Chemistry Fundamentals IA SyllabusFall 2016
Course Number: CHM 2040(3 credit hours) Time: TH9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Instructor: Dr. Emily HeiderLocation:CSB 101
Email:
Office Hours: Tues, Thurs 3:00-4:00& by appointment in Chemistry building RM 227
Required Text:
In UCF bookstore:Chemistry: A Molecular Approach 4th edition by Nivaldo Tro or UCF edition
AND
Mastering Chemistry online homework (can be purchased bundled with the textbook at UCF bookstore, or separately at
And
Freshman Chemistry Tutor Coursepack by Emily Heider.
Available only at UCF bookstore.
AND
A scientific calculator is also required for this course. Any scientific calculator that has logarithm, scientific notation and exponent capability will be suitable.
Course Objectives
This is general chemistry course intended for students whodo not already have a background in chemistry. The following outline shows a list of topics that will be covered. It is the first part of a two semester series (CHM 2040 and CHM 2041) and is equivalent to a total of 3 credit hours. It is assumed that you are conversant with the principles of algebra and general mathematics. It is our intention to introduce a broad range of chemistry topics in this course. This class is a prerequisite to a Chemistry Fundamentals II (CHM 2046) and a laboratory course (CHM 2046L)
Course Outline
The course will be divided up into a series of five chapters:
Chapter 1:Matter, Measurement, Problem Solving
Chapter 2:Atoms and Elements
Chapter 3:Molecules, Compounds, Chemical Equations
Chapter 4:Chemical Quantities and Aqueous Reactions
Chapter 6:Thermochemistry
Course Goals – ENGAGED Learning
It is possible to pass this course by simply memorizing all content. However, this will be a very boring course if you do. Two of the most important skills in science are: A) problem solving, and B) learning to collaborate with others and present your findings. The time spent in class will certainly convey the chemistry concepts that you must learn, but a portion of class time will be spent on group work that will ideally allow you to learn to solve problems and collaborate with your fellow students.
Workbook: A Freshman Chemistry Tutor
The Chem 2045 workbook is required for this section of Chem 2045. It is available for purchase at the UCF bookstore. The workbook consists of worksheets that will largely be completed DURING lectures and it is therefore essential to bring the workbook with you to each lecture period. Worksheets will not be turned in for grading.
Quizzes
Five closed note quizzes will be given in the lecture period. All quizzes will be announced with due notice, as deemed necessary by the instructor. These will be given for a 30 minute period during the lecture period and it is therefore essential that you are present. There will be NO make-up quizzes for late or absent students, although the lowest TWO quiz score will be dropped.
Quizzes and exams must be completed independently and no help from others or notes is permitted. Quizzes will be administered in the following schedule.
Quizzes will be administered on the following dates:9/6, 9/22, 10/11, 11/1, 11/22
Minilabs
An unfortunate limitation of this course is the absence of an accompanying laboratory in which to apply chemical concepts that you learn in lecture and practice in your homework. To mitigate this disadvantage, four demonstration minilabs and four virtual minilabs are provided for you to complete during the discussion sections in which no quiz is administered. The minilabs are completely “green” and pose no environmental or health hazards. Since you will be collecting real data, you must attend your assigned lecture period to complete the minilab. There will be NO make-up minilabs for late or absent students, although the lowest minilab score will be dropped.
Minilab schedule
In-class demonstration minilabs: 9/6, 10/11, 11/1, 11/22 Lab reports will be due one week following the demonstration.
Virtual minilabs: 9/17, 10/1, 10/22, 11/12 These virtual “labs” show either fundamental concepts or actual research applications. “Post-lab” questions will be found on Webcourses and are due online at 11:59 p.m. for the specified dates.
Graded Homework
Homework will be completed using the online learning program called Mastering Chemistry. You must purchase a license to access this software. You can purchase the license bundled with the textbook at UCF bookstore, or you can purchase the license separately on You will need the following information to register:
Course ID:heider63429
Couse textbook:Chemistry: A Molecular Approach 4th edition by Nivaldo Tro
Be careful to provide your name as it appears on the UCF grade roster so you can receive credit for your work in Mastering Chemistry.
Since chemistry can only be learned through practice, this homework system will allow you to receive credit for your practice. The homework problems are graded and are due on the following schedule:
.
Mastering Intro module due Saturday 8/27 by 11:59 p.m.
Homework 1 Due Saturday 9/3 11:59 p.m.
Homework 2 Due Saturday 9/2411:59 p.m.
Homework 3 Due Saturday 10/811:59 p.m.
Homework 4 Due Saturday 10/29 11:59 p.m.
Homework 5 Due Saturday 11/1911:59 p.m.
The site will allow you to submit your work after the deadline has passed, but you will receive a 5% grade penalty for each hour it is late.
These assignments will take hours to complete and you are encouraged to work on them every day, rather than completing the assignment in one very painful sitting. Since these assignments are available to complete for at least a week (and often longer), no changes will be made to the submission dates for any reason.
Exam Policy
Exams will be given on the following schedule (chapters emphasized on exam are bold):
In class Thursday9/8Exam 1 (Chapter 1)
In class Tuesday 9/27Exam 2 (Chapter 1&2)
In class Thursday 10/13Exam 3 (Chapter 1, 2, & 3)
In class Thursday 11/3Exam 4 (Chapter 1,2,3 & 4)
In class Tuesday 11/29Exam 5 (Chapter 1,2,3,4 & 6)
Thursday, December 8th at 7:00– 9:50 a.m.Final Comprehensive Exam
All midterm exams will be worth a total of 100 points each, and will be multiple choice problems that require calculations or conceptual understanding of content. You will be required to bring a #2 pencil and “raspberry” shaded scantron to each exam.
The tests are not graded on a curve. The final exam will be worth 200 points. If you miss an exam for any reason, you forfeit the points; however the lowest exam score (or half of the final score) will be dropped.
Grading Policy
The grade a student receives for this course is based upon their mastery of the subject material and not the effort that they put into the course.The grades will be assigned according to percent of the number of points earned as follows:
Quizzes:60 points(20 points each, lowest 2 scores dropped)
Homework100 points(calculated from percentage of combined)
Minilabs70 points(10 points each, lowest score dropped)
Midterm Exams:400 or 500 points (the lowest exam score will be dropped)
Final Exam 200 or 100 points(if the final is the lowest score, then half will be dropped)
Total:830 points
The percent of the total points that you earn will be used to determine your grade:
A90.00 - 100%
B80.00 – 89.99%
C67.00-79.99%
NC50.00-66.99%
Fail<50%
Attendance
Attendance in class will not be recorded. However, you must be present to take the record minilab data, or take quizzes and exams in class.
Ungraded Homework
Reading about chemistry and learning how to solve problems in chemistry are completely different skills. The only way to become proficient in solving problems is to practice solving A LOT of problems. A list of problems from the textbook and solutions to those problems will be posted on Webcourses. You are strongly encouraged to work together to practice these problems, use the solutions to understand the ones you miss, and then complete the Mastering Chemistry homework. This approach will maximize your potential for scoring highly on homework, quizzes and exams.
Webcourses
Lecture content will be available for your use on Webcourses. Announcements about exams, quizzes, and scoring will also be found on Webcourses. You are highly encouraged to make use of this resource. Go to and select the myUCF option in top right corner to login.
Financial Aid Requirement
All faculty are required to document students’ academic activity at the beginning of each
course. In order to document that you began this course, please complete the Financial Aid quiz on Webcourses by the end of the first week of classes or as soon as possible after adding the course, but no later than August 26th. Failure to do so may result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid.
Academic Integrity and Dishonesty
Each student is expected to maintain academic ethics and honesty in all its forms, including, but not limited to, cheating as defined:
Cheating is the act of using or attempting to use, or providing others with, unauthorized information, materials or study aids in academic work. Cheating includes distributing examination answers & questions to, or taking examinations for, someone else, or preparing or copying another’s academic work.
You are expected to write all quizzes and examinations without using study aids, lists of equations (commit them to memory), or group participation. If you become aware of quiz or exam material being circulated before or while it is being administered, you are expected to make the instructor aware of it.
Disability Accommodations
The University of Central Florida is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course must contact Student Disability Services and then the professor at the beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations. No accommodations will be provided until the student has met with the professor to request accommodations. Students who need accommodations must be registered with Student Disability Services, Ferrell Commons RM 132, email , phone (407) 823-2371 before meeting with the professor.
Important Dates
Drop/swap deadline Thursday August 25thConfirm academic activity by August 26th
Labor Day Monday Sept 5th
Withdrawal Deadline October 31st
Veteran’s Day Friday November 11th
Thanksgiving Thursday-Saturday November 24-26th
Classes end Saturday Dec 3rd
The information in this syllabus may be changed at the instructor's discretion.