Syllabus for CHE-121

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I WITH LABS

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Chemistry is a science that deals with the composition, structure, and properties of substances and with the transformations that they undergo. It is the "study of change." In this course, the first of a two-semester general chemistry sequence with labs, we explore the structure of the atom, the molecules that form from atoms, and the basic concepts of chemical reactivity, including the relations between amounts of materials undergoing reactions and the energetics of those reactions. At the atomic and molecular level, chemistry is a very abstract subject, but the study of atoms and molecules is fundamental to understanding life itself, since all matter is made up of atoms and molecules. Through practical examples and applications, the course aims to explain not only the abstract concepts of chemistry, but also how those concepts are understood in real-life contexts.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

Perform calculations using dimensional analysis (factor-label method).
Accurately use basic chemical nomenclature.
Relate basic atomic theory to the trends in the periodic table.
Correlate chemical equations and stoichiometry.
Recognize and solve reactions occurring in aqueous solution
Describe the relationships between gases and reactions involving gases.
Relate the energy changes that accompany chemical reactions to the first law of thermodynamics.
Identify the different types of chemical bonds including the shapes of molecules and their effect on polarity.
Differentiate nuclear reactions and solve problems based on the concept of half-life.
Solve problems in chemistry using critical thinking skills.
Employ good laboratory practices (GLP) when handling chemicals.
Collect and evaluate qualitative and quantitative experimental data.
Correlate laboratory experiments with the principal topics of General Chemistry I.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbook

Raymond Chang and Kenneth A. Goldsby, Chemistry, 12th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-0-07-802151-0

Required Laboratory Kit

Your course laboratory kit is provided by eScienceLabs. Please click the following link to access instructions on how to order your lab materials: Lab Kit Requirement - Ordering Instructions.

Additional Materials

A few additional materials, all common household items, are required to complete your lab experiments (in addition to what is included in your eScience lab kit). (Detergent to clean your equipment and hot water will be needed for all of the experiments that use labware.)

Additional items include:

Baking pan
Distilled water
Graphing software (access to)
Hot pad or towel
Hot water
Internet access
Isopropyl alcohol
Oven or toaster oven
Paper towels
Pen or pencil
Permanent marker
Pot
Scissors
Stovetop
Tap water
Timer or stopwatch
Wooden toothpick

Smartphone or Webcam

You will need a smartphone (or webcam) to complete some of the assignments in this course.

Eight of the labs require you to upload photos or videos of some part of the lab set-up or of particular lab steps. Click the Required Photos and Videos link for a comprehensive list. You will find this same information, in greater detail, in each Module Details document. The eScience lab directions suggest a greater number of photos, but you need only submit the ones summarized on this list. You are, however, welcome to submit additional photos or videos if desired.
You are also encouraged to voluntarily share videos of your lab set-ups or procedures. You may do this to request help from your classmates or when you can provide advice to a classmate to resolve his or her set-up or procedure issues.

For instructions and assistance on how to upload a video file (or create and upload a video file) using Kaltura, visit the following link: How to Record and Submit Kaltura Videos in Discussion Forums. This link and additional instructions will be included in all video assignments.

COURSE STRUCTURE

General Chemistry I with Labs is a four-credit online course consisting of ten modules. Modules include an overview, list of topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Outlined below are the module titles along with the course objectives covered and module topics.

Module 1: Introduction and Measurement
Course objectives covered in this module: 1, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

chemistry and its role in society
scientific method
classification of matter into pure substances and mixtures
states of matter
physical and chemical properties and changes
measurements units for mass, volume, length, temperature, and density
application of metric system in calculations
chemical calculations using scientific notation
significant figures in numbers and calculations
dimensional analysis (factor-label method) in problem solving
safety in the chemical laboratory

Module 2: Atomic Structure and Chemical Compounds
Course objectives covered in this module: 2, 3, 10, 12, 13

Topics:

atomic theory
atomic structure: protons, electrons, neutrons
atomic number, mass number, and isotopes
structure of periodic table
ions
molecular and ionic compounds
chemical nomenclature

Module 3: Mass Relationships for Compounds
Course objectives covered in this module: 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

atomic mass
Avogadro’s number and molar mass of elements and compounds
percent composition of compounds
empirical and molecular formulas

Module 4: Chemical Reactions
Course objectives covered in this module: 1, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

writing and balancing chemical equations
stoichiometry in chemical reactions
theoretical yield, actual yield, and percent yield of chemical reactions

Module 5: Chemical Reactions in Solution
Course objectives covered in this module: 1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

properties of aqueous solutions
solubility
molecular, ionic, and net ionic equations
acid-base reactions
solubility rules and precipitation reactions
reactions involving the formation of gases
oxidation-reduction reactions
solution concentration: molarity and dilution
titration analysis

Module 6: Gases
Course objectives covered in this module: 1, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

kinetic theory of gases
properties of gases
gas laws
molecular mass of a gas
density of a gas
gas stoichiometry
Dalton’s law of partial pressures
Diffusion of gases

Module 7: Energy and Thermochemistry
Course objectives covered in this module: 1, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

types and forms of energy
energy changes in chemical reactions
exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions
thermochemical equations
thermodynamics—first law
enthalpy of chemical reactions
specific heat and specific heat capacity
heat of solution
Hess’s law in calculations

Module 8: Electronic Structure of Atoms
Course objectives covered in this module: 3, 10, 12, 13

Topics:

electromagnetic radiation and properties of waves
quantum mechanics and quantum numbers
electron configuration of elements—longhand and shorthand methods
orbital diagrams and magnetism
periodic classification of the elements (ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity, and valence electrons
valence electrons and chemical properties
ionization

Module 9: Chemical Bonding
Course objectives covered in this module: 8, 10, 11, 12, 13

Topics:

Lewis dot structures of elements and compounds
octet rule and chemical bonds
ionic bonds
covalent bonds
electronegativity and polar bonds
molecular geometry, the VSEPR theory
hybridization of atomic orbitals
sigma and pi bonds

Module 10: Nuclear Reactions
Course objectives covered in this module: 9, 10

Topics:

radioactivity
types of nuclear reactions
energy, rates of radioactive decay, and half-life calculations
issues of health and safety with respect to radioactivity
uses of radioactive isotopes in science and medicine

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete written assignments and laboratory assignments, take unproctored module quizzes, and take two proctored online examinations: a midterm exam and a final exam. See below for details.

Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this document.

Discussion Forums

You are required to participate in four graded discussion forums, worth 10 percent of your course grade, as well as an ungraded Introductions Forum. The online discussions are on a variety of self-selected topics associated with the course modules.

For four labs (Module 3, eScience Lab 4; Module 7, eScience Lab 9; Module 8, eScience Lab 6; and Module 9, eScience Lab 7) you are required to submit a brief video of your lab. (The Module Details document explains the requirements.) These four are graded assignments.

You are welcome to submit a video of your lab setup or procedure at any point during the course, either within the Class Lounge or through the Ungraded Optional Video Assignment links. These assignments are a way for you to interact with your classmates either to request help/clarification or to share information with another learner.

Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

For posting guidelines and help with discussion forums, please see the Student Handbook located within the General Information page of the course Web site.

Laboratory Assignments

General Chemistry I with Labs includes ten laboratory assignments, worth 20 percent of your course grade. Each laboratory assignment asks you to complete experiments from an eScience lab, paying close attention to the instructions provided on the eScience Labs website. You are then required to submit certain laboratory documents to the mentor for grading. These documents may consist of questions or exercises and will be specified in the module details for each module.

Very Important Note: Although your kit comes with a Lab Manual, you should not use the lab procedures or directions found therein. Obtain all of your lab procedure information and submission forms from either this course site or through logging into the eScience Labs website. The printed materials that come inside the kit are somewhat outdated and may contain errors. The online materials, on the other hand, are revised regularly.

As stated earlier in this syllabus, some additional materials, all common household items, will be required to complete your lab experiments. Also, as noted, some labs require you to submit photos or videos of your setup and /or procedure.

Click General Instructions for guidelines on completing laboratory assignments.

Written Assignments

General Chemistry I with Labs has ten written assignments, worth 20 percent of your course grade. The written assignments draw mostly on odd-numbered questions and problems from the textbook. Answer all assigned questions and problems, and show all work.

Assignment sheets, with all questions typed out in advance for you, are provided. Be sure to include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled. To receive full credit for your answers, you must show all work and include complete solutions.

For help regarding preparing and submitting activities, see the Student Handbook located within the General Information page of the course Web site.

Quizzes

You are required to take ten module quizzes, worth 10 percent of your course grade. Each quiz consists of multiple-choice questions based on your textbook and lab manual reading and problems. Quizzes are open book but time restricted (30 minutes). You may take them multiple times both during and after the quiz period but will be graded only on attempts made by the due date (consult the Course Calendar), at which time your last recorded score will become your grade on the quiz.

A quiz link is available within each module of the course Web site. While the quiz is active, you will not be able to ask for help on specific quiz questions; however, after the due date and after you have received your quiz grade, you may address private questions to the mentor.

To prepare for the quiz, be sure to complete the written assignment, laboratory assignments, and readings in your textbook and lab manual and to review all study materials listed in the Study Materials section.

Examinations

Exam Study Guide(s)

For a list of key concepts that may appear on your exams, refer to the study guides available in the Examinations section of the course Web site.

You are required to take two proctored online examinations: a midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams require that you use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.

Online exams are administered through the course Web site. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Midterm Examination

The midterm exam is a closed-book exam, worth 18 percent of your course grade. It is three hours long and covers all topics and material from Modules 1–5 of the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions like those on the module quizzes.

A periodic table, formula bank, list of conversion factors, and tables of common polyatomic ions, common acids and bases, and solubility rules for common ionic compounds in water at 25o will be provided with the exam. But check the "Study Notes" in each module to see which formulas you need to know and which ones will be provided.

Note: You are permitted to use a calculator (scientific, graphing, or financial) but may not use a calculator on a phone, PDA, or any similar device.

Final Examination

The final exam is a closed-book exam, worth 18 percent of your course grade. It is three hours long and primarily covers all topics and material from Modules 6–10 of the course, while also drawing on cumulative knowledge gained from earlier modules. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions like those on the module quizzes.

Note: You are permitted to use a calculator (scientific, graphing, or financial) but may not use a calculator on a phone, PDA, or any similar device.

Statement about Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
Plagiarizing answers.
Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Discussion forums (4)—10 percent
Laboratory assignments (10)—20 percent
Video assignments (4)—8 percent
Written assignments (10)—20 percent
Module online quizzes (10, unproctored)—6 percent
Examinations (2, proctored)—36 percent

Midterm exam, covering Modules 1–5 (18 percent)
Final exam, primarily covering Modules 6–10 (18 percent)

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A	=	93–100	C+	=	78–79
A–	=	90–92	C	=	73–77
B+	=	88–89	C–	=	70–72
B	=	83–87	D	=	60–69
B–	=	80–82	F	=	Below 60

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.
Take time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State University.
Arrange to take your examination(s) by following the instructions in this Syllabus and the Online Student Handbook.
Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.
If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the Course Calendar. The Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.
Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC POLICIES

To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.

For more, see: