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STUDY AND RESEARCH AT T HE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE 1 I I
tunities for more specialized study and research leading to the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy are provided at the Institute in the fields of
inorganic, analytical, physical, and organic chemistry.
First year chemistry, which is taken by all freshman students of
the Institute, puts special emphasis on the fundamental principles of
chemistry. For two terms this subject centers around the chemistry
of acids, bases, salts, metals, and non-metals. The third term is
devoted to elementary qualitative analysis, accompanied by special
lectures in various fields of chemistry given by staff members of the
division. Provision is made for the execution in the laboratory of
interesting and fruitful experiments closely coordinated with the
lectures and classroom discussions.
The second-year work in chemistry, which is taken by all students
in the course in science, consists on the laboratory side of gravimetric
and volumetric, advanced qualitative, and electrometric analysis; in
the class work emphasis is placed on the principles relating to massaction,
the ionic theory, oxidation, and the periodic law. In the
second and third terms, and also in the subjects of physical and organic
chemistry taken in the later years, the abler students, after a few weeks
of introductory work, may undertake minor researches in place of the
regular laboratory work.
The chemical subjects of the junior and senior year consist of
courses in physical, advanced inorganic, organic, and applied chemistry.
The junior and senior courses in physical chemistry, here known
as "Chemical Principles," are not descriptive courses of the usual type;
but from beginning to end are presented as a series of problems to be
solved by the student. Problems are a feature in the subjects of
organic and applied chemistry also.
The supervision of the research work of graduate students is distributed
among the members of the staff of the Division of Chemistry
and Chemical Engineering. Some of the many fields in which
researches are being actively prosecuted are listed on page 207.
The fifth-year course in Chemical Engineering leads to the degree
of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, as distinguished from
the Bachelor of Science degree without designation received for com-