Chemistry 1411 –General Chemistry I
Katy Campus, CRN 56002, Fall 2011
Instructor: Dr. Ying Wang Phone: 713-718-5857
Email: ying.wang1@hccs.edu
Time: Monday 2:00-5:00PM, Wednesday 2:00-5:00PM
Room: Lab Monday: room 310, Lecture Wednesday: room 360B
Prerequisite: one year of high school chemistry and MATH 1314
Credit: 4 (3 lecture, 3 lab)
Course Description: Science and engineering majors study atomic structure, chemical reactions,
thermodynamics, electronic configuration, chemical bonding, molecular structure, gases, states
of matter, and properties of solutions.
The laboratory includes appropriate experiments.
Text book: Chemistry by Chang, the 10th edition
You may use 9th edition for this text.
Useful links:
Free Textbook HomePage: http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/chemistry/chang/index.mhtml
Choose 9th edition; then select “Resources” for free materials (animations, tutorials, quizzes)
ChemSkilBuilder: Codes are furnished with new textbooks:
http://www.chemskillbuilder.com/html/index.html
Lab-book: Chemistry 1411 Laboratory manual by HCCS
Class Policies:
1. If a student needs to drop the course, it is the responsibility of the student to follow the correct
procedure and deadline(s) to officially drop or withdraw from the course (details are
available in the HCCS schedule handbook). A student will receive an “F” in the course if
fails to officially drop or withdraw from the course. A ‘W’ cannot be awarded after the
official drop or withdrawal date.
2. Students are expected to attend classes regularly. A student may be withdrawn if the
absences exceed 12.5% of the hours of instruction (including lecture and laboratory time).
The course cannot be completed if the absences exceed more than 2 weeks in a11-week of
instructional period.
3. Students should work independently on all the assignments and exams delivered in the class
(unless instructed to work in-groups). In case of scholastic dishonesty (any type of cheating,
copying, stealing, bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered etc.), no
credit will be given for the particular assignment and the student may receive an "F" in the
course.
4. Free tutoring is available to students for all the chemistry courses. Details can be obtained
from the chemistry department.
5. Students with Disabilities: “Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations and/or
modifications must contact the Disability Service Office (713-718-5422) at the beginning of
each semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only accommodations and /or
modification requested by the Disability Support Services Office.”
6. Student Discipline: Adult and responsible behavior is expected. Disruptive behavior/activities
which interfere with teaching and/or learning will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal
from class and administrative withdrawal without refund.
7. Electronics in the Classroom: In HCC-NW the default policy is that devices are to be turned
off completely (see signs in the classroom). All cell phones and other electronic devices must
be turned off unless I specifically approve of them. Note that ‘off” does not mean on vibrate
or mute.
Lab Details
1. No make-up labs are allowed. Students must watch safety video during the first lab of class.
Students who missed the Videotape: Starting with Safety reserved in the library must take the
written Safety exam to meet the requirement Safety goggle must be worn at all times in the lab
2. For any unpredictable or uncontrollable absence due to illness, you must bring physician’s
note to avoid point deduction of your lab. Please be aware that both working overtime including
business trip and personal leisure travel do not qualify you of avoiding point deduction of lab nor
having an excuse to have a make-up lab and test.
3. The lab work is 18% of the overall grade. The lab reports need to be submitted to the
instructor for grading. (One lowest grade will be dropped.)
3.1 Complete lab report has 3 parts: (18 pts)
 Pre-lab report: Write the title, the purpose and simple procedure for the experiments to be
performed on that day and answer any assigned lab questions if any. It needs to be completed
before starting the labs. (3pts)
 In-lab: Your attendance and performance will be monitored. In lab section, there will be point
deduction for tardiness (15 min. or longer), early departure without finishing the lab or
instructor’s approval, and not cleaning up the lab benches and hoods, dumping chemicals in
sinks/trash cans), and safety violations as well as excessive chemical usage. In addition, eating,
drinking and horse playing are not allowed in the lab. (7 pts)
 Post-lab report: Write all the observations, data sheet, calculations, results, and discussion.
This includes answering assigned lab questions, if any. (8pts)
Lab report (PRE-LAB AND POST-LAB REPORT) is due either same day of the lab completion or the
following lab period.
4. Students will work in lab individually or in-groups. Each student has to submit an individual
lab report on assigned due date. Late assignments may not be accepted and a grade of zero may
be awarded for the experiment.
5. There is no formal lab exam. Lab grades will be assigned on punctuality, attendance, work
ethics, completion of the experiment, and the lab report.
6. All students working in chemistry labs should be aware of the inherent dangers, which exist
even though the instructor has taken utmost precautions. It is therefore important for each
student to behave responsibly and report any irresponsible behavior to the instructor. Students
guilty of irresponsible behavior will receive an ‘F’ in class.
7. Only experiments that are assigned by the instructor are to be performed. All other
experiments are prohibited.
8. Any accident in lab, no matter how slight, must be reported to the instructor immediately.
Exams
There will be total of 5 exams (4 inter-session tests and 1 final exam). For any missed test, no
make-up test will be given. Out of 4 inter-session tests, lowest grade will be dropped. A system
wide final exam will be given. Final exam is cumulative and attendance at final exam is
mandatory. An absence at final exam will result in a ‘F’ grade in the course.
Homework: It is very important to do the homework, which counts 2% of your overall grade.
Although they will not be graded, you must turn in your homework to get credit. The home work
is due one week after it was assigned. The answers to homework will be posted one week later.
Make-up Policy: No make-up allowed for any test, any lab and the final.
Grading Policy:
Three out of four tests: 60%; System final; 20%;
Lab: 18% (drop one lowest score); Homework: 2%;
Grading scale:
90-----100 A; 80-----89 B; 70-----79 C; 60-----69 D; Below 60 F
Incomplete Grade (I):
An incomplete grade can be awarded under extraordinary circumstances, only when 90% of the
course has been completed. For example, at the end of the semester, if you miss one exam, one
lab or the final exam due to sudden illness, family emergency, catastrophic accident etc., you can
request for incomplete grade with proper documentation.
The student must sign a written contract prior to the ‘I’ is given. Without paperwork no
Incomplete will be given. If the missing work is not completed with in the specified time, a
grade of ‘F’ will be awarded. An Incomplete grade does not allow a student to retake the entire
course to improve their grades.
Course Calendar and Content:
Date
Week 1:
08/29/11
08/31/11
Week 2:
09/05/2011
09/07/2011
Week 3:
09/12/2011
09/14/2011
Week 4:
09/19/2011
09/21/2011
Week 5:
09/26/2011
09/28/2011
Week 6:
10/03/2011
10/05/2011
Week 7:
10/10/2011
10/12/2011
Week 8:
10/17/2011
10/19/2011
Topics to be covered
Introduction and Syllabus, Lab Safety
Chapter 1, Practice of Chapter 1;
No class
Chap 2;
Practice of chap2, Exp1
Chap 3
Practice of chap3, Exp2
Chap 4
Test #1 (Chapter 1, 2 and 3)
Practice chap4, Chap 5
Chap 5, Exp 3
Practice of chap5
Exp 4, Exp5
Chap 6
Test #2 (Chapters 4, 5)
Practice of chap6, chap7
Week 9:
10/24/2011 Exp6, Exp7
10/26/2011 Chap7, practice of chap7
Week 10:
10/31/2011 Chap 8, Exp 8
11/02/2011 Chap 8, Practice of chap8
(11/03/2011 Last Day for Administrative/ Student Withdrawals- 4:30pm)
Week 11:
11/07/2011 Test # 3 (Chapter 6 & 7)
11/09/2011 Chap 9
Week 12:
11/14/2011 Exp11
11/16/2011 Practice of chap 9, Chap 10
Week 13:
11/21/2011 Test # 4 (Chapters 8, 9)
11/23/2011 Chap 10, practice of chap10
Week 14:
11/28/2011 Exp13, Exp 14
11/30/2011 Chap 11
Week 15:
12/05/2011 Practice of chap11, Exp14
12/07/2011 Final review, Last day of instruction
Week 16:
12/14/2011(Wed)
Final Exam
*This tentative schedule is subjected to change.
Safety Lecture and Lab Safety Quiz
Exp 1: Measuring Techniques and Calculations
Exp 3: Separation of the Components of a Mixture
Exp 4: Identification of substances by physical properties
Exp 6: Formula of a Hydrate
Exp 7: The iron copper molar ratio, single replacement reactions
Exp 8: Reactions in aqueous solution, Single and double replacement reactions
Exp 9: Reactions of metals
Exp 11: Heat of acid base neutralization
Exp 13: Ideal Gas Law, Determination of molar mass
Exp 14: The VESPR Theory (not a wet lab)