Northeastern University

CHEM1211 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (CRN 10335)

FALL 2017

Instructor: Professor Leonel Murga e-mail: l.murga@northeastern.edu

Lectures: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 11:45 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.
Room: 168 SN

Office Hours: Mon 9:30 11:00; Thu 9:30 11:00 at Chem Central (115 HT); By appt

Important: This course has two co-requisites:

CHEM 1213: Recitation for CHEM 1211 (CRN 10325, 10482, 10385, 10383, 10379,
12248, 12299)
CHEM 1212: Lab for CHEM 1211

Required Textbooks

Chemistry: An Atoms Focused Approach

Gilbert, Kirss, Foster and Bretz
2nd Edition, WW Norton, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-393-63085-5

General Chemistry Laboratory Manual

Witten
1st Edition, Kendall-Hunt, 2006
ISBN 0-7575-3220-7

SmartWork Access code (comes with text at bookstore) can be purchased separately
directly from publisher ($35) Publishers website is www.wwnorton.com
The student set number for this course is 37482.

A subscription to Top Hat in class management system. You should have received an email
from them. It is best to buy the year subscription. More on this below.

Laboratory Research Notebook

Textbook Purchase Options

(1) Buy a new copy of the book at the bookstore.

(2) Buy the book directly from the publisher. To do this go to www.wwnorton.com and click on
textbooks, then click on chemistry, then click on the above book and click on see all options
and formats.

The direct link is:

http://books.wwnorton.com/books/webad.aspx?id=4294993785

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There are 4 options (all come with SmartWork included):
Paperback $143.63
Loose Leaf $118.13
Hardcover $168.75
E-book $75.99

Standalone SmartWork is $35.00. Available from the publisher

Top Hat subscription

Top Hat is a classroom response system allowing you to participate in class through
text messaging with your cell phone,
an app on your smart phone or tablet or
a web browser on your wifi-capable device (e.g. laptop)

To set up your Top Hat account,

go to www.tophat.com ,
click on Student Sign Up, and
follow the directions.

You must set up your Top Hat subscription for the lecture section in which you are registered;
the six-digit join code for this course is 826695. When you register, please use your first and
last name as the Registrar has it, your official Husky e-mail address, and your NU ID. This will
allow me to identify correctly your specific Top Hat records. Online help for setting up your
account and using Top Hat is available at Student Overview and Getting Started Guide.

Introduction
CHEM1211 is the first of a two-semester sequence of college chemistry courses for students
majoring in the biological and physical sciences (Biology, Premed, Geology, Physics, Pharmacy,
Behavioral Neuroscience). It is a 4 SH course with three 65-minute lectures, one 65-minute
recitation session (CHEM1213). There is also a required lab (CHEM1212) that meets for up to
three hours each week. You must be registered for CHEM1211, CHEM1212 and CHEM1213.
However, you will receive separate grades for CHEM1211 and CHEM1212. CHEM1213 is a
recitation, it has no credit and your grade for it is integrated into your lecture grade (CHEM1211).

Success in the course requires an understanding of basic chemical principles and the ability
independently to solve problems related to them. The math in these problems is essentially basic
algebra. If you are weak in algebra, then you should seek help immediately (see Where to Get
Help section). Remember: the best way to improve your math skills is to use them, and the best
way to use them is to do the Smartwork homework problems listed at the end of this Guide.

It is important that you keep up with the reading and the assigned end-of-chapter questions and
exercises. That means reading the relevant pages in the text before they are covered in lecture.
It is important that you read actively, pausing to think about the material in each section,
answering the homework problems to the best of your ability, and writing down any questions
you have so that they can be answered in lecture, recitation session or Chem Central. When you
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do homework assignments, use your textbook to learn about the concept that is the basis of each
problem. You should plan to spend about two hours studying and doing homework for every hour
of lecture.

Learning Goals

Develop an understanding of the following aspects of chemistry:

1. The scientific method and the nature of scientific measurements.

2. Connections between chemistry and other natural sciences.
3. Structure of atoms
4. Connections between atomic structure and the chemical and physical properties of the
elements
5. Classes of chemical reactions.
6. Quantitative relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions.
7. The behavior of gases at the macro- and molecular levels.
8. The nature of chemical bonding and the significance of molecular shape.
9. The nature and effects of intermolecular forces.

Course Structure
1. Mid-Term Exams (100 points each, 45% of course grade): There will be three mid-term exams.
There are no make-up exams. The midterm exams will count for 45% of your total grade. The
format of the hour exams will be part multiple choice and part free response.

Your lowest mid-term grade will be replaced by the grade you get on the final exam if it is higher.
If you miss an exam the grade on the final will replace the missed exam.

2. Final Exam (250 points, 25% course grade): In December, there will be a cumulative two-hour
final exam covering all topics discussed in the course. Note: It is possible that the Final Exam will
be held on Friday December 15 at 3:30 PM. You should plan to take the Final Exam at this time.
There will be a common final for all sections of 1211 (not including the Honors section). This exam
will be all multiple choice.

3. Recitation (Discussion) Sessions (100 points): The recitation carries the course number
CHEM1213. The purpose of recitation is for you to ask questions about the homework assignments
and lecture material. Ten-minute quizzes will be given during recitation sessions except during the
weeks of mid-term exams. The difficulty and format of these quizzes will be comparable to exam
problems. If you miss a recitation session for a medical or other valid reason, see your recitation
instructor. It is your responsibility to safeguard all your exams and returned quizzes for future
reference, study and questions related to grading. You need to be registered one of the recitation
sections listed in the following table:

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DAY TIME ROOM CRN Section Instructor
Monday 4:35-5:40 RY 435 10482 04 Camille Martin
Monday 4:35-5:40 HA 425 10385 05 Amy Hotchkiss
Tuesday 3:25-4:30 SL 037 12248 16 Amy Hotchkiss
Tuesday 3:25-4:30 RI 231 12299 18 Nick Schmitt
Wednesday 4:35-5:40 RY 435 10325 02 Camille Martin
Wednesday 3:25-4:30 SH 315 10383 07 Amy Hotchkiss
Friday 3:25-4:30 FR 202 10379 12 Nick Schmitt

There will be a weekly quiz in recitation. It will count as 10% of your overall course grade. The
lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

4. SmartWork (150 points) Among the key skills to success in any discipline are critical thinking and
problems solving. Honing these skills takes practice. That is where homework comes in. There will
be 10 required homework sets to be submitted using the interactive on-line homework system
SmartWork. Each assignment consists of approximately 20 problems selected from those at the
end of each chapter. You may work alone or with friends (the latter is encouraged). You may use
your textbook, notes, Google, the staff in Chem Central, etc. when working on the assignments

For mathematical problems, students will have 5 tries with no loss of points.

For multiply choice questions, students will lose points for each attempt if they do not get it correct
on the first attempt.

Your homework will be completed on-line and graded by SmartWork. Due dates will be announced
in class and are posted in SmartWork for each chapter. Due times will always be 11:59 PM for the
day listed (most likely a Sunday night). After the due date time, the SmartWork link will disappear
for the assignment and no further submission for that chapter is possible.

To access SmartWork, register as a first time user at http://smartwork.wwnorton.com. Click on

Create an account. Fill out the fields and click Create my new account. You will need:

A. Your NU email address that will serve as your student ID.

B. For this course CRN10335 the student set code is 37482.
C. A registration code. The registration code is included in new copies of the textbook
If you buy a used textbook, you will have to purchase the access to SmartWork
separately from the publisher ($35).

5.- Lecture Quizzes (50 points, 5% of course grade): During lectures students will be given
opportunities to assess their understanding of key concepts and mastery of important skills by
using Top Hat. Students must be in class to receive credit when a question is posed unless
they otherwise have the instructors permission.

Once you have registered and entered in your subscription code, you can participate using Top
Hat by text messaging, with a Top Hat app, or through a web browser with the direct URL
https://app.tophat.com/e/067024. If you use a web browser and find you have issues with
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wireless connectivity, switch to the iOS or Android app and use offline mode, which stores your
answers and sends them when you are reconnected. If you have any technical problems using
this system, click the question mark (?) sign at the top right corner of your Top Hat screen and
follow the instructions. Or, you can also email support@tophat.com or visit
http://support.tophat.com to access the support forum.

Students submitting a correct answer will receive 1 point towards their lecture quizzes scores.
Your score for lecture quizzes will be determined as the percentage of questions correctly
answered during the semester applied to 50 points. Your scores, along with individual
questions posed in class and the answers you submitted, can be viewed in your gradebook on
Top Hat (not on Blackboard).

You are encouraged to collaborate with other students before submitting your final answer to
TopHat.

6. Extra Credit (20 points, 2%) There are two ways to get extra credit.
10 points (1%) for turning in the last SmartWork assignment.
10 points (1%) if 95% of a class does a TRACE evaluation.
30 points (3%) Extra work to be assigned by your professor. Assignments will be
announced when appropriate.

7. Office Hours: Both your professor and recitation instructor will be available to help you in Chem
Central (Room 115 HT) during their posted hours. Chem Central will open the week of September
11th.

8. Missed Work: You are responsible for all material covered and all announcements made in
lecture and recitation classes even if you were absent. If you miss all or part of any class, find out
from a classmate what you missed. Most announcements will be posted on Blackboard. Lecture
notes are also posted on Blackboard.

9. Registration: Your name must be on the official Registrar's list for you to receive a grade. If
your name is not on this list go immediately to the Registrar's office (271 Huntington Ave) to have
your name added.

10. Withdrawal: To withdraw from the course, your Professor must sign a withdrawal form. After
the third week (September 26th), withdrawing results in a W grade on your transcript. After the
class ends (December 7th) no withdrawals are allowed. Absence does not guarantee automatic
withdrawal. Any student who does not withdraw formally and has an unexcused absence for the
Final Examination will receive an F. Before deciding to withdraw you should ask your academic
advisor about the consequences of doing so. Withdrawal is not a good idea.
Medical Withdrawal: From time to time students are forced to withdraw from the university
or classes for the term for medical reasons. Should you have medical issues, you should consult
your advisor to determine the best option for you. If you have shorter term medical issues you
should still contact your advisor for best options. They will inform all your professors (usually
through We Care) about your absence and will help you to find solutions to make up your missed
work.

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11. Incomplete: To get an incomplete (I) grade, you must have a passing grade for the work
already done. An incomplete will not be given for work missed because of unexcused absences.
To have an excused absence, you must have a medical reason documented by the Northeastern
health service or a physician, or you must present an acceptable reason in writing to your
Professor. You have one year to make up the missing work and clear an incomplete. You must
also fill out an Incomplete-Grade Contract (https://www.northeastern.edu/huskyid/form-inc-
grade.pdf) indicating how and when you will be making up the incomplete and get this form
signed by your Professor and by the College of Science Deans Office. Otherwise you will need to
retake the entire course to get a passing grade. Incomplete grades are a bad idea.

12. Blackboard

Blackboard is an on-line course management system that supports all courses at Northeastern
University. It is designed to provide a convenient method of posting announcements,
assignments, grades etc. You will have access to the Blackboard site for all courses you are
enrolled in through your myNEU account. Please check this site regularly for information about
CHEM1211. Please keep in mind that the site will be updated as frequently as possible bit it may
take a day or two for grades to be posted. Only students enrolled in CHEM1211 have access to
the CHEM1211 site. Grades are strictly confidential you will not be able to see anyone elses
grades nor will your grades be visible to anyone else in the class. It is your responsibility to check
this site regularly for announcements, course handouts, YouTube videos, and the PowerPoint
slides used in class.

13. Academic Integrity

For frequent questions concerning plagiarism and other issues of academic integrity, please refer
to the NU policy located at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academic-integrity-policy.

14. Student with Disabilities

Students who have disabilities and who wish to receive academic services and accommodations
should follow the procedures developed by the Disabilities Resource Center (DRC):
http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/getting-started-with-the-drc.

15. Title IX statement

The University strictly prohibits sex or gender discrimination in all university programs and
activities. Information on how to report an incident of such discrimination (which includes
sexual harassment and sexual assault) is located at http://www.northeastern.edu/titleix.

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GRADING SYSTEM

GRADE COMPONENT POINT VALUE

Hour exams 450 pts (150 pts each) (45% total)
Recitation quizzes 100 pts (10 %)
Smartwork Homework 150 pts(15%)
Lecture Quizzes 50 pts (5 %)
Final Examination 250 pts (25%)
TOTAL 1000 pts (100%)
Extra Credit 50 pts (5%)
Assignment of Letter Grades
930, 900 pts A-, A
870, 830, 800 pts B+, B, B-
770, 730, 700 pts C+, C, C-
670, 630, 600 pts D+, D ,D-
< 600 pts F

WHERE TO GET HELP

1. Chem Central: The Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology has set up an academic
assistance center for students in General Chemistry courses. The center is located on the first
floor of Hurtig Hall (115 HT). It is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The
Center is staffed by faculty and teaching assistants (TAs) who will assist you with whatever
problems you are having in this course. For example, if you are having difficulty with a homework
assignment, bring your work to Chem Central and someone will help you. If you and several
friends like to do your homework together, Chem Central is a place where you can do that, too.
If you are having difficulty with a lab you can get help with that in Chem Central as well.
Traditionally Chem Central has served as a location for one-on-one and group assistance as well
as a study space. Staffed hours are posted on the door of 115 HT at the beginning of each
semester.

2. Your Recitation Section Instructor: Your first source of help is in the weekly recitation section
that you are enrolled in. Please attend the one you are scheduled for. Hopefully you will have a
chance to ask questions but given the size of a recitation section (30 40 students) you may find
yourself with unanswered questions. Your recitation is the person who is primarily responsible
for individual help. In addition to providing guidance during weekly recitation meetings, your
recitation instructor also holds weekly office hours in Chem Central. As subject-matter experts,
your recitation instructor can provide alternative explanations for difficult material, effective
problem-solving strategies and helpful tips to guide your Chemistry studies.

3. Your Professor: Your professor will list specific times when he/she is available for individual
help (in Chem Central). Your professor is happy to assist you with any aspect of the course,
including lecture material, assessment, homework problems, lab related questions and
learning/study strategies.

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4. Free Peer Tutors: Northeastern University offers a free peer-tutoring service to all students
taking required courses. Tutors are distinguished undergraduates who have successfully
completed the course for which they are providing assistance and have been trained according
to the certification guidelines of the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).
Headquartered in 101 Lake Hall, peer-tutoring appointments can be arranged by visiting their
website: http://www.northeastern.edu/csastutoring

SMARTWORKS ASSIGNED PROBLEMS (TENTATIVE)

THESE PROBLEMS MUST BE TURNED IN TO BE GRADED BY SMARTWORKS.

CHEM1211 Online Homework Due Date Schedule (Tentative)

Assignment 1 (Chapters 1 Due Sunday September 17, 11:59 PM

Assignment 2 (Chapter 2) Due Sunday October 24, 11:59 PM

Assignment 3 (Chapter 3) Due Sunday October 1, 11:59 PM

Assignment 4 (Chapter 4) Due Sunday October 15, 11:59 PM

Assignment 5 (Chapter 5) Due Sunday October 29, 11:59 PM

Assignment 6 (Chapter 6) Due Sunday November 5, 11:59 PM

Assignment 7 (Chapter 7) Due Sunday November 19, 11:59 PM

Assignment 8 (Chapter 8) Due Sunday November 26, 11:59 PM

Assignment 9 (Chapter 9) Due Sunday December 3, 11:59 PM

Assignment 10 (Chapter 10) Due Sunday December 10, 11:59 PM

Tentative Exam Dates

Thursday October 5th Chapters 1 3

Thursday November 9th Chapters 4 6
Thursday November 30th Chapters 7 9
Final Exam TBA