CHEMISTRY 1410.001: GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR SCIENCE MAJORS
Class time is TR 12:30-1:50PM inLIFEA 117and recitation is Thursday3:30-4:20PM in ESSC 255. New material may be covered during recitation and problems similar to test questions will be worked. Attendance is mandatory for lecture and recitation. Exams are given during recitation times!
Textbook (required): Principles of General Chemistry 3rd edition by Silberberg
ALSO AVAILABLE (not required, but helpful): Student Solutions Manual for Principles of General Chemistryby Silberberg
Professor: Dr. Amy Petros (PhD, Columbia University 2006)
Office: 363 Chemistry
e-mail:
Office Hours:MWF 9:00AM-10:00AM and by appointment(e-mail me if you can’ t make those times)
Extra help: Chemistry 231 is our free chemistry tutoring room. We have a copy of the textbook, solutions manual, and a chemistry student working M-R 9AM-6PM and F 9AM -3PM.
Course Outcomes:
- Balance chemical reactions.
- Understand the relationships between atomic structure and trends in chemical properties across the periodic table.
- Understand the basic relationships between electronic structure of atoms and the formation of chemical bonds between atoms in molecules.
- Understand how chemical bonds in molecules determine chemical behavior in such important areas as energy, the environment, and biology.
- Understand and apply fundamental concepts in thermodynamics (ie: enthalpy) to predict certain aspects of chemical behavior.
Preliminary Schedule (subject to change)
Week of:Chapters to be covered
January 16Go over syllabus, Chapter 1
Recitation: Analysis of Scientific Studies
January 23Chapter 2
Recitation: Chapter2 problems
January 30Chapter 3;
Recitation: Chapter 3 problems
February 6Chapter3; Review
Recitation: 2/9Exam I: ch 1-3
February 13Chapter 4
Recitation: Chapter 4 problems; hand back exams
February 20Chapter 5-6
Recitation: Chapter 5 problems
February 27Chapter 6
Recitation: Chapter 6 problems, review
March 6Chapter 6; Review
Recitation: 3/9Exam II: ch 4-6
March 13Spring Break, no classes
March 20Chapter 7
Recitation: Chapter 7 problems
March 27Chapter 8
Recitation: Chapter 8 problems
April 3Ch 9
Recitation:Chapter 9 problems
April 10Chapter 10
Recitation: 4/13Exam III: ch 7-10
April 17Chapter 10, 11
Recitation: ch 10, 11 problems
April 24Ch 12, review
Recitation: Exam IV 4/27: ch 10-13
May 1Review for Final Exam (NO UNT classes Fri 5/5)
Thursday, May 11 1030AM-1230PM is our scheduled Final Exam time as scheduled by the Office of the Registrar
MUST confirm date/time of all finals with Office of Registrar
Course Layout and Grading
GRADES ARE DETERMINED BY THE SUM OF ALL POINTS EARNED FROM EXAMS AND EXTRA CREDIT ONLY.
Letter grades are based on the following scale:
90-100% of total points450-500 total pointsGrade=A
80-89% of total points400-449 total pointsGrade=B
70-79% of total points350-399 total pointsGrade=C
60-69% of total points300-349 total pointsGrade=D
Below 60%0-299 total pointsGrade=F
Grading: The final grade is determined from 3 out of 4 regular exams, the final exam, which counts twice, and any extra credit. THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS SINCE ONE IS DROPPED. If a student misses 2 exams, the final percentage will replace the second missed exam. Each regular exam is worth 100 points; the final exam is worth 200 points.
Extra Credit: Attending 10 or more (no credit for fewer sessions) SI sessions will add 10 extra-credit points to your overall score out of 500 (NOT percentage points).
Recitation: problem sets will be worked either individually or in small groups during recitation. Competed problem sets must include all group members’ names and work clearly shown with answers boxed or otherwise clearly indicated. Up to 15 extra-credit points will be given for completed problem sets.
Exam rules:
- Exams (not including the final) are 50 minutes in length.
- No extra time will be provided for tardiness.
- No new exams will be handed out once the first exam has been turned in and the student has left the room.
- No one is permitted to leave the room and return during exams.
- Cell phones are not permitted (may not use cell phones as calculators) and TI Nspire or any other internet-ready device is not permitted during exams.
- Instructor reserves the right to ask you to move to a different seat during the exam.
- Cheating will result in a zero. Any talking, notes that are clearly visible, saved equations on calculators, cheat sheets, etc. will result in an automatic F for all students involved.
Academic dishonesty and/or cheating will not be tolerated and an automatic grade of “F” will be given. The term “cheating” includes, but is not limited to
(a)The use of any unauthorized assistance taking exams;
(b)Acquisition, without permission, of tests, notes, or other academic material belonging to a faculty member of the University;
(c)Any other act designed to give a student an unfair advantage;
An incomplete grade is only given if the student meets the requirements as set forth by the university. The incomplete for the course is only given during the last one-fourth of a semester and only if a student: (1) gives notice to the instructor of being required to participate in active military service, or (2) is passing the course and has justifiable reasons why the work cannot be completed on schedule. The UNT Undergraduate Catalog delves into greater detail for these requirements.
Homework is not turned in for a grade but must be completed weekly: Relevant homework problems for each chapter will be listed in class and on Blackboard but will not be turned in for grading. Supplemental Homework problem sheets will be given out at the beginning of the week and posted on the course Blackboard account and worked out during recitation. Doing the suggested homework problems and supplemental homework are the best way to prepare for exams. At least one homework problem from the book will be listed verbatim on each exam and most of the supplemental homework problems will be seen again on exams.
Disruption of Class: Students disrupting the class will be asked to leave the room. Cell phones and chatting are disruptive to the lecture portion of the course.
Missed classes: Students are responsible for any material covered in class. Instructor provides outlines of notes to students on Blackboard Learn. Asking another student for a copy of his/her notes is the best option.
The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.
Strategies for Success, or
How to Get an A in this Class: a loose blueprint
- Come to every lecture and recitation.
- Before class, skim over the chapter we are covering (refer to syllabus), focusing on definitions and equations.
- In class, put away phones and LISTEN; take notes that summarize concepts in your own way. *write all example problems out in your notes*
- Immediately after class, review your notes (add things you didn’t have time to flesh out) and work on the homework problems. Working on the problems ASAP helps cement the material.
- While working out problems, make notes to yourself about how you solved the homework and refer to lecture notes for similar examples or the textbook for similar examples.
- Complete each homework assignment before next lecture or by the end of the week at the latest(don’t put it off until the end of the chapter).
- Play close attention to the supplemental homework problems; these are similar to a practice exam. These are worked out during recitation and answers are not posted on Blackboard or in the book.
- E-mail or ask professor in class if you have any questions—don’t wait until you are cramming the night before an exam and feel swamped.
- To study for exams: go over notes and all assigned HW problems with a strong focus on the supplemental HW; review notes you wrote to yourself about how you solved each problem.
- Have confidence in your abilities and have a successful semester!
Visit success.unt.edu for even more resources and general tips and information.