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Course Syllabus -- General Chemistry I Chemistry 211, Section 003 Fall Semester, 2011 Instructor: Dr. David A. Kort Office: 357, Science and Tech. I or 405, Science and Tech. I E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (703) 993-1077 or (703) 993-1073 Office Hours: TBA, or by specific appointment (Most Wed. and Thurs. mornings) Required Text: "Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change", 6th Ed., Silberberg Location/Time: Science and Tech II, Rm. 7, Mondays, 7:20 – 10:00 PM General Remarks: This course is the first in a two-semester sequence, designed to be taken by chemistry majors or those pursuing scientific or engineering disciplines. The textbook is your primary source for greater background and understanding of items presented in lecture. Note that simply attending lecture, and doing nothing individually outside of lecture, cannot possibly lead to success in the course. Due to the once a week format of this section, many items will not receive the coverage they might otherwise in a two- or three-lecture per week format. It is therefore incumbent upon you, the student, to invest the necessary out of class time to acquire the skills needed to perform well on exams, in-class and on-line quizzes, homework, etc. The Chemistry Department staffs and maintains a testing and tutoring center (Basement Level, S&T 1) which is open throughout the week. There you will find additional help, from students who have successfully completed chemistry courses in the past. I highly encourage you to make use of this resource. Computer homework assignments can be done from any working Internet connection, and is available 24 hours a day at this URL: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/chemistry/genchem.html. Class attendance is 'mandatory', in the sense that your attending all scheduled class meetings can only help to improve your overall performance. See Exams and Quizzes below for further benefits of regular class attendance. It is ultimately up to you, not to an individual instructor, to do what needs to be done in terms of studying, review, questioning, and if necessary seeking extra help. A measured, consistent approach to the course material, including daily review and study, has proven to be the most effective way to success in chemistry. The Chemistry Department hosts regular seminars, usually every Thursday at 4:30 PM. Speakers and topics can be found under "Seminars" on the Chemistry and Biochemistry home page. Your attendance is encouraged. APPROXIMATE COURSE GRADE BREAK-DOWN BY PERCENTAGE (There is no “class curve”, so assume these cut off values to be ACCURATE) Course total percentage greater than 88% A 76% B 64% C 54% DApproximate Lecture Schedule: Date Text Chapter Topics (in brief) Extras Aug. 29 Chapter 1 Course Intro, study of matter, units, etc. Handouts Sept. 5 LABOR DAY NO CLASS Sept. 12 Chapter 2 Properties and Classifications of Matter Quiz #1 Sept. 19 Chapter 3 Atoms, Molecules, Formulas, etc Sept. 26 Chapter 3, 4 Moles, Stoichiometry, Reactions, etc Quiz #2 Oct. 3 EXAM #1 Chapters 1-3, part of 4 covered in lecture Oct. 10 TUESDAY CLASS—COLUMBUS DAY. Finish Ch. 4 Oct. 17 Chapter 5 Empirical Gas Laws Quiz #3 Oct. 24 Chapter 6 Thermochemistry Oct. 31 Chapter 7 Quantum Laws, Electronic Configuration Quiz #4 Nov. 7 EXAM #2 Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 Nov. 14 Chapter 8 Periodic Properties of the Elements Nov. 21 Chapter 9 Structure and Bonding, Lewis Structures Nov. 28 Chapter 10 Molecular Geometry and VSEPR Quiz #5 Dec. 5 Chapter 11 Bonding Theory, Course Review Quiz #6 Dec. 12 READING DAY—OPTIONAL, TOTAL COURSE REVIEW LECTURE COURSE FINAL EXAM: Monday, December 19th, Science and Tech 2, Rm 7, 7:30-9:20 PM. Standardized, ACS-Approved Multiple Choice Cumulative Exam, TIMED. Grading: The following point structure will determine your final grade in the course: Exams (3 at 150 pts ea.) 450 points 52.02% Computer Homework 10 pts. ea., 8 pts. ea. 80 pts. capped 9.25% Laboratory (normalized to 215 pts) 24.86% In Class Quizzes@15 pts. ea. 120 points 13.87% Total 975 points 100% Exams and Quizzes: You are required to provide your own pencils, pens, scratch paper, and NON-PROGRAMMABLE, NON-ALPHANUMERIC CALCULATOR. No sharing of calculators will be permitted. No laptop computers may be used during exams. Cell phones are to be TURNED OFF during exams. Violations of any of the above are honor code infractions, and will be dealt with accordingly. Make-up exams will not be given. All exam scores will count toward the final grade. Make sure you understand this NOW, to avoid potential problems LATER Exams will be given IN CLASS, during the ordinary Monday night lecture time. No exceptions without extraordinary circumstances, cleared in advance (if possible) by your instructor. The Honor Code will be strictly enforced during all in-class exams, including the final. You will be made aware at those times, of other specific guidelines as pertains to exam-taking. Violators to any exam rules will be reported promptly and vigorously pursued.Laboratory: A passing grade (at least 60%), and satisfactory assignments turned in on time for 10 of 12 lab experiments must also be attained in the laboratory component of the course. A failing grade in lab automatically causes a failing grade in the lecture. The laboratory percentage, therefore, is a major component of the lecture grade. Due to the large number of students in CH 211, all officially enrolled lab students must be present at the start of their scheduled lab period, up to the final add/drop date. Late arrivers or non-attending students will be dropped from lab, and their slot assigned to a student on a waiting list, or on a first come first served basis. Each laboratory instructor assigns to each student a score according to the percentage of total points earned throughout the semester. You should be advised that concepts and techniques learned in lab are, in a sense, "carried over" and are expected to be 'common knowledge' in later laboratory courses. Students who have completed CH 211 Lab (or equivalent) in a previous semester and who scored above the section average may waive the lab requirement. Those who earned


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MASON CHEM 211 - Syllabus

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