Syllabus

Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Health

CHEM 1012: General Chemistry I – 15-weeks

Credits - 4

Description

Online General Chemistry I is designed to give the student an introduction to general chemistry. The concepts covered in this course include components of matter, atomic theory, stoichiometry, chemical reactions and bonding, gases, quantum theory, electron configuration, models of bonding, theories of covalent bonding, shapes of molecules and intermolecular forces of liquids, and solids. The course includes lecture and lab concurrently for four credits. 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. Identify the organizing principles of elements in the periodic table and use these to predict trends in atomic properties.
5. Relate basic quantum mechanical principles to electronic structure and chemical bonding.
6. Convert quantities in related units and systems of measurement.
7. Calculate solution concentrations and perform dilution calculations.
8. Balance chemical reactions and use the balanced reactions to calculate reaction yields.
9. Identify and classify precipitation, acid-base, and redox reactions.
10. Predict the shapes of molecules with a single central atom.
11. Use the ideal gas law to calculate the properties of gases.
12. Identify intermolecular forces and relate them to the properties of liquids.
13. Relate the characteristics of ionic, covalent, metallic, and molecular solids.
14. Describe the dissolution process and colligative properties.

Assignments

Course Details

The General Chemistry I course is divided into 16 weeks. Each week 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 that week. There is a lecture quiz each week. Three discussion questions are spread throughout the course.

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 week includes a study guide. Within the reading, there are practice problems that you should work on 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. Additional Suggested Problems are for extra practice and do not need to be submitted (though are highly recommended). The Homework Solutions for each week are provided as a separate link for you to check over your work, or if you’re stuck. 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. There are a total of three required discussion questions found in weeks 1, 4, and 14. 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. For special cases where one or two students are accelerating faster through the course, the instructor will participate in the discussion so that everyone has the opportunity to interact.

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. Paste your discussion into Brightspace before submitting (do not upload as an attachment).
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. Be sure to submit and reply to comments before the end of the discussion assignment week.

Weekly Quizzes

All weekly lecture quizzes are open book and open notes. You can take up to 30 minutes to complete each of the 13 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 unit exams, which are timed and proctored. The quizzes are graded immediately and you may access your graded quizzes at any time in the Learning Module folder by clicking on the quiz attempt. This will allow you to use the quizzes to study for your Unit Exams.

Proctored Exams

The three lecture unit exams and lab final exam are CLOSED book, CLOSED notes, timed and proctored.  You will be required to set up a UNE-compliant webcam as described above in the “Materials” section. 

You may use:

• The provided PDF entitled “General Chemistry I Exam Information and Equations”
• The official UNE whiteboard, marker, and eraser
• A stand-alone scientific, non-programmable calculator
• Nothing else

The lecture exams comprise 25 multiple choice questions and you can have up to 90 minutes to complete them. The lab final exam has 40 multiple choice questions and is to be completed in 120 minutes. 

Your exam scores will be available after you take the exam, but exams will not be released to students for review. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.

Grading Policy

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

Grade Breakdown

Category	Weight
Discussions	10%
Quizzes	15%
Exams	40%
Homework	15%
Lab Experiments and Graphing Assignment	15%
Lab Report	5%
Total	100

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	93 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 92.9%	3.75
B+	87 – 89.9%	3.50
B	83 – 86.9%	3.00
B-	80 – 82.9%	2.75
C+	77 – 79.9%	2.50
C	73 – 76.9%	2.00
C-	70 – 72.9%	1.75
D	60 – 69.9%	1.00
F	00 – 59.9%	0.00