L.A. City College
Spring 2008
Instructor: Dr. Peter Castro
INFORMATION FOR CHEMISTRY 60
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL CHEMISTRY
Prerequisite: Math 115 with a minimum grade of “C” or appropriate score on placement assessment. High School
Algebra I is no longer accepted as a prerequisite.
Description: This 5-unit course prepares students for Chemistry 101 and satisfies the chemistry requirement for the
LACC Nursing Program. The course is designed primarily for students who have had little or no chemistry training. The
course includes 3 hours of lecture and one 4-hour laboratory sessions per week and attendance for both lecture and lab is
mandatory. It covers atomic structure, nomenclature, bonding, molecular geometry, chemical reactions, Stoichiometry,
states of matter and related forces, gas laws, solution chemistry, quantum theory, periodic properties, colligative
properties, and acid base concepts.
By the end of this course you will be able to solve a Stoichiometry problem in which the limiting reactant is known. Given a
Stoichiometry problem in which the limiting reactant is known, you will be able to correctly interpret the problem, develop a
correct solution, and generate a correct answer to the correct number of significant figures.
Course:
Required Texts:
Required Materials:
Office Hours:
E-mail:
Chem. 60 Lecture: # 5045 Friday 6:50 – 10:00 pm, Room: Chem. 3
Chem. 60 Lab # 5045 Saturday 8:45am – 1:00 pm, Room: 106. Instructor – P. Castro
Introductory Chemistry 3rd edition by Peters & Cracolice,
Laboratory Manual for Chemistry 60/68 Version 6
Scientific calculator, Safety goggles, Laboratory Notebook.
6:00 – 6:50 pm Friday (Chem. 3) & Saturday 1:00 – 2:00pm, Room 106
Peter Castro chem211lacc@yahoo.com
Attendance:
Attendance will be taken during each class period until census. Regular attendance is absolutely mandatory in order to
pass this course. If students wish to drop the course, the drop must be initiated before Tuesday, February 19, 2008 with
a refund, by February 29, 2008 (March 2, 2008 through STEP) without a “W”. The last day to drop with a "W" in the
course is Friday, May 2, 2008 (May 4, 2008 through STEP). You cannot drop after this date; therefore a letter grade
must be assigned. I do not drop any students; therefore it is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from this course.
Students who have not officially dropped this class and have stopped attending will be assigned a letter grade of "F".
Course Work and Grading Policy:
One grade will be assigned for Chem. 60 that includes both lecture work and laboratory work. Chemistry courses at
LACC cannot be taken for Credit/No Credit, but you may audit the course. Grades will be assigned on the basis of overall
percentage of total points earned in both the lecture and the laboratory. If you fail either the lecture or lab portion of the
course, the highest grade you may earn is a "D".
HOMEWORK: The homework is assigned on http://owl1.thomsonlearning.com/ and will be due before each exam (see
lecture/lab schedule) and submitted electronically for credit. You must complete the required assignments to achieve
mastery of the subject matter. One incentive for doing the homework is that the homework problems are found in the
exams. Approximately 40% of the exam questions may be the homework/quiz questions - verbatim. If you need help on
a particular question, either ask in class or slip a note onto the desk before class. Class time could be spent on working
out these homework problems.
EXAMS: There will be three exams during the semester during laboratory time. You must bring your own charged
calculator with you for each exam; no borrowing or sharing is allowed. The exams are composed of short essay, multiple
choice and word problems based on lecture notes and homework problems. Regular class attendance is mandatory to
understand how to successfully complete the problems. There are no make-up exams. So don’t miss.
FINAL EXAM: A comprehensive final exam will be given covering both the lecture and lab work. The final will be on
Friday May 30, 2008 during regular class time. The final is designed to incorporate most of the information and skills
necessary to begin Chem. 101; it is everything you learned in Chem. 60 and more.
RESEARCH PROJECT: You will be required to write a paper based on common chemistry that used in our lives
everyday. The paper is due May 23, 2008.
The points for the course are broken down in the following manner:
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EXAM I……………………………………..125 pts
EXAM II…………………………………….175 pts
EXAM III……………………………………200 pts
EXAM IV (FINAL)………………………….220 pts
HOMEWORK .......................................... 100 pts
RESEARCH PAPER………………………..30 pts
LECTURE TOTAL…………………………850 pts
71%
Workshops (11 @ 10 pts each)………………110 pts
Laboratory Reports. …………………….…….240 pts
LAB TOTAL………………………………...350 pts
29%
CLASS TOTAL…………………………….1200 pts
Lecture Exams = 60.0%
Homework = 8.3%
Research Paper = 2.5%
Laboratory = 29.2%
Your final letter grade will be assigned based on the total percentage as follows:
A: 88% and above
B: 76 to 87%
C: 60 to 75%
D: 50 to 59 %
F: below 50%
(1056 pts or higher) (1055 – 912 pts)
(911 – 720 pts)
(719 – 600 pts)
(600 pts or less)
If you are interested in your class standing, then use the above scale.
LABORATORY SECTION:
Safety is of the utmost importance, you must always comply with the safety rules found in the SAFETY RULES AND
REGULATIONS section of your lab manual. Failure to obey these rules will result in your dismissal from this class.
Safety goggles are REQUIRED at all times in the lab unless otherwise stated by the instructor. If you have not acquired
safety goggles by second week of school then you will not be allowed in the lab until you have them. Attendance is also
mandatory for the lab. You must be physically present in the lab and actually performing the experiments to acquire
valuable laboratory experience. If you miss more than 4 labs (12 hours) you may be dropped from the course. Anyone
wearing sandals will not be allowed in the laboratory. Be sure to come to lab prepared by having closed-toed shoes
available.
LAB REPORTS: Lab notebooks are required for Chem. 60/68. You are required to complete the purpose and procedure
prior to the beginning of class. This page will be initialed by your lab instructor. Complete the data in your lab notebook
then transfer this information to the lab report and turn in a clean report. On the last day of lab, the labs must be indexed
in the front, with all experiments initialed. Late reports will be subjected to very heavy late penalties. Workshops are due
at the beginning of class on the date mentioned in the syllabus. Do not wait to start the workshops on the date assigned
because you will be too busy doing the experiment. You must show all work for both the reports and the workshops
and place a block around your final answer to obtain full credit. Please write your answers clearly and in pen.
LAB GRADING: The report grade is based on any attendance (physically performing the experiment), correct answers to
questions in the lab report and workshops and safety techniques exhibited during the lab throughout the semester.
****A video will be shown and a test will be given on the first day covering safety issues. Although most of the
information is common sense, it is imperative that everyone understands and complies with safety regulations.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Students with a verified disability who may need a reasonable
accommodation(s) for this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and contact the Office of Special
Services (CH 109, 323-953-4000 ext 2270) as soon as possible. All information will remain confidential.
NOTE:
ANYONE FOUND CHEATING WILL RECIEVE AN "F" GRADE FOR THE
EXAM AND WILL BE RECOMMENDED TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS FOR
EXPLUSION FROM THE COLLEGE.
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