Syllabus

Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Health

CHEM 1012: General Chemistry I – Accelerated – 8 Week – Spring A 2025

Credits - 4

Description

Online General Chemistry I with Lab is designed to give the student an introduction to general chemistry and chemistry lab techniques. The concepts covered in this course include components of matter, atomic theory, stoichiometry, chemical reactions and bonding, thermochemistry, quantum theory, electron configuration, models of bonding, theories of covalent bonding, shapes of molecules, and gasses. Labs are performed concurrently with lecture topics, with an emphasis on reinforcing topics covered in the textbook and learning basic lab procedures. The hands-on labs will be performed in the home of the student using a designated lab kit. Course Pre Req: One semester of College Algebra.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Program Outcomes

In lecture courses, students should be able to:

• Communicate scientific concepts and information clearly.
• Illustrate fundamental laws, theories, and principles of scientific disciplines.
• Apply knowledge and critical thinking skills to scientific problems.

In lab courses, students should be able to:

• Ask a question or define a problem that can be tested.
• Hypothesize possible result(s).
• Plan and/or conduct an investigation individually and/or collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence.
• Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (i.e. computational, mathematical, graphical, etc.) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.
• Communicate the results by constructing an explanation based on multiple pieces of valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
• Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence gained from various experiments, as well as other observations and/or research, to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.

Course Objectives

After completing the lecture section, students should be able to:

1. Define and apply parts of the scientific method.
2. Describe the fundamental properties of atoms, molecules, and physical states of matter.
3. Perform calculations that relate atoms, molecules, moles, and mass.
4. Trace the flow of energy in chemical reactions and perform energy calculations.
5. Identify the organizing principles of elements in the periodic table and use these to predict trends in atomic properties.
6. Relate basic quantum mechanical principles to electronic structure and chemical bonding.
7. Convert quantities in related units and systems of measurement.
8. Calculate solution concentrations and perform dilution calculations.
9. Balance chemical reactions and use the balanced reactions to calculate reaction yields.
10. Identify and classify precipitation, acid-base, and redox reactions.
11. Predict the shapes of molecules with a single central atom.
12. Use the ideal gas law to calculate the properties of gases.

After completing the lab section, students should be able to:

1. Utilize basic scientific equipment safely and accurately.
2. Make, record, and report experimental observations.
3. Create and analyze Excel-based graphs of experimental data.
4. Observe and interpret chemical reactions.
5. Effectively communicate experimental information in a scientific writing style.

Assignments

Course Details

The General Chemistry I course is divided into 8 weeks. Each week (with the exception of exam weeks) contains a reading assignment and homework problems that address the course objectives. There are several short lecture videos that cover some of the major concepts covered in that week. There is a lecture quiz for each week. Discussion questions are assigned for all weeks except for weeks with an exam.

Assigned Reading and Homework Problems

Each week’s Learning Module includes a reading assignment within each chapter that covers the specific course objectives for the week. Every chapter includes “Guided Notes”, a document that can be downloaded from the “Course Text” section in the course. Within the reading there are practice problems that should be worked as you move along. The assigned homework problems from the end of the chapter will allow you to review the material that was covered. Be sure to ask your instructor for help with any problems that you do not understand. Also, there are many more problems at the end of the chapter. You should work through problems other than those assigned in any area where you feel extra practice is necessary.

Discussion Board Posts

Discussion questions cover interesting current events or materials that contribute to a deeper understanding of key concepts and allow you to interact with your classmates and the instructor. Most of the discussion questions are designed to accompany particular chapters (see specific discussion questions for more information). Each question may require you to conduct internet research. Then you will write a response following the guidelines in the assignment.

To earn full credit: you will need to post a response, respond to the original posts of at least two other students, and then contribute to an ongoing discussion. 

Discussion Question Guidelines

1. Read the assignment carefully so that you are familiar with the materials that you need to cover and how to craft your post.
2. Respect each other’s ideas, feelings, and experience. Some of the questions involve areas of disagreement. Expect your classmates to have different opinions.
3. Use proper writing style. Correct spelling and sentence structure are expected just as if you were writing a regular paper. Use spell check and grammar check before you submit.
4. Create your post in a word document initially. That way you can save a copy and use spell check and grammar check.
5. Cite the sources that you use to write your response. Follow the AMA guidelines.
6. Avoid posting large blocks of text. Break your writing into paragraphs and use a space between paragraphs to make your posting easier to read online.
7. Subscribe to the discussion so that you get email updates when there is activity.
8. Use the “reply” button rather than the “compose” button when responding to someone else’s post.
9. When responding to a classmate, address them by name.
10. Do not use postings such as “I agree,” “I don’t know either,” or “ditto.” They do not add to the discussion, take up space on the Discussions, and lower your grade.
11. Everyone benefits from an active discussion. Check back frequently to see what others are saying.
12. Initial posts are due Sundays at 11:59 PM ET, and response posts are due Tuesdays at 11:59 PM ET. 

Weekly Quizzes

All weekly quizzes are open book and open notes. You can take up to 30 minutes to complete each of the 10 multiple-choice lecture quizzes. Although the quizzes are open book and open notes, you need to study the material and work the problems in order to do well on the quizzes. The quizzes will be taken online through the course Brightspace site. Doing well on the quizzes will help prepare you for the midterm and final exam, which are timed and proctored. The quizzes are graded immediately and you may access your graded quizzes at any time in the Course Progress section of Brightspace. This will allow you to use the quizzes to study for your midterm or final.

Laboratory Assignments

Most of the weeks include a laboratory assignment. Introductions to a week’s laboratory assignment can be found in that week’s learning module. However, the actual lab work will be completed in the HOL Cloud website. 

You will perform all laboratory assignments in a non-laboratory setting, such as your kitchen. The labs include four prerequisite labs that can be done before the lab kits arrives,  and 10 graded laboratory assignments distributed throughout the course.  Each lab in the HOL Cloud website includes pre-lab questions, the experiment, and post-lab evaluation questions. There is a lab video that accompanies each lab. This will give you some details about the lab and suggestions for things that will make the lab go smoothly. It will also connect the lab to the chemistry content.  Parts of the lab are graded automatically within HOL. Data and free response questions are graded by your instructor.  

Laboratory Report

One originally written lab report turned in as a Word document or .pdf file in Brightspace, is assigned for the “Stoichiometry of a Precipitation Reaction” experiment, found in Week 4. Guidelines for writing a lab report can be found in the document “Lab Report Directions for PBPH Courses.” This can be found in the Week 5 module.

Midterm and Final Exam

The midterm and final exams are CLOSED book, CLOSED notes, timed and proctored. You will  be required to set up an external webcam as described above in the “Materials” section.  

You may use:

• The provided PDF entitled “Chem 1012 Exam Information and Equations”
• An 8″ X 11″ whiteboard, marker, and eraser
• A stand-alone scientific, non-programmable calculator
• Nothing else

The midterm consists of 40 questions to be completed in 120 minutes. The final consists of 60 questions to be completed in 180 minutes.

Your exam scores will be available after you take the exam. 

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Category	Points Available
Quizzes	20%
Discussion	10%
Lab Assignments	10%
Lab Report	5%
Midterm Exam	25%
Final Exam	30%
Total	100%

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00