Chemistry 1401 – General Chemistry Syllabus

Winter 2008 – San Antonio

 

Instructor:  Robert Ganaway

            Phone: 210-381-3807

            Email:  rlganaway@gmail.com

Since the instructor for this course is an adjunct instructor, he does not have office hours at the college.  Therefore utilize his phone number or email address to contact him to address any concerns or problems.

 

Catalogue Description:

             Chemistry 1401 – General Chemistry I: Foundational concepts of chemistry are studied, including introductory quantum mechanics, stoichiometry, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions.  Laboratory provides exposure to a wide variety of experimental techniques.

 

            Prerequisite:  High School Algebra

 

Required Text Book:

             General Chemistry, 8th ed.  By Darrell Ebbing and Steven Gammon. 

            Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin. © 2008

 

Required Equipment:

            You will need a scientific calculator.  These can be purchased for under $20.  While more expensive graphing calculators (priced around $100) are nice, they are not necessary.  The instructor recommends that you purchase a Texas Instrument calculator because he is most familiar with them and can help you get the most out of them. 

 

Assessments:

            Four (4) lecture tests will be given.  The average of the lecture tests will constitute 40% of your grade. 

 

            Weekly laboratory assignments will be given.  Laboratory reports will be due at the beginning of the following lab, with the exception of the very last lab where the report will be turned in before leaving. The average of the lab reports will be worth 30% of your grade. If a student misses a lab, he will be given the data and expected to turn in the lab report by the following week.  However, the maximum grade on makeup reports is 70. 

 

            Homework problems will be assigned as necessary.  Since much of Chemistry requires the use of algebraic equations, students must do the homework in order to gain competency in Chemistry.  Homework will be graded and the average of all homework grades will be 10% of your final grade. Homework that is turned in a week late will have 30 points deducted.  No homework later than one week will be accepted.  Students who miss a class should either obtain a homework assignment from another student or email the teacher who will email you back the homework for the class missed.

 

            The Final will be comprehensive and worth 20% of your grade.

 

            If it is to a student’s benefit, the grade the student makes on the comprehensive final can be used to replace one low test grade, either lecture or lab. In the event a student misses a test, the final grade will replace the zero grade of one missed test.

           

            All tests will be given at the beginning of the class on the day it is scheduled. After a test is completed, we will commence the lecture for that day. 

 

            When a student knows in advance that he or she will have to be absent on the day of a lecture test, the student can make advance arrangements with the instructor to take the test on another day.  It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor in advance. Students who simply do not show up for the test will receive a grade of zero. But, as mentioned above, one zero can be replaced by your final exam grade.

 

University Grading System:

            The grading system will comply with that of the University catalog/

            A  =  90 – 100

            B  =  80 – 89

            C  =  70 – 79

            D  =  60 – 69

            F  =  Below 60

            I  =  Incomplete

            W  =  Withdrawal

 

            A grade of incomplete is changed if the deficiency is made up by midterm of the next regular semester; otherwise, it becomes a “F”.  This grade is given only if circumstance beyond the student’s control prevented completion of work during the semester enrolled and attendance requirements have been met.

 

Preparation for Class:

            For best results, students are encouraged to read the chapters scheduled for lecture before class begins.  Also, homework problems will be assigned and are expected to be turned in the day due.

 

Attendance Policy:

            Students are expected to attend all classes.  Experience demonstrates that students who miss several classes can rarely do well in the course.  WBU requires that the instructor give a grade of F to any student who misses 25% of the classes.

            Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class.   Students who come in late will be considered tardy.  Every three tardies will count as one absence.  Since we will meet 11 times, any student who accumulates 3 or more absences will receive a grade of  “F”. 

            If the instructor fails to appear or fails to send notification of arrival within the first 10 minutes of a class period, the students may leave without incurring an absence.

 

Cell Phones:

            While in class, please place your cell phone on silence or vibrate mode.  Under no condition should a phone be answered or even looked at during a test. The problem of text messaging, along with the ability to take pictures of pages in books or notes, is a growing problem in all educational institutions. If you are expecting an important call during a test, give your phone to the instructor with instructions as to who may be calling.  He will seek to be reasonable and make allowances.  However, students who answer a phone during a test or are seen looking at a phone during the test will have a minimum of 10 points deducted from their test grade.

 

Course Schedule:

 

            Week                          Assignments               Tests               Labs

 

1.  Nov 10                               Chapter 1                                            Safety & Techniques

2.  Nov 17                               Chapter 2                                            Density                                                     3.  Nov 24                                            Thanksgiving  Holiday

4.  Dec 1                                  Chapter 3                    Test I               Separations

5.  Dec 8                                  Chapter 4                                            Chromatography

6.  Dec 15                                Chapter 5                    Test II             Boiling point

7.  Dec 22                                            Christmas Holiday

8.  Dec 29                                            Christmas Holiday

9.  Jan 5                                   Chapter 6                                            Stoichiometry                         10.  Jan 12                                Chapter 7                    Test III                        Chemical Reactions I

11.  Jan 19                               Chapter 8                                            Chemical Reactions II

12.  Jan 26                               Chapter 9                    Test IV            Gas Laws

13.  Feb 6                                Chapter 10                                          Calorimetry

14.  Feb 9                                           F   I   N   A   L           

 

Labs will be given at the end of lecture on Mondays and are to be completed by 10:00 p.m.  

Lectures will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Mondays.

 

Policy Concerning Disabilities:

            “It is university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the University.  Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities the first class meeting.”