CHEMISTRY 211GENERAL CHEMISTRY

Fall 2009

Section 002: Tu/Th 3:00 – 4:15 (IN 103)

Text: Chemistry, The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change

by M. S. Silberberg

5th Edition, McGraw-Hill (2008)

Instructor: Dr. Keith M. Davies

Office: 410 OB-PW1

http://osf1.gmu.edu/~kdavies/

http://osf1.gmu.edu/~kdavies/211SYL-09.html

email: kdavies@gmu.edu

Tel: 703-993-1075

Office Hours: Tu/Th 10:00 -11:00, 1:30-2:00 331 ST1.

MWF 410 OB-PW1 by appointment

 

Examinations Mid Term:  Sept 29, Oct 29,  Nov 24

 

  Final:           Dec 15, 1:30-4:15  

Grading Mid-Term Exams 30%

Final 20%

Homeworks (GMU) 12%

  Homework (ARIS) 13%

  Lab 25%

  

Grading

 

    Chapter in Text  

Sept 1, 3 1     Matter and Measurement

  8, 10 2     The Components of Matter

  15, 17 3     Stoichiometry of Formulas and Equations

  22, 24 3     Classes of Chemical Reactions

  29, 1 4     Exam I - Sept 29  (Chapters 1-3)  

Oct 6, 8 5     Gases

  15 6     Thermochemistry     No class on Oct 13th Columbus Day Recess

  20, 22 6, 7    Quantum Theory and Atomic Structure   

  27, 29 7     Exam II - Oct 29  (Chapters 4-7) 

Nov 3, 5 8    Electronic Configuration and  Periodicity

  10, 12 9    Models of Chemical Bonding

  17, 19 10    Shapes of Molecules

  24     Exam III - Nov 24 (Chapters 8 -10) Thanksgiving Recess: Nov 25-29

  1, 3 11    Covalent Bonding Theories                         

Dec 8, 10 12  Solids, Liquids and Intermolecular Forces

  15      Final Exam (cumulative) 1:30 - 4:15 p.m.

 

Grading Policies 

Grades will not be based on a 100% scale ( A equates to 90+%,  B to 80+%, etc) but relative to the rest of the class.  The class average will be equated to a middle-high C, and the rest of the grades will be determined relative to this norm.

Make Up Exam Policy

An absence from an exam will be excused ONLY if adequate documentation is provided. (e.g., note from a physician)

For an excused absence, the Mid-term Exam% for the course will be determined from the mean of the other two mid-terms (i.e. the point values of the other two exams will be increased proportionately to cover the missed exam).

Only one missed mid-term exam will be permitted (a second missed exam will result in a zero score for the exam)

All students must take a Final Exam. Any change in the time or date of the final must be authorized by the Dean’s Office and by the instructor.

Final Exam

• The Final Exam will be the American Chemical Society’s Examination in General Chemistry.

• Recommended workbook for the ACS exam:

Preparing for your ACS Exam. The official guide.

ISBN 0-9708042-0-2

Laboratory Course

To complete the Chem 211 course, each student must also enroll and obtain a passing grade in a Chem 211 laboratory class

If a student is repeating the course and has previously obtained a passing grade in the lab (at GMU or elsewhere) he/she can be exempt from the lab.

To achieve this, the student must provide evidence of their prior lab grade and fill out a Lab waiver form in the Chemistry Office (ST1 343) and notify the lecture instructor of their lab exempt status.

Homework

There will be two sets of graded homework assignments.

I.Homework assignments taken through the McGraw-Hill ARIS online system. Log on at www.mhhe.com/silberberg5

II.Homework assignments taken through the GMU online system. Log on at https://genchem.gmu.edu/admin.asp

Assignments must be completed by the assigned deadlines.

The four ARIS homework deadlines will be the dates corresponding to the days before the mid-term and final examinations.

The GMU homework assignments should be attempted when each chapter is completed in class. Students can try the homework as many times as they want to improve their scores.

The deadline for completion of all GMU homeworks will be December 15th

   

ARIS Homeworks GMU Homework

Chapter Deadline Chapter  Deadline

 1 September 28   1 December 15

2 September 28  2 December 15

3 September 28  3 December 15

 4 October 28  4 December 15

 5 October 28  5 December 15

 6 October 28   6 December 15

7  November 23 7 December 15

8  November 23 8 December 15

9  November 23 9 December 15

10  November 23 10 December 15

11  December 15 11 December 15

12  December 15 12 December 15

Online Resources

McGraw-Hill's ARIS (Assessment, Review, and Instruction System) (http://www.mharis.com)

Section Enrollment Code: 96C-48-E88

www.mhhe.com/silberberg5 1-800-331-5094

Online Resources is an electronic homework and problem solving center that enables you to take self-paced tests, with feedback, on specific material from each chapter.

The problem-solving center also contains a 3-D Visualization Center where students can work through visualization tutorials (real-time manipulation of computer generated molecular models as well as animations).

Student PreparationSuccess in General Chemistry is determined largely by the amount of time that a student puts into the course outside of the classroom.

A number of learning aids are available (lecture notes, textbook, study guide, required problems, a media guide and web site learning center).

Different approaches to learning will work for different students. Some will learn mostly from the textbook, while others will be stimulated by an interactive web site.

The most important thing is to spend a minimum of several hours a week working on the course material using the learning method or methods that work best for you.

Since numerical chemical calculations constitute a large part of many chapters (and of scheduled tests and quizzes), practicing numerical problems should constitute a large part of your preparation.