendar or in the corresponding modules. 

Clear communication of ideas is an essential skill for engineers and scientists. As such, responses will be evaluated for accuracy, clarity, completion, and internal consistency. For quantitative questions, answers must include appropriate significant figures and units. 

I strive to post grades within one week after an assignment is submitted. After you receive a grade for a quiz, be sure to open that assignment (by clicking on the assignment name in the grade center) so that you can view my comments. I typically insert several comments, as well as point scores per question, for all quizzes. For problem sets, by clicking on the name of the problem set in the grade center, you should be able to see your rubric scores for the problem set. After a grade is posted for a problem set, I also recommend that you re-open all of the threads from your discussion group so that you can read any comments I may have added to your discussions. 

Overall course averages will be determined by the following weighting: 

These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course. 

Tips for Success 

• Don’t hesitate to ask questions or to request to meet with me online. I enjoy talking about aquatic chemistry, and I am happy to meet with you. 
• Keep up! The summer term is compressed (12 weeks) compared to fall and spring terms (14 weeks). That means we will need to cover material at a somewhat faster pace. Moreover, the concepts covered in this course are cumulative. Fully understanding concepts from earlier modules will be very important as the course progresses. 
• Take full advantage of the answer keys. After each problem set and quiz, I will post full solutions to all problems. Carefully compare your responses to those shown in the answer keys, and be sure to contact me if anything is unclear.

Course Policies

Diversity and Inclusion 

The students, faculty, and staff at Johns Hopkins University represent a diverse and vibrant community of learners and scholars. As a community, we value the unique contributions of each individual and promote active participation in all aspects of the learning process by each community member. As your instructor, I support the University’s goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive educational setting. I strive to create a learning environment built upon the principles of mutual respect and support, and I welcome your participation in this effort. 

Copyright Notice 

Your instructor and Johns Hopkins University retain all copyrights to all original materials distributed in this course (including, but not limited to, lecture videos, lecture slides, case studies, practice problems, assignments, quizzes, exams, and answer keys). Reposting or otherwise distributing these materials is prohibited. 

Syllabus Subject to Change 

All information, schedules, due dates, and policies outlined herein are subject to change. Any changes will be announced via Canvas and/or via email. 

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.