Approved by Faculty Senate

Chemistry 208: General, Organic and Biochemistry I (Lecture and Lab - 3 s.h.)
The purpose of this introductory chemistry course is to provide students with the knowledge to understand
our world/universe from the viewpoint of fundamental chemistry principles and with the tools to apply the
methods of scientific inquiry (along with the chemistry knowledge) toward an enhanced understanding of
the natural world. The studies of chemistry involve the study of matter and the transformations it undergoes.
The applications of these studies will provide students with an enhanced understanding of such phenomena
as the myriad chemical reactions in the living cell, the transmission of energy by superconductors, the
working of transistors, and even the operation of the oven and drain cleaners we use in our homes.

Catalog Description:
The first course in the introductory sequence (208,209) in the principles of chemistry and the molecular basis
for life: descriptive, theoretical and laboratory topics. Covers basic principles of inorganic and physical chemistry.
Two lectures and one laboratory/discussion period per week. Recommended for pre-nursing, pre-agriculture,
pre-forestry, and pre-fishery and wildlife students. This course should not be elected by students expecting to
take CHEM 340, CHEM 350 or CHEM 400. Offered yearly.

This course includes requirements and learning activities that promote students' abilities to...

a. understand how scientists approach and solve problems in the natural sciences;

Requirements: Students are taught the scientific method. Many different real world problems are presented and students are expected to learn how to apply the scientific method and the principles of chemistry to solving and understanding chemistry related phenomena.

Activities: Students are provided with many opportunities to apply the chemistry concepts. Activities include in-class/out-of-class problem solving sessions, one-on-one tutorials, instructor-led and group discussions, and laboratory exercises. A particular example is having students design an experimental method to separate table salt, iron filings, and glass beads. Their design is based on properties that they determine for each compound. Using their experimental method, they then separate the three substances and calculate the percentage of each substance in the initial mixture.

b. apply those methods to solve problems that arise in the natural sciences;

Requirements: Students are expected to apply the methods and the techniques of problem solving in many varieties of science and chemistry phenomena.

Activities: Students apply various techniques, such as pattern recognition and trend analysis, to solve many problems during laboratories and class assignments.

c. use inductive reasoning, mathematics, or statistics to solve problems in natural science;

Requirements: Solving problems in chemistry related phenomena invariably involve the use of inductive reasoning and mathematics (and/or statistics). Students are presented with many problems and laboratory exercises that require these skills in solving the problems.

Activities: Activities such as homework assignments, in-class exercises, and laboratory experiments/reports require inductive reasoning and mathematical skills.

 

 

d. engage in independent and collaborative learning;

Requirements: Students are asked to work in groups to solve in-class problems, but their learning is assessed on an individual basis through homework, quizzes, and tests. Students are expected to work in pairs to collect several experimental data sets. Although they are encouraged to discuss data analysis and interpretation in a collaborative manner, students are required to hand in reports that are written in an independent manner.

Activities: Students work in pairs in data collection. Analysis can be done collaboratively while laboratory reports must be written individually. Students are asked to solve many in-class problems by first working individually and then working in groups.

e. identify, find, and use the tools of information science as it relates to natural science;

Requirements: Students are required to employ many tools of information science, such as searching scientific/chemistry journals/references in both non-electronic and electronic formats, to elucidate, decipher and solve problems in natural science.

Activities: Many laboratory exercises require students to search for relevant information on physical and chemical properties before, during and after the experiments. Some assignments will be designed to connect classroom knowledge with the world at large using the tools of information science. Usage of such tools of information science enhances the students' ability in investigative techniques in different areas of natural science.

f. critically evaluate both source and content of scientific information; and

Requirements: Laboratory experiments and lecture assignments are designed for critical evaluation by students. Chemical concepts are tested against experimental data collected by students.

Activities: Included with laboratory exercises and class assignments, students are assessed based on their performance on quizzes, tests, and laboratory reports. These activities are designed to allow students the opportunity to critically evaluate both source and content of chemical information.

g. recognize and correct scientific misconceptions.

Requirements: Many chemical concepts (such as electronic and molecular structures) are difficult and abstract. Students are taught to recognize misconceptions in chemical concepts and how to revise and correct with proper perspectives.

Activities: Laboratory experiments such as determination of atomic and molecular spectra give students the opportunities to critically evaluate and demystify chemical misconceptions in atomic and molecular structures.

This course also satisfies the laboratory requirement in the Natural Sciences and will additionally
provide students with the opportunity to practice scientific inquiry through hands-on investigations
and to analyze and report the results of those investigations.

Requirements: Chemistry is a laboratory science that requires active learning. As such, students are required to perform and complete weekly laboratory exercises. This laboratory requirement will give students practical and hands-on experience of basic chemical analysis, application of chemistry concepts, and the general understanding of the scientific method.

Activities: The weekly laboratory exercises include hands-on activities such as: pre-lab studies/preparations (reviewing and searching of relevant concept/information before doing the actual experiments), learning/practicing/performing experimental techniques, collecting data with modern instrumentation, analyzing results, interpreting/discussing data (relative to models), making conclusions, and complementing these activities with the writing of a laboratory report. These hands-on investigations will give students an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the chemical universe.

 

Sample Syllabus (will vary from instructor to instructor)
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Chemistry 208 - Sample Fall Session - 2000

Instructor: Chemistry Faculty (PA 31**, 457-52**)

Course Purpose: The purpose of this introductory chemistry course is to provide students with the knowledge to understand our world/universe from the viewpoint of fundamental chemistry principles and with the tools to apply the methods of scientific inquiry (along with the chemistry knowledge) toward an enhanced understanding of the natural world. The studies of chemistry involve the study of matter and the transformations it undergoes. The applications of these studies will provide students with an enhanced understanding of such phenomena as the myriad chemical reactions in the living cell, the transmission of energy by superconductors, the working of transistors, and even the operation of the oven and drain cleaners we use in our homes. Successful completion of this course will satisfy the Natural Science requirement under the Arts & Sciences Core of the University Studies program.

 

Course Description: General, Organic and Biochemistry I (3 s.h.)

The first course in the introductory sequence (208,209) in the principles of chemistry and the molecular basis for life; descriptive, theoretical and laboratory topics. Covers basic principles of inorganic and physical chemistry. Two lecture and one laboratory/discussion period per week. Recommended for pre-nursing, pre-agriculture, pre-forestry, and pre-fishery and wildlife students. This course should not be elected by students expecting to take CHEM 340, CHEM 350 or CHEM 400. Offered yearly.

  Meeting Times Room Instructor
Lecture T H 11:00 – 11:50 am Pasteur Hall 120 Schneider
Lab Section 1 T 12:30 – 2:20 pm Pasteur Hall 308 Schneider
Lab Section 2 W 8:00 – 9:50 am Pasteur Hall 308 Schneider
Lab Section 3 T 3:30 – 5:20 pm Pasteur Hall 308 Schneider
Lab Section 4 H 12:30 – 2:20 pm Pasteur Hall 308 Schneider

 

Text: McMurry, J. and Castellion, M. E. Fundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry,
3rd Ed.; Prentice Hall, 1999. Study Guide/Selected Solutions Manual comes with the new text.

Lab Manual: "Laboratory Separates for Chemistry 208" WSU, 1999.

Completion of this course will include requirements and learning activities that promote your abilities
to achieve the following Outcomes:

a. to understand how scientists approach and solve problems in the natural sciences;
b. to apply those methods to solve problems that arise in the natural sciences;
c. to use inductive reasoning, mathematics, or statistics to solve problems in natural science;
d. to engage in independent and collaborative learning;
e. to identify, find, and use the tools of information science as it relates to natural science;
f. to critically evaluate both source and content of scientific information; and
g. to recognize and correct scientific misconceptions.

Also this course satisfies the laboratory requirement in the Natural Sciences and will additionally provide you
the opportunity to practice scientific inquiry through hands-on investigations and to analyze and report the
results of those investigations.

Course Details:

Attendance:
Class participation is extremely important for your success in this class! Therefore, regular class attendance is
expected. Labs are very difficult to make up, please try to avoid missing laboratory periods. When you must
be absent from class or lab, please notify the professor, ahead of time, if possible. Any unexcused absences
will result in no credit for homework, quizzes, tests or labs collected and given those days.
[Outcomes a, b, c, d, f, g]

Daily Quizzes and Homework:
This course moves at a rapid pace, and it is imperative that you keep up with the course material. To assist you
with this, reading assignments and corresponding homework problems will be assigned for each lecture. The
assigned homework problems will provide a minimal working knowledge of the material, it is strongly suggested
that you actually work more problems. At the beginning of each lecture, a random drawing will decide whether
the homework is due, a quiz will be given or a problem will be worked on in class as a group. Each homework
assignment and quiz that is collected will be worth 10 points. The lowest quiz or homework score will be dropped.
There will be NO late assignments accepted or make-up quizzes given. A score of zero will be entered for unexcused absences. One less quiz or homework grade will be averaged in the final grade for each excused absence.
[Outcomes a, b, c, d, f, g]

Other Class Homework:
These homework assignments will help you connect classroom knowledge with the world around you. They will
be part of the final quiz/homework grade, and they will be described in detail as needed throughout the course.
[Outcomes a, b, d, e, g]

Tests:
There will be three 100-point tests and a 150-point final. Test dates are tentatively scheduled for the dates shown
on the class schedule. You will receive a score of zero for each unexcused absence on a test day. For excused
absences on the day of the test, the final exam will count for a higher percentage of the total grade (15% higher
for each test) to include the missed test. NO make-up tests will be given. A comprehensive Final Exam is scheduled
for Thursday, December 14, 2000, 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
[Outcomes a, b, c, d, f]

Labs:
Laboratory attendance is required (see attendance section). Safety goggles are mandatory in the laboratory.
No lab work will be allowed without them. Most experiments will be done in pairs; however, each partner must
complete an individual lab report. Lab reports consisting of the tear-out sheets from the lab book, an organized
calculations page, and any extras such as graphs or additional data tables will generally be due one week after
the completion of each experiment. NO late lab reports will be accepted. Students are responsible for reading
each experiment prior to the lab period. Prelab assignments are required to work in lab and are due at the
beginning of each lab period. NO late prelab assignments will be accepted. You will receive a score of zero for
each unexcused absence or lab report that is not turned in on time.
[Outcomes a, b, c, d, e, f, g]

Grading Distributions Final Grade Assignments

Tests                         45% (15% each)           89-100               A

Quizzes/Homework         15%                                      76-88               B

Labs                                20%                                      63-75               C

Final Exam                20%                                      50-62               D

Total                               100%                                          <50                F

 

Course Outline

 

Date

Lecture Topic

Lab Topic

Assignment/test
8/28 – 9/1 Matter, Energy and Life (1) No Lab this week Survey and Learning Styles : 1.19, 1.20, 1.25, 1.30 1.37, 1.42, 1.53, 1.58, 1.64
9/5 – 9/8 Measurements in Chemistry (2) Check In, Exp. 1:Qualitative Observations 2.35, 2.37, 2.39, 2.40, 2.44 : 2.47, 2.54, 2.57, 2.60, 2.65, 2.67
9/11 – 9/15 Measurements in Chemistry (2 Cont.), Atoms and the Periodic Table (3) Exp. 2: Scientific Measurements 2.70, 2.71, 2.75, 2.77, 2.86 : 3.34, 3.38, 3.41, 3.47, 3.51
9/18 – 9/22 Atoms and the Periodic Table (3 Cont.), Ionic Compounds (4) Test Review during lab time 3.57, 3.64, 3.67, 3.69, 3.73, 3.85, 3.92, 3.93 : 4.37, 4.39, 4.44, 4.47, 4.49
9/25 – 9/29 Test 1 (9/26), Ionic Compounds (4 Cont.) Exp. 3: Separation of a Mixture Test 1 on 9/26 (Chapter 1-3)

4.50, 4.54, 4.61, 4.64, 4.69, 4.71, 4.75, 4.91
10//2 – 10/6 Molecular Compounds (5) Exp. 5: Chemical Reactions 5.35, 5.38, 5.44, 5.45, 5.48, 5.50 : 5.52, 5.57, 5.61, 5.64, 5.65
10/10 – 10/13 Molecular Compounds (5 Cont.), Chemical Reactions (6) Exp. 4: Molecular Modeling 5.70, 5.73, 5.78, 5.91, 5.95, 5.97 : 6.38, 6.41, 6.45, 6.53, 6.55, 6.57
10/16 – 10/20 Chemical Reactions (6 Cont.) Exp. 6: Stochiometric Determinations 6.61, 6.62, 6.64 : 6.68, 6.71, 6.73, 6.74, 6.76
10/23 – 10/27 Chemical Reactions (6 Cont.), Chemical Reactions (7) Test Review during lab time 6.85, 6.87, 6.91, 6.95, 6.103 :

7.20, 7.22, 7.25, 7.32, 7.38, 7.43
10/30 – 11/3 Test 2 (10/31), Chemical Reactions (7 Cont.), Exp. 9: Chemical Equilibrium Test 2 on 10/31 (Chapter 4-6)

7.49, 7.51, 7.57, 7.59, 7.73
11/6 – 11/10 Gases, Liquids and Solids (8) Exp. 7: Determination of the Molar Mass of a Volatile Liquid 8.28, 8.29, 8.34, 8.37, 8.41, 8.43 : 8.47, 8.49, 8.54, 8.58, 8.60, 8.62
11/13 – 11/17 Gases, Liquids and Solids (8 Cont.), Solutions (9) Exp. 8: Solutions: Concentrations Studies 8.67, 8.70, 8.74, 8.81, 8.85, 8.101 :

9.37, 9.41, 9.46, 9.49

11/20 – 11/21 Solutions (9 Cont.) No Lab this week 9.53, 9.61, 9.67, 9.72, 9.75 : 9.77, 9.82, 9.88, 9.90, 9.93, 9.99
11/27 – 12/1 Acids and Bases (10), Test 3 (11/30) Exp. 10: Acids, Bases and salts / Check Out 10.43, 10.48, 10.54, 10.59

Test 3 on 11/30 (Chapters 7-9)
12/4 – 12/8 Acids and Bases (10 Cont.) No Lab this week 10.61, 10.65, 10.70 : 10.77, 10.82, 10.93
12/14, 1:00-3:00 pm     Final Exam (Chapters 1-10)