General Chemistry I Syllabus for 2021-2022
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

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:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

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-1411-001 General Chemistry I

Prerequisites

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

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 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

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:

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.

Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 3 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Chemistry: Online Homework system, KNEWTON ALTA.

Need an access code, ISBN is 978-1-63545-258-7: Custom

An open source book link is provided on Bb

Laboratory Manual:  Principles of General Chemistry, A. G. Foster, 2003 Revision

Book for take home quizzes: Preparing for your ACS examination in General Chemistry

Supplies

For Lecture:  Note book, pencil or pen, scientific calculator

For Lab:  Safety goggles, lab coat or apron, pencil, pen, scratch paper, calculator and lab manual.

Student Performance

Student Performance/Learning Outcomes:

Learning Outcomes for Lecture:

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

Learning Outcomes for Lab:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1.  Use basic apparatus and apply experimental methodologies used in the chemistry laboratory.
2. Demonstrate safe and proper handling of laboratory equipment and chemicals.
3. Conduct basic laboratory experimental observations with proper laboratory techniques.
4. Make careful and accurate experimental observations.
5. Relate physical observations and measurements to theoretical principles.
6. Interpret laboratory results and experimental data, and reach logical conclusions.
7. Record experimental work completely and accurately in laboratory notebooks and communicate experimental results clearly in written reports.
8. Design fundamental experiments involving principles of chemistry.
9. Identify appropriate sources of information for conducting laboratory experiments involving principles of chemistry.

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

Class Conduct:  Please be respectful of the other students in class.  Turn off cell phones/pagers.  Pay attention in class.  Do not be disruptive.  If you arrive late, do not try to go to your accustomed sear, but quietly take a chair close to the door.  If you are causing a disruption in class, you may be asked to leave.  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.  Also according to the Student Rights and Responsibilities document, tobacco and tobacco product use is prohibited inside college buildings.  This includes smokeless products as well as cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.

Please use Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for further information.

Lab Conduct:  Safety goggles must be worn at all times:  long pants/skirt (covering at least the top half of the calf), apron or lab coat, hair back, and, if necessary, gloves (will be specified).  No open-toed shoes, shoes with holes in them, shoes that leave the top of the foot exposed, hats of any sort, shorts, food or drink are not allowed in the lab.  Anyone acting in an unsafe manner will be warned once with a point deduction if needed.  If seen without safety goggles or acting improperly a second time, they will be asked to leave the laboratory.  They will be allowed to return within 30 minutes to finish their work, if they can, but they must finish by the time all students who were not disciplined finish.  If they are asked to leave more than once for any given experiment, they will receive a zero for that experiment’s lab report.  Safety is the MOST important part of lab.  You must attend the safety lecture, pass the safety quiz and complete pre lab 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 previous semester’s 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.

Some 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.

You must clean up your area of the lab.  It is not the instructor’s or lab 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.

Efficient Use of Time in the Lab:  Please be aware that this class is scheduled for three hours and twenty minutes.  This is generally more than enough time to finish most labs, but please expect to be in class for the duration of the scheduled time, if not longer.

Grading Criteria

The overall course grade will be determined by:

Test:                                                               30%

Lab:                                                                20%

Take Home Quizzes:                                      20%

Online Homework(Knewton):                         10%

Comprehensive Final (ACS Exam):          20%

Total for course:                                       100%

The overall lab portion of 20% will be determined by:

Pre-labs + post-labs                     10 points

reports:                                           50 points

Quizzes:                                          20 points

Exam:                                              20 points

Total for lab:                                   100 points

It is the students’ responsibility to keep track of their overall grade based on the above grading criteria.

The overall course grade will be according to the following percentages:

A  90 – 100%

B  80 - 89.99%

C  70 - 79.99%

D  60 – 69.99%

F - Below 60%

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 two weeks of the assignment due date or there will be no change to the grade. 

Tests for Lecture:  There are NO makeup exams.  If special accommodations become necessary, arrangements must be made BEFORE (at least 24 hours prior) the exam date.  The student must receive written approval to take the test other than the date assigned.  There are going to be 3 tests.  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.  You may not leave the room during a test.  During tests, there are no cell phones or pagers are allowed.  You must use the periodic tables, scratch paper, and calculators supplied by the department.  If you fail an exam you must get tutoring over what you missed before you take the next exam.

The tests, excluding the Final Exam, will be taken in the Science Testing Center and may be taken during normal Science Testing Center hours, day or evening.  Tests are to be taken outside of class lecture time.  Please note:  No test will be given out less than one and a half hours before the Science Testing Center closes.  You must present an Amarillo College student ID while you take your test and it will be returned to you when you turn in your test.

When using the Science Testing Center students should scan in and out with their Amarillo College student I.D.

Lab:  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.  Generally, completion will be assessed while the class prepares for the experiment.  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.  Please arrive ON TIME to avoid a zero grade.  Lab reports + pre-labs and post-labs (all stapled together) are due at the beginning of the next experiment.  No late work is accepted. 

Failure to leave a clean lab will result in a 10 point deduction on your lab report for that week.  If the lab in general is left messy rather than an individual’s area, the whole class may be docked points on their lab report.  All students are required to clean their laboratory equipment and check out of their locker.  Failure to check out of your locker will result in one letter grade deduction for the course. 

All grey areas of the lab reports must be completed 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.  If you make a mistake while writing in pen, simply cross it out once and write the correct number in close-by.  If you do make a correction, you MUST come to the instructor and show him the correction so that he can approve it.  Please write legibly:  if I can’t read an answer, it is wrong.

Some possible areas to lose points in lab reports:

• No prelab turned in/insufficient answers (cannot do lab/receive a zero)  (10 points)
• Not cleaning up lab  (10 points)
• Incorrect significant figures (1 point)
• Missing labels/units (1 point)
• Missing reaction states (1 point)
• Calculation errors (5 points)
• Not showing all work when asked (receive no points for that question/part of the lab)

Take Home Quizzes for Lecture:  Take home quizzes will be given in the class and will be due on the assigned date. These take home quizzes will be assigned from the “ACS study guide” and will be due on the assigned date.  Failure to submit a quiz will result in a ZERO.

Final Exam for Lecture:  The final exam date will be according to the AC exam schedule.  This will be a comprehensive, multiple-choice exam produced by the American Chemical Society.  You will be informed about the special rules for the final beforehand.  As an incentive to the students, who do better on the final exam, the lowest test grade will be dropped by the grade on the final exam.

Attendance

Class attendance is mandatory with attendance monitored by class roll.  There will be no makeups for missed homework, quizzes, or tests unless prior arrangements have been made at least 24 hours in advance. 

Attendance in the lab is required.  There are no make-up labs, but, with prior arrangements, a student may attend another section of the lab under special circumstances.  Please be aware that the only option is some time PRIOR to your scheduled lab. 

The last day to drop the course with a “W” is _06/23/2022_____________________.  Dropping the course is the sole responsibility of the student.  Failure to officially withdraw will result in a grade of F.

Calendar

Additional Information

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.  As there is a large amount of material to cover in this class, not all of it can be covered in the time allocated for class.  You are responsible for the information presented in the text even if it is not covered in lecture and vice versa.

Resources Available:  Additional helpful books are available on reserve on the 4^th floor of the library.  Most resources I have in my office including supplementary texts and additional problems are available for check-out.

Email:  Every student has an account in AC Online.  You need to check this several times a week.  Handouts, assignments, grades, and contacts will all be made through email on AC Online.

INFORMATION SHEET/SIGNATURE:  You must fill out and return the information sheet for this class (handed out  during class)You must also sign it to signify that you have read and understand the syllabus.  No graded assignments will be returned to you and no grades will be posted in AC Online until the signed information sheet is returned.

***This syllabus is subject to change.  You will be informed of any changes to the syllabus in class, email, and posting in AC Online.***