COURSE SYLLABUS

PREREQUISITE

The prerequisite for General Chemistry I is high school chemistry. It is assumed that you know high school algebra.

MATERIALS

General Chemistry Text to Accompany the OWL Electronic Learning System

(Handed Out in Class)

Laboratory Experiments (download from course website)
Laboratory Safety Goggles (bookstore)
Scientific Calculator
OWL Electronic Homework System (provided by instructor)
Course Website: http://employees.oneonta.edu/viningwj/Chem111/index.html

GRADING

The basis for course grades is determined by examinations, graded homework, and laboratory. Points for each are:

Three hour exams (100 points each): 300 points

Comprehensive final exam: 150 points

Homework 100 points

Laboratory: 100 points

Total Points: 650 points

Letter grade ranges on a percentage basis are:

A 90.0 – 100% C- 67.0 – 69.9%

A- 87.0 – 89.9% D+ 64.0 – 66.9%

B+ 84.0 – 86.9% D 60.0 – 63.9%

B 80.0 – 83.9% D- 57.0 – 59.9%

B- 77.0 – 79.9% E Below 57%

C+ 74.0 – 76.9%

C 70.0 – 73.9%

In order to pass the course you must independently pass the laboratory section of the course. Failing the lab means failing the entire course.

EXAMINATIONS

Examinations will be held on TBA1, TBA2, TBA3. Students will be allowed to bring to the exam one sheet of prepared notes.

If you miss an examination because of circumstances beyond your control, please inform the instructor immediately. A make-up examination will be scheduled for as soon as possible.

Gateway Quizzes: There is a small set of information that simply must be memorized in order to be conversant in chemistry:

The names, symbols and positions of the first 20 elements on the periodic table
The names, formulas, and charges of the common ions

This information can be found at: http://employees.oneonta.edu/viningwj/Chem111/Types%20of%20formulas.png

These two quizzes will be given within the first two weeks of class.

OWL HOMEWORK

Homework will use the OWL system served by the University of Massachusetts. The system is “mastery” based, meaning that you can work on an assignment as long as you want and try questions as many times as you want, until succeeding. There is no penalty for getting an answer wrong. There is only a penalty for not eventually getting it right.

NOTE: Logins will not be set up until after classes begin. Do not attempt to login before that.

The login address is: http://owl.oit.umass.edu

Choose General Chemistry/UMass Amherst

Your login is SUCO + your email address before the @ sign. So, mine is SUCOviningwj.

Your password is your last name.

Assignments will be made weekly and will be due at midnight on Sunday.

LABORATORY

The laboratory work is an integral and essential part of this course and will represent a significant factor in your final grade (see above).

You will be expected to attend every scheduled meeting of your laboratory section. If you are forced to miss one of the labs due to circumstances beyond your control, the instructor will attempt to arrange for you to attend some other laboratory section during the same week. If it is impossible to reschedule the experiment you should discuss methods of making up the work with your instructor.

Students will not be permitted to work in any laboratory section other than that for which they are scheduled. Students must not work in the laboratory without direct faculty supervision.

Unless you are informed otherwise, laboratory reports will be due the first lecture meeting after the completion of the experiment.

In order to protect your vision you will be required to wear safety glasses while you are in the laboratory. If you violate this rule you become a hazard to yourself as well as those around you. Therefore, you may be asked to leave the laboratory if you do not wear safety glasses.

Laboratory reports are to represent your own original work. You will sometimes work with other students to collect data, but your written report, including calculations, must be your own work.

Chemistry 111-Fall 2008/Vining

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week Chapter Subject

Aug 27 1 Matter and Atoms

Sept. 1 2 Atoms and the Periodic Table

Sept. 8 2 Compounds and Molecules

Sept. 15 3 Stoichiometry

Sept. 22 3 Stoichiometry

Sept. 29 4 Chemical Reactions

Oct. 6 4 Chemical Reactions

Oct. 13 6 Atomic Electronic Structure I

Oct. 20 6 Atomic Electronic Structure II

Oct. 27 7 Bonding and Molecular Structure

Nov. 3 7 Bonding and Molecular Structure

Nov. 10 8 Valence Bond Theory

Nov. 19 8 Molecular Orbital Theory

Nov. 24 8 Break Week

Dec. 1 9 Thermochemistry

Dec. 8 9 Thermochemistry

LABORATORY SCHEDULE

Week Experiment

Aug 27 No labs this week

Sept. 1 Experiment on “Growing Crystals”

Sept. 8 Synthesis of Alum from an Aluminum Can

Sept. 15 Determination of the Percent Composition of a Mixture

Sept. 22 Determination of an Unknown Acid

Sept. 29 Spectrophotometric Determination of Copper

Oct. 6 Break Week: no Labs

Oct. 13 Analysis of Silver Group Cations

Oct. 20 Analysis of Anions

Oct. 27 Synthesis and Analysis of a Copper Complex

Nov. 3 Synthesis and Analysis of a Copper Complex (continued)

Nov. 10 Synthesis and Analysis of a Copper Complex (continued)

Nov. 17 Periodic Properties of the Elements

Nov. 24 Break Week: no Labs

Dec. 1 Thermochemistry

Dec. 8 Clean up and Check Out