Major-Required Course Content
Chemical Achievements
The Chemistry Department Today
Chemistry Department History
Elements
100
In β- decay, a (blank) is converted into a (blank) and a (blank).
In β- decay, a NEUTRON is converted into a PROTON and a BETA PARTICLE (or electron).
100
This chemist won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1912 for discovering a new reaction which "has greatly advanced the progress of organic chemistry." It is used in carbon-carbon bond formation.
Victor Grignard
He also studied chemical warfare for France during WWI, counter to Fritz Haber in Germany.
100
One of the following statements is incorrect about Dr. Williamsen. Pick which statement is incorrect and, for an additional 100 points, correct the statement.
- Lived in Spokane, WA
- Spent time in the Soviet Union
- Is a fan of Arsenal Football Club
- Lived less than five miles from Google Headquarters
Dr. Williamsen is a fan of Liverpool Football Club!
100
Who is the longest actively tenured professor in the Ursinus Chemistry department?
Dr. Williamsen joined the Chemistry department in 1996, making him the longest actively tenured professor in the department.
100
Who is credited with creating the modern periodic table?
- Lothar Meyer
- Fritz Strassmann
- Dmitri Mendeleev
- Matthew Burns
Dmitri Mendeleev is credited with creating the modern periodic table by organizing the elements based on increasing atomic weight with periodic chemical properties.
200
Which chromatographic technique is more efficient, GC or HPLC?
GC (narrower peaks)
200
This scientist won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922 "for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them."
Niels Bohr
200
One of the following statements is incorrect about Dr. Pfennig. Pick which statement is incorrect and, for an additional 200 points, correct the statement.
- Has visited 60/63 National Parks
- Has given a sermon at his church
- Hosted a foreign exchange student three times
- Is an Eagle Scout
- Can bench press his own weight
He has hosted a foreign exchange student 2 times (2007 and 2009)
200
The first chemical society at Ursinus College was founded in 1935 by which group of chemists?
- Organic chemists
- Nuclear chemists
- Inorganic chemists
- Combustion chemists
- Embryo chemists
Embryo Chemists
The society was open to all chemistry majors
200
Name the three isotopes of hydrogen and write their symbols (including mass numbers).
Hydrogen-1: 1H
Deuterium: 2H
Tritium: 3H
300
Synthesis!
See PowerPoint
300
Who was the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields?
Marie Curie won the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of radioactivity and the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the "discovery of the elements radium and polonium, [the] isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of this remarkable element."
Additionally, she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
300
Which professor in the Chemistry Department is a minority shareholder in the Green Bay Packers?
Dr. Williamsen... he bought his share for $250!
300
The first Professor of Chemistry (as far as I can tell) was Samuel Vernon Ruby Esq., A.M. (after whom the Ruby yearbook is named) who joined the College in 1872. What other subjects did he teach?
- Physics and Cartography
- English and Natural History
- Geology and Spanish
- Computer science and digital film
Ruby was Professor of English Literature and "Belles Letters" ("beautiful" or fine writing) as well as Professor of Natural History and Chemistry.
300
Which isotope of uranium is used in nuclear chain reactions (fission)?
Uranium-235
400
During an HPLC analysis, which experimental change(s) can be used to improve selectivity?
+300 points for giving both of the 2 best experimental changes
1. Mobile-phase composition
2. Temperature
400
This person is credited with inventing Valence Bond Theory, and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 "for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances."
Linus Pauling
400
This professor won their school's dramatic reading contest in the 3rd grade, and was in three different productions of the Nutcracker.
Dr. Yost!
400
In 1941, Ursinus' original chemical society was renamed to Beardwood Chemical Society. What was the original name of the group?
- Hall Chemical Society
- The Chemical Society
- Paisley Chemical Society
- The Super-Duper Chem Troopers
The Hall Chemical society was named after William Hall, "the student discoverer of modern aluminum metallurgy" (The Ruby of 1940).
400
What was the first element to be synthesized (rather than discovered in nature)?
- Technetium
- Curium
- Einsteinium
- Seaborgium
Technetium
(although curium was the first entirely synthetic element produced, meaning it does not occur naturally on Earth)
500
Give the point group of the following molecule.
(30 seconds)
See PowerPoint
500
Name at least one chemist that was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2022 "for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry."
Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless
500
In college, this professor swam in the same lane as Nobel Prize winner Martin Chalfie during Masters Swim Team.
Dr. Wilner!
Martin Chalfie won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008 for the discovery and development of green fluorescent protein (GFP).
500
Who is the Beardwood Chemical Society named after?
- Andrew Beardwood
- Matthew Beardwood
- Christie Beardwood
- Lord Nicholas Beardwood
Dr. Matthew Beardwood A.M., M.D., Sc.D., was a professor of Chemistry at Ursinus College for over 37 years from 1903 to 1940.
In addition to teaching at Ursinus, he held his own medical practice in Roxborough for 45 years, and taught at University of Pennsylvania and University of Edinburgh.
500
There are 118 known elements. How many of these do NOT occur naturally on Earth?
- 13
- 19
- 21
- 24
There are 24 known elements that do not occur naturally on Earth that have been synthesized by humans.