Back to previous Page.. Syllabus for College Chemistry (CHEM 120, 122; 3+3 cr.) July 1, 2009
Note: 1. You can find this syllabus at http://webpages.shepherd.edu/evolker/main.htm.
2. The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. It is not a contract.
Instructor: Dr. Eugene J. Volker, 304 876 5285. The best way to contact me outside of class is by email at evolker@shepherd.edu.
Content: College Chemistry is often referred to in catalogs of other colleges as Chemistry for the Health Sciences or as Allied Health Chemistry. It is primarily for nursing students but together with CHEM 120L and CHEM 122L it fulfills the General Studies requirement of Shepherd University for one year of a laboratory science. This is an introductory course in chemistry with special emphasis on those aspects of the field that have connections to physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, and medicine.
Textbook: 1. Hill, Baum, Scott-Ennis, "Chemistry and Life", 6th ed., Prentice-Hall, 2000.
2. The manual by E. Volker, “College Chemistry Problems”.
CHEM 120 treats chapters 1-13 of the text. CHEM 122 treats chapters 14-23 and a number of special topics which vary from year to year. (For a list of the chapter topics in the text, see below.)
Quizzes: In each semester there will be small weekly quizzes for a total of approximately 50 points.
Exams: During each semester three exams will be given after appropriate segments of the course material have been discussed. The exact exam dates depend on the progress made. Exam dates will be announced at least one week in advance.
Exams will consist of a combination of problems (usually 4) and multiple-choice questions (usually 30). Each examination is worth 100 points. The highest grade allowed on any exam, including the final, is 100 points. Regular exams will be graded and returned. The final will be graded but will not be returned. The best way to prepare for the exams is not to miss any lectures, read the text, work the problems in the “College Chemistry Problems”, and take the practice tests that the instructor hands out.
Final Examination: In each semester there is a comprehensive final examination over the material of the whole semester. It is worth 100 points.
If the grade on the final is higher than the lowest grade among the three examinations, and the student has taken all three examinations, the final grade will replace the lowest exam grade. If a student misses one exam, the final grade will be the grade counted for the missed exam. If a student misses two exams, a comprehensive make-up exam, consisting of problems only (no multiple choice) will be given to him/her along with the final. The final grade will replace one of the missed exam grades, while the make-up exam grade will replace the other missed exam grade. The highest score allowed will be 100 points.
Research papers: There will be two research papers each semester on topics of current interest in chemistry. On each of these is worth 20 points. The student will usually have three weeks to write a paper. Topics and deadlines will be given out during the semester.
The format of the papers is as follows: they must be double-spaced and must consist of a minimum of 750 words exclusive of title, references, and illustrations. Two students may submit a joint paper of at least 1000 words. In the latter case, they must append and sign the statement "Both authors have contributed equally to this assignment". Papers should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner. No cover sheets or covers of any sort should be used. Each paper should start with
Title of Paper
Name of the student(s)
Word count
This should be followed first by a numbered list of references consulted, then by the body of the paper.
The text should be written as a coherent essay on the assigned topic, not as numbered answers to the corresponding questions on the instructor's handout but the sequence of topics in the discussion must follow the handout exactly. Do not repeat the instructor's questions.
A good essay will address all issues raised by the instructor using separate (perhaps multiple) paragraphs relating to each question, but will do this with smooth transitions between paragraphs, showing how the different issues are linked logically.
If you copy verbatim from a source, that source should be one of your references and you should cite it by its reference number. In such a case you must use quotation marks. An example is "Semisynthetic penicillins are prepared from 7-APA by the technique of acylation (ref. 3). "
Some criteria for the evaluation of a research paper are:
BEWARE: Copying of another student's work by whatever means, especially copying a computer file, will result in a ZERO grade for BOTH papers, but joint papers may be submitted as explained above.
Homework: You can accumulate bonus points by completing and handing in the “College Chemistry Problems”. Each chapter is due on the day indicated in class. You may receive 0- 2 bonus points for each chapter, depending on how completely you answer all questions. While that sounds little, remember that by the end of the semester you may have accumulated more than 20 bonus points which are added to your total points earned in the course before your percentage is calculated.
Homework must be handed in on the pages of the printed homework booklet (or a photocopy thereof) that you buy in the bookstore. The name of the student must be prominently indicated on the front and the back of the homework. All pages must be stapled together in the upper left-hand corner. The homework will be spot-checked, that is, only selected problems will be evaluated in order to speed up turnaround time.
Additional materials: The reading library on the chemistry floor (BY 317) has a variety of short and long chemistry texts and lab manuals. Books in BY 317 can be borrowed based on the honor system.
Grading: An "A" is given to the student who obtains 87.5% or more of the (required) points possible for the course, a "B" if he/she is within the next 12.5% bracket, and so on. You can compute your grade at any time during the course. Let's say you have a 60 and a 70, respectively, on the first two exams. You have also accumulated 10 bonus points on homework. So you have earned a total of 140 points of the 200 possible so far. (Remember, the homework is "bonus".) Your grade at this point is (140/200)*100=70% and you have earned a "C".
Chapters in Hill Studied in CHEM 120
Ch 1 Matter and Measurement
Ch 2 Atoms
Ch 3 Chemical Bonds
Ch 4 Chemical Reactions
Ch 5 Oxidation and Reduction
Ch 6 Gases
Ch 7 Liquids and Solids
Ch 8 Solutions
Ch 9 Acids and Bases I
Ch 10 Acids and Bases II
Ch 11 Electrolytes
Ch 12 The Atomic Nucleus
Chapters in Hill
Studied in CHEM 122
Ch 13 Hydrocarbons
Ch 14 Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
Ch 15 Aldehydes and Ketones
Ch 16 Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives
Ch 17 Amines and Derivatives
Ch 18 Stereoisomerism.
Ch 19 Carbohydrates
Ch 20 Lipids
Ch 21 Proteins
Ch 22 Enzymes
Ch 23 Nucleic Acids
Topics in Pharmacology