Intro Notes: Section 170 – Instructors, Structure, and Matter

Section 170: Instructor and Recitation

Instructor: Barry Chong, a physical and material chemist in the UNL Chemistry Department; will be your instructor for this session.
Office hours: Wednesday; location noted as Owen Cox.
Teaching assistant: I am a sophomore TA, RESI TA (first year teaching RESI); teaching section 170 recitation (this recitation is 170). Office hours for the TA: Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 in the Resource Center.
Availability: I’ll be up there right before/around the lecture to help; you can also reach out to Kyle or Dr. Chung for questions.

Course aim: Matter includes things you touch, things you smell, and how to control and create it on an atomic scale.
Scope: The class will cover 11 chapters in the course textbook.
Focus: Learn about elements.
Prerequisites: \text{Math } 103 or concurrently \text{Math } 104 or \text{Math } 106.
Required materials: you are given an electronic textbook; you should have a recitation workbook; the lecture will also provide lesson materials.
Notes on misconceptions: the instructor occasionally mentions potential misconceptions and emphasizes the materials provided.

Formative assessments: two types
- Weekly online homework assessments, released every Wednesday (time stamp discussed as around 11{:}59\text{ PM}).
- Exams: there is at least some exam activity; a pattern or schedule will be clarified; the instructor emphasizes the importance of study time today.
For those who cannot attend exams: if you miss any of the specified criteria, contact Kaylin Walsh (Chemistry staff) to arrange accommodations.
Accessibility and accommodations: communication is key; with a large course (over 1000 students), some students may need accommodations; work with SSD and follow instructions.
Syllabus questions: the instructor invites questions about the syllabus.

Course website: contains a lot of useful information; students may have electronic textbooks or other formats.
Textbook usage: some students may not be used to electronic textbooks; they should write down all their answers in their own words.
Chapter assignments: for each chapter covered, students should prepare materials and give them to Kyle; Kyle will collect.
Question sets: there are 30 questions per chapter that Kyle collects; the most valuable method is doing practice problems.
Suggested study dynamics (as described in the lecture): many students perceive a path of reading literature, going to a lab, and making chemicals; but the instructor cautions that practice-driven study is important and that there are multiple ways students approach research tasks.
Caution about AI: there is an explicit admonition not to use tools like ChatGPT to write or improve an assay.
Study-group archetypes discussed:
- Group 1: read lots of literature, then go to a lab and make chemicals.
- Group 2: the "search engine group" uses search engines to write their assay.
- Group 3: waiting for larger studies; there is mention of how CHAP2D could help students.
Open invitation for questions and clarifications.
Ethical and practical implications: emphasis on academic integrity and thoughtful use of tools in writing and research.

Definition: Matter is the stuff in the universe; it has mass and occupies space (volume).
Fundamental properties: the key properties of matter are mass $m$ and volume $V$.
Simple characterization: matter can be described by its mass and its volume; these are central to understanding its behavior.
The speaker notes that matter is controllable in creation and transformation, which can enable significant practical applications.
Real-world relevance: by controlling creation/transformation of matter, many world-changing possibilities arise.
Final remark in this section (the transcript ends with an unclear note): the word "vibrations" appears, followed by "he said that was slow"; the exact meaning is not clear from the transcript.

Practical implication: academic integrity in coursework and research, including proper use of AI tools.
Philosophical/practical takeaway: understanding and controlling matter at the atomic scale has broad impacts on science and society.
Emphasis on clear communication, engagement with instructors and TAs, and leveraging available resources to succeed in a large, multi-section course.

Course structure: instructor, TA, office hours, recitation section 170; contact points: Kyle and Dr. Chung.
Scope: 11 chapters; focus on elements and matter at the atomic scale.
Prerequisites: \text{Math } 103 or concurrent \text{Math } 104 or \text{Math } 106.
Materials: electronic textbook, recitation workbook, lecture-provided lessons.
Assessments: weekly online homework (due around 11{:}59\text{ PM} Wednesdays); exams; accommodations via Kaylin Walsh and SSD.
Study approach: emphasize practice problems ( Kyle collects 30 questions per chapter ); avoid improper use of AI tools; understand three noted approaches to research work.
Core concept: Matter = mass m and volume V; controlling matter has broad implications for the world.