Chemistry 103 Syllabus Fall 2002

Course Objectives: The overall objective of this course is to help you become scientifically literate. As citizens of a democracy we are often called upon to make decisions that involve scientific issues. Our modern technological society is the result of scientific research and its application. Since we are so dependent upon the scientific enterprise, it is a wise policy to be aware of how it works, what it can and cannot do, how it impinges upon our lives, and when you have to defer to an expert opinion. In this course the emphasis is on how the scientific discipline of chemistry can help us understand contemporary environmental issues, and what it tells us about possible solutions to environmental problems the world is facing.

Prerequisites: being registered for the class.

Course Overview:
Lectures: 3:00 - 4:30 MW (HS-109). Each 90 minute period will be devoted to several concepts, with the material corresponding to the textbook chapters listed in the schedule on the last page. Bring your calculator so that you will be able to do practice exercises. Skimming the chapter before it is discussed in class will make it easier to take notes.

Quizzes and Exams: There will be some in-class quizzes and four 90 minute exams. Although the exams are not cumulative you will need to know material from the earlier chapters to understand things covered on the later exams.

Homework: You should do the homework since it will prepare you for the tests and quizzes. Homework is not graded. Answer keys will be provided to allow you to study for the quizzes and exams.

Reading/Studying: Devotion of time each day to chemistry homework is the most efficient way to study for the class. College students are very busy; try this method to save time! Reading assignments will be included on the homework sheet distributed for each chapter. Skim the text before the first lecture on the material. Look at the introduction, the subtitles for sections, the pictures and their captions, and the chapter summary listed at the end. After each lecture review your notes and read the appropriate textbook sections.

Labs: Meet in HS-401. You will attend one of these three sections: 1) Monday, 10:20 A - 12:30 P; 3) Tuesday, 3:00 P - 5:10 P; 5) Thursday, 12:40 P - 2:50 P. Laboratory experiments are chosen to illustrate concepts being discussed in lecture and to be FUN. To prepare for lab you should read the experiment before attending lab. Don’t forget to bring your lab book, pen, goggles and calculator to lab.

Class Instructor: Dr. J. Gutow (Office: HS-412, Phone: 424-1326, e-mail: gutow@uwosh.edu, Chemistry Department Main Office Phone: 424-1400)

Dr. Gutow’s Office Hours: MT 8:30 - 9:30, W 11:30 - 12:30, Th 9:30 - 10:30, F 12:30 - 1:30 or by appointment.
Required Materials
Text: Chemistry in Context: Applying Chemistry to Society, 3rd Edition. Please try to read each chapter before we begin discussing it in class. This will familiarize you with the vocabulary and concepts I will be discussing so that you can take notes more efficiently.

Lab Manual: Chemistry in Context Lab Manual, 3rd Edition.

Other: Safety goggles (available at the bookstore) and a calculator capable of handling scientific notation, square roots, powers and logs. Pen for use in lab. No pencil may be used in lab.

Subscription to e-mail discussion list: All students are required to sign up for the class e-mail discussion group by Friday, September 13, 2002 to pass the course. Instructions for subscribing in RESOURCES SECTION.

Grading
Exams:
4 @ 100 points each
400 (66.6 %)
Quizzes:
4 @ 10 points each (worst score replaced with average of others)
40 (6.7 %)
Laboratory:
4 points for doing experiment each week
1 point for filled in lab data sheet for each experiment
5 points for answering questions for each experiment
120 (20.0 %)
Web Project
40 points
40 (6.7 %)
Total:

600(100.0 %)

The total points necessary to receive a particular grade are listed below. The instructor reserves the right to change the point total downward.
A: 504 AB: 466 B: 428 BC: 388 C: 348 CD: 308 D: 292

Extra Credit: All students are required to sign up for the class e-mail discussion group by Friday, September 13, 2002 to pass the course. Two (2) points of extra credit, towards a maximum of 24 points extra credit, will be given for each question related to the course or answer to a question which is submitted. To get credit your submission must come from from the account you signed up for the list from. If you make a submission from another account, you will have to turn in a hard copy with your student ID number on it to receive credit.
Note that 7 points extra credit are also available for an essay on the Earth Charter Summit.

Exams/Quizzes: There will be 10 minute quizzes at the end of class on some Wednesdays as noted in the schedule at the end of this syllabus. The quizzes will be on the chapter that is being discussed. Your worst quiz score will be replaced with the average of your other quizzes. Do not skip quizzes early in the semester in case you get sick later and miss a quiz.

There will be four 90 minute exams in class. Although the exams are not cumulative you will need to know material from the earlier chapters to understand things covered on the later exams.
Exam 1 (chapters 1-2)
Wednesday, September 25
Exam 2 (chapters 3-4)
Monday, October 21
Exam 3 (chapters 5-6)
Wednesday, November 13
Exam 4 (chapter 8 and Lower Fox)
Wednesday, December 11

Laboratory: The labs are worth 4 points per week of laboratory work plus 1 points for data sheets and 5 points for the questions turned in. Data sheets are due at the end of the laboratory period (make photocopies if you need them). If the questions cannot be answered during the laboratory period, they must be handed in by the lecture following completion of the lab. Up to four (4) points may also be deducted from any week’s laboratory score for not wearing safety goggles, wearing inappropriate attire, unsafe behavior or not attending lab (-4 pts). Two unexcused absences from lab will result in a failing grade for the course. To have an absence excused you must bring a written excuse to your instructor. There will be no make up labs, unless you can make it to another laboratory section. There will be no labs the week classes begin and labs will not start until the Thursday of the second week!
Lab sections, meeting times and instructor are listed below.
Section 1 : Monday, 10:20 A - 12:30 P, Dr. Gutow
Section 3: Tuesday, 3:00 P - 5:10 P, Mrs. Willihnganz
Section 5: Thursday, 12:40 P - 2:50 P, Dr. Gutow

Mrs. Willihnganz’s contact info–Office: HS-447, Phone: 424-7093, e-mail: jcjkwilli@prodigy.net

Web Project: Choose a single issue from the list below and find two web sites with different points of view on the issue. It might help to pick a specific example of the issue (like automobiles for air pollution or a particular contributor to global warming). Write a short essay about the issue consisting of three paragraphs: 1) summarizing the point of view of the web site on one side of the issue (include complete web link); 2) summarizing the point of view of the web site on the other side of the issue (include complete web link); 3) explaining which side you agree with and why. The third paragraph should include a critical analysis of the quality of the information in the web sites. You need to answer the question, "Is the content of the web sites verified or verifiable factual information or just hearsay?" You must back up your answer to this question with references or an analysis of the quality of the information source. Send the web addresses and the essay by e-mail to the instructor any time before Monday, November 25. The submission will be scored out of 40 points (each web site appropriate to the issue-7,each complete summary paragraph-7, a well reasoned point of view-6, grammar/spelling-6). The essay must be submitted as text based e-mail. You may word process it, but then you must copy and paste it into your mail program. Special characters, superscripts and subscripts are not supported by text e-mail. You may want to make sure to save the document as text only in your word processor before you copy to the mail program
Choose from one of these issues
Air Pollution, Ozone Depletion, Global Warming, Energy Conservation, Alternative Energy Sources, Water Pollution, Acid Rain

Reading/Studying Suggestions: Devotion of time each day to chemistry homework is the most efficient way to study for the class. College students are very busy; try this method to save time! Reading assignments will be included on the homework sheet distributed for each chapter. Skim the text before the first lecture on the material. Look at the introduction, the subtitles for sections, the pictures and their captions, and the chapter summary listed at the end. After each lecture review your notes and read the appropriate textbook sections. Work through the in-chapter examples and exercises as you go along. If anything is confusing ask the professor about it. Try the questions at the end of the chapter and see which ones you know how to do. A suggested minimum list of which to try will be provided as “Homework”. You can check your work since answers are in the back of the book for many of the problems and answers will be provided for all assigned problems. Mark any that you have trouble with so you can do more examples of that type of problem.

Homework: You should do the homework since it will prepare you for the tests and quizzes. Homework is not graded. Answer keys will be provided to allow you to study for the quizzes and exams. Answers to some of the in-text exercises may be found in appendix 5. Complete answer keys will be available a few days after the problems are assigned. Answer keys will be posted on the Chemistry 103 web site, accessible through links on your instructors home page (http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/gutow).

Course Policies:
Absences: The reason for any excused absences must be reported to your instructor (before the absence, if possible), and substantiated in writing by the appropriate person (i.e. doctor, parent, etc.). Assignments and tests missed because of an excused absence will not count against your record, but you will be held responsible for material covered during your absence.

Grading Errors: To be considered for possible regrading any mistakes must be brought to the attention of your instructor within one week of the time the exam, quiz or project is returned to you.

Final Grade Check: You are responsible for checking that your final score is correct. Save all papers, exams and quizzes until the final course grade has been determined.

Resources:
Chem 103 Web site: Contains lots of useful information: copies of this syllabus, help with the web project, links to interesting and useful sites related to this course, information on tutors, homework assignments and answer keys. This site is constantly being revised so your suggestions of things to include would be appreciated. Most of the site is publicly accessible, however if you try to access homework information and answer keys you will be asked for a username and password. The username is "chem10302". The password will be provided the first day of class.

E-mail Discussion Group: You are required to subscribe to this to pass the course . This is a moderated discussion. All submissions must be sent to Dr. Gutow (gutow@uwosh.edu). Questions of general interest will be posted (without the name of the person submitting it, if requested). You are encouraged to send in your answers to questions. The instructor will attempt to answer any questions that are not answered by your fellow students within 48 hours. To subscribe send e-mail to: gutow@uwosh.edu with the “Subject:” line containing exactly “subscribe 103” without the quotations. In the body include your full name and your student ID#. You should check your e-mail daily to get the maximum benefit from this discussion group. The instructor will also send announcements and reminders to this discussion group.

Chapter Summary : at the end of each chapter lists specific issues, concepts and skills that you should learn

The Chemistry in Context online learning center: also provides useful web links and study resources. Its web address is “http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/chemistry/cic_enger_registration_page/cic.mhtml” . You will probably have to register first at http://register.mhhe.com. The registration information should have been provided on a card attached to your text.

Tentative Class Schedule:
Week Starting
Lectures
Laboratory*
Monday & Tuesday
Laboratory*
Thursday
Exam/Quiz/Projects
(9/4)
Wed.
Chp 1: The Air We Breathe
No Labs this week
No Labs this week
Start choosing web project topic.
(9/9)
Chp 1
No Monday or Tuesday Labs.
Check-in and #1-Gases in a Breath. DS Questions #1-4. Get Rain Bottles
Quiz 1
(9/16)
Chp 2: Ozone Layer
Check-in and #1-Gases in a Breath. DS Questions #1-4. Get Rain Bottles
#3-Spectrophotometry. Bring Samples. DS Questions #3, 6, 7
Quiz 2
Web project topic should be chosen.
(9/23)
Chp 2/Review (9/23)
#3-Spectrophotometry. Bring Samples. DS Questions #3, 6, 7
#5-Molecular Models. DS Questions #1, 3, 5
Exam 1 (Chps 1-2)
Wed. 9/25
(9/30)
Chp 3: Global Warming
#5-Molecular Models. DS Questions #1, 3, 5
#7-Chemical Moles. DS Questions #2, 3, 5
Oct. 1. Last Add/Drop day.
(10/7)
Chp 3/Chp 4: Energy and Society
#7-Chemical Moles. DS Questions #2, 3, 5
#8-Hot Stuff. Turn in group procedure and results
Quiz 3
Should have begun search for web sites.
(10/14)
Chp 4/ Review
#8-Hot Stuff. Turn in group procedure and results
#9-Energy Content of Fuels.
Bring soda cans. DS Questions #1, 2, 6

(10/21)
Chp 5: The Wonder of Water (10/23)
#9-Energy Content of Fuels.
Bring soda cans. DS Questions #1, 2, 6
#12-Water Hardness. Bring samples. DS Questions #2, 3, 5, 6
Exam 2 (Chps 3-4)
Mon. 10/21
(10/28)
Chp 5/Chp 6: Acid Rain
#12-Water Hardness. Bring samples. DS Questions #2, 3, 5, 6
#20-Solubilities. Turn in group procedure and results.
Some of web project essay should be written.
(11/4)
Chp 6
#20-Solubilities. Turn in group procedure and results.
#16-Effects of Acids. DS Questions #1, 2, 5
#19-pH of Rain Bring 3 Samples DS questions #1, 2, 4
Quiz 4
(11/11)
Chp 8/Review (11/11)
#16-Effects of Acids. DS Questions #1, 2, 5
#19-pH of Rain Bring 3 Samples DS questions #1, 2, 4
#17-Pollutant Gases. DS Questions #1-4
Exam 3 (Chps 5 - 6)
Wed. 11/13
(11/18)
Chp 8: Alternate Energy sources
#17-Pollutant Gases. DS Questions #1-4
Alternate Energy-Handout

(11/25)
Chp 8
Alternate Energy-Handout
No Thursday Lab -THANKS GIVING BREAK
Web project Due 11/25/02 at latest by e-mail to Dr. Gutow
(12/2)
Lower Fox River
Organics in Water and Sediment-Handout/check-out if time
Organics in Water and Sediment-Handout/check-out if time

(12/9)
Lower Fox/Review (12/9)
Check-out if necessary
Check-out if necessary
Exam 4
(Chp 8&Lower Fox)
Wed. 12/11
*DS = Data sheet due.