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Tuesday 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Wednesday 10:30-11:30 a.m.
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CHEM-1405-002 Introductory Chemistry I
Survey course introducing chemistry. Topics may include inorganic, organic, biochemistry, food/physiological chemistry, and environmental/consumer chemistry. Designed for non-science and allied health students.
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, 4 lab)
On Campus Course
REQUIRED: Online Homework system, Knewton alta. Need an access code. Follow link from your Blackboard to set up.
An open source electronic textbook will be linked to your Blackboard.
Lab Manual: Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual, by Mary E. Graff
Pen, Pencil, Paper, Scientific Calculator (non-graphing)
Lab coat or apron
Safety goggles
Objectives and Goals of Course
The primary objectives of this class are:
1. To gain a basic understanding of general inorganic chemistry and its application.
2. To learn fundamental theories, concepts, terms and skills to master basic inorganic chemistry.
3. To develop an understanding of basic applications of chemistry in everyday living.
4. To develop a healthy understanding and respect for general chemistry.
5. To provide a physical science elective for students not majoring in science, engineering, or related fields that would require CHEM 1311.
Performance/Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to do the following:
1. Have a basic understanding of chemistry and its everyday applications.
2. Explain the relation between atoms and molecules.
3. Gain fundamental knowledge of chemical nomenclature.
4. Understand simple atomic structure and the periodic table.
5. Have a basic understanding of the different types of chemical reactions.
6. Perform simple calculations related to the topics covered in the class, such as density, heat, stoichiometry, solutions, and gases.
7. Write and balance chemical equations and use the equations for basic calculations of chemical quantities.
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".
Class Conduct:
Please be respectful of the other students in class. Set cell phones to silent mode and do not send text messages during lecture. Any use of electronic devices should be related to the course material currently being discussed. If you need to be "on call" for family or other reasons, please notify the instructor; in that case, set phone to vibrate and quietly step outside if you need to take a call. Pay attention in class. Do not be disruptive. If you are causing a disruption in class, you may be asked to leave. Avoid listening to personal music players or other obvious "multitasking" behaviors.
If there is any evidence of cheating on any homework, quiz, test, or final, you will receive a zero for that item and cannot make it up or replace it and it cannot be dropped. Any exam taken in the Science Testing Center is subject to their rules for cheating.
Please see Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for further information.
Labs will meet in person; please allow space to listen to prelab instruction.
Whenever you are in the laboratory, safety equipment must be worn. This includes: long pants/skirt (coming to at least mid-calf), closed shoes, 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. Group areas should be left neat and clean as you found them. Violations of safety rules or messes left behind may 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 and watch the required video, 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.
Lab data SHOULD NOT be copied from others; you can only report what happened in your own experiment. Violations of this rule will lead to zeroes for that portion of the lab.
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. Wipe up spills. Sinks and benches should be left like you found them. Glassware, and your bench top, need to be washed at the end of the experiment. Wash your hands before leaving lab.
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.
REQUIRED EXAMS/GRADING CRITERIA:
There will be five regular exams; tentative test dates are given on the student course calendar. Any changes to this schedule will be announced in advance in class. Work must be legible and the final answer must be clearly indicated to receive credit; students may be required to show all work on problem solving questions to obtain full credit. If you need special accommodations, please notify the instructor in advance. You may not leave the room during a test. During tests, there are no cell phones, graphing calculators, or other electronic devices allowed except for a regular scientific calculator. You must use the periodic tables supplied by the department. There will be a comprehensive final exam which is required for everyone.
The lowest exam score (NOT the final) will be dropped when the test average is calculated. If a test is missed, that test is the drop grade. If you know in advance that you have a time conflict with an exam, notify the instructor BEFORE the exam is given. Any rescheduled tests must normally be completed before the next class meeting.
Grade Breakdown: The final grade in this class will be determined from the average of test grades (40%), quizzes (7%), homework (8%),in-class presentations (5%), and final exam (15%), as well as lab reports (15%), smaller lab assignments (7%), and the lab final exam (3%). The final grades are based on 90 = A, 80 = B, 70 = C, 60 = D, and less than 60 is failing. Final averages will be rounded to the nearest whole number to determine grades. There will be no exceptions; e.g. a 79.4 is still a C.
Science Testing Center (STC)
All tests except for the final exam will be taken in the STC during days scheduled by the teacher within normal STC hours. Tests will be taken outside of class lecture time. Please note: An appointment is required to take a test. No test may be started less than one and a half hours before the STC closes. You must present a photo ID, preferably an Amarillo College student ID, every time you take a test. The Science Testing Center staff will retain your ID while you take your test and will return it to you when you turn in your test.
No graphing calculators or cell phones will be allowed on exams. The testing center may provide calculators; the use of this calculator will be demonstrated in class.
Science Testing Center hours: M-F 9am - 10pm and Sat 9am - 7:30pm
Test sign up: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/ScienceTestingCenter@actx.edu/bookings/
MANDATORY TUTORING:
In an effort to increase retention, any student who scores below a 70 on any exam (excluding the final exam and the last regular exam) must complete a 30 minute mandatory tutoring session in the SASC, either in-person or virtual, or with the instructor before taking the next exam. An appointment must be made with the SASC for this tutoring session; do not wait until the last minute, as time slots fill up.
Mandatory tutoring will not require remediation over a failed test.
SASC: Warren Hall 110
345-5536
SASC Hours: M-Th 8am-8pm, F-Sat 9am-6pm
In addition to the mandatory tutoring, the SASC offers in-person and remote tutoring for all students. An appointment is preferred.
Tutoring sign up: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/ScienceTutoringCenter@actx.edu/bookings/
Final Exam: The final exam is comprehensive, and there are no exemptions from taking the final. The final exam will be given in accordance with the official AC final exam schedule. There will be a separate open-book lab final taken during the last week of regular classes, as well.
Homework: Homework assignments will be given through the Knewton system. If a student completes the assignment, the grade is 100; if the assignment is partially complete, the percentage complete becomes the assignment grade. These must be completed by the due date; any exceptions need to be requested in advance. Because there are numerous small assignments, the lowest five will be dropped.
Quizzes: On most Wednesdays, there will be a quiz given at the beginning of class. It will cover the previous day's material. These are closed-book, pencil and paper quizzes. Bring a calculator. Periodic tables will be handed out when needed. The lowest quiz will be dropped.
PRESENTATIONS: Students will do ~10-minute presentations, in groups of two or three, in front of the class on a chemistry-related topic of their choice. Time slots will be available during the last unit of study. Topics must be approved in advance by the instructor. Presentations should involve a visual aid such as Powerpoint, another type of slide presentation, or a live demonstration (must be approved for safety by the instructor). Any presentations done later than the assigned day, or not presented in front of the class, will not receive full credit.
Lab Assignments: these are given in addition to the lab reports. Most of them are worksheets found in the lab manual. They include prelabs, postlabs, and lab quizzes (which are given by the instructor, closed book, prior to the start of an experiment). For in-person labs, the prelab is due AS you walk into the room, and is mandatory in order to be allowed to do the experiment. No late prelabs will be accepted. The lowest three lab assignment grades will be dropped.
Due Dates: Lab work should be turned in by the due date. These are listed on the course calendar; if any changes are necessary, they will be announced. Late work is not normally accepted; any exceptions are made at the discretion of the instructor. If the instructor has excused your absence, the work is due when you return. The same rules apply to Knewton due dates.
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 close contact 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 the instructor needs to quarantine, or if the case rate is high around campus. Please watch your Blackboard Announcements and your AC email for notifications. If that does occur, here is what to expect:
If the instructor has to quarantine, you will be notified via AC email and Blackboard announcements, and classes will move to Zoom. A Zoom meeting link will be available in your Blackboard for these situations.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: All students are expected to attend class regularly and on time. Lack of attendance will affect your grade because of missed lecture material and missed quizzes. Any student coming in late when a test or quiz is being given will not be allowed to take the test or quiz if other students have already turned theirs in. Quizzes and tests cannot normally be made up; the exceptions are emergencies (documentation may be required such as a doctor's note) or if the student has made prior arrangements with the instructor. In this case, the quiz or test you take may be a different form than what the rest of the class took previously.
If you test positive for Covid-19 or have an exposure that requires you to quarantine, please do so according to college policy. In the case of Covid quarantines, and any other excused absences that have been approved by the instructor, quizzes will be given as make-ups; tests will be put in the testing center for you when you return. In the case of some labs, there is a virtual option. This is ONLY for situations that have been approved by the instructor.
Students who attend class regularly tend to have much higher grades and are much more likely to pass the course. When a student has more than one unexplained absence, a retention alert may be sent. If a student finds it necessary to drop this class, it is his/her responsibility to contact the instructor and initiate the drop process. The last day to drop this class is April 21, 2022.
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.
METHODS OF PRESENTATION: Lecture and readings from textbook; notes available on Blackboard
Tentative Schedule: (subject to change)
| Date | Morning Class Topics | E-text to read before | Lab Experiment | Due In Class | |
| 1/19 | Introduction to class; scientific method | 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 | Introduction and Safety | ||
| 1/24 | scientific notation, significant figures, measurement | 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2 | |||
| 1/26 | density, unit conversions | 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 | Lab 1 Measurement (prelab due) | ||
| 1/31 | temperature and phase changes | 2.6, 3.1 | Postlab 1 | ||
| 2/2 | chemical and physical properties; heat capacity | 3.2, 5.1, Lab 2 background | Lab 2 Specific Heat Capacity (prelab due) | ||
| 2/7 | catch up and review (take exam 1 2/7-2/11) | Postlab 2 | |||
| 2/9 | atoms and elements | 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 | Lab 3 Properties (prelab due) | ||
| 2/14 |
periodic table; ions |
(look briefly at 5.3) | Postlab 3 | ||
| 2/16 | history of atomic theory, electron configurations | 4.1, 4.2 | Lab 4 Separation of Mixtures (prelab due) | ||
| 2/21 | electron configurations, trends in the periodic table | 4.3 | Postlab 4 | ||
| 2/23 | covalent bonding and Lewis structures | 5.2, 5.4, 5.5 | Periodic Table Handout Lab | ||
| 2/28 | shapes of molecules | 5.6, 5.7 | Periodic Table handout lab | ||
| 3/2 | catch up and review (take exam 2 3/2-3/7) | Molecular Model Lab | |||
| 3/7 | bonding; ionic names and formulas | 5.3 review; 6.1 | |||
| 3/9 | names and formulas - ionic/polyatomic and covalent | 6.2 | No Lab | ||
| 3/14-3/20 | SPRING BREAK | ||||
| 3/21 | names and formulas - review and acids | 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 | |||
| 3/23 |
formula masses, nomenclature review (take exam 3 3/23-3/27) |
Lab 5 Nomenclature (Prelab Due) | |||
| 3/28 | writing and balancing reactions; reaction types | 7.1, 9.3 | Lab 5 Worksheet due | ||
| 3/30 | precipitation reactions | 7.3 | Lab 6 Reactions (Prelab Due) | ||
| 4/4 | acid/base and redox reactions | (8.1, 8.2), 8.3, 9.1 |
|
||
| 4/6 | catch up and review (take exam 4 4/6-4/10) | Lab 7 Reactions (Prelab Due) | |||
| 4/11 | Avogadro's number and the mole | 3.6, 6.6 | Postlab 7 Due | ||
| 4/13 | mole calculations; mass percent | 6.7 |
|
||
| 4/18 | formula and percentage calculations | 6.8 | Postlab 8 Due | ||
| 4/20 | mole ratios | 6.7, 10.1 | No Lab | ||
| 4/25 | reaction yield | 10.1, 10.2 | |||
| 4/27 | limiting reactant | (10.2) | Lab 9 Stoichiometry (Prelab Due) | ||
| 5/2 | Presentations/ Q&A (take Exam 5 in this time period - 4/27-5/2) | Postlab 9 Due | |||
| 5/4 | Final Review | Drawer Check Out and Lab Final | |||
|
TBA 5/9 or 5/11 |
Final Exam 9:00-11:00 in classroom |
Chapter order if you choose to get a Tro book:
Chapter 1: The Chemical World
Chapter 2: Measurement and Problem Solving
Chapter 3: Matter and Energy
Chapter 4: Atoms and Elements
Chapter 9: Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table
Chapter 10: Chemical Bonding
Chapter 5: Molecules and Compounds
Chapter 7: Chemical Reactions
Chapter 6: Chemical Composition
Chapter 8: Quantities in Chemical Reactions
OTHER INFORMATION (GENERAL NOTES): Assignments will be given for reading material in preparation for lecture and for homework assignments. 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. You are responsible for the information presented in the text even if it is not covered in lecture.
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 a week of having the paper returned or there will be no change to the grade.
EMAIL: Every student has an account in Blackboard. You need to check this several times a week. Announcements, course notes, and grades will be posted this way.
***This syllabus is subject to change. You will be informed of any changes to the syllabus in class or Blackboard***
01/10/22 8:42 AM
01/13/22 12:20 PM