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CHE 105

I. TITLE:  Introductory Chemistry I

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:  A beginning course in general chemistry designed for students who plan to take additional chemistry courses.  Three lectures and two hours of laboratory per week.  Not applicable to major or minor.

III. PURPOSE:  Chemistry is the science and study of the behavior of matter and how it interacts with other matter.  This course will introduce the student to the fundamental subject matter in chemistry and applications thereof.  The course will present that material in a manner to permit the student to continue the study of chemistry as is appropriate to the student's curriculum.

Emphasis will be placed on logical and critical thinking, on actual learning, and on general  problem-solving skills.  Emphasis will be placed on mathematical and essay-type problems in the subject matter [see Appendix I].  Rote memorization without assimilation is generally not emphasized; those students who attempt to "memorize" their way through CHE 105 are generally highly unsuccessful.

The thinking, learning, and problem-solving skills learned in CHE 105 are applicable, not only to chemistry but also to other physical, life, and social sciences and to related subjects, including but not limited to:  physics; biology; nursing; industry and technology; sociology; psychology.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
A. To introduce the student to the fundamental concepts and tools used in a formal study of chemistry (familiarity and understanding levels of learning).  These tools will include but are not limited to:  mathematical manipulations, methods of problem solving, units and measurement, concepts of accuracy and precision, quantity expressions, etc.

B.  To direct the student in application of the skills outlined in IV.A (application and synthesis levels of learning).  Subject of applications will include but not be limited to the general areas of thermochemistry, gas behavior, nuclear chemistry, and electronic and molecular structure.  Historical perspectives, international perspectives, and current-events perspectives involving nuclear chemistry, acids and bases, gas behavior, reaction rates, etc.  are an integral part of the course (see Appendix II).  Mathematical perspectives (critical thinking and application to specific problem-solving exercises, both essay and algebraic) comprise a significant fraction of the course (see Appendix I for examples).

C.  To learn fundamentals of hands-on chemistry in the laboratory, drawing appropriate conclusions and formulating results from lab-collected data. ('application' and 'analysis' learning)

D. To express or demonstrate learning in the form of:  proper laboratory technique (hands-on technique demonstrated during laboratory); written laboratory reports (for each experiment); accompanying prelab and/or postlab questions (see Appendix III); text exercises involving problem-solving skills (see Appendix I); quizzes and examinations that include partial-credit problem-solving exercises.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE:
1:  Matter, Energy, and Measurement
2:  Atoms
9:  Nuclear Chemistry
    First examination, Chapters 1, 2, 9
3:  Chemical Bonds
4:  Chemical Reactions
5:  Gases, Liquids, and Solids
    Second examination, Chapters 3, 4, 5
6:  Solutions and Colloids
7:  Reaction Rates and Equilibrium
8:  Acids and Bases
    Third examination, Chapters 6, 7, 8

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:  General activities will include lecture and laboratory.  Lecture time may include any/all of the following activities:  lecture; multimedia presentations; problem-solving presentations; homework review; prelaboratory assistance; administration of quizzes and examinations.  Laboratory will be reserved largely for actual laboratory experiments and laboratory examinations, though some time may be used for lecture activities instead.  Laboratory is an integral part of the course.  A lab outline follows.

Homework assignments (reading for content, problem-solving, essay) ordinarily will be made on a daily basis.  The student is expected to complete the homework assignment by the beginning of the next lecture period.

As noted in Section V there will be three regular examinations.  In addition, there will be at least 24 unannounced brief quizzes (5-10 minutes), to insure that the student studies the material on a daily basis.  Homework may be collected and graded (unannounced) periodically; each such will count as one quiz.  The top twenty quizzes will be counted in the final grade.  There are no makeup quizzes for any reason.  It is strongly suggested that the student do homework as it is assigned, as this will aid in performance on quizzes.

A written laboratory report is prepared for each experiment.  A problem/exercise sheet that includes essay and calculation questions is included with each experiment (see Appendix III).  Computer spreadsheets (Quattro Pro, Excel) will be used as needed to reduce tabular data and to prepare graphs in appropriate experiments.

To the University Studies Committee re active learning:  In the sample experiment (Appendix III) included with the proposal, the student actually prepares a mixture using iron and sulfur, weighs the ingredients and the final compound, and calculates the percentages of iron and sulfur in the compound.  The student then answers questions as on page 5-11 of that experiment that are based on the results.  Note that one-word answers are not used here; explanations are required.  Thus, the student draws conclusions from his/her own laboratory work.  If the lab work is faulty, the conclusions will be faulty.

It is worth noting that, in grading the experiment, the instructor normally examines the students' results along with the conclusions.  If the student's answer is not supported by the student's own figures, the grade suffers.  Thus, the student must draw the conclusions indicated by the data, rather than using "book answers", for best results.

This is the norm for CHE 105 laboratory experiments.  Even "demonstration" experiments such as the determination of half-life of a radioisotope still provide the student with data, not results.  The latter are obtained by the student.

Re:  oral communication:  although oral communication is not specifically graded, the student must communicate orally with the instructor, with the teaching assistant (if any) and with his/her lab partner (if any) in order to complete the experiment.  Questions phrased as "what should I do now?" are most commonly answered with "what do you think?"  Students quickly learn how to frame a question properly.

VII. RESOURCES:  You must have:  (1)  the textbook;   (2)  a new laboratory manual; (3)  a scientific calculator; (4) approved eye protection (e.g., splash goggles).  You must bring textbook and calculator to each lecture and recitation.  You must bring lab manual, calculator and eye protection to each lab session.

VIII. GRADING PROCEDURES:  Tentatively, grades will be based on 1000 points
Regular Examinations    400 points                     A = 900-1000 points
Quizzes/homework       200                                B = 800-899
Final Examination         200                                C = 700-799
Laboratory:                  200                                D = 600-699

IX. ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Students are expected to attend those courses for which they are registered.  There is a correlation between attention to attendance and good grades.  You are responsible for any and all material covered, assignments made or to be turned in, announcements, etc. during any class/lab meeting.  An excused absence does not excuse you from this responsibility.

X. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY:  The policy outlined in the current Undergraduate Bulletin will be followed.  Academic dishonesty in this course can result in failure and/or your being expelled from the university.

XI. TEXT AND REFERENCES:
Lecture:  Bettelheim and March, Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry, 6th edition.
Laboratory: "Laboratory Manual, Chemistry 105", Dr. Harry Conley.  Each student taking laboratory must purchase a new laboratory manual.

XII. PREREQUISITES:  Knowledge of high school algebra and use of a calculator is assumed.  Also required is a well-developed sense of responsibility.

TENTATIVE LABORATORY SCHEDULE, CHE 105-01

NOTE:  Experiments are NOT performed in the order in which they appear in the lab manual

WEEK of EXP#                               EXPERIMENT TITLE                                                  REFERENCES

Aug 28    1         Check-in, General Procedures, Safety, Ringstand, and Bunsen Burner              none
Sept 4     3         Length, Area, Volume, Mass, and Density Measurements and Units                 Sect. 1.3-1.6
Sept 11   2         Temperature Scales and Measurement                                                             Pages 15-17
Sept 18   4         Mixtures and Compounds                                                                               Sect. 2.2, 4.2-4.5
Sept 25              * Half-Life of a Radioisotope (handout demonstration)                                     Sect. 9.3
Oct 2      5         Compound Preparation from a Mixture                                                            Sect. 2.2, 4.2-4.5
Oct 9                 Lab Test #1 on the first five labs (1, 3, 2, 4, demo)
Oct 16    7         Heat Effects in Physical and Chemical Changes                                                Sect. 1.8, 4.7, 4.9, 5.12
Oct 23    8         Thermal Decomposition of MgCO3                                                                 Sect. 4.1-4.6, 8.1, page 231
Oct 30    9         Chemical Reactions of Metals                                                                          Sect. 2.5, Chapter 4
Nov 6    11        Acid-Base Solution Chemistry                                                                Pages 165-168, Sect. 8.5, 8.6, 8.11
                                                                                                                                                                Figures 8.5 and 8.8
Nov 13              MEET in lecture room
Nov 27              Lab Test #2 on the last five labs (5, 7, 8, 9, 11); Check-out
Dec 4                 MEET in lecture room

Last updated February 14, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo