Chemistry 1161, Honors General Chemistry I Course Syllabus, Fall 2010

Course Description

Chemistry 1161 Honors Course: General Chemistry I. (5 credits, primarily for chemistry majors and others selected for aptitude and interest).

Fundamental principles exemplified by study of elements, compounds, and their reactions. Intended to be a liberal education offering.

Instructor

Victor Nemykin, Chem 329, 726-6729, vnemykin@d.umn.edu

Office Hours: 2:00 – 3:00 pm M W F and by appointment.

Teaching assistants (TBA during the first lecture) will specify their office hours and places during Check-in lab.

General Course Information and Meeting Times

Study assignments and announcements will be made available at the website http://www.d.umn.edu/~vnemykin

Lecture 10:00-10:50 am M Tu W F (Chem 150, Chemistry Building)

Laboratory 3 hours per week as registered.

Discussion: One hour per week, as registered.

Required text and materials

1. "Chemistry” by Olmsted and Williams, 4 th edition, Wiley, 2006.

• Student Solutions Manual

An optional study guide for the text is available.

2. "Catalyst”, UMD Chemistry Dept.

3. A calculator capable of handling logarithms and exponential notation.

4. A bound laboratory notebook, such as National CompBook 43-000 series or Ampad Composition Book 26-000

series.

5. Access to the internet. General course information will be posted on the internet. You can access this using the computers on campus, or use your own computer with an internet connection and a web browser.

Description and Goals

This course is designed to be the introductory college chemistry course for high-ability students with a strong high school background in the sciences, and who are interested in pursuing a major in chemistry or biochemistry and molecular biology, or a related field, or who simply wish to get the most out of a general chemistry course. This course will provide the student with an understanding of the fundamental principles of atomic theory, the nature of atoms and molecules, a comprehensive grasp of stoichiometry, an introduction to thermochemistry, the gaseous state and solutions, and an appreciation for atomic structures and chemical periodicity. Problem solving will be emphasized. Chemical principles will be applied to real systems in the laboratory. The material presented will provide the student with the ability to apply chemical principles in analyzing complex problems, both numerical and non-numerical. Using chemical principles rather than simply memorizing principles will be emphasized.

Liberal Education Goals and Objective

This course qualifies for credit in Liberal Education Category 4, Physical and Biological Sciences with Lab. The goals and objectives of this course include development of: critical thinking; written communication skills; familiarity with tools of analysis applicable to chemistry and related scientific disciplines; an appreciation of the methodological approaches to, and the core content of, the chemical sciences; an awareness of the historical and intellectual development of the chemical sciences. This course focuses on the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theory of chemical phenomena.

Prerequisites

High school chemistry and high school algebra.

Course Requirements

Minimum requirements for successful completion of this course include satisfactory completion of all examinations and laboratory experiments. The lectures and textbook are your primary sources of information. Attendance at all lecture and discussion meetings is expected, and is required insofar as the quizzes and other in-class work at those sessions count toward your grade in the course.

Grading

There will be three midterm exams and a final exam. Make up exams given in cases of illness; please contact me in advance. Your grade in the course will be determined by your performance on exams, homework, quizzes, and laboratory work. Attention to proper sentence construction and clear presentation of work are expected. No make-up quizzes will be given; the lowest two quiz scores will be dropped. The following approximate weight distribution will be used to determine course grades. Students need to receive a passing grade in the lecture and laboratory portion. All grades will be posted using e-Grade system. Final grades will be available electronically within 48 h after the final exam.

Lecture (three midterm exams and final) 70% 500 pts

Laboratory 17% 125 pts

Quizzes, problem sets 13% 105 pts

Total: 730 points

Tentative Grade scale:

A > 93%

A- 90 - 93%

B+ 87 - 90%

B 83 - 87%

B- 80 - 83%

C+ 77 - 80%

C 73 - 77%

C- 70 - 73

D+ 67 - 70%

D 63 - 67%

D- 60 - 63%

F < 60%

Equal Access Policies

Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect their ability to perform in this class are encouraged to inform the instructor at the start of the semester. It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Adaptations of methods, materials or testing may be made as required to provide for equitable participation. Disability accommodations will be provided upon request. Please contact Penny Cragun, Access Center at 726-8727 for further information.

UMD Tutoring Center Information

Tutoring Center hours are:
8:00am-7:00pm Mondays-Thursdays
8:00am-1:00pm Fridays
Tutoring Center Home Page can be found at: http://www.d.umn.edu/tutoring/ .The schedules for all subjects tutored can be accessed from that page.

Schedule of Lecture Topics

Topics and exam dates subject to change. Changes will be announced on the website or during class.

Unit 1

Ch 1. The Science of Chemistry

Ch 2. The Atomic Nature of Matter

Ch 3. The Composition of Molecules

Quiz 1. Monday, September 20

Quiz 2. Monday, September 27

First Exam, Monday, October 4

Unit 2

Ch 4. Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry

Ch 5. The Behavior of Gases

Ch 6. Energy and Its Conservation

Ch 7. Atoms and Light

Quiz 3. Friday, October 8

Quiz 4. Wednesday, October 13

Quiz 5. Monday, October 25

Second Exam, Monday, November 1

Unit 3

Ch 8. Atomic Energies and Periodicity

Ch 9. Fundamentals of Chemical Bonding

Ch 10. Theories of Chemical Bonding

Quiz 6. Monday, November 8

Quiz 7. Monday, November 15

Quiz 8. Monday, November 22

Third Exam, Monday, December 6

Unit 4

Ch 11. Effects of Intermolecular Forces

Ch 12. Properties of Solutions

Quiz 9. Tuesday, December 14

Final examination:

Monday, Dec 20, 8:00-9:55 am

Laboratory

Successful completion of the laboratory component includes performing the experimental work and submitting written report for each of the experiments listed below. Additional details can be found in the laboratory manual. The University of Minnesota prohibits the wearing of sandals, shorts and short skirts in its laboratories. For the department of chemistry policies on making up a lab, breakage card and lab checkout see your TAs.

Laboratory Schedule