Principles of Chemistry I Syllabus for 2017-2018
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

CHEM-1311-020 Principles of Chemistry I

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: CHEM 1305-minimum grade of C or high school chemistry; MATH 1314; RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills
Corequisite: CHEM 1111

Course Description

Fundamental principles of chemistry for majors in the sciences, health sciences and engineering; topics include measurements, fundamental properties of matter, states of matter, chemical reactions, chemical stoichiometry, periodicity of elemental properties, atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, solutions, properties of gases, and an introduction to thermodynamics and descriptive chemistry.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact your advisor, the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

REQUIRED: Modified Mastering Chemistry Access Code (Access to e-text). 

REQUIRED: Preparing for your ACS examination in General chemistry: The Official Guide.

OPTIONAL: Chemistry:  A Molecular Approach, 4th Edition, by Nivaldo Tro. (Hardback textbook).

Supplies

1. Pencil(s)
2. Highlighter(s)
3. 3”, 3 ring binder if you plan to print out your notes (optional).
4. Notebook for personal notes
5. Scientific calculator (graphing calculator is not necessary but if you already own a graphing calculator, purchasing another calculator is not necessary.

Student Performance

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Define the fundamental properties of matter.
2. Classify matter, compounds, and chemical reactions.
3. Determine the basic nuclear and electronic structure of atoms.
4. Identify trends in chemical and physical properties of the elements using the Periodic Table.
5. Describe the bonding in and the shape of simple molecules and ions.
6. Solve stoichiometric problems.
7. Write chemical formulas.
8. Write and balance equations.
9. Use the rules of nomenclature to name chemical compounds.
10. Define the types and characteristics of chemical reactions.
11. Use the gas laws and basics of the Kinetic Molecular Theory to solve gas problems.
12. Determine the role of energy in physical changes and chemical reactions.
13. Convert units of measure and demonstrate dimensional analysis skills.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Absolutely no call or text (or electronic communication) shall be taken during a quiz or exam, and cell phones will be required to be turned off prior to all exams and quizzes. Cell phones are not physically allowed to be on the student or on the desk of the student during exam or quiz time. Noncompliance with these rules will automatically result in a grade of zero on that exam, quiz and/or potentially the class (up to discretion of professor). 

 

If you are in an emergency situation and it is essential that you use your cell phone during class, please notify professor before class and step outside the classroom to complete the call. If the instructor for any reason should feel that these materials (cell phone, tablet, computer and/or pager) are disruptive to the classroom, he reserves the right to ask you to turn them off or to leave the class while they are on. 

 

Use of profanity is not acceptable in this class. This is a professional setting and we should conduct ourselves accordingly. If the instructor feels that a student(s) is/are disturbing the class in any manner, he has the right to dismiss student(s) from class where students will be forced to forfeit their grade or ability to make up that grade.

Grading Criteria

This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor at any time.  Material included is intended to provide an outline of the course and rules that the instructor will adhere to in evaluating the student's progress.  Students are expected to read the textbook before and after the material is presented in lecture.

 

Testing:

Students are required to read all test directions before testing and abide by all test rules. Grades will be posted on Blackboard online once graded and can be checked at any time thereafter.

Students are expected to show up to class on time. If a student does not show up on time, the instructor reserves the right to not allow the student to take that quiz or exam according to her discretion. 

If you make less than a 70% on test(s) 1-5, you will be required to obtain 30 minutes of tutoring from a suitable tutor or the instructor prior to taking the next test. You will not be allowed to take the next major test until or after I have received verification that you have received this tutoring.

*Legibility: Your handwritten work must be legible by the instructor and the final answer must be clearly indicated by circling or highlighting to receive full credit.

*If special accommodations are necessary, arrangements must be made at least 48 hours PRIOR to exam date.

* NO MAKE-UP tests for ANY reason. You must use the periodic tables, scratch paper and calculators supplied by the department for quizzes and exams unless specified otherwise by the professor. 

 *All tests, excluding the Final Exam, will be taken in the classroom unless notification is given by the instructor that other arrangements have been made. It is the responsibility of the student to know the hours of the Science Testing Center at Moore Co should it be used. The instructor will not take an excuse revolving around confusion about Science Testing Center hours to be an excuse for not taking an exam. Bear in mind, NO MAKE-UP tests for ANY reason. You must use the periodic tables, scratch paper and calculators supplied by the department in the testing center. 

5 major unit exams can consist of a comprehensive mixture of multiple choice, matching, true/false, completion, problem solving and short answer questions. The 4 BEST exam scores will be used and account for 50% of your total grade.

 

Quizzes:

There will be 15 quizzes throughout the semester either online or in-class. The 13 best quiz scores will be used and account for 10% of your grade.

Homework:

There will be a total of 10 online-homework assignments periodically throughout the semester. Due dates are pending and it is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to due dates when they are announced verbally in class. The 9 best homework grades will account for 15% of your grade. Bear in mind that homework is an online assignment. It is the responsibility and obligation of the student to give the professor 24 hours written notice via email if there should be any technology issues that would impede turning the assignment in on time. There will be zero tolerance for turning homework in late.

Class Project:

There will be a class project that students have the entire semester to work on. These will be due between midterms and finals. This project will be worth 5% of your total grade. 

Final Exam:

The final exam is comprehensive and will account for 20% of your grade.

 

Grading:

Grades will not be curved nor are extra credit assignments allowed / given for ANY REASON.

90-100 % = A

80 - 89.99% = B

70-79.99% = C

60-69.99% = D

59.99% or less = F

 

MAKE UP POLICY:

If you MISS, COME IN LATE or LEAVE EARLY to any test or quiz for any reason or MISS the DUE DATE and TIME for any homework assignment, the grade of a zero will be assigned for that test, quiz or homework assignment for the semester.

**NO MAKE UPS or LATE WORK will be allowed FOR ANY REASON on any test, quiz or homework assignment, so PLEASE DO NOT ASK. **

Grade Disputes:  While I encourage you to come to me with questions, if you wish to dispute a grade, you must contact me within a week of the grade being posted or there will be no change to the disputed grade. 

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. Attendance will be taken every day at the beginning of class. If the student is not present at the beginning of class while attendance is being taken, credit will not be given for late or no arrivals.

It is the responsibility of the student to check that his/her attendance was accounted for, DAILY. If there has been a mistake made on the behalf of the instructor, the student has until the next class day from the disputed date to ask the instructor for attendance credit.

If you miss class for any reason, it is YOUR responsibility to read in the textbook over the material you missed and fill out your notes accordingly. Also, it must be understood that even though you miss a day, it is your responsibility to catch yourself up well enough to be able to potentially (more than likely) take a quiz over that information the next class period. 

Important Dates:

Monday, January 15^th – Martin Luther King Day (College Closed)

Monday, March 12^th – Sunday March 18^th  – Spring Break 

Friday, April 1^st – Easter Holiday (College Closed)

Friday, April 20^th  – Last day to Withdraw 

Scheduled LECTURE FINAL: Monday, May 7^th from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. BE ON TIME. Finals are taken in the regularly assigned classroom (Failure to arrive on time will forfeit the student's right to take the final).

Calendar

Additional Information

Cheating Policy: There is a no tolerance cheating policy in this course. If the instructor suspects or catches a student(s) cheating, an "F" will be issued to that student(s) for the course. The instructor also reserves the right to issue an "F" without confronting the student especially if it is finals week.

 

WITHDRAW: A grade of "W" will be given for drops or withdraws on or before the published official withdraw date.

 

FINAL GRADE CHANGES: The final grade turned into the registrar's office will not be changed unless approved by all full time chemistry faculty committee. Request must be submitted in writing.

 

BAD WEATHER: 
If classes are canceled due to inclement weather, you are responsible for reading and learning the material that would have been covered. If an exam was scheduled and classes are canceled, the exam will be given the next class meeting. (BE PREPARED). If class is canceled the last day of class and an exam was scheduled, then the exam will be added to the Final Exam and the questions will count as the exam and as the final exam. All attendance policies will be be enforced, unless Amarillo College officially cancels classes, NO EXCEPTIONS. Cancelations will be announced on the radio by 6:30 AM or by 3:00 PM for evening classes. Also check the AC website.