CH137—General Chemistry I
Baker University Fall 2023
Instructor, Dr. Jamin Perry
E-mail: jamin.perry@bakeru.edu
Office: 301 Mulvane
Phone: 594-8326
Office Hours: MWF: 10:30-11:20 & TR 1:30-2:20, or by appointment
Texts and Materials
Textbook: Chemistry: The Central Science 13th ed., Brown, et al., Pearson Education, 2014.
Older editions (11 & 12th) are acceptable substitutions for the 13th edition.
Scientific or graphing calculator (phone, tablet and PC calculators cannot be used for exams)
Homework: Access to the Achieve website.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the principles and applications of inorganic chemistry. Topics include the
structure of atoms and molecules; chemical stoichiometry; aqueous chemistry; atomic spectra, chemical
bonding, and molecular structure; periodic properties; properties of gases, liquids, and solutions; and
elementary thermodynamics.
Disclaimer: The Common-Sense Rule
All policies and rules and stuff about this class assume we will all adhere to some level of common sense.
Small typing errors, mistakes, and general skullduggery, etc., will not be a point of contention or an
acceptable loophole. For example, a typo of the year 2022 in which an assignment is due, since you are
attending class in the Fall of 2023 common sense should tell you that the assignment is due now, not in
2022, and you are still responsible for it
The instructor reserves the right to amend this syllabus at any point during the semester, with notification
of changes being made in a timely fashion.
Requirements
Class attendance is an important factor for being successful in this course, and while it is expected and will
be recorded, it is not explicitly a component of the course grade. The university and additional course
policies regarding the COVID-19, and other infectious diseases, found at the end of this syllabus will be
followed for the duration of the fall term.
In extreme circumstances, the professor reserves the right to modify the course requirements and policies
with the approval of the impacted student. If the modification effects the entire class, a syllabus revision or
addendum will be made.
CH105: Problem Seminar
This course is an optional, supplemental course for 100 and 200-level chemistry courses. The objective of
CH105 is to help chemistry students learn course material and succeed in chemistry. CH 105 uses lectures,
practice problems, and interactive problem-solving sessions to support student learning. This course is
repeatable for up to 4 credit hours. Co-requisite: Enrollment in any Chemistry Course below the 300-level.
The problems seminar course can be enrolled in by interested students during the first week of class for
the 1st-half, or at midterm for the 2nd-half of the semester. Again, the goal of CH105 is to provide students
with an additional low-stakes, structured setting for learning chemistry.
Homework
Chemistry is a full contact activity when it comes mastering the subject and homework is an important part
of this effort. Required homework will be assigned throughout the semester using the Achieve website.
Access can be purchased directly from the publisher website and two semester access is recommended if
you are planning on taking CH138. Since this work is online and the due dates will be clearly stated there
will be NO make-up homework given. With each assignment you have unlimited attempts, but after the
first attempt there will be a 5% penalty for each subsequent, incorrect attempt.
Please see the instructions for accessing Achieve as listed on the course Moodle site. Those who want
additional practice should work additional end-of-chapter problems
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CH137: Fall Semester, 2023
There will be at least 11 homework assignments that will be delivered using Achieve with the best 10
attempted (50% complete) assignments counting towards your final grade. There are no make-up
homework assignments.
Quizzes
There will be at least twenty-three quizzes/in-class activities, with the scores for the best twenty counted
toward the final grade. That is, there will be a quiz/activity almost every day. Quizzes can potentially be
offered via Moodle when deemed appropriate with notice, not less than 24 hours. Policies for Moodle
quizzes will be a single attempt and no answers revealed until the after the quiz closes. Each quiz, either
in-class or via Moodle, will have a fixed-time limit and there are no make-up quizzes.
Exams and Grades
There will be regular exams (the lowest attempted exam score drops) and a comprehensive final exam.
There will be NO make-up exams except for extreme, extenuating circumstances. If you know that you will
miss an exam for a Baker approved event, you must notify the instructor at least 36 hours in advance to
take the test early.
The final exam will be offered at the scheduled time for each respective lecture section. If you have any
type of conflict with the final exam schedule, it must be taken to Dean Russell for review well in advance of
the exam.
Questions regarding the grading of homework, quizzes and exams must be brought to the instructor’s
attention within one week of when the graded work is returned to the student.
The contribution of each component of this course to the overall grade:
Homework
15%
Quizzes
20 %
Hour Examinations (3)
45 %.
Final Examination
20 %
The following grade cutoffs will be used in this course:
A (85-100%), B+ (82-84), B (70-81%), C+ (67-69), C (55-66%), D+ (52-54%), D (40-51%), F (≤ 39%)
Additional Course Policies and Legalese:
Inclement Weather, Global Pandemics, and Other Stuff: In the event the University closes due to
weather / viruses / clowns / zombies / zombie-clowns, etc. students will be informed by email how class will
proceed. You are responsible for checking your email and the Moodle page on a daily basis. If required,
there is the possibility class will be held via Zoom. In this event, the zoom session will be at the same time
as class and material will be provided per the usual on Moodle. If you read this line, and you email me your
favorite dank meme before the end of the first week of class, you will earn an automatic 2% toward your
overall quiz score for the semester.
Credit Hour Definition and Associated Course Expectations: Consistent with best practices in higher
education, Baker University subscribes to the federal definition of the “credit hour” endorsed by the Higher
Learning Commission. Driven by intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student
achievement, the “credit hour” is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates
not less than one hour of classroom (or direct faculty) instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-ofclass student work per week for the duration of the course enrollment period. A 3-credit-hour course, for
example requires approximately 45 classroom contact hours, roughly 90 out-of-class work hours and
approximately 135 total instructional hours over the course of a 15-week semester.
In laboratory courses that carry 4 hours of credit, approximately 84 hours of classroom instruction have
been planned over the scheduled semester. In addition, students are expected to spend roughly 168 hours
(12 hours per week) on out-of-class assignments which include: a) assigned text readings, b) problem
solving, c) unit evaluation and final exam preparation, d) outside lab-related assignments, e) statistical and
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CH137: Fall Semester, 2023
other homework problems, and f) literature review research and manuscript preparation depending on the
assignments in the course.
Accommodations: Baker University is committed to providing “reasonable accommodations” in keeping
with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992. Access Services
coordinates accommodations and services for all eligible students with disabilities. If you have a disability
and wish to request accommodations and have not contacted Access Services, please do so as soon as
possible. Access Services is located on the Baldwin City campus in the Office of Student Academic
Success (in Collins Library (lower level); 785-594-8352; sas@bakerU.edu). Information about Access
Services can also be found on the Baker website at www.bakeru.edu/sas. If accommodations have been
approved by Access Services, please communicate with your professors(s) regarding your
accommodations to coordinate services.
Academic Integrity: Expectations and policies regarding academic integrity are consistent with those
described in the Student Handbook. Penalties for misconduct may range from a deduction of points, a
reduction in an overall letter grade up to, and including, a failing grade on the assignment, quiz, or exam in
question. In cases of extreme cases of misconduct, the professor reserves the right to assign an automatic
failing grade in the course.
Tentative Lecture and Exam Schedule, Fall 2023
Dates
Chapter & Subject
8/23-9/12
Math Review
Ch. 1: Introduction: Matter and Measurement
Ch. 2: Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
Ch. 3: Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry
Wed. 9/13
Exam 1
9/14-10/10
Ch. 4: Reactions in Aqueous Solution
Ch. 10: Gases
Ch. 5: Thermochemistry
Wed. 10/11
Exam 2
10/12-11/7
Ch. 6: Electronic Structure of Atoms
Ch. 7: Periodic Properties of the Elements
Wed. 11/8
Exam 3
11/9-12/1
Ch. 8: Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding
Ch. 9: Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories
Ch. 11: Intermolecular Forces
Mon. 12/4
Exam 4
12/5-12/8
Review and Final Exam prep.
Final Exam-Sec. A (8:30): Mon., December 11, 2023, 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Final Exam-Sec. B (1:30): Thur., December 14, 2023, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Policies on attendance for COVID-19, Influenza and other Infectious Diseases
Class attendance, whether in the classroom or in a remote environment, is vital to your academic
success. However, during this extraordinary time, there are some additional course policies regarding
attendance that must be followed:
Policy 0: Abuse of any of these attendance policies, such as false claims of illness, will constitute
misconduct and may subject you to sanctions by the Dean of Students.
Policy 1: If an individual in the class is informed that they have been in close contact with an individual
who becomes infected, they should mask with a KF94, KN95 or N95 mask and test regularly for several
days to ensure the safety of other in the community. The student should wear a mask until negative
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CH137: Fall Semester, 2023
testing rules out infection, or positive testing requires isolation. Close contacts should follow the guidance
provided by the CDC in regard to masking.
Policy 2: If you are exhibiting any two of the following symptoms, DO NOT attend class in-person:
a. chills or fever (body temperature of 100.4oF or higher)
b. cough
c. new loss of taste or smell
d. shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
e. fatigue, muscle or body aches, or headache
f. another condition that may be symptomatic of infection with COVID-19
(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html)
Policy 3: You must notify your instructor by email (jamin.perry@bakeru.edu) in a timely fashion (within 24
hours) if you are unwell and will miss class due to any symptoms stated in Policy 2. In these
circumstances, you will not be penalized for an absence provided that you notified your instructor. You
will, however, be expected to keep up with the class and submit any and all assignments on time unless
there are mitigating circumstances. If such circumstances arise, you must contact your instructor and
develop a plan to keep current with your coursework. Extended absences due to illness must be
appropriately documented and you should remain in communication with the instructor regarding ongoing
concerns.
Policy 4: If you do become ill with what might be COVID-19 please test yourself or work with Dean Bailey
or Sports Medicine (if you are an athlete) to get tested. If you have to isolate due to infection by Covid-19
and you are too ill or fatigued to complete assignments, we will develop a reasonable makeup schedule
together.
Policy 5: If you miss an exam due to illness then sufficient accommodations will be made, provided that
you have followed the policies outlined in this document. Unverifiable absences will not be
accommodated. Sufficient accommodations for an exam will either involve dropping the missed exam (1
drop is allowed) or offering a different (but equivalent) make-up exam within 2 days of the student’s return
to campus.
Policy 6: Being allowed to attend remotely is not a guarantee, nor should it be expected to be an
equivalent to in-person instruction. In the unlikely event that students that are allowed to attend class
remotely, the participants will be held to the same conduct standards as in-class attendance. Appropriate
clothing is required if a student is attending via Zoom. Disruptive and unbecoming conduct will result in a
single warning, repeated unacceptable behavior will result in ejection from either class or the current
Zoom session, and will be reported to the University as misconduct.
The university COVID quarantine and isolation policies (which may be subject to change) are available at
https://www.bakeru.edu/coronavirus/
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