General Chemistry Prep
Chemistry 139
Fall 2008
Room C - 202
12-12:50 p. m.
Daily
Karen Harding
Office: Cascade 371
Phone: 253-964-6674
email: kharding@pierce.ctc.edu
Office Hours/Tutoring Times: M, T, W 9 - 10 am and TH & F 11-12 noon.
Other times are available by appointment. Please ask.
Chemistry 139 is designed to help prepare students to succeed in the General
Chemistry sequence (Chem 161-163.) One crucial skill for that success is
mathematical competence. Thus, in Chemistry 139 we will focus much of our
time on mathematical skills, especially as they relate to the study of chemistry. It
is my hope that, by the end of the term, you will all feel prepared to embark on a
successful experience in General Chemistry.
The prerequisite for Chemistry 139 is the completion of Math 098 with a grade of
2.0 or better or a math placement test score above Math 098. Since MATH& 141
(Precalculus I, formerly Math 121) is a prerequisite for Chem 161, you should be
enrolled in MATH&141 this quarter (if you haven’t already completed that
course.) If you have any concerns or questions about your mathematics
background, please talk to me about your situation.
At the beginning of the quarter, we will review some basic ideas of chemistry and
some basic math. Then we will study scientific notation, significant figures,
graphs, and dimensional analysis. Following that, we will learn about atomic
structure, chemical bonds, the nomenclature of compounds, and some of the
ideas that led to the Modern Periodic Table. The last few weeks of the quarter
will be spent working with typical calculations done in chemistry. We will look at
mole calculations as well as chemical calculations relating to balanced chemical
equations. Throughout the term we will pay attention to developing competency
with calculators and with constructing graphs of various kinds.
Our text book is Introduction to Chemical Principles 9th Edition by H. Stephen
Stoker. We will study Chapters 2 through 10 during Chemistry 139. A week-byweek schedule is provided as part of this syllabus.
Helpful Hints
Some students find chemistry to be a challenging field of study. Although it is
easy to see the “macro” effects of chemical interactions, the interactions
themselves typically takes place at dimensions that are far too small to be seen.
The fact that the vast majority of molecules are too tiny to hold in your hand and
manipulate means that chemistry is inherently abstract. Nonetheless, it is my
belief that anyone who wants to do so can be successful in chemistry, although it
may require a significant investment of time and energy. There are many things
that a student can do to increase their chances for a successful experience in
Chemistry 139. These include
a) Ask for help early and often
If you have questions about class material, please ask questions. You are
welcome to ask questions during class or outside of class. You are cordially
invited to visit with me in my office. My normal office hours are listed at the top of
the first page of this syllabus. If those times are not convenient for you, please
talk to me so that we can find a mutually convenient time to meet. You are
welcome to come in as often as you wish. In addition to talking with me, you may
want to talk with Ralph Morasch, the Chemistry Lab Tech, about your questions.
If you have concerns about your class performance or your course grade, please
talk to me about your concerns. Or, if you are feeling unclear about some of the
course material but don’t have a specific question, just come in and talk with me
about that. It is likely to be more beneficial to talk with me early in the quarter,
when the issues may be cleared up easily, than to wait until the end of the term.
A pro-active stance will help you during Chem 139 as well as during your ongoing study of chemistry.
b) Ask for extra practice problems
If, at any time, you would like more practice problems, please ask for them. I will
be happy to provide you with some.
c) Get familiar with your calculator
Your calculator will be one of your “best friends” in Chem 139. Take some time
at the beginning of the term to get familiar with how it works.
d) Ask for a tutor if you need one
Individual tutors are available through the Pierce College Tutoring Center.
e) Be sure to set aside enough time in your schedule to study
Plan on spending about two hours of study time for every hour of class time.
Since this class meets five hours per week, you should set aside at least ten
hours of study time for Chem 139 each week. Studying chemistry is much like
studying math in that it is very important to “keep up” with the material being
discussed in class. Thus, it will be beneficial to you to have your chemistry study
time spread out over the week rather than concentrated into one or two days.
Course Grades
Your grade in Chemistry 139 will depend on the following
Weekly quizzes (~8 of these)
20 points each
Homework and Take Home Problems approx. 75 points total
Mid – term Exam
100 points
Final Exam
100 points
Class Participation
25 points
Total for Quarter
460 points
Final grades in the course will be given as decimal grades in accordance with the
following scheme:
Percent Grade
Decimal
Percent Grade Decimal
95-100
A
3.8-4.0
74-76
C
1.9-2.1
90-94
A3.5-3.7
70-73
C1.5-1.8
87-89
B+
3.2-3.4
67-69
D+
1.2-1.4
84-86
B
2.9-3.1
64-66
D
0.9-1.1
80-83
B2.5-2.8
60-63
D0.7-0.8
77-79
C+
2.2-2.4
Below 60
F
0.0
Special needs
Students with disabilities who believe they may need academic adjustments,
auxiliary aids or services to fully participate in course activities or meet course
requirements are encouraged to register with the Access and Disability Services
(ADS) Office, Room 300K in the Cascade Building. You may also call the ADS
Office to make an appointment to meet with the ADS Coordinator at (253) 9646526 or 964-6527.
Students requesting accommodations must obtain the “Approved Quarterly
Academic Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids or Services” (green) form provided by
ADS.
Emergency Procedures
For life-threatening emergencies call 911 and then Campus Safety. From a
campus phone, you will need to dial 9 to get an off-campus line before dialing
911. In the event of an emergency evacuation, gather all personal belongings
and leave the building using the nearest safe exit. Stand a minimum of 200 feet
from any building or structure and be prepared to be outside for a minimum of an
hour. Do not attempt to re-enter the building until instructed. Should a class be
cancelled, it is your responsibility to keep up on reading, homework, and
deliverable assignments.
Class Schedule
Week
1
Chemistry 139
Fall Quarter 2008
Dates
9/24-26
Class Topics
Introduction
Ch 4 Basic Concepts about Matter
Review of basic math, using your calculator
2
9/29-10/3
Ch 2 Numbers from Measurements
Making & Using Graphs
3
10/6-10
Ch 3 Unit Systems & Dimensional Analysis
4
10/13-17
Ch 3 More on Dimensional Analysis
5
10/20-25
Ch 5 Atoms, Molecules, Formulas
(No class on Friday)
6
10/27-30
(No class on F)
Mid-term Exam
Ch 6 Electronic Structure
7
1/3-7
Ch 7 Chemical Bonds
8
11/10-15
(No class on T)
Ch 8 Chemical Nomenclature
9
11/17-21
Ch 8 Chemical Nomenclature
Ch 9 Chemical Calculations: Moles
10
11/24 & 25
Ch 9 Chemical Calculations: Moles
(Thanksgiving Week)
11
12/1-5
Ch 10 Chemical Calculations: Equations
12
12/8 & 9
Review for Final Exam
The Final Exam is scheduled for Thursday, Dec 11th from 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Homework Assignments
The numbers refer to the Practice Problems at the end of each chapter in our
textbook.
Chapter 4: 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 21, 23, 27, 31, 33, 35, 41, 49, 67, 71, 75
Chapter 2: 1, 5, 7, 11, 19, 21, 25, 33, 37, 41, 45, 47, 49, 57, 59, 61, 71, 73, 77,
79, 87, 93, 95, 97
Chapter 3: 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 25, 29, 31, 39, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 63, 67, 69, 73, 81,
85, 91, 99, 107
Chapter 5: 3, 15, 23, 33, 35, 37, 43, 51, 55, 69, 75, 81, 121
Chapter 6: 7, 11, 23, 27, 31, 33, 41, 45, 53, 55, 63, 67, 73, 81, 93, 109,
123,127, 129
Chapter 7: 7, 9, 17, 19, 27, 29, 37, 41, 47, 51, 55, 65, 75, 77, 79, 161, 163
Chapter 8: 3, 5, 7, 19, 25, 27, 33, 35, 41, 43, 49, 53, 57, 65, 67, 75, 127, 129,
133, 135
Chapter 9: 1, 5, 11a&b, 13, 21, 27, 33, 39 a&b, 41, 43, 53, 59, 61, 65, 77, 161,
163, 167, 177, 179, 185
Chapter 10: 1, 15 b&d, 17 a&b, 19 b&d, 21 b&c, 27, 31 d, 33 b, 45, 51, 57, 59,
65, 69, 73, 77 b&d, 89, 93, 131, 133, 143