MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT RED MOUNTAIN

PHYSICAL SCIENCE DIVISION

 

 

Fundamental Chemistry  (CHM 138) Syllabus – Fall 2009

3 Credits                          Section :                                                         27059

Meeting time:                    M/W/F  11:00 am – 11:50 am                            Room:   RDM P205

Prerequisites:                    None

 

Dr. James Giles

Office:                 Red Mountain  P237                                                     Webpage:  www.mc.maricopa.edu/~jgiles  

e-mail:                 jgiles@mail.mc.maricopa.edu

Phone:                 Faculty Secretary:  480- 654-7734                                   Office:  480-654-7718                

Office Hours:       M/R/F: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm; T:  12:00 noon - 2:00 pm;  W: 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Tutoring Center:   M: 4:30-5:30;  R:  12:00 noon- 1:00 pm

 

TEXTBOOK:  The required text book for this course is An Introduction to General, Organic & Biological Chemistry,  10th edition, written by Karen Timberlake.  The book is available in the campus bookstore.

 

CALCULATOR:  Students will find calculators to be indispensable tools in this course.  A good calculator, capable of all basic math and exponential functions should be available for homework and exams.

 

STUDY HINTS:  There is no substitute for lecture attendance and good notetaking.  The student will find that regular review of class notes, along with text study, will provide good all-around preparation for quizzes and tests.  It is important to keep current and study on a regular basis.  In addition, for each chapter assigned, the student should thoroughly read the assigned chapter material and work the assigned problems at the end of the chapter.  Although homework will not be collected, the process of doing it will provide an excellent learning review.   The student should master the terms and concepts found in bold in the text.  Many students find it useful to rewrite lecture notes soon after class, and to outline the book chapters as they are studied.  These rewrittten notes and outlines can be very useful study tools.

 

HOMEWORK:  The problems assigned in each chapter should be worked, but they are for the student's benefit and will not be collected.

 

ATTENDANCE:  The Maricopa Community College District requires class attendance.  More than three unexcused absences may result in a student being dropped from the course.  Although attendance is required, the instructor is aware that unavoidable situations, such as illness, transporation problems, family emergencies, etc., may arise that require a student to miss a class.  In the event of such an emergency, the student should call one of the phone numbers listed above the same day of the scheduled class, and the absence will not be counted against the student.  If an exam is missed due to an unexcused absence, a make-up test will only be given at the discretion of the instructor.  Make-up exams will only be available for one week following the administration of the original test.

 

CLASSROOM HONESTY AND INTEGRITY:  Nothing says more about a person than his or her honesty and integrity.  Since students compete with one another for grades and positions in degree and training programs, cheating is considered a serious offense.  Students should consult with the student handbook or the catalog to review the policies and consequences of cheating.  Rather than resort to such tactics, a student should contact the instructor and see if some extra help may resolve any problems in the course.

 

DISABILITY ACCOMODATION:  If a student requires special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Deborah Spadafore at (480) 654-7770 at Disability Resource Services in the specialized student service area in the Mesquite building of the Red Mountain campus. Be assured that I am willing to make any reasonable accommodations for limitations due to any professionally diagnosed disability, including diagnosed learning disabilities. However, no special accommodations can be provided until a completed Instructor Notification form is received by your instructor from Disability Resource Services. Please note that it is the responsibility of the student to make all necessary arrangements in order for accommodations to be provided.

 

MCC Early Alert Program (EARS)

 

Mesa Community College is committed to the success of all our students.  Numerous campus support services are available throughout your academic journey to assist you in achieving your educational goals.  MCC has adopted an Early Alert Referral System (EARS) as part of a student success initiative to aid students in their educational pursuits.  Faculty and Staff participate by alerting and referring students to campus services for added support.  Students may receive a follow up call from various campus services as a result of being referred to EARS.  Students are encouraged to participate, but these services are optional.  

 

Early Alert Web Page with Campus Resource Information can be located at:  http://www.mesacc.edu/students/ears 

or at the ÒEarly AlertÓ selection at the mymcc link from MCCÕs home page.

 

LECTURE TAPING:  Students, if they desire, are welcome to tape lectures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHM138 COURSE OUTLINE*                                           Chapter                Pages

 

 

I.             Measurements                                                              1                              all

 

 

II.            Energy and Matter                                                        2                              all

 

 

III.                 Atoms and Elements                                                                                3                                             all

 

 

IV.           Compounds and Their Bonds                                         4                              all

 

 

                                       EXAM 1                                    September 25                   

 

 

V.            Chemical Reactions and Quantities                                  5                              all

 

 

VI.           Gases                                                                         6                              all

 

 

VII.          Solutions                                                                    7                              all

 

 

VIII.         Acids and Bases                                                           8                               all

 

                                       EXAM 2                                      October 30

 

 

IX.           Introduction to Organic Chemistry:  Alkanes                     10                             all

 

 

X.            Unsaturated Hydrocarbons                                              11                             all

 

 

XI.           Biological Molecules                                                 Various                        TBA

 

 

 

                                       EXAM 3                                      Dececmber 9 

 

 

 

                                       FINAL EXAM                              Monday, Dec. 15,  at  11:00 am – 12:50 am

 

 

 

 

* Please note that topic order and exam dates may be changed at the instructor's discretion

 

ASSIGNED PROBLEMS:

 

Though the problems will not be turned in, the instructor will identify appropriate problems and questions at the end of each chapter for study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*GRADING:

Grades in this course will be based upon quizes, exams and one comprehensive final exam.

 

                      Guidelines:

 

                      A.      Chapter quizzes will be given at the end of each chapter. Each quiz will be worth 10 points.

                               These quizzes will  be scored on scantron answer sheets, which are available in the bookstore.

                      B.      Students missing a quiz due to absence will be given a score of zero. 

                               No make-up quizzes will be given.

                      C.      The best ten quiz scores will be counted to give a total of 100 points

                               possible.

                      D.      The best two of three regular exams will be counted to give a total of 200

                               points possible.

                      E.      A comprehensive final, worth 200 points, will be given.

 

                                                                           Possible Points

 

 

                               Best 10 quizes                                       =                               100 pts

 

                               Best two of three exams                           =                               200 pts

 

                               One comprehensive final                          =                               200 pts

                                                                                                                           ______

 

                               Total                                                   =                               500 pts

 

 

                          Grading Scale:

 

                               A  =  90%

                               B  =  80%

                               C  =  70%

                               D  =  60%

                               F   =  Below 60%

 

 

SCORE RECORD:

 

                  Quiz 1      _____                         Quiz 8      _____                         Exam 1        _______

                  Quiz 2      _____                         Quiz 9      _____                         Exam 2        _______

                  Quiz 3      _____                         Quiz 10    _____                         Exam 3        _______

                  Quiz 4      _____                         Quiz 11    _____                         Exam 4        _______

                  Quiz 5      _____                         Quiz 12    _____

                  Quiz 6      _____                                                                         Final Exam  _______

                  Quiz 7      _____                        

                 

 

*Note:  Mesa Community College has a strict policy that forbids the posting of grades.  If you wish to know your final grade before it is mailed to you, you can provide me with a stamped self-addressed envelope or postcard, and I will mail the information to you.