Raina Gough’s research focuses on the formation and stability of aqueous salt solutions on present day Mars. Mars is known to have abundant H2O in the gas (vapor) or solid (ice) phases, but it is not clear if liquid water can exist. In the past years, however, spacecraft on Mars have collected data suggesting that small amounts of liquid water may exist on the surface or in the subsurface for some portion of the Martian year. Salts such as perchlorates and chlorides are present in the Martian soil and may play a key role in stabilizing liquid water. We experimentally study the formation and stability of liquid salt solutions under low temperature conditions using Raman microscopy. We are particularly interested in deliquescence, which is a relative humidity-induced solid-to-aqueous phase transition. From 2016 to 2023, Dr, Gough was a participating scientist on the Mars Science Laboratory mission to Mars which involves science operations of the Curiosity rover currently traversing Mars.
CHEM 1011 - Environmental Chemistry 1
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
Introduces basic principles of chemistry with applications to current environmental issues including toxic chemicals, air and water pollution, energy sources and their environmental impact, and climate change resulting from the greenhouse effect. No credit given to chemistry or biochemistry majors for this course if students already have credit in any college-level chemistry course numbered 1113/1114 or higher.
CHEM 1021 - Introductory Chemistry
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019
For students with no high school chemistry or a very weak chemistry background. Remedies a deficiency in natural science MAPS requirements and prepares students for CHEM 1113 and CHEM 1114 or CHEM 1400 and CHEM 1401. No credit given to chemistry or biochemistry majors for this course if students already have credit in any college-level chemistry course numbered 1113/1114 or higher. Department enforced prerequisite: one year high school algebra or concurrent enrollment in MATH 1011.
CHEM 1114 - Laboratory in General Chemistry 1
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021
Lab. Intended for first-semester students whose academic plans require advanced work in chemistry. Instruction in experimental techniques which coordinate with lecture topics in CHEM 1113. Department enforced prerequisites: one year high school chemistry or CHEM 1021 (min grade C-); high school math through pre-calculus. Not recommended for students with grades below B- in CHEM 1021. Department enforced corequisites: CHEM 1113 or CHEN 1201. Credit not granted for this course and CHEM 1401 or CHEM 1221.
CHEM 1133 - General Chemistry 2
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Intended for second-semester students whose academic plans require advanced work in chemistry. Subjects: acid-base equilibria, buffers and titrations, thermodynamics, redox reactions, electrochemistry, transition elements and their coordination compounds, solubility/solubility equilibria, crystal field theory, kinetics, nuclear chemistry. Department enforced corequisite: CHEM 1134. Degree credit not granted for this course and CHEM 2100.
CHEM 1134 - Laboratory in General Chemistry 2
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Intended for second-semester students whose academic plans require advanced work in chemistry. Instruction in experimental techniques which coordinate with lecture topics in CHEM 1133. Department enforced corequisite: CHEM 1133. Degree credit not granted for this course and CHEM 2101.
