Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:20-8:50 a.m.
Tuesday 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Wednesday 10:30-11:30 a.m.
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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.
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CHEM-1411-004 General Chemistry I
Prerequisites: CHEM 1305, Introductory Chemistry I, minimum grade of C or high school chemistry; MATH 1314, College Algebra or MATH 1414, College Algebra/STEM-minimum grade of C
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 themodynamics and descriptive chemistry. Basic laboratory experiments supporting theoretical principles presented in CHEM 1411 Lecture; introduction of the scientific method, experimental design, data collection and analysis, and preparation of laboratory reports.
Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website
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:
Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me
You can also contact 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.
(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 3 lab)
On Campus Course
OpenStax Chemistry 2e, a free online resource. https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e
Access to Knewton online homework system. Will be linked through Blackboard.
Laboratory Manual: Principles of General Chemistry, A. G. Foster, 2003 Revision
A scientific calculator (non-graphing)
Safety goggles
Lab coat or apron
Pencil, pen, paper
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.
14. Use basic apparatus and apply experimental methodologies used in the chemistry laboratory.
15. Demonstrate safe and proper handling of laboratory equipment and chemicals.
16. Conduct basic laboratory experiments with proper laboratory techniques.
17. Make careful and accurate experimental observations.
18. Relate physical observations and measurements to theoretical principles.
19. Interpret laboratory results and experimental data, and reach logical conclusions.
20. Record experimental work completely and accurately in laboratory notebooks and
communicate experimental results clearly in written reports.
21. Design fundamental experiments involving principles of chemistry.
22. Identify appropriate sources of information for conducting laboratory experiments involving
principles of chemistry.
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".
Please pay attention in lecture class, as well as during prelab instruction, and be respectful of the other students. If you are causing a disruption, you may be asked to leave. Avoid listening to personal music players, using phones/devices for things unrelated to class, and any obvious “multitasking”.
If there is any evidence of cheating on any homework, quiz, test, or final, you will receive a zero for that item and cannot replace or drop that zero. Any exam taken in the Science Testing Center is subject to their rules for cheating.
Whenever you are in the laboratory, safety equipment must be worn. This includes: long pants/skirt (coming to at least mid-calf), apron or lab coat, long hair tied back, safety goggles, and, if necessary, gloves (will be specified; gloves are provided in lab).
Students cannot wear the following to the laboratory: open-toed shoes, shoes with holes in them, shoes that leave the top of the foot exposed, pants with holes in them, hats, shorts, short skirts, tops that do not cover the back and middle of the body.
In the laboratory, no food, drinks, tobacco, or gum are allowed.
Students should move carefully in lab, use caution with open flames, and clean their work spaces before leaving. Violations of safety rules will lead to point deductions; for repeated violations of safety rules, a student will be asked to leave the laboratory. Safety is the MOST important part of lab. You must attend the safety presentation, pass the safety quiz (with an 80) and complete prelab material before you will be allowed to perform experiments for lab. Any experiments missed by failing to do this will be zeroes and cannot be made up.
Use of a previous semester’s lab assignment work, from whatever source, is considered cheating. If you have access to such papers, turn them in to the instructor at the beginning of the semester and they will be returned at the end. If a student is seen to be using any other student’s work, past or present, they will receive a zero grade for that assignment and it cannot be dropped.
Most labs will be done with partners, and all will be done in close proximity to other students. You are encouraged to discuss and/or work with your neighbors; however, working with a student does not give license to simply copy work/data. Students will not receive credit for any part of an experiment where data has been shared/copied with another group.
You must clean up your area of the lab. It is not the instructor’s or laboratory supervisor's job to clean up after you. Points will be deducted from the lab if your lab area must be cleaned up for you. Leave common areas neat and always replace bottle caps and stoppers.
Efficient Use of Time in Lab: Please be aware that labs are scheduled for three hours. This is generally more than enough time to finish most labs, but expect to be in class for the duration of the scheduled time. In many cases, being well prepared will allow you to finish the experiment early.
Please read and abide by the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
The final average will be derived from the following weighted grades: Lecture Class Quizzes - 10%, Tests - 40%, Homework - 10%, Final Exam - 15%; Lab Reports – 16%, Lab Quizzes – 3%, Postlabs – 3%, Lab Final 3%.
Grades are based on 90 and up = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D, 59 and lower = F. Grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number. Final grades will not be curved.
Tests: There will be 4 regular exams; tentative test dates are listed on the calendar below. These dates are subject to change. The lowest exam grade will be dropped. If a test is missed it will automatically count as a zero, but can still be the dropped grade. Work must be legible and the final answer must be clearly indicated to receive credit. If you have a conflict with the exam dates, let the instructor know in advance. Exams will be taken in the Science Testing Center. You may not leave the room during a test. During tests, there are no cell phones, graphing calculators or other electronic devices allowed. You must use the periodic tables, scratch paper, and calculators supplied by the department. You need to bring a pencil and your student ID. Please note: No tests will be given out less than one and a half hours before the Science Testing Center closes.
If you have a test grade below 70%, mandatory tutoring is required before you take the next exam. You can get this from the STSC or a chemistry instructor. Please do this as soon as possible; chemistry is a comprehensive subject that builds on itself. It is hard to catch up if you get behind!
Cheating will not be tolerated in any Chemistry course at Amarillo College. You will be required to sign and date a Testing Center Contract. Included in the contract is the following statement: "I fully understand that if I cheat, or attempt to cheat, on any test I will receive an automatic “F” in the course. This grade will go on my permanent transcript and cannot be removed. Cheating includes, but is not limited to: the illegal use of books, notes, cell phones*, copying or leaving the Science Testing Center with a test or questions from a test. Cheating also includes helping, or attempting to help, other students to cheat on a test."
You will not be allowed to take your tests until this contract is signed and on file in the Science Testing Center.
*Please Note: NO CELL PHONES in the Testing Room. If they see your cell phone out AT ANY TIME, FOR ANY REASON, while in the testing room, YOU WILL RECEIVE an "F" for the course!
In-Class Quizzes: We will do quizzes in class once a week. If you find yourself scoring under 70% on these quizzes, this is a “red flag” that you need to see the instructor or the tutors and review the material. If you miss a class, you will get a zero on any quiz given that day; you will also get behind on material. Please make arrangements to cover the material you missed. If you know about an unavoidable absence in advance, let the instructor know before the class meeting time. At the instructor’s discretion, you might be allowed to make up quizzes if this is done before the next class meeting. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
Homework Problems: Knewton modules will be assigned for each unit of study. Doing the homework improves the understanding of the subject matter. Please keep an eye on due dates as posted on Blackboard and Knewton. Do not leave homework until the last minute as you may have trouble connecting to the internet. Technical difficulties do not excuse homework when it is due. Because there are numerous small assignments, the lowest five will be dropped.
Final Exam: This will be a comprehensive, multiple-choice exam. Special rules for the final will be discussed in class. This will be taken during the scheduled final exam time in the CLASSROOM, not the testing center. If you have a conflict with the time, you may take the final at another time, but you need to obtain instructor approval in advance.
Lab reports: You must have completed and turned in the pre-lab from the text at the beginning of the lab period in order to be allowed to do the lab—you MUST come to lab prepared. This means all blanks must be filled in with reasonable answers to be allowed to complete the experiment. Pre-labs will also be graded for correctness and will be worth 20% of the lab grade.
The remainder of the lab report grade comes from doing the experiment and associated calculations. If you arrive tardy and have missed too much of the pre-lab lecture (as determined by the instructor) you will not be allowed to begin the experiment. If you do not complete the lab, you cannot turn in a lab report for that lab, but you may turn in the post lab. Never turn in data that you were not there in person to collect. Lab reports are due at the next class meeting after the experiment is completed. No late work is accepted. The lowest lab report grade will be dropped.
All grey areas of the lab reports must be in pen, only. Whenever writing data or observations down, it must be written directly into your lab book. Scratch paper may be used for calculations, if necessary, but if instructed to show all work, you must include it with the lab report. You CANNOT write data (such as weights, measurements, etc.) on scratch paper then copy it into your lab book. If you make a mistake while writing in pen, simply cross it out once and write the correct number in close-by. Do NOT use correction fluid or tape. If you do make a correction, show it to the instructor for approval.
Some possible areas to lose points in lab reports:
no prelab turned in/insufficient answers [cannot do lab/receive a zero]
incorrect answers on prelab [up to 20 points off lab report grade]
not cleaning up lab [up to 10 points]
error in experimental value [variable]
using white-out [up to 5 points]
writing in pencil in grey area [up to 5 points (even if you go back and write over in ink or erase)]
failure to have cross-out approved [up to 5 points]
incorrect significant figures [1 point per incident]
missing labels/units [1 point per incident]
missing state symbols in written reactions [ 1 point per incident]
calculation errors [up to 5 points]
anything not completed [variable; depends on how much]
Lab Quizzes: Most labs will have a quiz given near the beginning of the lab period. To prepare for this quiz, read over the lab material before coming to lab. The lowest lab quiz grade will be dropped.
Postlab reports: these are found in the lab manual for most experiments, and are also due at the next class meeting after the experiment is completed. No late work is accepted. The lowest postlab grade will be dropped.
All students are required to clean their laboratory equipment, check out of their locker, and return their key at the end of the semester.
Grade Disputes: While I encourage you to come to me with questions about answers on assignments anytime, if you wish to dispute a grade or have a grade changed, you must contact me about it within one week of the paper being returned or there will be no change to the grade.
COVID-19: Covid-19 is still spreading in our community. You are strongly encouraged to wear a mask in class and in the halls. Please spread out in the classrooms and leave space between yourself and your neighbors. Do not come to class if you have possible exposure or if you are waiting on Covid test results.
There is a possibility that we may need to move to tech-supported learning at any point during the semester. This will happen if anyone tests positive, or if the case rate is high around campus. Please watch your Blackboard Announcements and your AC email for notifications. Here is what to expect:
Attendance in class is expected. Any student wishing to withdraw from the course needs to contact the instructor to initiate the process. Failure to officially withdraw will result in a grade of F. The last day to withdraw from this course is November 23, 2021.
According to Amarillo College policy, any student who has not attended class by the 12th class day will be automatically dropped and will not be allowed to re-enroll.
Attendance in the lab is required.
There are no make-up labs. For any lab involving actual work with chemicals, the student must be present for the duration of the activity. If there is a one-time conflict, a student might be able to attend lab with another section. This requires advance permission from the instructor(s) and a section which is not completely full. If you are unable to attend because of quarantine, let the instructor know; you may be assigned a replacement activity.
This schedule is subject to change.
|
Date |
Class Topic |
Lab Experiment |
Special notes |
|
8/23 |
Introduction; Chapter 1 Matter |
Get set up with Knewton before next class period | |
| 8/25 | Chapter 1 Measurement, Significant Figures | Safety Orientation and Quiz | |
|
8/30 |
Chapter 1 Unit Conversions, Density |
|
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|
9/1 |
Chapter 2 The Atom, Elements, Compounds |
Lab 1: Measurement | |
|
9/6 |
No Class - Labor Day Holiday |
|
|
|
9/8 |
Chapter 2 Names and Formulas - Ionic |
Light Lab Handout | |
|
9/13 |
Chapter 2 Names and Formulas - Ionic and Molecular |
|
|
|
9/15 |
Chapter 2 Nomenclature - Acids and Review |
Lab 2: Nomenclature (in a classroom) | Exam 1 (over chapters 1 and 2) 9/15-9/18 |
|
9/20 |
Chapter 3 The Mole |
|
|
|
9/22 |
Chapter 3 & 4 Mole Calculations; Chemical Reactions |
Lab 6: Hydrate | |
|
9/27 |
Chapter 4 Reaction Types; Precipitation |
|
|
|
9/29 |
Chapter 4 Acid-Base and Redox Reactions |
Lab 4 Precipitation | |
|
10/4 |
Chapter 4 Reaction Yield |
|
|
|
10/6 |
Chapters 4 Review Introduction to Oxides |
Lab 3 Acidic and Basic Oxides | Exam 2 (chapters 3,4) 10/5-10/8 |
|
10/11 |
Chapter 9 Gas Laws |
|
|
|
10/13 |
Chapter 9 Using Gas Laws; Non-Ideal Gases |
Conductivity Lab (handout) or TBA | |
| 10/18-10/24 | FALL BREAK | ||
|
10/25 |
Chapter 5 Energy, Calorimetry |
|
|
|
10/27 |
Chapter 5 Enthalpy; Introduction to electron configurations and structure |
Molecular Model Lab (handout) | |
|
11/1 |
Chapter 5 Heat of Formation, Hess's Law |
Exam 3 (chapters 9 and 5) out this week |
|
|
11/3 |
Chapter 6 Quantum Numbers |
Lab 7 Stoichiometry | |
|
11/8 |
Chapter 6 Electron Configurations |
||
|
11/10 |
Chapter 7 Trends in the Periodic Table |
Lab 9 Molar Volume of Oxygen |
|
|
11/15 |
Chapter 7 Lewis Dot Structures |
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11/17 |
Chapter 7 Shapes of Molecules; Titration |
Lab 8: Titration, part 1 | |
|
11/22 |
Chapter 7 Polarity |
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11/24 |
Optional Review Day |
No Lab | |
|
11/29 |
Chapters 6-7 Review and Catch Up |
Exam 4 (chapters 6 and 7) out this week |
|
|
12/1 |
Chapter 8 Hybridization |
Titration Lab Part 2 Handout | |
|
12/6 |
Chapter 8 Orbital Theory | ||
|
12/8 |
Review Day | Drawer Check Out and Lab Final | |
|
TBA |
Final Exam 9:00-11:00 |
Reading the Text: It is vital that you read the text BEFORE the lecture on that chapter. This will greatly improve your understanding of the topic and therefore your grade. There is a lot of information covered in this class, and it will move quickly. You are responsible for the information presented in the text even if it is not covered in lecture.
Resources Available: Copies of lectures will be available on Blackboard, under “Content". Practice problems may be posted there or in the STSC. Exam review checklists and practice sheets will be posted on Blackboard.
Email: Every student has an account in Blackboard. You need to check this daily. Grades will be posted on Blackboard; if I need to contact you, I will normally use your Amarillo College email. Please check that account daily also.
INFORMATION SHEET/SIGNATURE: You must fill out and return the information sheet for this class. You must also sign it to signify that you have read and understand the syllabus.
***This syllabus is subject to change. You will be informed of any changes to the syllabus in class and on Blackboard.***
08/20/21 2:33 PM
08/20/21 2:37 PM