INFORMATION GENERAL AND SYLLABUS
CHEMISTRY 162, FALL 2002
LECTURER AND COORDINATOR: R. AGARWAL WRIGHT-RIEMAN LABS - 135; [e-mail] Welcome to the second semester of the "General Chemistry" course. We sincerely hope that you will enjoy it. Please carefully read the following information concerning course policies, procedures and helpful tips concerning study habits. Keep an eye on the Hickman Hall bulletin board also for changes in and deviations from the syllabus, and other important announcements concerning the course. This is not an easy course, even more demanding than the first semester, and will need thorough knowledge of 161 material, your conscientious efforts and plenty of time. Your success will primarily depend on your being able to logically analyze the wording of the chemical problems on homework, quizzes, and exams and relate them to basic concepts and mathematical expressions. There are no "magic formulae" available. Some suggestions follow. 1. Read the problem carefully. Make sure you know what information is given and what is asked for. Most chemical problems contain more information than explicitly given. Recognize this. Make sure you understand the precise meaning of the terms used in the statement of the problem. Memorization of the definition is not enough. Decide what chemical principles are involved. Many of these are expressed as simple algebraic equations. You must know the meaning of each symbol used in the equation. Once you have the equation and the data provided, you are on your way to solving the problem. The algebra required is very simple. Do all the exercises on the attached math sheet, page 5, to familiarize yourself with the algebra required. This is absolutely essential for success in the course. Chemistry is a cumulative subject where one principle builds upon another. If you do not master the principles discussed today, you will have difficulty understanding the principles to be discussed tomorrow. Therefore, keep up. Don't play the catch-up game. You will not succeed. Following the above suggestions you should be able to solve a majority of chemical problems. But sooner or later you will come across a problem you cannot solve. We all face that situation. Try to carry out the analysis as far as you can and then ask your instructor. His/her explanation then will make a lot more sense. Try relating the numerical value and the units of the answer to the quantity calculated. The results should not feel absurd. This will help in correcting calculator and other simple errors. To make best use of your time and efforts, do the assigned reading before the lectures to gain familiarity with the material to be discussed. Read the discussed material again with care after the lectures and do the assigned homework problems the same evening. Whatever
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1
F02 GENINFO
is not clear, ask your instructor as soon as possible. Don't wait as problems won't get easier by themselves. We are very interested that you succeed in the course both in terms of learning and good grades. With disciplined work habits and interest you will find the course a rewarding one. Let us work together to achieve the goal.
Good luck and best wishes for a good semester!
REQUIRED MATERIALS 1) General Chemistry: An Integrated Approach, Second Edition (with CD-ROM) by John W. Hill an Ralph H. Petrucci (Prentice Hall). Lecture material and homework problems originate in this book.. Students are responsible for not only the assigned material but also any material introduced in the lectures that may not be in the text package. Selected Solution Manual for the above text by C. Alton Hassell. Contains detailed solutions for some of the exercises and case questions presented in the text. Short answers to odd-numbered questions are available at the end of the textbook; detailed answers to odd-numbered questions are worked out in the Selected Solutions Manual. A Scientific calculator (logarithms, exponentials, powers, roots, etc.). Calculators with graphing capabilities are allowed but not required.
2)
3)
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS 1) 2) LECTURE NOTES BY AGARWAL are highly recommended. Available at the Douglass-Cook Coop Bookstore. SAMPLE EXAM PACKET: CHEM 162 (Spring 2001) and Chapter 11 review questions. Available at the above noted bookstore. This is a good source for review and will be discussed during pre-exam review sessions. Questions to be discussed in each review will be announced in lecture class. Study Guide for the above text by D.J. Gross. Identifies key words and concepts, important chemical and mathematical equations, and common pitfalls occurring in problem-solving. Includes a generous selection of self-test questions and suggested study techniques.
3)
LECTURES There will be two lectures per week of 80 minutes each on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the seventh period. You should attend all lectures. Any changes in the course format, exams, etc., will be announced in lectures and you will be held responsible to know these changes. Attendance is of utmost importance since lectures will emphasize and clarify important and difficult concepts, and will guide you regarding how and what to study; Lecture notes are not
2
F02 GENINFO
meant to replace lectures. Studying the lecture topics in advance will be very helpful. Our experience has shown that students who do not attend lectures regularly tend to do poorly in the course. You will, also, be responsible for learning all the assigned readings whether or not they are discussed in lecture. Further there will be five (5) UNANNOUNCED quizzes of 5 points each at the end of lectures. The material tested will include all previous lectures. The quiz text will be displayed using an overhead projector; you will do the work on a blank sheet of paper and turn it in at the end of the allocated time. QUIZZES WILL BE CLOSED BOOK/NOTES AND MUST BE YOUR OWN WORK. RECITATIONS There will be one recitation per week of 55 minutes. Memorize your recitation section number and instructor's name. Please be prepared, and do not hesitate, to ask questions in order to utilize recitation effectively. The questions need not be restricted to suggested problems. Anything not clear in the textbook or lectures should be discussed during recitations. Recitation is an integral part of the course and should be attended regularly. You can discuss problems in details only in recitations. There will be 5 quizzes during accounting recitations for 50 points. All quizzes will emphasize the material as per attached schedule (page 10). Note that quizzes will emphasize different material for different recitation periods. If you miss, or expect to miss, a recitation quiz for a legitimate reason (acceptable to your recitation instructor), you must try to make it up during another recitation section meeting the same week. If this is not at all possible, contact your recitation instructor for make-up or credit within one week. Remember all quizzes will be counted towards your grade and none will be dropped and an unexcused absence will count as zero. Make-up quiz grades will be credited for your course grade only if your recitation instructor has approved it. Attendance in recitation starting with the second week and ending with the thirteenth week will also count for 25 points according to the following criterion: # Absences (Excused or Unexcused) 0-2 3 4 5 Points Credited 25 20 10 0
3
F02 GENINFO
EXAMINATIONS There will be three 80 minute examinations given during LECTURE PERIODS on Thursdays (6:10 - 7:30 PM). The dates, time, and the material to be covered is given in the attached syllabus (last page). Each examination will account for 100 points. ALL EXAMINATIONS MUST BE TAKEN AS SCHEDULED UNLESS AN OFFICIAL CONFLICT EXISTS WHICH IS UNLIKELY AS ALL HOURLIES ARE DURING REGULAR CLASS TIME. If an official conflict does exist, contact Dr. Agarwal WELL BEFORE the examination. A final 3 hour examination covering the entire course material will be given at the end of the semester accounting for 200 points. (See syllabus). All examinations will consist of multiple choice problems. All necessary constants, a periodic table, and some of the formulae will be provided. Please come to your assigned location 15 min before the starting time of the examinations and bring your calculator and ID card, with your photo on it. Location for all exams will be announced in lectures. There will be no make-up examination given for a missed exam. Contact Dr. Agarwal as soon as possible if you miss an examination on verifiable and emergency medical grounds and provide him with a written explanation and supporting documents within one week. Credit will be given for the missed exam by raising the final exam credit to 300 points. ALL examinations and quizzes will be counted for final course grade. Unexcused absence from an examination or a quiz will be counted as zero. No credit will be given for reasons such as oversleeping, car trouble, etc. GRADING A tentative curve for grades will be made for each examination and recitation. But the course grade will be based on the cumulative-point system (Total accumulated numerical score). Mid-term Exams (Three) Recitation Quizzes Lecture quizzes Attendance Final Exam 300 pts 50 pts 25 pts 25 pts 200 pts (50.0%) (8.3%) (4.2%) (4.2%) (33.3%)
If your final examination grade differs markedly from your hourly examination grade, we weigh the final more heavily. Students with marginal (borderline) grades should be particularly aware of the importance of the final examination. Further, a minimum score of approximately 40% in the final exam is required to pass the course. Lecture and recitation quiz scores and attendance are also important for marginal cases. The grades will be soley based on your total points scored within the course.
4
F02 GENINFO
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY University policies on academic integrity will be strictly enforced. Any involvement with cheating, the fabrication or invention of information used in an academic exercise, facilitating academic dishonesty of others will result in serious consequences ranging from reprimand to expulsion. FURTHER, THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO GIVE ANOTHER TEST TO EACH STUDENT WHOSE PERFORMANCE IN THE TEST SEEMS SUSPICIOUS IN THEIR JUDGEMENT. Contact Dr. Agarwal if you...