Chem 123 Intro to Biochemistry
Syllabus S13
Instructor: Ruth Russo (Office 43, 524-5232, ruth.russo@wwcc.edu)
Office Hours: 11:30 to 12:30 pm, M, T, F. Otherwise, if my office door is open, I’m happy to talk with you. Some days
you can come by the lab and catch me there. Send me an email if I’m not around.
Place/Time: Room 222. M, T, Th, F 10:30-11:20 am (lecture). W 10:30 am-12:20 pm (lab, Room 227).
Texts: Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry. Bettelheim, et al., 9/e, 2010. Laboratory Experiments for
Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry. Bettelheim and Landesberg, 7/e, 2010. Also required: a scientific
calculator and side vented laboratory goggles (available in the bookstore).
Prerequisites: C122, Introduction to Organic Chemistry, or instructor’s permission.
Description: A brief survey of biochemical principles. Topics include structure, function and chemistry for
biomolecules, enzymatic catalysis, metabolic pathways, genetic expression, and biotechnology. Lab work required.
Prerequisite: CHEM& 122. Formerly CHEM 109, Biochemistry for Health Sciences.
Learning Outcomes: upon passing this class, a student will be able to:
 Distinguish, on the basis of structure and function:
o Carbohydrates—simple carbohydrates, oligosaccharides, starch, glycogen and oligosaccharides.
o Lipids—triglycerides, membrane lipids, mediators of inflammation, and steroids.
o Proteins—fibrous and globular proteins, and enzymes.
o DNA and RNA.
 Interpret graphs of optimal enzymatic activity and predict the action of competitive and noncompetitive
inhibitors.
 Compare the actions of common neurotransmitters and hormones.
 Utilize the major biochemical categories to explain the steps in genetic replication, gene expression, and
protein synthesis.
 Describe how energy gets produced for the cell, by relating the roles of fuel molecules, enzymes, coenzymes,
and subcellular compartments to glycolysis, beta-oxidation, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative
phosphorylation.
 Match the names of drugs, microbes, genetic variations, or biochemical structures discussed in class with
the appropriate disease state or healthy physiologic function.
 Demonstrate the safe use of laboratory glassware, equipment and reagents in order to synthesize,
characterize or separate simple biochemical compounds from natural products.
Assigned Work
Exams (59%)
Labs (29%)
Homework (~11%)
Total Points
3
7 sets, Lowest 1 score dropped
7 sets, Lowest 1 score dropped
Each
100
25
10
Total
300
150
60
510
Illness Policies for Graded Work:
 If you miss a lab or exam due to illness or other emergency, you must contact me that day by email or phone to
let me know you will need to make up the lab or exam.
 Not all labs may be made up, however, due to constraints of safety, space, time, or reagents. Therefore, one lab
score can be dropped for any reason.
 If you miss a homework assignment due to illness or other emergency, you may not make this up. Therefore, one
homework score can be dropped for any reason.
Exams: the dates are shown on the course schedule. If you have a legitimate scheduling conflict you must make
arrangements with me at least three days before the exam in order to receive an alternate time.
Labs:
1. The due dates for Prelabs, Results, Questions and Post-labs are on the schedule.
2. Wear closed-toe shoes and long pants to every lab. Bring your laboratory goggles. If you forget, I may not allow you
to work that day, depending upon the nature of the experiment, and you will receive a zero for that lab.
3. Labs either come from Handouts on the Angel shell, or from the hard-copy Lab Manual.
4. When assigned, Prelabs are always due at the beginning of lab. I want you to make a good-faith effort at answering all
the questions before you walk into lab, most importantly so that you know what you don’t know! I will check that you
completed the Prelab before you begin working.
5. The Experiments, consisting of Prelabs, Results, Questions and Postlabs, are due either as you leave lab or on the next
day, as listed in the syllabus.
6. Labs are each worth 25 points. The points are earned as follows:
a. Prelab done prior to lab (5 points)
b. Attendance (5 points)
c. Clean-up and esprit-de-corps (5 points)
d. Content of Prelabs, Results, Questions and Postlabs (10 points)
Graded Homework: the homework assignments (10 points each) are due as listed on the schedule. They consist of two
parts: ungraded practice problems and graded problems.
1. Ungraded Practice Problems (5 points). I want to see evidence that you have attempted the problems that I suggest
from the end-of-chapter problems. Most of these have answers in the back of the book, but I want to see your sketches,
attempts, calculations, etc. These can be “sloppy copies.” Staple these to the Graded Problems.
2. Graded Problems (5 points): these will be end-of-chapter problems (or problems that I make up) that don’t have
answers in the back of the book. These are problems that show me whether or not you understand concepts,
calculations, and information prior to the exams.
3. Homework assignments will be posted on the Angel shell for each chapter, found under the “lessons” tab.
Accommodations: To request accommodations related to a disability, contact Claudia Angus, Ph.D., Coordinator of
Disability Support Services, at 527-4262 or email claudia.angus@wwcc.edu. Accommodations can include note takers,
extra time on exams, etc.
Etiquette: Please be courteous to your fellow students and me. 1) Please do not answer your cell phone or text during
class. If you absolutely need to be in contact for family or work reasons, set the phone to vibrate and take the call outside
the door. 2) Please do not be consistently late for class. If you have transportation issues, let me know. 3) Please do your
best for your lab partner and everyone else in the lab. You are mutually responsible for the success of the lab pair, and the
safety of everyone relies upon you!
Grading Scale: the grading scale below depicts the highest “floors” for each category that I predict. For example, if you
have a 93% on all work, you would receive an A, while someone with 92% on all work would receive an A-. I reserve the
right to lower the floors at the end of the quarter based upon both student and instructor performance relative to years past.
In this case, the 92% might merit an A if I have designed especially difficult exams, e.g.
Percent
Letter Grade
4 point scale
93-100
A
4.0
90-92.9
A3.7
87-89.9
B+
3.3
83-86.9
B
3
80-82.9
B2.7
77-79.9
C+
2.3
73-76.9
C
2
70-72.9
C1.7
67-69.9
D+
1.3
60-66.9
D
1
0-59.9
F
0
After week 2, your grades will be available to you in real time on the Angel shell. Prior to the end of week 2, there are not
enough data in the gradebook for the percentage to make sense.
Withdrawal Policy
You may withdraw from the course without a grade through May 17. After this date, you will receive a grade whether or
not you continue to attend class.
Extra Help
The most successful chemistry students are the ones who plug away with a determined work ethic. Asking for help early
and often is a wise and strategic move. Come see me often. I love students who ask a lot of questions. Dr. Laura Schueller
in the Tutoring Center is also an excellent resource (in addition to being brilliant, she brings treats to the tutoring center on
Fridays). The Tutoring Center hires a chemistry-specialist tutor early in the quarter, so introduce yourself and visit him or
her often. You can also direct questions to Keenan Failing in the Stockroom, especially if it deals with aqueous chemistry.
We are all here to help you succeed.
Academic Honesty: cheating and/or plagiarism will incur a penalty ranging from F on the assignment, to failing the course
or being expelled from the college. See www.wwcc.edu Current StudentsStudent ResourcesStudent
PoliciesStudent Code of Conduct.
Schedule: we shall be following the attached calendar. It may be modified due to circumstances beyond my control. My
suggestion is to carry it in your backback or notebook and refer to it weekly, to plan your studying, and daily, to see what is
due tomorrow.
The Angel Shell for our class: we have an online “shell” in the Angel system. This serves three major functions:
1. I post all my handouts, power points, and keys (the correct answers for homeworks, labs, and tests) on the Angel shell
for our classroom. Some students like to print out the power points for each chapter to take notes upon, and ALL
students ought to look at the keys before exams.
2. You can look at your grades as soon as I enter in your points for each assignment. It is pretty meaningless until Week
3 but then it is quite useful.
3. I prefer to have all email communication done through the Angel Shell, since it automatically creates an email list for
our class. If I need to make corrections, additions, announcements, etc., I will send these out via the Angel email.
Most importantly, if I get SICK and can’t come in, I will try to give you some advanced warning from home via this
list.
Please plan to check the site once a day during the term OR set up the Angel email to forward to your preferred email or
phone. See below for directions.
GETTING STARTED IN ANGEL ONLINE
Logging On Two Ways
Single Sign-On
MyWWCC
Skip Announcements
Your Personal Page/QuickLinks/Angel/WAOL Online Class/Will take you to your home page/Click on our class
Via URL
http://angel.wwcc.edu (Nota Bene: no “www”)
Your username: 814. . . ./Your password: last five letters of last name, or full last name (No apostrophes, no hyphens)
Will take you to your home page/Click on our class
System Check
There is a system check box on the main Course page. You need to click on any items that have red check marks and enable or add these components
under your preferences. Pop-ups, especially, need to be enabled.
Lessons
Course content, like handouts and homework solutions, will live here. “Lessons” is one of the main header tabs.
Communicate
To have your Angel mail forward to an email address that you do check frequently:
Communicate (one of the main header tabs)
Course Mail
View Inbox
Preferences (upper right)
Forward to Internet email
Please select “forward mail and keep as new”/Enter your email/Save button @ bottom of page
Grades
Your grades, both overall and by category, are available here as soon as I enter them.
Grades (one of the main header tabs)
Report Settings
Category: select “grades”/Your name should show as “user”/Select RUN in lower right
SCHEDULE C123 SPRING 2013
MONDAY
LECTURE
TUESDAY
LECTURE
WEDNESDAY
LAB
THURSDAY
LECTURE
FRIDAY
LECTURE
Week 1: 4/15
Ch. 20
Carbohydrates
Ch. 20
Carbohydrates
Expt. 32: Carbs.
Due: Prelab
Ch. 20
Carbohydrates.
Due: Carbs Lab
Ch. 20
Carbohydrates
Week 2: 4/812
Homework day.
Due: Ch. 20 HW.
Ch. 21 Lipids
Expt. 35: Hand
Cream. Due:
Prelab
Ch. 21 Lipids.
Due: Cream Lab
Ch. 21 Lipids
Ch. 21 Lipids
Homework day.
Due: Ch. 21
HW.
Review: Ch. 20
and 21. No Lab.
Exam I: Ch. 20
and 21 Testing
Center
no class
Ch. 22: Proteins
Ch. 22: Proteins
Expt. 38: Amino
Acid
Chromatography.
Due: Prelab
Ch. 22: Proteins.
Due: AA Chrom
Lab
Ch. 22: Proteins
Ch. 22: Proteins
Homework Day.
Due: Ch. 22
HW.
Expt. 40: Casein.
Due: Prelab
Ch. 23 Enzymes.
Due: Casein Lab.
Ch. 23: Enzymes
Week 6: 5/610
Ch. 23: Enzymes
Ch. 23:
Enzymes
Expt. 41:
Enzymes. Due:
Prelab
Ch. 23: Enzymes.
Due: Enzyme Lab
Homework Day.
Due: Ch. 23 HW
Week 7:
5/13-17
Review: Ch. 22
and 23
Exam II: Ch.
22 and 23
Advising Day-No Lab
Ch. 24:
Neurotransmitters
and Hormones
Ch. 24:
Neurotransmitters
and Hormones
Ch. 25/26:
Nucleotides and
Gene Expression
Week 3:
4/15-19
Week 4:
4/22-26
Week 5:
4/29-5/3
Week 8:
5/20-24
Week 9:
5/27-31
Ch. 24:
Neurotransmitters
and Hormones
Homework day.
Due: Ch. 24
HW.
Expt. 47:
Vitamin C. Due:
prelab
Ch. 25/26:
Nucleotides and
Gene Expression.
Due: Vitamin C
lab
Memorial Day--no
class
Ch. 25/26:
Nucleotides and
Gene Expression
Expt. 43: Onion
DNA. Due:
prelab
Ch. 25/26:
Nucleotides and
Gene Expression.
Due: Onion Lab
Homework Day.
Due: Ch. 25/26
HW
Ch. 27:
Bioenergetics
Ch. 27:
Bioenergetics
Ch. 27:
Bioenergetics.
Week 10:
6/3-7
Ch. 27:
Bioenergetics
Ch. 27:
Bioenergetics
Meet in
classroom/Check
out
Week 11:
6/10-14
Homework day.
Due: Ch. 27 HW.
Review: Ch.
24, 25/26, and
27
Exam III:
10:30-12:30