CHEM 163 - - SPRING 2015
COURSE SYLLABUS
Textbook: Brown-LeMay; Chemistry – The Central Science; 12th Edition
Totally Optional: student study guide, but would be very useful
Instructor: Gary Buechner Office: 28-207
Phone: 533-3243
Office Hours: M 8:30-11:30 T & Th 9:30-10:00 & 1:00-2:30
Class Information:
LECTURE: Room 28-145 T & Th 11:30 – 1:00
email: garybu@spokanefalls.edu
LAB: Room 28-203
LAB: Room 28-203
Resources available to assist you with your learning include:
1. the textbook
2. Tutors????
3. study groups
4. instructor
M&W 1:00-3:00
T&Th 1:00-3:00
5. web sites
Course in General
NOTE:
You will find that the workload is demanding and the time available limited. We will be going at a fast
pace for the quarter. You must make effective use of your time to gain the most in your academic endeavors.
Therefore, come prepared to work and learn and don’t waste time. You learn by doing!!!
Be prepared to the fact that you will have a large amount of information to put to memory, so give yourself time to
stay on top of this task. It will only benefit you.
Each Lab will start with a discussion then you will be responsible to perform the necessary work to complete
the lab. Before you leave, you must turn in the fully completed lab. This includes all calculations and
questions answered. **Remember to follow proper lab safety at all times**
During the quarter we will have 3-4 exams. Each exam will cover selected chapters. If you miss an exam, that
will be a zero score. Make arrangements for a make-up test PRIOR to test time. Exams will be closed book,
closed notes. The course final will cover all quarter material.
You may have lab final. The last lab day of the quarter, you and your partner will randomly pick a lab to
complete in the 2 hour time frame. The lab will be similar to one of the labs you did during the quarter but
expect a different mix of requirements. Therefore, you need to be attentive and aware of your lab techniques
needed for each different experiment.
Your final grade for the course is a percentage of your point total based upon the maximum achieved point total.
The point total is based on the sum of all points earned from all tests, homework, quizzes, extra credit, laboratory
work, and any and all related course work.
There may also be a group presentation that will be conducted at the end of the quarter. The topics and group
size will be unveiled to you at a later date. This would replace the lab final exam.
The FINAL will be comprehensive.
You must take the FINAL to obtain credit for the course even is you have a passing grade prior to the test
**IMPORTANT: On occasion, you will be given in-class problem session to be worked and completed in class.
Problem session can be individual or group work. Points awarded will be credit only for those participants in class
that day and cannot be made up.
Periodically, you will be given a quiz. This quiz may be either an in-class or take-home activity. If take-home, this
will be posted on the On-Line Syllabus and announced. The quiz must be turned in on the time posted. THERE
ARE NO EXPECTIONS to this!!!!!!! All your work must be shown with the steps needed to solve the problem
along with the quiz sheet attached to your work for FULL points. Problems that require work but only show
answers with no work will be zero, 0, points. These procedures may change depending on time, content, etc.
Homework
Most homework will be completed on the Mastering Chemistry website. There will also be problem sets to
complete in a specific time frame. Those will be announced in class, posted on the On-line Syllabus. Problems
will be handed out in class or located on the On-line Syllabus.
Homework assignments will be assigned from selected problems at the end of various chapters. These are due
when stated. NO late work will be graded after answer key is posted. It will be extremely important for you to
make time and not procrastinate till the last minute to complete the assigned problems, as your academic
success will be strengthened.
I will spot check certain problems, each assignment will be assigned points.
Homework Assignment Procedures: neatness does count and following required procedure or points may be
deducted from your total score.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Write your name, chem. 163, class time, and assignment title on the top of your paper.
Draw a vertical line down the right side of your paper. This is where the answers are written.
Be sure to show your work on calculation type problems.
Problems that require more than just calculations and an answer are completed in the work area.
example as follows:
Name
answer column
Chem. 163
11:30
Study Sheet 1 questions
9.6 This is where your calculation work is shown
Organize your steps, neatness counts
9.6 ANSWER
9.12 Show work
9.12 ANSWER
9.15 A problem that requires only an explanation is answered in this area since
you will have more room to write
9.15 XXXXX
no answer here
Laboratory Requirements
Print out lab report prior to lab discussion for the week lab assigned. Print out the lab by accessing the
On-Line Syllabus on the SFCC web site.
During the quarter we will do 14? laboratory exercises. Each lab report will be 15-30 points, comprised of the
different areas outlined below.
Lab Report Grades based on: report outline, neatness, data, calculations, significant figures, etc.
The labs for this course are rather labor intensive and will consume your time. Therefore, you must plan your time
wisely to complete the labs in the assigned time allowed. Labs cannot be made up, therefore, a missed lab will be
a zero. Lab will be performed individually.
Be sure to follow the procedures as required in the laboratory and your lab experiment requirements.
Let Me Stress: Think ahead, plan your time for the week & quarter to meet the needs & requirements for
the course. This course series is Academically structured for many different Science programs. Therefore, you
need to be aware that the effort you put forward in class is your responsibility, so don’t fall behind. Get immediate
assistance for anything that you need help.
Keep a notebook with all graded assignments in it so if there is a question about assignments completed and
turned in and/or grade, you have a record.
If you enroll in the course but terminate your participation without officially withdrawing, your final grade will
be 0.0. Do not expect an automatic “Z” grade if you terminate.
Please note the following:
The FINAL is scheduled for: Friday, June 19th at 11:30
Course Grading
Your grade is based on the percentage you received out of the total possible for the quarter.
Grades: Your total point percentage based upon the total points of exams, homework, lab reports, etc.
Grades are based on the following percent of the total points you earn.
96% +……4.0
95……..…3.9
94…..……3.8
93………..3.7
92
91……..…3.6
90
89………..3.5
88
87………..3.4
86………..3.3
85.……..3.2
84……..3.1
83..……3.0
82
81……...2.9
80
79……...2.8
78……...2.7
77……...2.6
76…..….2.5
75..…….2.4
74
73…….…2.3
72…….....2.2
71……….2.1
70.……....2.0
69……….1.9
68……….1.8
67……….1.7
66……….1.6
65……….1.5
64……….1.4
63……..1.3
62……..1.2
61……..1.1
60….….1.0
Calculators are allowed to be used for exams. HOWEVER, cell phones of any type
are totally prohibited during exams. Remember this, don’t ask about it later.
On-Line Syllabus: This will be a very useful resource for you to utilize for course information and
to keep up on current course announcements.
What can be found on the site will typically include the following:
1) course syllabus, schedule, & calendar (tentative)
2) laboratory write ups; you can access & print out the current weekly lab assignment
3) homework assignments, worksheet assignments, if not obtained in class
4) answer keys to homework assignments, quizzes, & tests
5) AND anything else that I might decide to post
Chemistry Knowledge Assumed
Naming & writing correctly chemical formula & names of compounds & molecules; balancing chemical
equations; reduction & oxidation; electron structure; oxidation (charges) numbers of elements; name &
write acids; types of bonds & compounds; intermolecular forces; limiting reagent; moles; concentration;
chemical & physical properties; trends on the periodic table; metric system; atomic theory; gas laws & kinetic
molecular theory; quantum theory; thermodynamics, properties of solutions, equilibrium (LeChatilier), Arrhenius
equation, van’t Hoff effect, activation E (Ea), H, concentration expressions, electronegativity, molecular shapes,
dot structures, intermolecular forces
We will have time to delve into the content in greater depth and detail than what we had been able to
do in past quarters. You will have to be more focused with our course content and requirements.
Course Topics
Chapters: 16, 17, 19, 20, 24, 21, Selections from ch.18-22-23-25
The following give examples of various requirements but may not be limited to the following:
Topics:
Acid-Base, Aqueous Systems, 3rd Law Thermodynamics, Entropy, Free Energy, Electrochemistry, batteries,
Coordination Compound Structure, Nuclear Chemistry, Organic, Spectroscopy, Mass Spec, Infra-red
Calculations:
G, S, pH/pOH, [H+]/[OH-], Ka/Kb, Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation, Solubility Constant Ksp,
Cell Potentials, Half-lives, Nuclear Decay
CLASS PRESENTATION – determined at a later date
You will form a group to research and give a presentation to the class. Each person must be active in this process
to receive any credit. You and your group will choose from a list of available topics or a topic that is approved by
the instructor. This presentation will be completed towards the end of the quarter.