Lewis & Clark College

General Chemistry I, Chemistry 110, Section 01

Basic Information

Professor: Barb Balko; Olin 225; x 7534; [email protected]

Department Secretary: Amy Timmins; Olin 226A; x 7530; timmins@lclark.edu

Office Hours: Monday 1 – 2 pm; Tuesday 10 – 11 am; Wednesday 1 – 2 pm; Thursday 1 – 2

pm; Friday 3 – 4 pm. I may need to change these as I schedule other meetings. If there

are any changes, I will announce any changes in class as well as on Moodle. Please keep

Help Center: Starts the second week of classes; hours will be announced. The center will be

located in Howard (former lounge in the first floor) along with the Math and Physics help

centers.

Materials on Reserve: we will have 2 copies of the required text on reserve as well as 2 copies

of the student guide to the text on reserve in Watzek

lecture. Discussion sections and labs will meet starting the week of Sept. 9. For discussion

sections, please bring a calculator. For lab, please bring safety goggles and a lab notebook and

dress appropriately (closed-toe shoes, long pants or skirt, and a shirt that covers your midriff).

solutions to problems with answers in the text as well as an explanation of the solution. You can

buy a used text and purchase access to “Mastering Chemistry” and/or the student solution

manual separately if you desire. Neither access to the “Mastering Chemistry” website or the

Safety Goggles: These must be worn at all times in the laboratory. Goggles will be available

for you to use but you are encouraged to purchase your own (they should be available in the

college bookstore).

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Apply the concepts of uncertainty and dimensional analysis to solve chemical problems.

2. Understand the relationship between atoms, molecules, and moles and be able to apply this

3. Understand the atomic basis for the periodic table and the trends in atomic properties that

4. Identify and describe the subatomic particles (electron, proton, neutron) and understand how

9. Apply the scientific method to their own experiments, be proficient in fundamental

Course Strategy

Reading the text (skim it before the lecture and then read it thoroughly after the lecture),

doing all the assigned homework, and coming to class are essential for succeeding in this course.

Doing extra problems is especially helpful. The text has a website (Mastering Chemistry) with

having with the material. Don’t hesitate to see me if you’re having difficulties!

Lectures

It is important to read your textbook before coming to class or at least skim it over to get

a sense what we will be covering. Use the syllabus to find out what will be covered in lecture

me after class or during my office hours.

Office Hours

If you have questions that cannot be answered in class, would like additional practice

problems, would like to talk about the class, or would like to talk about chemistry in general,

please see me during my office hours. If the posted times don’t work for you, feel free to make

an appointment with me for another time or talk to the other General Chemistry professor (Louis

Laboratory

The lab is an integral part of the course. This is when you get to put into practice what

you’ve been learning. Plan on attending all your labs as there are no make-ups. Scheduling

conflicts due to athletics or illness must be worked out with your lab instructor as soon as

possible, preferably before the lab that will be missed. Read the lab before you arrive! Doing so

will likely give you greater experimental success and help you to finish faster. In order to pass

the course, you must pass the laboratory section of the class!

Moodle

The class moodle page will feature copies of assignments and solutions to homework and

discussion problems and practice tests. There will also be links to other sites that you may find

page.

I expect academic honesty. This means homework, labs, and exams should be your own

efforts. Discussion about homework assignments and labs is encouraged but the work you turn

in should be your own (i.e., it should be in your own words and you should be able to explain it

fully if asked). You will be assigned a clicker to use during lecture; do not use another student’s

clicker and/or take the clicker for a student who is not in class. Cheating will result in failure on

the assignment, possible failure of the course, and disciplinary action by the College Honor

Board. Please consult the Pathfinder for more information on the College’s academic integrity

policy. If you are having problems come see me!

class and I will refer the matter to the director of Academic Advising. Permission to return to

dropped from the course.

If you have a disability that may impact your academic performance, you may request

accommodations by submitting documentation to the Student Support Services Office in Albany

Quadrangle (x7191). That office will notify me of the accommodations for which you are

eligible.

3 “Midterm” Exams 45%

Final 20%

Homework 10%

Three one hour midterms will be given in class. The dates for these tests are in the syllabus.

Final Exam

Your final exam is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 16, 1 – 4 pm.

Homework

Homework will be assigned weekly and will be due at the start of class each Friday. To be fair

to students who hand their homework in at the start of class, papers handed in right after class or

later in the day will be accepted with a 5% penalty. Students get one “free pass” (i.e., no

penalty) for homework that is less than one day late. Late homework will be accepted up to one

week past the due date; homework that is more than one day late will be penalized by 10%. The

lowest homework score will be dropped.

responses and problem-solving based on lecture/reading/viewing material. These activities are

intended to encourage you to think about the lecture material during the lecture, to give me a

sense for how well the class is learning the material, and to keep track of attendance. Students

assignment).