Chemistry 103 (Section 001)

Spring 2015
Lecture Time:
T, Th 10:00 11:15
Class Room:
AHS 106
Text:
General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
Structures of Life - Timberlake 4th Ed.
Day

Date

Chapter

Tue

12-Jan

Syllabus, Chapter 1
(Measurements)

Thu

14-Jan

Chapter 1

Tue

19-Jan

Chapter 2
(Energy and Matter)

Thu

21-Jan

Chapter 2

Tue

26-Jan

Chapter 3
(Atoms and Elements)

Chapter 3

Thu

Tue

28-Jan

2-Feb

Chapter 5
(Compounds and

Their Bonds)

Instructor: Derek Bascom

e-mail: ddbascom@uaa.alaska.edu
Office Hours : CPSB 302A
T/Th 1:00 3:00

Day
Thu

Date
3-Mar

Chapter
Chapter 8

Tue

8-Mar

Review

Thu

10-Mar

Exam 2 (Chapter 6-8)

Tue

15-Mar

No Class

Thu

17-Mar

No Class

Tue

22-Mar

Chapter 9
(Rxn Rates and

Equilibrium)

Thu

4-Feb

Chapter 5

Tue
3,5)

9-Feb

Exam 1 (Chapter 1-

Thu

11-Feb

Thu

24-Mar

Chapter 9/10

Tue

29-Mar

Chapter 10
(Acids and Bases)

Chapter 6
(Chemical Rxns and

Thu

31-Mar

Chapter 10

Tue

5-Apr

Chapter 4
(Nuclear Chemistry)

Thu

7-Apr

Chapter 4

Tue

12-Apr

Review

Thu
10, 4)

14-Apr

Exam 3 (Chapter 9-

Tue

19-Apr

Chapter 11/12

Quantities)
Tue

16-Feb

Chapter 6

Thu

18-Feb

Chapter 6

Tue

23-Feb

Chapter 7
(Gases)

Thu

25-Feb

Chapter 7

Tue

1-Mar

Chapter 8
(Solutions)

(Intro. To Organic)

Thu

21-Apr

Chapter 11/12

Tue

26-Apr

Final (10:00 - 12:00)

Grading Policy
There will be three exams and a final, each worth 100 pts. There will be quizzes worth 10 points each.
Homework will be worth a total of 100 points. Makeup exams and quizzes will not be given. Your lowest quiz will
be dropped. In the event of a truly dire situation leading to a missed exam, the final exam grade will count twice and
must receive a passing grade to pass the course.
If you earn
90%
of the total points, your grade is
A
80%
B
70%
C
60%
D
but, if you earn < 60% of the class high, you get an
F
Attendance
The fact that some topics or types of problems may appear only in lecture, as well as the fact that there are
unannounced quizzes, inherently requires regular class attendance. Class attendance is expected, and students may
be force dropped for non-attendance, as stated in the catalog.
Homework
All homework will be found online utilizing Mastering Chemistry (masteringchemistry.com). The course code
is:
MCBASCOM71357
All students are required to enroll into Mastering Chemistry and you will need your UAA student ID number.
Mastering Chemistry has many useful resources to help students learn the material. As new material is covered in
class, new homework will appear. Due dates will be posted with the assignment.
The most important skill in this course is problem solving. In order to acquire this skill, it is necessary to:
1. Read the chapter before the material is covered in the lecture.
2. Study carefully lecture and text examples.
3. Attempt independent solution of assigned problems.
4. Review previously solved problems.
5. Make understanding the problem your goal, not memorizing steps.
6. Use the solutions manual as a last resort.
Problem solving has always been a very important part of any chemistry course. For many aspects of chemistry you
will be able to understand the material fully only after you have solved related problems. The text contains many
problems, and it will generally be to your advantage to do many problems from the text as well, especially in those
areas in which you are having some difficulty.
There are various ways to approach problems in chemistry. The following is a good strategy:
1. Try to do the problem without looking up anything-don't consult either the textbook or your
class notes (except for things like atomic weights, physical constants, etc.).
2. If you think that you have probably solved it, look in the answer book and check. If you have
done it correctly, fine. Go on to the next problem. If not, examine the answer in the book, and
see if (a) you understand it now, and (b) where you went wrong and why.
3. If you cannot make any progress on the problem without looking up anything, then, after a
reasonable time, turn to those parts of the textbook and/or your class notes where the material is
discussed, and see if you can solve the problem now. If you think you can, do step (2) now.
4. If you still don't know how to do it after looking through the textbook and your class notes,
then, after a reasonable time, look up the answer in this book and try to understand it now. If
you really think you do understand it, and could now do a similar problem, then
5. Try to find a similar or related problem and do it. If you don't understand the answer even after
looking it up in this book, then
6. Ask your instructor for help.

Blackboard
I will use the UAA blackboard to make announcements and to give addition study material. Grades will be
posted as the semester progresses. It is the responsibility of the student to check grades and make me aware of any
potential errors. Grades for an assignment will not be changed two weeks after the assignment has been graded and
posted.
American With Disabilities Act Policy Statement
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive
civil right protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with
disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities.
If you believe you have a disability requiring accommodation, please contact the Department of Disability Support
Services.