CHEMISTRY 115          GENERAL INFORMATION                                     FALL 2003

OBJECTIVES: Chemistry 115 is the first half of the two semester General Chemistry course designed for science majors. If you are uncertain whether you have been properly placed in this class, please talk to your professor or advisor.

Lab is a co-requisite for all students except for those repeating the course. Those repeaters opting not to retake the lab are cautioned that their grade will be determined exclusively by quiz and exam performance.

The course is taught with the following objectives in mind:

  1. To show the relationship that exists between physical and chemical properties in matter.
  2. To help you develop skills needed to solve chemical problems in both, qualitative and quantitative manner
  3. To provide a molecular world view, an outlook unique to chemistry and essential to an educated person.
  4. To prepare you for subsequent high level chemistry courses. 
LECTURES: MWF 9:30 - 10:20 in CB 111
INSTRUCTOR:
Office: CB 293 W       Phone: 646-1547
Office Hours:              MWF 10:30 - 11:30   or by appointment
TEXTBOOK:  "General Chemistry," by Ebbing and Gammon, 7th Edition
LAB TEXT: - "Experiments in General Chemistry," by R.A.D.Wentworth, 6th Edition, comes in a bundle with the textbook.
- Laboratory Notebook (Hayden & McNeil is recommended)
CALCULATOR: You will need a calculator with exponential notation and logs. Alpha-numeric calculators are NOT permitted to be used on quizzes or exams.
PREREQUISITES: Eligibility to take Chemistry 115 is based on eligibility to take MATH 185, a grade of B or better in second semester high school chemistry and an ACT composite score of 22 or higher..
EXTRA HELP:
  1. Help will be available in the General Chemistry Assistance Room, CB-110. The schedule will be posted.
  2. A list of tutors, who can be hired for an hourly fee, is available in CB 100.
  3. Both your lecture instructor and laboratory TA have posted office hours.
  4. CHEM 115 Website: http://www.chemistry.nmsu.edu/studntres/chem115/
  5. General Chemistry Exercises Website: http://www.chemistry.nmsu.edu/studntres/exercises/
  6. Text Website: http://college.hmco.com/chemistry/general/ebbing/general_chem/7e/students/index.html (I provide the log-in and the password for you)
  7. Smarthinking web site at: http://www.smarthinking.com/houghton.html offers academic assistance. You get the service for free with your text book.
EXAMINATIONS: Chemistry 115 exams will be given on the following days from approximately 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Make sure that you have the available time to take the exams. The exams will be a combination of essay problems and multiple choice. Exam keys will be posted next day.

Exam 1                   Wednesday, September 17, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Exam 2                   Wednesday, October  15, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Exam 3                   Wednesday, November 12, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
FINAL                    Wednesday, December 10, 8:00 - 10:00 AM

For each examination may need to bring a calculator. You may not share calculators during an exam. Electronic devices (other than calculators) are prohibited during an exam.
MAKE-UP EXAMS: No make-up exams will be given, unless you have a valid excuse (documented illness, death in family, conflicting University event). Students missing exams due to illness or emergency will be given an "excused" grade for the exam. Only one excused grade will be given during the semester; students missing a second exam will be dealt with on an individual basis. If you have a conflict, you must contact the instructor as soon as possible prior to the exam in order to schedule the exam at an earlier time.
QUIZZES and
EXERCISES:		 In class quizzes will be given every other Friday at the beginning of class. The homework assignments will not be graded but you can always turn them in with the quiz for evaluation of your skills. Periodically, some assignments will be given for the web - based quizzes. You will have two days (until next lecture) to complete it and submit the answers electronically. I encourage you to work in groups on your assignments but in class quizzes should be answered individually.
LABORATORY: Safety goggles must be worn whenever laboratory work is in progress. Goggles that will fit over most prescription glasses are available in the bookstore. Check with your laboratory instructor before purchasing goggles so that you will obtain acceptable ones. Contact lenses should not be worn in the Laboratory. Safety policy also requires that you wear shoes that cover your feet (no open sandals) and either long pants or a lab apron, which protects your legs. In the event of an accident it is far better to spill caustics and acids on clothing than directly on skin. Any experiments unavoidably missed must be made up within one week. Laboratories not made up will result in a deduction from the laboratory grade. You must have permission from your Teaching Assistant before a lab can be made up. You may make up an experiment in other Chem 115 laboratory, provided that you obtain permission from the TA of that laboratory section. When a laboratory experiment is made-up, turn in the report to the TA in charge who will deliver it to your TA.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT: Please review the student code of conduct in your Student Handbook.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:   If you have or believe you have a disability that interferes with your performance as a student in this class, you are encouraged for academic reasons to discuss this on a confidential basis with the instructor and /or the Director of Disabled Students Program (phone: 646-6840, TTY:646-1918) and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator (tel. 646-7795). Appropriate accommodations may be provided for you.
WITHDRAWALS & "I" GRADES: Students are sometimes confused about the requirements for a grade of "Incomplete", assuming it is a "late W". No withdrawals from individual courses are allowed after the mid-point of the semester (April 7). "I" grades can be given only after the mid-point of the semester. To receive an "I" the student must be passing the course with a C grade or better at the midpoint of the semester and then be prevented from completing the course successfully due to illness or a family crisis. The student must provide documentation that the illness or family emergency makes it impossible for the student to complete the course with a passing grade.
GRADE: Four one- hour exams ....................................60%
Lab experiments & lab quizzes....................... 20%
Lecture quizzes/problem sets.......................... 20%
Total ............................................................ 100%

Students who are retaking Chem 115 may be excused from the experimental laboratory if their previous lab grade was 75 or better. A student desiring to be excused from lab must discuss this possibility with his or her lecture instructor before the end of the first week of the semester. Previous lab grades can be obtained from records kept in Room 100. Only the lecture instructor can excuse a student from the laboratory. Grades for students who have been excused from lab will be determined as follows.

Four one- hour exams ....................................75%
Lecture quizzes/problem sets.......................... 25%
Total ............................................................ 100%

Previous lab grades will NOT be counted. Students who took the lab prior to the Spring 2001 semester must take the laboratory portion of the course again.

The letter grade for the course will be given based on the standard percentage scheme:

90 - 100 A
80 - 89 B
70 - 79 C
60 - 69 D
< 60 F
EXERCISES: The exercises assigned below are given as a study guide. You will not be expected to turn these problems in unless your lecture instructor specifically requests it. They are also meant to be a minimum of problems required to succeed in the class - we encourage you to do additional problems as you have time. Nonetheless, chances are that if you work out these problems, your grade will improve.
  • Chapter 1 : 2-18,21,23,25,27,31,34,39,45,50,55,59,71,73,84,91,93,115,135,149
  • Chapter 2 : 15,18,21,24-26,31,35,41,45,49,57,61,64,67,71,74,75,78,81,85,89,93,95, 107,111,118,127,134
  • Chapter 3 : 1,3,10,12,13,16,18,25,29,44,49,55,71,76,80,86,87,95,97,100
  • Chapter 4 : 3-13,17,19,23,25,28,29,33,34,36,41,44,48,50,56,58,60,67,75,81,89, 96, 100,109, 113,117,121,131,135
  • Chapter 5 : 1-10,13,14,17,18,20,21-24,26,27,31,41,47,55,65,67,73,79, 82,84,89, 98,100,107,110,111,121,123,127,130
  • Chapter 6 : 1-14,17-19,22,25,26,28,32,35,38,41,45,48,51,57,61,65,69,73,76,79,80, 86,93,98,103,108,110,118
  • Chapter 7 : 1-13,17,20,24,28,5,40,42,46,53,59,61,67,77,79,85,89
  • Chapter 8 : 1-10,14,19,20,25,29,33,37,39,41,45,55,59,65,69,74,82,84,86
  • Chapter 9 : 1-18,20-22,24,27-29,37,41,46,49,53,58,61,66,69,75-77,79,83,89, 93,97,105,112,116
  • Chapter 10: 1-13,17,23,25,32,35,37,44,52,56,61,71,73,80
  • Chapter 11: 1-20,22,25,30,36,42,45,49,53,56,62,65,69,73,79,87,93,100,107,112,121
  • Chapter 12: 1-20,22,26,30,32,37,41,47,59,69,83,91,102,107,111
  • Chapter 13: 1-28,34,39,47,49,55

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Last updated on 03/18/05