PSC 111 General Chemistry Fall 2005
Parkinson Hall 132
Dr. Dionne Fortenberry
Department of Sciences and Mathematics
Office: Parkinson Hall 106E
Email:
Office phone: 329-7246
Office hours: M 2:00-4:00, T 8:00-10:00, W 2:00-3:00, Th 9:00-11:00, and others by appointment
Text: General Chemistry, Hill, Petrucci, McCreary, and Perry 4th ed. – (available in the college bookstore) along with supplementary materials. Chapters 1-9 will be discussed.
Required Supplementary Materials: Scientific calculator
Nature of Course Content:
As stated in the Mississippi University for Women catalog: This course
introduces the student to the fundamentals of chemistry. PSC 111 can be taken
as a stand-alone course or as a prerequisite to PSC 112.
The study of chemistry, whether on the introductory level or on more advanced levels, is the qualitative and quantitative study of the properties and characteristics of matter. Since, by definition, matter is anything that has a mass or volume, chemistry can be described as the study of the properties and characteristics of almost everything. When taken at face value, this sounds like a daunting task indeed, but during this course we will approach this task in a systematic and orderly manner that will hopefully put you at ease.
We will study a variety of topics in this course. As you all know, PSC 111 can be taken as a stand-alone course, or as a preparation for more advance chemistry courses. Because of this fact, we will briefly skim some topics and delve deeply into others. The “Sequence of Topics” section at the end of the syllabus will give you an idea of what we will cover this semester.
Because we will cover both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of chemistry, you should be prepared to face the dreaded “word problems”. These problems call for you to read them, take the data (given information), and use multiple steps to calculate an answer. Students are often intimidated by these problems because they involve both reading comprehension and mathematics. Because college algebra is a recommended prerequisite for this course, I will assume your competency in it and will dwell on the chemistry behind the problems instead of mathematical techniques that you should have learned in other classes. Hopefully, with practice, you will become comfortable reading a problem, understanding it, determining the question being asked, and performing the calculations to solve it.
Your success in this course is ultimately up to you. I will present the material to you in as clear and concise a manner as I can. I will also make myself available for any questions or problems you have with the material. I only ask that you study and work hard so that together we can make this course as informative and enjoyable for you as possible.
Course Policies:
• Class attendance is expected unless the student experiences a health problem or unless there are extenuating circumstances. Divisional policy states: “A student is required to attend 70% of all class meetings or receive an automatic “F”. This is more rigorous than the university’s 50% requirement. But remember, this course moves rather quickly and missing lectures puts you at a significant disadvantage.
• Please come to class on time. We will begin on time. Tardy arrivals are a sign of disrespect to the professor and the other students. Each tardy will count as one absence, and absences will be counted. (See the above statement on class attendance.)
• Please try to briefly skim through the chapter before the corresponding lectures because I prepare my lectures according to this expectation. You will benefit much more from the lecture having skimmed the chapter ahead of time.
Turn off your cell phones before each class. Put them away and do not take them out during class. If your cell phone rings or vibrates during class, you will have to leave class for the day. If it happens again, you will have to leave class and you must talk to me before you return. These same penalties apply for answering text messages or for using your cell phone as a calculator. Basically, do not take out your cell phone for any reason during class.
Desired Student Goals and Outcomes:
Following is a list of topics to be covered during the semester and expected student goals associated with each topic.
TENTATIVE SEQUENCE OF LECTURE TOPICS (subject to change)
Weeks 1 - 2
· Chemistry, matter, and measurement - The student should recognize both SI units and English units used in making measurements. The student should be able to perform dimensional analysis to convert between units. The student will be introduced to problem-solving techniques. The student should also be able to distinguish between the various classifications of matter and should learn relevant definitions.
Weeks 3 - 4
· Atoms, Molecules, and Ions – The student should learn the parts of the atom and the representative shorthand used to denote these parts. The student should become familiar with the parts of the periodic table and learn the connection between the periodic table, elemental characteristics, and atomic behavior. The student should learn the difference between covalently-bonded molecules and ionic compounds. The student should also be able to predict ion formation.
Weeks 5 - 7
· Stoichiometry - The student should be able to perform stoichiometric calculations that allow him/her to predict amounts of products formed during a reaction.
Week 8
· Chemical Reactions in Aqueous Solutions – The student should be able to recognize various types of reactions that occur in solution and predict their products.
Week 9 - 10
· Gases - The student should be able to determine properties of gases using the ideal gas law and its variations. The student should also be able to incorporate stoichiometry into these calculations.
Weeks 11-12
· Thermochemistry – The student should learn relevant definitions as well as be able to determine the amount of heat into or out of a system using calorimetry. The student should also be able to determine changes in the enthalpy of a system. The student should also be able to incorporate stoichiometry into these calculations.
Weeks 13 - 14
· Atomic Structure – The student should be able to discuss the location of electrons in an atom using electron configurations.
Week 15
· Atomic Properties – The student should be able to use the location of the electrons to predict various properties of atoms.
Week 16 - 17
· Chemical Bonding – The student should be able to predict and draw structural formulas of molecules based on atomic structure.
Requirements of the Course:
Requirements of the course include attendance, homework assignments, weekly quizzes, periodic exams and a comprehensive final exam. Descriptions are as follows:
Attendance:
· Class attendance is expected unless the student experiences a health problem or unless there are extenuating circumstances. Divisional policy states: “A student is required to attend 70% of all class meetings or receive an automatic “F”. This is more rigorous than the university’s 50% requirement. But remember, this course moves rather quickly and missing lectures puts you at a significant disadvantage.
Homework:
· To help you in your studies, ten-point homework will be assigned. Work with the problem sets until you feel you’ve mastered the material. Problem sets will be collected and randomly graded after the chapter is completed to encourage you to keep up with the lecture material. You should come to my office with any questions on the homework or the material covered in lecture. Assignments are due by 5:00 on the due date and must be completed on time. Late assignments will not be accepted. Please staple your homework before you turn it in.
Quizzes:
· To encourage you to keep up with the lecture material, weekly twenty-point quizzes will be given unless stated otherwise. Your highest five (5) quiz grades will be totaled at the end of the semester. The remaining quizzes will be dropped. Makeup quizzes will not be given.
Exams:
· Along with periodic quizzes, three exams will help you integrate the various topics and prepare for the comprehensive final exam. The expected exam dates are September 16, October 14, and November 18. Makeup exams will only be given due to illness (with a valid doctor’s excuse) or a documented family emergency. In order to be considered, the excuse must be presented to me within three (3) days after the missed exam. There will be a comprehensive final at the semester’s end (December 7).
· Versions of the American Chemical Society (ACS) exam will be given twice during the semester: at the beginning and at the end. The purpose of the exam is to evaluate your progress during the semester. The exam given at the beginning of the semester will not count toward your grade, but the (ACS) exam given at the end of the semester will count as 20-40% of your final exam grade. If you are not accustomed to timed standardized exams, do not worry. You will have several ACS type questions during the semester to practice.
Methods of Evaluation:
The student will be evaluated based on his/her performance of the requirements listed above (homework, quizzes, exams, and final). The grading policies are as follows:
Grading:
· A ten (10) point scale will be used to determine the final grade. So, for example, 91% would be an A-, or 75% a C. Adjustments of this scale will occur at my discretion. Any curve I do construct will be based on my discretion.
· Point distribution is as follows:
Quizzes 100 pts
Exam I 100 pts
Exam II 100 pts
Exam III 100 pts
Homework 100 pts
Cumulative Final Exam 200 pts
Total 700 pts
· Possibly Important Dates: Please keep these dates in mind during the semester.
August 18 Day and evening classes begin
August 20 Saturday classes begin
August 26 Last day to add and/or register classes
Last day to change from audit to credit
Last day to change from grade to pass-fail
September 5 Labor Day Holiday
September 21 Last day to drop without receiving a WP or WF
Last day to change from credit to audit
Last day to submit a change of major form for Fall 2005
September 30 Last Day to apply for a degree to be awarded December 2005
October 3, 4 Fall Break
October 19 Mid-term grades due
Last day a course may be dropped
October 24 Advising period for Spring 2006 pre-scheduling begins
November 11 Last day to withdraw from the university
November 23-25 Thanksgiving holidays
November 28 Classes resume
December 7 Final exam (8 am-11am)
Disabilities Statement:
· It is the responsibility of students who have professionally diagnosed disabilities to notify the instructor with documentation from Academic Support Services, so that necessary and appropriate modifications can be made to meet any special learning needs.
Academic Dishonesty Statement:
· Your catalog informs you that students at Mississippi University for Women agree to uphold the school’s honor code and refrain from any academically dishonest behavior including cheating, plagiarism, falsifying of data (relevant in laboratory settings), and any other intellectually unethical behavior. It is your responsibility to make yourselves aware of the university’s policies on academic dishonesty as stated in your catalog since those policies are applicable in this class. Your punishment could range from a zero on an assignment to an appearance before the Academic Standards Board. Your university’s accreditation is based, in part, on academic standards of excellence. If you cheat, you will devalue your MUW degree.