Western New Mexico University
Department of Natural Sciences
Fall Semester 2012
Course:
CHEM 151
Time:
LECTURE MWF 10:00 – 10:50 AM (CRN 10290)
General Chemistry I (three credits)
Professor:
Dr. Shawn White
B.S., Shippensburg University, Ph.D., Clemson University
Industrial experience, Westinghouse, 3 years
Teaching experience, UMES, 8 years; WNMU 5 years
Harlan Hall 219
Contact Information: 203 Harlan Hall
575-538-6564
whites7@wnmu.edu
Office hours:
M-F
Prerequisites:
MATH 131 (may be taken concurrently)
9-9:50, 1-1:50
Required Materials:
Patterns of Matter, Fifth Edition by White.
Course Description:
The students will obtain a well-reinforced understanding of the behavior of matter based on visualizing the world around them as
consisting of atoms and molecules. The concepts they will learn include classification of matter and measurement of its properties,
density, atomic structure including isotopes and the mole concept, chemical nomenclature and formulas, hydrated compounds,
balancing chemical equations, stoichiometry including limiting reactant, introduction to the basic types of chemical reactions,
acid/base chemistry, pH, redox reactions, heat and energy, thermodynamics, gas laws, emission spectra, and electronic structure.
Learning in the lecture hall will be assisted by CD-ROM-based animations, movies, and pictures.
Major Instructional Goals and Course Objectives
1) Students will learn logical problem-solving skills, including strategies to attack complicated problems by step-by-step analysis,
techniques which will be useful in every area of their lives.
2) The course will also teach the students the interconnected nature of scientific disciplines and how to integrate math and chemistry
skills to solve practical problems in other areas such as medicine or the environment.
3) They will have a solid foundation of chemical knowledge on which to base further, more advanced study in chemistry and other
sciences.
Learning Experiences
Classes will be conducted in the lecture hall where students will actively participate in practice problems and taking notes on
various concepts. It is expected that the student will arrive on-time, listen closely to the instructor’s lecture, participate in classroom
activities, take notes, bring a calculator and periodic table to class, and not leave the lecture until class is dismissed. Disrupting the
learning of fellow classmates by talking during the lecture is not permitted.
Student Outcomes/Requirements
Students will receive a separate grade for CHEM 151 and CHEM 153
CHEM 151 GRADING
Evaluation Activity
Chapter Tests for Chapters 1-5 (100 pts each)
Chapter Tests for Chapters 6-9 (30 points each)
Final Exam
Homework Worksheets
Class Participation
Points Possible
500
120
110 (cumulative)
170
100
CHAPTER TESTS: There will be 50-minute tests given during the semester. Please allow space between you and the next student
when choosing a seat for tests.
HOMEWORK WORKSHEETS: Homework worksheets will be assigned during the semester. Late worksheets are penalized 5%
for the first day (after 10:00AM of the assigned day) and 10% cumulative for each additional day.
CLASS PARTICIPATION: Attendance (including on-time attendance), class preparation, and academic
attitude are worth 100 points of the class grade. Student should attend class unless they are ill, have a university
sponsored athletic event, or a religious observance. Arriving late to class (after 10:00) counts as one half of a
missed class. Student should be prepared for the academic environment which entails bringing a notebook,
something to write with, a calculator, and your chemistry book to class each day. Your academic attitude will
be determined by how well you answer questions in class especially with regard to the assigned homework
problems. The grading scale for Class Performance is shown below, note that there is no penalty for the first
unexcused absence and only a small penalty for the next two.
Number of Days of Unsatisfactory Class Performance
1
2
3
4
Class Performance Grade (points)
100
95
90
0
Students missing 4 or more lectures without a valid excuse will be dropped from the course (see p. 63 of the
University catalog).
FINAL EXAM: The final exam will consist of 40-60 multiple-choice questions. The final exam will be comprehensive, covering the
entire semester.
TESTING PROCEDURE: Student should bring a No. 2 pencil and a calculator with them to the test. After the test has started,
students are not expected to leave the testing area until they are finished with the test. Please bring tissues for allergies or colds and
visit the restrooms before the exam. If an emergency arises, simply give your test to the instructor and arrangements will be made for
you to make up the test. Clear your calculator memory of any mathematical or chemical formulas as these may be checked at random.
Cell phones cannot be used during the exam including using them for a calculator. Each student must have their own calculator.
Students using their calculators to cheat on an exam will be prosecuted under the university’s academic dishonesty procedures. The
minimum penalty for academic dishonesty is the failure of the course and the maximum penalty is dismissal from the University.
MAKE-UP POLICY: To make up missed chapter tests or homework worksheets, the student must turn in an excuse or call the
instructor as soon as possible. The excuse must include a cover page with the title of “Chemistry 151 Excuse" at the top. The cover
page should also include the student’s name, the date they were absent, the activity that was missed, and supporting documentation.
Health-related absences should be accompanied by a note from the student health center or doctor. Students attending funerals can
simply provide the name and telephone number of the appropriate funeral home director. Student athletes who are absent due to a
university sponsored event should attach a note from their coach. Absences due to outside employment are not generally considered
excused absences.
Example of an Excuse:
Chemistry 151 Excuse
Raymond Sedillo
I was absent September 16 and missed Chapter Test 1 because I was ill. A note from the health center is enclosed.
Special Needs Students: Students with disabilities in need of accommodation should register with the Special
Needs Office (JUANCB 212, Ext. 6138) at the beginning of the semester. With student permission, that office
will notify instructors of any special equipment or services a student requires.
TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE OF CHEM 151
DATE
August 20
9/3
11/2
11/19-11/23
12/7
TOPICS
Ch. 1. Physical Properties and Their Measurements
Ch. 2. Atomic Structure
Labor Day
Ch. 3. Compounds
Ch. 4. Stoichiometry
Last day to withdraw from a class
Ch. 5. Solution Chemistry
Ch. 6 Heat and Energy
Thanksgiving Holiday
Ch. 7. Gases
Ch. 8. Light and Matter
Ch. 9. Quantum Mechanics
Last Day of Class
FINAL EXAM
Dec. 10-13
WNMU Inclement Weather Procedures
Inclement weather: Refer to the OTA Student Handbook for notification procedures. In the event that classes
are closed during the scheduled final exam for this class the following procedure will be followed: __online
exam_________
The decision on whether to close the University will be based on the condition of the campus streets and
parking lots and the surrounding main arteries. It will also take into consideration when Law Enforcement close
down roads in and out of Silver City, Deming, Lordsburg, and Truth or Consequences. The University’s
inclement weather procedures will be communicated to the entire University, as deemed necessary.
Weather closing/delay information will be made available in the following ways:
1. WNMU webpage
2. WNMU Mustang Express
3. Radio Stations
a. KNFT-FM
102.9FM (Silver City)
b. KPSA-FM
37.7FM (Lordsburg)
c. KSCQ-FM
92.2FM (Silver City)
d. KOTS
1230 AM (Deming)
e. KDEM FM
94.3FM (Deming)
f. KNUW FM
95.1FM (Silver City)
g. KCHS
1400 AM (Truth or Consequences)
4. TV Stations
a. KOAT – TV (Albuquerque)
b. KOB – TV (Albuquerque)
c. KRQE – TV (Albuquerque)
d. CATS – TV (Silver City)
Communication Policy Statement regarding official email :WNMU’s policy requires that all official
communication be sent via Mustang Express. As a result, all emails related to your enrollment at WNMU and
class communication – including changes in assignments and grades – will be sent to your wnmu.edu email
address. It is very important that you access your Mustang Express e-mail periodically to check for
correspondence from the University. If you receive most of your email at a different address you can
forward your messages from Mustang Express to your other address.
Example: Martin Classmember was assigned a WNMU email address of classmemberm12@wnmu.edu but
Martin would rather receive his emails at his home email address of martinclass@yahoo.com
Martin would follow the direction provided at
http://www.wnmu.edu/campusdocs/direction%20for%20forwarding%20email.htm
WNMU Policy on Email Passwords: WNMU requires that passwords for access to all of the protected
software, programs, and applications will be robust, including complexity in the number of characters required,
the combination of characters required, and the frequency in which passwords are required to be changed.
Minimum complexity shall include:



Passwords shall contain at least six (6) characters.
Passwords shall contain at least one capital (upper case) letter, and at least one symbol (numbers and
characters such as @ # $ % & *).
Passwords shall be changed at least every 90 days. (8/6/08)
Academic Integrity: Each student shall observe standards of honesty and integrity in academic work as
defined in the WNMU catalog. Violations of academic integrity include “any behavior that misrepresents of
falsifies a student’s knowledge, skills or ability with the goal of unjustified or illegitimate evaluation or gain”
(WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008). Generally violations of the academic integrity include cheating and
plagiarism. Refer to the catalog for definitions.
Penalties for infractions of academic integrity in this class are as follows:
Plagiarism: “the intentional or unintentional representation of another’s work as one’s own without proper
acknowledgement of the original author or creator of the work” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008)
Penalties: F in the class
Cheating: “using or attempting to use unauthorized materials…and unauthorized collaboration with others,
copying the work of another or any action that presents the work of others to misrepresent the student’s
knowledge” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008)
Penalties: F in the class