Course Syllabus

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I Fall 2021

COURSE SYLLABUS

Instructor: Dr. Yelena Naumova

Office hours: immediately after each lecture and lab. If you need assistance outside of these times, please email me and we will set up a meeting via Microsoft Teams.

Department Information:

Department Admin. Assistant: Evelyn Carthy Office: SC109 Phone: 908-231-8817

Department Head: Dr.Baricevic (marianne.baricevic@raritanval.edu), Office: SC109

CHEM-103-51

CRN: 10149

Lecture: Monday and Wednesday Science Building SC153 6:00 pm – 7:20 pm

Lab: Monday Science Building SC251 7:30 pm – 10:20 pm

CHEM-103-52

CRN: 10434

Lecture: Monday and Wednesday Science Building SC153 6:00 pm – 7:20 pm

Lab: Wednesday Science Building SC251 7:30 pm – 10:20 pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Prerequisites: Two years of college preparatory laboratory science or equivalent. Corequisite: Precalculus I (MATH-112)

This is the first course in a two-course sequence providing an introductory survey of modern chemistry. Emphasis is placed on electronic structure and its relationship to bonding and the periodic table, the physical states of matter, stoichiometry, molecular geometry, gas laws, solutions, and their chemistry.

REQUIRED Materials:

Textbook: Use the link: OpenStax Chemistry: Atoms first . The textbook is available for free online and in several electronic formats. You may also purchase a low-cost paper version of the textbook either online, or in the bookstore. You may use either the first or second edition.
Online Homework System: a subscription to Knewton Alta that you will access from Canvas. Each chapter module in Canvas has embedded homework. You must use your RVCC email address to create an account!
Carbon-Copy Laboratory Notebook: Use your old one if you have it. Available in the RVCC Bookstore.
Safety Glasses: Use your old ones. They MUST be purchased from the RVCC Bookstore!
Simple Scientific Calculator: TI 83+ or higher calculators are NOT allowed on exams; cell phones, iPods, iPads, etc. cannot be used as calculators.

LECTURE NOTES AND LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS:

All materials, such as lecture notes, syllabus, outlines, lab handouts, etc. are available on Canvas. Login is your RVCC email, password.

E-MAIL:

You must check your RVCC e-mail regularly. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for any information/work assignments that are sent to your RVCC account by the instructor. No exceptions will be made. This is particularly important in case of inclement weather!

Note: please use your RVCC email (not your personal email) to communicate with the instructor.

METHODS OF EVALUATION:

Three Midterm Exams 40% (3 exams @100 pts each)

Final Exam (cumulative) 25% (200 pts, Date and Time TBD)

Online Homework 10% (40 highest out of 45 will be counted)

Labs 25% (10 highest out of 11 will be counted)

All grades will be posted in Canvas. Students will be able to see their individual grades and running average at all times. Please note that no assignment is dropped from the total until nearing the end of the semester.

HOMEWORK: All online homework problems are posted in advance. The due dates will be adjusted depending on the material covered in lecture. You will have homework due on Sunday night of each week. There is a total of 45 assignments. Only 40 highest homework grades will be counted toward your final grade. This means that you can decide to skip some assignments without penalty but be aware that students who consistently complete their homework tend to perform better on exams!

LAB: Lab reports and prelaboratory assignments will be graded every week. They vary in points depending on the amount of work involved in each report. The lowest lab+prelab will be dropped. Canvas calculates the % on each lab before dropping the lowest grade (%).

EXTRA CREDIT ONLINE TESTS: provided so you can practice for our exams. After you complete the test, you will be able to see solutions and review your work. You can repeat each test 2 times. Students who earn 75% or more of all online test points will get 10 points added to their lowest exam (including the final). Students who earn 90% or more of all online test points will get 10 points added to two of their lowest exams – for a total of 20 points (including the final). Note: extra points will NOT be added to the exam that a student missed.

GRADING SYSTEM:

A 90 – 100% of total semester points

B+ 87 – 89%

B 80 – 86%

C+ 77 – 79%

C 70 – 76%

D 60 – 69%

F Below 60%

Grades in the intermediate ranges will be assigned at the instructor’s discretion. Attendance and class participation will be taken into consideration in making these decisions.

POLICY ON MAKEUPS AND LATE WORK

EXAMS: One exam per semester may be taken as a make-up, but only under the following conditions:

If possible, you must contact me prior to the class in which the exam is scheduled.
You must have a legitimate reason for missing the scheduled exam. Some examples of a legitimate reason are: medical problems, death in the family, court appearance, jury duty. In all cases, documentation will be required.
The make-up exam must be taken within the week in which the exam was scheduled, unless you had an extended absence with cause.

LABS: A lab may be made up only if it is missed with legitimate reason such as medical cause, court summons or jury duty (documentation will be required). Makeup is only possible with another regularly scheduled lab section during the same week if there is space in that section.

Each lab requires a completed Pre-Lab assignment, due at the beginning of each lab session. Refer to lab instructions for each lab to know how to prepare for the lab. No student will be allowed to participate in the lab without completed pre-lab.

Lab Reports are due one week after the lab is completed and are due at the beginning of the lab period. If a student is absent from the lab, the complete lab report is still due on the same day electronically including carbon pages from your lab notebook. Failure to turn in reports in a timely fashion will result in a 10% drop in the assignment’s grade for each day late, for the first 5 days, unless you provide a valid and verifiable reason for the lateness. 6- and 7-days lateness will be treated the same way as 5 days late. After one week, lab reports will no longer be accepted and a zero grade will be assigned. Please always refer to instructions for each lab and submit your work on time.

HOMEWORK: There are no make-ups for missed homework.

CREDIT HOURS EQUIVALENCY:

Students should expect to spend a minimum of 7.5 hours per week on studying and coursework outside of class.

Lecture Class: 2 x lecture hours

Lecture/Lab Class: (2 x lecture hours) + (0.5 x lab hours)

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:

Students who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course MUST provide documentation of accommodations from the Center for Accessibility and Inclusive Education (formerly Disability Services). Phone: (908) 526-1200 ext. 8534, or email caie@raritanval.edu. No accommodation is official until the Accommodation Letter is issued from the student to their instructor.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance at all class sessions (lecture and lab) is mandatory. Students are expected to attend all classes for every course in which they are enrolled. A record of attendance will be kept. To accommodate students’ reasonable, personal situations that might prevent them from attending classes, each student is entitled to excused absences amounting to the equivalent of one week’s class time in a semester. Absences in excess of this standard are handled individually by each faculty member. A student with absences amounting to one-fifth or more of the term’s lecture or laboratory classes may be recommended to withdraw from the course.

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to acquire information and assignments either from your classmates, Canvas or the instructor.

LABORATORY WORK:

The laboratory is a great place to learn by doing. However, it can be a dangerous place if you do not follow proper safety rules. Failure to follow these rules will likely get you removed from the lab (with a zero).

Come to lab prepared and on time. Having no idea what you are supposed to do is dangerous. Thus, complete your prelab work and read your procedures before coming to lab. Students who show up unprepared are liable to be ejected from the lab (with a zero grade).
Behave in an adult and responsible manner. Horsing or goofing around is dangerous and will not be tolerated.
Dress appropriately. You need to minimize the amount of exposed skin. This means no shorts, no skirts, no open-toe shoes (i.e. sandals), no tights, and please tie long hair. Coming to lab inappropriately dressed will results in your removal from the lab (with a zero).
No food, no drink, no gum. Enough said!
And last, but definitely not least: WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES AT ALL TIMES!

WITHDRAWAL FROM COURSES

Students may withdraw from courses following procedures specified by the Office of Enrollment Services and in compliance with published deadlines. Students who cease attending classes and do not request an official withdrawal will receive a failing grade (F) for the course.

Withdrawal Schedule:

FULL TERM –

Last day to withdraw: to receive:

September 10…….….…………….………...…...100% refund

September 17…………………………………...... 50% refund

September 17………….…………… without course on record

After September 17………………………………... No refund

November 17…………………………………......a “W” grade

November 17......Change to an Audit with Instructor Approval

After November 17..………………………... No Withdrawals

COURSE MANAGEMENT:

Attending all lectures is essential for success in this course. Lectures reinforce, explain and expand upon the material presented in the textbook. It is your responsibility to keep up with the class work and homework assignments.

To stay updated, especially if you are absent, log on to the Lion’s Den/Canvas/Email a few times per week to check on our course. You will find announcements, syllabus, schedule, assignments, links and other useful material. You will be able to email me or your classmates. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to acquire information and assignments either from your classmates, Canvas, or from me.

TUTORING: The Tutoring Center offers free tutoring services.

DELAYED OPENING POLICY:

If the College announces a delayed opening at any location due to inclement weather or other emergency situation, all offices will be closed and all College classes and/or other activities will be suspended at that location until the delayed opening time.

Classes scheduled to begin before the delayed opening time that have 60 minutes or more of instruction time remaining at the delayed opening time will begin at the delayed opening time and conclude at the regularly scheduled ending time. In addition, check your email for information from your instructor especially if you have a lab. Classes scheduled to begin before the delayed opening time that have fewer than 60 minutes of instruction time remaining at the delayed opening time will be cancelled.

Classes scheduled to begin at or after the delayed opening time will meet as scheduled.

CODE OF CONDUCT:

As stated in the Student Handbook, the College has a Code of Student Conduct. It states: “Faculty members have the authority to take actions which may be necessary to maintain order and proper conduct in the classroom. Students whose behavior disrupts the class will be subject to removal and may be charged with a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Code of Conduct charges will be investigated by the Dean of Student Services. If the student behavior presents a concern for immediate safety of the student or members of the community, the student may be suspended until a hearing is held. Any student who is removed from a class against his/her will is entitled to a hearing.”

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:

Cell Phones: Making or taking calls during class is not permitted. Please turn cell phones off before coming to class. If you use your cell phone during class you will be asked to leave the room. If you think you might need your phone for an emergency, please let me know before class starts.

Coming Late/Leaving Early: Don’t. You are expected to be in class for the entire period. If you need to leave class for an emergency, please let me know and sit by the exit. If you are late for a test, you will NOT be given extra time or make-up time. Students who are more than 15 minutes late for a lecture/lab will be marked absent.

VISITING STUDENTS:

In order to transfer credit back to your home four-year institution, you will need to request RVCC to send a transcript to the school at the conclusion of your class. Use this link for help with transcript processing.

STATEMENT and POLICY on CHEATING, PLAGIARISM, and ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

Students are required to perform all of the work specified by the faculty, and they are responsible for the content and integrity of all academic work submitted. Students’ work must be their own, without exception. Students may not resubmit graded or purchased work from other courses or sources. Any use of legitimate outside resources must be appropriately cited in the work. Your professor has the authority to issue a failure on the paper, exam, assignment or course in which academic dishonesty was determined. Violations will be reported to the Divisional Dean and will result in warnings and penalties up to and including suspension and dismissal. Examples of academic dishonesty, acceptable outside resources, and citation methods are available from the RVCC Library. Some of these examples are if a student:

knowingly represents the work of others as his or her own,
uses or obtains unauthorized assistance in any academic work,
gives fraudulent assistance to another student, or
furnishes false information or engages in other misuse of college documents.

Please note:

Prelaboratory assignments and Lab Reports are graded and must be done by each student individually. You can talk to your lab partner about your results but students are not allowed to collaborate on their written work. In case such collaboration is discovered by the instructor, both students will receive 0 points on their work and a plagiarism report will be send to the Dean of Academic Affairs.

SUICIDE PREVENTION STATEMENT:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning. We care about your overall well-being and RVCC Counseling Services is here to help with any issues you may experience.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, personal distress, and/or addictions:

Counselors are available during business hours in the Advising and Counseling Services (ACS) suite, 1st Floor, College Center. Personal crises are a priority in ACS and all services are free and confidential.

For appointments, call (908)526-1200 x 8336 or email counselors at personalcounceling@raritanval.edu. Emails will not be checked outside of the hours of operation. After hours, or during college breaks or closures contact: Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services (PESS) at 908-526-4100 (24/7) or dial 911 and go to your nearest emergency room.

On and Off Campus Resources:

www.raritanval.edu/suicideprevention

N.J. HOPE LINE at 855-654-6735 for peer support and suicide prevention hotline;

REACH NJ at 844-732-2465 for help navigating/accessing treatment for addiction

CAMPUS RESOURCE CENTER AND FOOD PANTRY STATEMENT:

Any student who has difficulty accessing sufficient food to eat, stable housing, or meeting other basic needs, and believes this may affect performance in this course, is urged to contact me (your instructor) or the campus Resource Center for support.  The Resource Center and Food Pantry is located behind the Student Lounge/Game Room on the second floor of College Center, across from the cafeteria. For more information contact the Resource Center at resourcecenter@raritanval.edu; the Food Pantry at https://commons.raritanval.edu/academics/dept/hs/pantry/Pages/Services.aspx or food.pantry@raritanval.edu; or Advising and Counseling Services at acs@raritanval.edu.

CHILDCARE:

The Children’s Campus at RVCC offers on-campus childcare to student-parents while they go to class, study, complete coursework or work during the week. Spaces are limited. Call 908 – 231 – 8807 or visit their webpage for more information.

COVID response:

Raritan Valley Community College requires that all students, employees, and visitors wear masks when indoors and in the presence of other people. Any student who fails to comply with the mask requirement in this classroom will be asked to leave, with the option of returning if wearing a mask. (Masks are available from Security.) Refusal to wear a mask or cooperate with a request to leave the classroom may result in sanctions outlined in the Student Code of Conduct and/or removal by security. Please refer to RVCC's COVID response web page for more information.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon the completion of General Chemistry I the student will be able to:

Use stoichiometric calculations to balance and solve chemical equations including reactions in solutions and quantitative gas law problems.
Write electronic configurations for ground state atoms.
Demonstrate an understanding of periodic trends in atomic properties.
Draw Lewis structures and determine the geometry of covalent compounds.
Write IUPAC names for ionic and simple covalent compounds, and write formulas and structures from names.
Calculate changes in chemical energy including calorimetry and enthalpies.
Employ appropriate and safe laboratory techniques to perform experiments, collaborating with partners.
Report the results of laboratory experiments both on report sheets and in a laboratory notebook, performing quantitative calculations, and interpreting the results.

LECTURE, EXAM, AND LAB SCHEDULE – NEXT PAGE

CHEM 103 FALL 2021 LECTURE & LABORATORY SCHEDULE

Week of

Lecture Topic

Laboratory Experiment

8.30

(classes start 9.1)

Introduction

Ch 1 Essential Ideas

NO LAB, partial week

9.6 (Labor Day – no classes)

Ch 1 Essential Ideas

NO LAB, partial week

9.13

Ch 2 Atoms, Molecules and Ions

Check-In/Lab Introduction

Lab 01: Chemical Calculations

9.20

Ch 3 Electronic Structure

Lab 02: Exploration of Light

9.27

Ch 3 Electronic Structure

Ch 4 Molecular Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Lab 03: Periodic Trends

10.4

Ch 4 Molecular Bonding and Molecular Geometry

10.6 (Wednesday) Exam 1 Chapters 1, 2, 3

Lab 04: Lewis Structures

10.11

Ch 4 Molecular Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Ch 5 Advanced Theories of Bonding

Lab 05: Molecular Geometry

10.18

Ch 6 Composition of substances and Solutions

Lab 06: Chemical Formulas

10.25

Ch 7 Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions

Lab 07: Chemical Reactions

11.1

11.1 (Monday) Exam 2 Chapters 4, 5, 6

Ch 7 Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions

Lab 08: Metathesis Reactions

11.8

Ch 7 Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions

Ch 8 Gas Laws

11.17 Last Day to Withdraw

Lab 09: Redox Titrations

11.15

Ch 8 Gas Laws

Lab 10: The Gas Laws

11.22

11.22 (Monday) Exam 3 Chapters 7, 8

Wednesday – no classes

Thanksgiving Break

11.24 -27

Thanksgiving Break

11.24-27

No Lab – Partial week

11.29

Ch 9 Thermochemistry

Lab 11: Fuel Combustion and Calorimetry

12.6

Ch 9 Thermochemistry

Review

Check out

Review

12.13

Last day of classes - Monday 12.13

We will meet on Monday (6pm – 7:20pm, no lab) for the Final Review

Reading Day – Tuesday 12.14

Cumulative Final Exam,

December 15-21 (exact date and time – TBD)

Please Note: The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus and schedule with proper notice.

Withdrawal Schedule:

FULL TERM –

Last day to withdraw: to receive:

September 8…….….…………….………...…...100% refund

September 15…………………………………...... 50% refund

September 15………….…………… without course on record

After September 15………………………………... No refund

November 17…………………………………......a “W” grade

November 17......Change to an Audit with Instructor Approval

After November 17..………………………... No Withdrawals