Fall 2026

General Chemistry II

CHEM 104 covers chemical equilibrium, electrochemistry, kinetics, nuclear chemistry, and introduces organic chemistry and lab skills.

offering recorded5 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 Timothy Bertram4.0/5Jaclyn Trate3.2/5Carly Meeks +15 more

Summary

1 / 7

Bertram’s exams are characterized as fair and relatively easy, whereas Trate’s tests are reported as difficult and requiring significant study. Reviewers note that Trate’s regular assignments, such as homework and discussions, can make the material easier to grasp.

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
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F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

CHEM 103 and (MATH 112, 114, 171, 211 or 221). Not open to students with credit forCHEM 109 or 115

CHEM 104 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Fall 2026

Timothy Bertram

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.38/5 from 21 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.3/5 raw quality · 3.4/5 difficulty · 20 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Timothy Bertram is praised for explaining concepts clearly and using demonstrations and Top Hat quizzes to engage students. Reviewers describe him as approachable and helpful, noting that his lectures are generally easy to follow and beneficial for learning.

Some students find his lectures confusing or dull, reporting that they had to rely on self-teaching or TA notes. These reviewers felt the lecture content was less useful than outside study materials, despite acknowledging the interesting demonstrations.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2022: 2.86 GPA, 36.8% A/AB (n=223 letter grades); Fall 2023: 2.91 GPA, 35.7% A/AB (n=241 letter grades); Fall 2024: 2.99 GPA, 40.1% A/AB (n=339 letter grades).

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.06/5 from 47 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 3.6/5 raw quality · 3.2/5 difficulty · 17 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Jaclyn Trate is knowledgeable and accessible, with students praising her helpfulness in office hours and willingness to assist. However, reviews disagree on her lecturing style, with some finding her explanations unclear or rushed, while others find her problem-solving approach clear and engaging.

Trate is described as kind, accommodating, and focused on student success, often going out of her way to ensure understanding. She is generally well-liked as a person and instructor, though some find her lectures unengaging or fast-paced.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2021: 3.01 GPA, 46.2% A/AB (n=197 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.98 GPA, 41.8% A/AB (n=337 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Jaclyn Trate has no direct reviews in this set. Historical reviews for Judith Burstyn praise her helpfulness, while Linda Zelewski is criticized as a poor lecturer. Current instructor Timothy Bertram also lacks direct reviews.

JACLYN TRATE is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JANICE MARY HALL TOMASIK is recorded teaching in Spring 2008. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JEREMIAH DUNCAN is recorded teaching in Spring 2008, Spring 2009. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JUDITH BURSTYN is recorded teaching in Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2016, Spring 2023, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KATERINA HILLEKE is recorded teaching in Spring 2019. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KYOUNG-SHIN CHOI is recorded teaching in Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

LINDA ZELEWSKI is recorded teaching in Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2015, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

TIMOTHY BERTRAM is recorded teaching in Spring 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2018, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction359 / 36514
DIS 401Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 402Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 403Classroom Instruction23 / 231
DIS 404Classroom Instruction23 / 232
DIS 405Classroom Instruction23 / 232
DIS 406Classroom Instruction23 / 231
DIS 407Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 408Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 409Classroom Instruction22 / 223
LAB 701Classroom Instruction23 / 230
LAB 702Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 703Classroom Instruction23 / 231
LAB 704Classroom Instruction23 / 232
LAB 705Classroom Instruction23 / 232
LAB 706Classroom Instruction23 / 231
LAB 707Classroom Instruction23 / 230
LAB 708Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 709Classroom Instruction22 / 223
DIS 410Classroom Instruction22 / 222
LAB 710Classroom Instruction22 / 222
LEC 002Classroom Instruction359 / 3659
DIS 421Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 422Classroom Instruction23 / 232
DIS 423Classroom Instruction23 / 220
DIS 424Classroom Instruction22 / 221
LAB 721Classroom Instruction23 / 230
LAB 722Classroom Instruction23 / 232
LAB 723Classroom Instruction23 / 220
LAB 724Classroom Instruction22 / 221
DIS 425Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 426Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 427Classroom Instruction23 / 232
DIS 428Classroom Instruction22 / 232
DIS 429Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 430Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 725Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 726Classroom Instruction23 / 230
LAB 727Classroom Instruction23 / 232
LAB 728Classroom Instruction22 / 232
LAB 729Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 730Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 411Classroom Instruction22 / 221
LAB 711Classroom Instruction22 / 221
DIS 412Classroom Instruction23 / 220
LAB 712Classroom Instruction23 / 220
DIS 431Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 731Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 432Classroom Instruction22 / 222
LAB 732Classroom Instruction22 / 222
DIS 433Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 733Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 434Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 734Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 735Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 435Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 413Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 414Classroom Instruction22 / 221
LAB 713Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 714Classroom Instruction22 / 221
DIS 415Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 715Classroom Instruction22 / 230
DIS 416Classroom Instruction22 / 221
LAB 716Classroom Instruction22 / 221
DIS 436Classroom Instruction23 / 230
LAB 736Classroom Instruction23 / 230

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Timothy Bertram is described by some reviewers as an engaging lecturer who uses demonstrations and Top Hat quizzes to make chemistry interesting. These students find his explanations clear and his lectures helpful for understanding the material.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 2.94 GPA, 38.7% A/AB (n=1414 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.88 GPA, 35.5% A/AB (n=664 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.97 GPA, 39.5% A/AB (n=1500 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Bertram’s exams are characterized as fair and relatively easy, whereas Trate’s tests are reported as difficult and requiring significant study. Reviewers note that Trate’s regular assignments, such as homework and discussions, can make the material easier to grasp.

Jaclyn Trate is accessible and kind, but her lecture style is polarizing; some find her problem-solving approach helpful while others find her lectures unengaging or rushed. Students emphasize the importance of using the textbook and office hours.

Topics

  • Chemical equilibrium.
  • Coordination chemistry.
  • Oxidation-reduction and electrochemistry.
  • Kinetics.
  • Nuclear chemistry.
  • Introduction to organic chemistry.

Skills

  • Chemistry laboratory skills.

Grades

Historical instructor

Fall 2026 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.05 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Fall 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
CHEM 104 · Fall 2026

General Chemistry II

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:224:002750",
    "course_id": "CHEM 104",
    "course_uid": "course_1892a0df3dfd0788ad8a857d",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "002750",
    "source_subject_id": "224",
    "title": "General Chemistry II",
    "credits_min": 5,
    "credits_max": 5,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "5212b757a2090beaf73502c6e8431c6ddfafb904e3fc1e3aecf81a7ceeee41b4",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}