INFORMATION GENERAL AND SYLLABUS
CHEMISTRY 161, SPRING 2006
LECTURER AND COORDINATOR: PROF. ASBED VASSILIAN WRIGHT-RIEMAN LABS 135 Busch Campus, Tel: [phone]; [e-mail] Welcome to the first 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. A lot of course information and announcements may also be posted on the following WEBSITE: http://rutchem.rutgers.edu Click on course pages under undergraduate study, scroll down for Spring 2006 and then click on Chem 161. FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL MAKE COURSE MANAGEMENT EASIER FOR ALL OF US. This is a very demanding course and will require your conscientious efforts and plenty of time. A thorough understanding of 161 materials will also be essential when you take the second semester of General Chemistry. 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. Decide what chemical principles are involved. Make sure you understand them. Sheer memorization does not help and is discouraged. Many of the problems can be 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 7, to familiarize yourself with the algebra required. THIS IS 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.
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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 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) CHEMISTRY, SIXTH EDITION, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY CUSTOM VERSION by Zumdahl and Zumdahl (Houghton Mifflin). Lecture material/home assigned problems originate in this book. STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY THE ASSIGNED MATERIAL BUT ALL MATERIAL INTRODUCED IN THE LECTURES THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE TEXT. PARTIAL SOLUTIONS GUIDE by Hummel, Zumdahl, and Zumdahl. Contains solutions to all odd # end of chapter exercises.
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3) A Scientific calculator (logarithms, exponentials, powers, roots, etc.). Calculators with graphing capabilities and memory are absolutely forbidden during quizzes and the exams and will be taken away. RECOMMENDED MATERIALS LECTURE NOTES BY PROF. VASSILIAN are highly recommended. They are available at the Douglass-Cook Coop Bookstore
LECTURES There will be two lectures per week of 80 minutes each on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:15-8:35 PM in HCK 138. 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 MEANT TO REPLACE LECTURES. STUDYING THE LECTURE MATERIAL IN ADVANCE OF LECTURES 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 4 UNANNOUNCED lecture quizzes worth 5 points each at the end of lectures. The material tested will include all previous lectures. The quiz text will be displayed using the overhead projector; you will do the work on a blank sheet of paper and turn it in at the end of allocated time.
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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 3 quizzes during recitations accounting for 60 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 the meeting SAME WEEK. If this is not at all possible, contact your recitation instructor for 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 20 15 10 0
EXAMINATIONS There will be three 80 minute examinations given during the semester. 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. 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, a pencil and an ID card, with your photo on it. Location for all exams will be announced in the lectures. There will be NO MAKE-UP EXAMINATION given for a missed exam, under most circumstances. See Dr. Vassilian as soon as possible if you miss an examination on verifiable medical grounds or other excusable emergency situation. Provide him with a written explanation and supporting documents. Credit will be given for the missed exam in most cases by raising the final exam credit to 300 points. ALL examinations and quizzes will be counted for final course grade. Unexcused absences from an examination or a quiz will be counted as zero. No credit will be given for reasons as oversleeping, car trouble, the bus being late etc.
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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 numerical score). Mid-term Exams (Three) Recitation Quizzes Lecture quizzes Attendance Final Exam 300 pts 60 pts 20 pts 20 pts 200 pts (50%) (10%) (3.3%) (3.3%) (33.3%)
NOTE: THERE ARE NO ONLINE ASSIGNMENT AND CREDIT THIS SEMESTER. IGNORE SYLLABUS IN TEXTBOOK (NOT APPLICABLE THIS SEMESTER).. 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 attendances are also important for marginal cases. THE GRADES WILL BE SOLELY BASED ON YOUR TOTAL POINT SCORE IN THE COURSE AND NOT NECESSARILY YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU PUT IN. A SINGLE POINT MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ASSIGNED GRADE. ALL GRADES WILL BE POSTED ON FAS WEBSITE: http://fas.rutgers.edu/ Click on FAS GRADEBOOK UNDER FOR STUDENTS. To see the grade you will need your eden account, user name, password and SSN.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY University policies on academic integrity will be strictly enforced (see attached copy). 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. Vassilian if you have any questions. EXTRA HELP If you find that lectures, careful study, and recitations still leave you with difficulties in understanding ...