The University of North Carolina at Pembroke 

Department of Chemistry and Physics

 

Course: CHM 1300-003, "General Chemistry I"

Term: Spring 2012 Semester                          

Meetings: MWF 8:00 am – 8:50 pm, SCI 3246

Office Hours: 2.00 pm-3.00 pm MWRF, 1.00 pm-2.00 pm T or by appointment

Professor:  Cornelia Tirla                  

 

Literature Resources:

class text – T. L. Brown; H.E LeMay, B.E, Bursten, "Chemistry: The Central Science" twelfth edition, Pearson Education, Inc.: NJ.
web literature - some useful resources are

 

Description: This course will be concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of matter, including stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure and theory, and chemical periodicity. 

 

Objectives: Consistent with the goals of the UNCP General Education Program (see p. 23 of the UNCP catalog), the activities associated with this course are designed to provide students an understanding of the fundamental principles of chemistry, to solve problems and to think critically and creatively.

Format: The conventional lecture format will be the primary teaching method employed in this course. Because of the importance of quantitative data manipulation in chemistry, students should bring scientific calculators to each class meeting to allow for participation in group problem-solving sessions.

 

Any student with a documented learning, physical, chronic health, psychological, visual or hearing disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester (preferably within the first week) as possible.  All discussions will remain confidential.  Please contact Disability Support Services,  DF Lowry Building, Room 103 or call 910-521-6695.

 

Course Requirements: Graded assignments for this course will include four preterm tests and a comprehensive final exam.  Pertinent questions and problems will frequently be suggested for work outside of class, though submission of these assignments is not required.

Evaluation/Grading: Graded assignments will be scored on a 100-point scale. Course grades will likewise be computed on a 100-point scale based on the average of the four preterm test scores (75% total) and the final exam (25%).  Letter grades for the course will be assigned according to the following scale:
100-95=A, 94-90=A-, 89-87=B+, 86-83=B, 82-80=B-, 79-77=C+, 76-73=C, 72-70=C-, 69-67=D+, 66-63=D, 62-60=D-, 59 and below=F
These letter grades will then be converted to the 4-point QPA scale by the University Registrar's Office prior to being recorded on student transcripts (see p. 41 of the UNCP catalog).

Dates

Chapters

Topics

January 9-13

Ch 1

Introduction, Matter and Measurement

January 18-23

Ch 2

Atoms, Molecules and Ions

January 25

Review 1

Ch 1 and 2

January 27

Test 1

Ch 1 and 2

January 30- February 3

Ch 3

Stoichiometry, Formulas and Equations

February 6-10

Ch 4

Aqueous Reactions and Solutions Stoichiometry

February 13

Review 2

Ch 3 and 4

February 15

Test 2

Ch 3 and 4

February 17-22

Ch 5

Thermochemistry

February 24-29

Ch 6

Electronic Structure of Atoms

March 2

Review 3

Ch 5 and 6

March 12

Test 3

Ch 5 and 6

March 14-19

Ch 7

Periodic Proprieties of the elements

March 21-26

Ch 8

Basic concepts of chemical bonding

March 28

Review 4

Ch 7-8

March 30

Test 4

Ch 7-8

April 2-9

Ch 9

Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories

April 11-16

Ch 10

Gases

April 18-27

Review 5

Ch 1-10

April 30-May 4

 

Final test

 

Attendance:   Poor attendance typically results in poor performance on graded assignments and, consequently, low course grades.  Though attendance per se is not factored into this course's grading scheme, students will be required to sign an attendance roster at each class meeting for purely bookkeeping purposes.  As CHM 1300 is a course included in the UNCP General Education curriculum, the policy regarding excessive absence reporting will be followed (see pp. 49-50 of the UNCP catalog). For religious holiday policy please refer to the following website for details: http://www.uncp.edu/chem_phy/religiousholidaypolicy.pdf.

Honor Code:  Students are expected to follow the UNCP Honor Code (see pp. 49-51 of the UNCP catalog); settled cases involving first-offense violation of the Honor Code will result in a minimum penalty of course failure.