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CHE 121

I. TITLE:  General College Chemistry

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:  A thorough course in inorganic chemistry emphasizing atomic structure, stoichiometry, periodic classification, nuclear chemistry, chemical bonding, and states of matter.  Three lectures, two hours of laboratory, and two hours of recitation per week.  Five credit hours.

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 chemistry-aware student (i.e, high school chemistry background) 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 his/her study of chemistry if desired or mandated by the student's curriculum.

Emphasis will be placed on logical thinking, on critical thinking, on actual learning (rather than rote memorization), and on general problem-solving skills (with emphasis on mathematical and essay-type problems in the subject matter), as they are applicable to chemistry and to other physical, life, and social sciences and to related subjects.

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 structure.  Paradigm of applications will include:  historical perspectives (e.g., evolution of the current model of atomic structure as successively described by Dalton, Moseley, Thomson, Millikan, Rutherford, and Bohr; evolution of gas laws as described by Boyle, Avogadro, Charles, and Gay-Lussac); international and current-events perspectives (i.e., tobacco and its radiation hazard; radon; ozone and molecular excitation; light pollution; acid rain); and mathematical perspectives (critical thinking and application to specific problem-solving exercises, both essay and algebraic).

V. CONTENT OUTLINE: (tentative)
Chapter         Title
1                   Tools of Chemistry
2                   Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
3                   Chemical Reactions I:  Chemical Equations and Reactions in Aqueous Solution
4                   Chemical Reactions II:  Mass Relationships
5                   The Gaseous State
6                   Thermochemistry
24                 Nuclear Chemistry
7                   Quantum Theory and the Electronic Structure of Atoms
8                   Periodic Relationships Among the Elements
9                   Chemical Bonding I:  Basic Concepts
10                 Chemical Bonding II:  Molecular Geometry and Molecular Orbitals

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:  General activities will include lecture, recitation, 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, etc.  The recitation period may be used for any/all of the following:  homework review; interactive problem-solving sessions; lecture; laboratory demonstrations; prelab direction, administration of examinations, writing/essay exercises (i.e., writing across the curriculum), etc.

A written laboratory report is prepared for each experiment.  A prelab exercise that includes essay and calculation questions is included with each experiment.

VII. FIELD AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES:  Not applicable

VIII. RESOURCES:  You must have:  (1)  the textbook;   (2)  a new laboratory manual; (3)  a new approved laboratory notebook (see the Notebook Guidelines in your CHE 121 lab manual for details); (4)  a scientific calculator; (5) approved eye protection (e.g., splash goggles).  You must bring textbook and calculator to each lecture and recitation.  You must bring lab manual, lab notebook, and eye protection to each lab session.

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

X. 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.

XI. 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.

XII. TEXT AND REFERENCES: Chemistry, 6th edition, Chang
Techniques and Experiments in General Chemistry, McCreary
A useful reference is the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.  Any edition of the last twenty years will provide a host of valuable information.

XIII. PREREQUISITES:  Successful completion of a year of high school chemistry with laboratory is highly recommended but not required.
 
 

In the original Report of the Committee to Review General Education, as approved by the MSU Academic Council (Sept. 1996), an applicable statement appear:

"Flexibility should be provided in the Bachelor of Science model so that those students in accredited professional programs, whose general education course selections are rigidly prescribed by accreditation agencies, can "fit" better into the MSU general education plan than the present model has allowed."

CHE 121 and 122 are both part of the American Chemical Society accredited program in the Department of Chemistry at MSU (accredited for professional chemists and widely accepted by the chemical industry and by graduate schools), and of the Secondary Education option in the chemistry major.  The courses provide the introduction needed for further study of chemistry within that program.  A survey of these curricula shows that students receive an adequate education in the form of chemistry, physics (PHY 235, 236, 255, 256 or PHY 120 and 121) and computer science (PHY 140 or CSC 136).  Arbitrary addition of more science courses to these programs would needlessly overload curricula in which the students are already well-educated in the theory and practice of the sciences.

Furthermore, students in pre-professional curricula including pre-medicine, pre-dental medicine, pre-veterinary medicine and pre-pharmacy programs are also required to take CHE 121 and 122.  Although these programs are not accredited per se (there being no applicable accreditation agencies), the content of each curriculum is dictated by the professional schools at large.  Changes in the curricula could endanger acceptance of our students to these professional schools.  For example, a "survey" course from the sciences that appears on a medical school applicant's transcript might well be viewed by the school as an attempt by the student to "inflate" his/her GPA, and could result in rejection of an otherwise qualified student's application.  It is therefore appropriate to include CHE 121 and 122 as options in the Science requirement in the University Studies Program.

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