Chemistry 151- General Chemistry

The Chapter 16 (Acids and Bases) Mastering Chemistry  will be due on Monday, 11/22 at 11:59 pm.

The Chapter 15 and 16 (Chemical Equilibrium and Acids and Bases) Topic Assignment will be due on Monday, 11/22 at 11:59 pm.

 

There will be a 2 day window for the Unit 4 exam – you can take it Monday 11/22 or Tuesday 11/23 (you will still be limited to 1 hour and it will be set up the same as the first 3 unit exams.  This will allow you to still take it on Monday if you already planned to do so, or take it on Tuesday if you are finishing up your Homework and Topic Assignment on Monday.

These deadlines are on the Course Schedule .

The Unit 4 exam is Monday, November 22 or Tuesday, November 23.  Reminders for the exam are:

1. The exam covers Chapter 15 and 16 (Chemical Equilibrium and Acids and Bases)
2. You can take it on D2L at anytime between 8am Monday and 11:59 pm on Tuesday – must be completed online by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.  Once you start you will only have 60 minutes (timer cannot be paused) so make sure you have an hour when you will not be interrupted.
3. It is located on D2L under the Assessments tab under Quizzes.  Click on assessments, then click on Quizzes from the pull down menu.
4. You are allowed 60 minutes and only 1 submission 
5. You are not allowed to open it multiple times.
6. Choose a time to take it when you will not be interrupted, as the clock begins ticking as soon as you open it.
7. Please keep track of the time counting down on your screen.  You will be flagged with 5 minutes left and the computer will not allow you save any more answers once the 60-minute timer runs out.
8. There will be 15 multiple choice questions (number 1-15) and five 8 point fill in the blank or short answer questions (number 16-20).
9. You are allowed to work backwards.  Some of you might consider starting with the 8-pt questions so that you have enough time and then finish with the multiple choice questions.  If you get stuck on a question, don’t waste too much time before moving on.  You can always come back to it.
10. For the 8 pt questions (Questions 16-20), you must submit to me your work detailed on a sheet of paper in order to receive full credit (You will type the final answer in the box of the exam to be graded, but I need to see the accompanying work so that I can reward appropriate points).  Please see the next section for instructions for this.  

Submitting work for the 8 point questions (Questions 16-20).  I do not need to see your work for the multiple choice questions (1-15)

1. The way you will submit the work for the 8 point questions is in a separate folder in the assignments tab (similar to the way you submitted the Readiness and Topic Assignments)
2. You will type the final answer for questions 16-20 in the box of the exam to be graded, but I need to see the accompanying work so that I can reward appropriate points and partial credit.  This submitted work is how I will do this.
3. To submit it, you can simply take a picture with your phone, as long as I am able to view your work clearly.
4. Please use this procedure if possible: How to Scan Documents with Apple and Android Mobile Devices for generating files to submit, rather than sending me a different file for every picture.  Once you learn it, it is less work for you and for me than uploading a separate file for each page of work!
5. Do NOT submit Word (.docx) files.
6. The submission to be uploaded immediately after submitting your exam into a drop box that you will find on D2L(Assessments tab, Assignments, Exam 4 Submissions).
7. You must upload your work to the 8-pt questions for credit.  Even if you have the correct answer, you will not receive full credit if I cannot follow your work (or you are missing units, sig figs, do not show the equation you are using).  Be thorough.
8. Submissions must be made to the Submissions folder.  Do not email your work to me.
9. Submissions must be made within 10 minutes of completing your exam.  Note that I am able to see what time you complete your exam and what time you upload your submission
10. Be sure that your answer on paper matches the answer that you type into the computer.  Be sure to include units and be conscious of sig figs.

Practice and study resources for the Exam

1. D2L HAS THESE PRACTICE AND REVIEW RESOURCES:

1. Many students find the Chapter Practice Quizzes available in the course D2L site (click on content then Unit 3) to be helpful study aids
2. There is a Unit 3 Practice Exam available in the same Unit 3 folder on D2L.  See the section titles “Practice Exam CHEM 151” in the Unit 4 – additional study resources page on this website for tips on how to best use the practice exam

There is no Mastering Chemistry assignment or Topic Assignment due this weekend, to allow you time to continue work on the longer topic and chapter of Acids and Bases.  I hope your work on this topic is going well.

The Mastering Chemistry Assignment for Acids and Bases is due Sunday November 21.  and is available now.  The topic assignment for Chemical Equilibrium and Acids and Bases will be made available by Monday (in the same place as the previous topic assignments) and is also due Sunday November 21.

The Unit 4 exam is Monday November 22.  It will be given in the same way as the previous exams and will be similar in format, with work submitted in the same way.  I will send out a reminder and instruction for the exam later this week.

Please feel free to follow up with any questions.

Have a good weekend!

Hi everyone!

Here are some course updates and reminders for the following week:

Unit 3 Exam and Chapter 8/9 Topic Assignment

The topic assignments are graded and I’m working on Unit Exams this weekend and early next week.  For the exam, I will post your grade in the feedback section of the Problems 16-20 submission folder under assignments as I complete and post the grading on your written work for these problems.  Grades will not go into the D2L gradebook for the Unit 3 exam until I’ve graded everyone’s work on problems 16-20.

Unit 4

Both Unit 4 and Unit 5 are shorter than the first 3 units – so the last two exams will occur more quickly than the last two.  This weeks topic was Chemical Equilibrium. There is no topic assignment for this topic (there will be only one topic assignment in Unit 4), but Mastering Chemistry for this chapter and topic is due by 11:59 pm Sunday, Nov 7.

For other details and deadlines, see the Course Schedule.  As always, contact me with any questions or help with the course material.

 

Have a good weekend!

Happy Halloween!

The Chapters 8 and 9 (Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding & Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theory) Mastering Chemistry and Topic Assignments will be due on Monday, 11/1 at 11:59 pm.

There will be a 2 day window for the Unit 3 exam – you can take it Monday 11/1 or Tuesday 11/2 (you will still be limited to 1 hour and it will be set up the same as the first 2 unit exams.  This will allow you to still take it on Monday if you already planned to do so, or take it on Tuesday if you are finishing up your Homework and Topic Assignment on Monday.

These deadlines are on the Course Schedule .

The Unit 3 exam is Monday, November 1 or Tuesday, November 2.  Reminders for the exam are:

1. The exam covers Chapters 6and7 (Electronic Structure of Atoms & Periodic Properties of Elements) and 8 and 9  (Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding & Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theory)
2. You can take it on D2L at anytime between 8am Monday and 11:59 pm on Tuesday – must be completed online by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.  Once you start you will only have 60 minutes (timer cannot be paused) so make sure you have an hour when you will not be interrupted.
3. It is located on D2L under the Assessments tab under Quizzes.  Click on assessments, then click on Quizzes from the pull down menu.
4. You are allowed 60 minutes and only 1 submission 
5. You are not allowed to open it multiple times.
6. Choose a time to take it when you will not be interrupted, as the clock begins ticking as soon as you open it.
7. Please keep track of the time counting down on your screen.  You will be flagged with 5 minutes left and the computer will not allow you save any more answers once the 60-minute timer runs out.
8. There will be 15 multiple choice questions (number 1-15) and five 8 point fill in the blank or short answer questions (number 16-20).
9. You are allowed to work backwards.  Some of you might consider starting with the 8-pt questions so that you have enough time and then finish with the multiple choice questions.  If you get stuck on a question, don’t waste too much time before moving on.  You can always come back to it.
10. For the 8 pt questions (Questions 16-20), you must submit to me your work detailed on a sheet of paper in order to receive full credit (You will type the final answer in the box of the exam to be graded, but I need to see the accompanying work so that I can reward appropriate points).  Please see the next section for instructions for this.  

Submitting work for the 8 point questions (Questions 16-20).  I do not need to see your work for the multiple choice questions (1-15)

1. The way you will submit the work for the 8 point questions is in a separate folder in the assignments tab (similar to the way you submitted the Readiness and Topic Assignments)
2. You will type the final answer for questions 16-20 in the box of the exam to be graded, but I need to see the accompanying work so that I can reward appropriate points and partial credit.  This submitted work is how I will do this.
3. To submit it, you can simply take a picture with your phone, as long as I am able to view your work clearly.
4. Please use this procedure if possible: How to Scan Documents with Apple and Android Mobile Devices for generating files to submit, rather than sending me a different file for every picture.  Once you learn it, it is less work for you and for me than uploading a separate file for each page of work!
5. Do NOT submit Word (.docx) files.
6. The submission to be uploaded immediately after submitting your exam into a drop box that you will find on D2L(Assessments tab, Assignments, Exam 1 Submissions).
7. You must upload your work to the 8-pt questions for credit.  Even if you have the correct answer, you will not receive full credit if I cannot follow your work (or you are missing units, sig figs, do not show the equation you are using).  Be thorough.
8. Submissions must be made to the Submissions folder.  Do not email your work to me.
9. Submissions must be made within 10 minutes of completing your exam.  Note that I am able to see what time you complete your exam and what time you upload your submission
10. Be sure that your answer on paper matches the answer that you type into the computer.  Be sure to include units and be conscious of sig figs.

Practice and study resources for the Exam

1. D2L HAS THESE PRACTICE AND REVIEW RESOURCES:

1. Many students find the Chapter Practice Quizzes available in the course D2L site (click on content then Unit 3) to be helpful study aids
2. There is a Unit 3 Practice Exam available in the same Unit 3 folder on D2L.  See the section titles “Practice Exam CHEM 151” in the Unit 3 – additional study resources page on this website for tips on how to best use the practice exam

 

The Chapter 6 and 7 Mastering Chemistry and Topic Assignments will be due on Tuesday 10/26 at 11:59 pm.  Those due dates are being pushed back because Pearson has a maintenance outage for Mastering Chemistry for Saturday, October 23. This postponement will give you some extra time as the Mastering Chemistry problems will not be available that Saturday.

The Chapters 8 and 9 (Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding & Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theory) Mastering Chemistry and Topic Assignments will be due on Monday, 11/1 at 11:59 pm so you will not feel as you have to finish them on Halloween.

There will be a 2 day window for the Unit 3 exam – you can take it Monday 11/1 or Tuesday 11/2 (you will still be limited to 1 hour and it will be set up the same as the first 2 unit exams.  This will allow you to still take it on Monday if you already planned to do so, or take it on Tuesday if you are finishing up your Homework and Topic Assignment on Monday.

These changes have been updated on the Course Schedule .

Have a good weekend and feel free to reach out with questions.

Hi everyone!

Here are some course updates and reminders for the following week:

Unit 2 Exam and Chapter 10/5 Topic Assignment

I’m in the process of grading both of these and am partially through both.  My progress has been slowed the past few days as I have been ill, but I am doing better now and will work to catch up with them over the weekend.  For the exam, I will post your grade in the feedback section of the Problems 16-20 submission folder under assignments as I complete and post the grading on your written work for these problems.  Grades will not go into the D2L gradebook for the Unit 2 exam until I’ve graded everyone’s work on problems 16-20.  For the topic assignment, grades will be posted as I complete them.

Unit 3

Unit 3 began earlier this week with a study of the Electronic Structure of Atoms.  The Course Schedule lists the schedule and deadlines for Unit 3.

Although Mastering Chemistry and topic assignment deadlines have normally been on Sundays, please note the Chapter 6 and 7 Mastering Chemistry and Topic Assignments will be due on Tuesday 10/26 at 11:59 pm.  Those due dates are being pushed back because Pearson has a maintenance outage for Mastering Chemistry for Saturday, October 23.. This postponement will give you some extra time as the Mastering Chemistry problems will not be available that Saturday.  I would strongly recommend you try to work ahead somewhat and begin Chapters 8 and 9 (Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding & Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theory) before Wed 10/27 though, so you are not rushed on that topic.

Have a good weekend and feel free to reach out with questions.

 

Hi everyone!

Here are some reminders for the following week:

Reminders for items due Sunday 10/10

1. The Chapter 10 and 5 Topic Assignment (covering Gases and Thermochemistry) is posted on D2L like the other topic assignments this semester.  It is due  Sunday 10/10
2. MyLabsPlus on Thermochemistry will be due Sunday 10/10.

The Unit 1 exam is Monday,October 11.  Reminders for the exam are:

1. The exam covers Chapters 4 (Aqueous Reactions and Solution Stoichiometry), 10 (Gases), and 5 (Thermochemistry)
2. You can take it on D2L at anytime between 8am and 11:59 pm on Monday October 11, 2021 – must be completed online by 11:59 pm on Monday, October 11, 2021.  Once you start you will only have 60 minutes (timer cannot be paused) so make sure you have an hour when you will not be interrupted.
3. It is located on D2L under the Assessments tab under Quizzes.  Click on assessments, then click on Quizzes from the pull down menu.
4. You are allowed 60 minutes and only 1 submission 
5. You are not allowed to open it multiple times.
6. Choose a time to take it when you will not be interrupted, as the clock begins ticking as soon as you open it.
7. Please keep track of the time counting down on your screen.  You will be flagged with 5 minutes left and the computer will not allow you save any more answers once the 60-minute timer runs out.
8. There will be 15 multiple choice questions (number 1-15) and five 8 point fill in the blank or short answer questions (number 16-20).
9. You are allowed to work backwards.  Some of you might consider starting with the 8-pt questions so that you have enough time and then finish with the multiple choice questions.  If you get stuck on a question, don’t waste too much time before moving on.  You can always come back to it.
10. For the 8 pt questions (Questions 16-20), you must submit to me your work detailed on a sheet of paper in order to receive full credit (You will type the final answer in the box of the exam to be graded, but I need to see the accompanying work so that I can reward appropriate points).  Please see the next section for instructions for this.  

Submitting work for the 8 point questions (Questions 16-20).  I do not need to see your work for the multiple choice questions (1-15)

1. The way you will submit the work for the 8 point questions is in a separate folder in the assignments tab (similar to the way you submitted the Readiness and Topic Assignments)
2. You will type the final answer for questions 16-20 in the box of the exam to be graded, but I need to see the accompanying work so that I can reward appropriate points and partial credit.  This submitted work is how I will do this.
3. To submit it, you can simply take a picture with your phone, as long as I am able to view your work clearly.
4. Please use this procedure if possible: How to Scan Documents with Apple and Android Mobile Devices for generating files to submit, rather than sending me a different file for every picture.  Once you learn it, it is less work for you and for me than uploading a separate file for each page of work!
5. Do NOT submit Word (.docx) files.
6. The submission to be uploaded immediately after submitting your exam into a drop box that you will find on D2L(Assessments tab, Assignments, Exam 1 Submissions).
7. You must upload your work to the 8-pt questions for credit.  Even if you have the correct answer, you will not receive full credit if I cannot follow your work (or you are missing units, sig figs, do not show the equation you are using).  Be thorough.
8. Submissions must be made to the Submissions folder.  Do not email your work to me.
9. Submissions must be made within 10 minutes of completing your exam.  Note that I am able to see what time you complete your exam and what time you upload your submission
10. Be sure that your answer on paper matches the answer that you type into the computer.  Be sure to include units and be conscious of sig figs.

Practice and study resources for the Exam

1. D2L HAS THESE PRACTICE AND REVIEW RESOURCES:

• Exam 2 review Questions
• Practice exam

1. Many students find the Chapter Practice Quizzes available in the course D2L site (click on content then Unit 2) to be helpful study aids
2. There is a Unit 2 Practice Exam available in the same Unit 2 folder on D2L.  See the section titles “Practice Exam CHEM 151” in the Unit 2 – additional study resources page on this website for tips on how to best use the practice exam

I will have an office hour/exam study help session on Sunday Oct 10 beginning at 6:30 pm.  It will go to approximately 8 pm.  It will be on webex at https://lccedu.webex.com/meet/farrisb

 

Have a good weekend and feel free to reach out with questions or if you have difficulties as you finish up your Unit 2 assignments and prepare for the exam.

I hope your work on the topic of Gases went well. To be on pace, you should be studying the topic of Thermochemistry this week.  See the Course Schedule for guidelines of where you should be to be on pace.

The Mastering Chemistry Assignment for Thermochemistry (Ch 5) is due Sunday October 10.  and is available now.  The topic assignment for  Gases and Thermochemistry  is also available on D2L now (in the same place as the previous topic assignments) and is also due Sunday October 10.

The Unit 2 exam is Monday October 11.  It will be given in the same way as the Unit 1 exam and will be similar in format, with work sub,mitted in the same way.  I will send out a reminder and instruction for the exam later this week.

There are review sessions for the Unit 2 exam held by LCC chemistry tutors from the Learning Commons.  See details at this link: CHEM 151 Exam Prep sessions hosted by LCC tutoring

I hope you had a good weekend and please let me know if you have questions or need assistance!

 

Hi everyone!

Here are some updates and reminders for this week:

Chapter 2 and 3 Topic Assignment

The chapter 2 and 3 topic assignment has been graded and grades posted in D2L.  I do have one comment about a common error on the quiz.

Question 2 asked for the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an iron-58 atom.  Several of you answered 26 protons (correct), 32 neutrons (correct) and 28 electrons (incorrect).  Some of you explained that it was Fe^2-.  An Fe atom is neutral (zero charge) by definition.  Only an ion has a charge.  In a neutral atom, the number of protons and electrons are the same, so the correct number of electrons is 26. So why was 28 electrons a common (incorrect) answer?  I suspect it was a result of a Google search like this:

This definitely looks like the likely source of the error.  I’m not going to tell you not to google to try to find chemistry help or answers — for better and worse it’s how we get a lot of our information these days, and you probably wouldn’t listen to me anyway :).  I will point out some problems/cautions with this approach:

1. No doubt google searches can be helpful, but you have to dig a little deeper, read the links the google search gives you and consider the question you are being asked as well as the source writing it.  Clicking on the link or reading below said there were 28 electrons in Fe^2-.  The question wasn’t about an Fe^2- ion, it was about an Fe atom.
2. Google searches do not always save you time.  If you understood that in a neutral atom the number of protons equals the number of electrons and that the atomic number is the number of protons, a quick look at a periodic table would tell you that an iron atom has 26 protons (element 26) and therefore 26 electrons,  This would have been faster than a Google search.

It will be helpful for you to think about this as you choose how much to incorporate (or not) google searches into your studies (in addition to looking through the provided material) as you progress through the course.

Also, several of you  simply wrote answers for some of the problems on the chapter 2 and 3 quiz without showing work.  If you supplied the correct answer without showing any work, you were not awarded credit. Some of the questions that could be answered immediately by inspection (for example, how many protons are in an Fe-58 atom) do not require work to be shown, but calculations do.  If you have questions on what “showing work” means, please contact me.

 

Unit 1 Exam

The Unit 1 Exams are graded.  The average was 76.2.  You can see your exams and feedback as follows:

 

If you have questions about any of the exam questions or would like me to go over any of it with you (I’ve already done that with several of you), please contact me and we will schedule a time to go over it.

Showing work on questions 16-20 for exams

A number of you did not turn in your shown work for questions 16-20 on the unit 1 exam.  If you supplied the correct answer without showing any work, I awarded you half credit for the problem for this assignments.  I did that since in an online course it is easy to forget early in the semester. At this point, you should remember. On future assignments, zero credit will be given for problems if work is not shown, even if the answer is correct.  If you have questions on what “showing work” means, please contact me.

Reminders for this week:

1. The MyLabsPlus Chapter 4 Homework (Gases)is due Sunday 9/26 at 11:59 pm.
2. The Ch 4 Topic Assignment is also due Sunday 9/26 at 11:59 pm.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or difficulties.