CHEMISTRY PREPROOM- Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is some of the equipment old?

We have a lot of equipment.  For instance we have over 300 stirrer/hotplates.  Replacement costs are high, and we must budget for this need.  Take a look at some of the prices below:

Balances, $1800.00
pH Meters, $450.00
Stirrer/hotplates, $350.00
Heating Mantles, $400.00

The more everyone takes care of the equipment, the less worn-out, dirty, broken, or in for repairs it will be.

We also try to add new equipment and instruments to improve your learning experience.  We have replaced Spec 20s with the computer-supported Ocean Optics Spectrometers to the general chemistry labs.  We also have purchased and installed chromatography software to the Gas Chromatography and purchased new Infra Red Spectrometers.

Why is there only one person to hand out equipment?

We're aware that it is sometimes hectic and frustrating to wait in line to check out a buret or get a reagent refilled.  However, this "waiting" time is built into the time needed for the experiment.  Just be patient, and we will help you as quickly as possible.  In order to speed things along, make sure you have filled out your orange slip completely and legibly.  You don't need to put a price on the orange slip, but we do need to be able to read your name, course, section, and the date.  We also need you to describe what you are requesting - "10ml volumetric flask" not "flask."

Why are there only 6-8 balances per room to share?

This is due to cost and space issues.  As mentioned above, balances are very expensive, and we can't really put any more in the rooms.  Some students don't treat them with much respect, leaving them dirty or moving them around.  A big problem is keeping them clean of corrosive chemicals.  By wiping or brushing off the solid you spilled on the pan, you will be helping us to maintain these needed pieces of equipment.

One recommendation we make to instructors is that they off-set the time their students will need the balance room.  In other words, one class can weigh out what they need before lecture, and one after.  When this is possible, it reduces the wait time.  Also, don't forget, the writer of the lab experiment knows that a significant portion of "bottle-neck" waiting time will occur when that particular experiment was written.

If you have any questions you think should appear on this page, please e-mail them to Cynthia Runkel.

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CONTACT INFORMATION:
        Manager:

       Deirdre Belle-Oudry
        Koffler Building 113, Room 201G
        520-621-9981
       Fax: (520) 621-8407
       dbelle@email.arizona.edu
        Mailing Address:
            P.O. Box 210041
            Tucson, AZ  85721-0041

               Staff:   

    Hana Salik                     621-3947    hsalik@u.arizona.edu

    Mark Yanagihashi            621-9974     op106bf@email.arizona.edu

    John Mummert               621-9974    jfmummer@email.arizona.edu

    Sujeewa Perera              621-9974    sujeewa@email.arizona.edu

    Katherine Tilakaratne      621-3947    kimyers@email.arizona.edu
 

                 

   

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