DALLAS COLLEGE

BROOKHAVEN Campus - Mathematics and Science Division

INTRODUCTORY CHEMISTRY CHEM 1405 – 22003 Spring 2021
Instructor: Maurice Saah, PhD, MD
E-mail: msaah@dcccd.edu (I will reply within 24 hours M – F)
Over the weekend and holiday periods, responses may be delayed.
Virtual Office hours: M,W 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Virtual Office: Online and via email:
https://dallascollege.webex.com/meet/smaurice
Division Office and Phone: K224, 972 860 4750, Virtual Division Office

Lecture Time (Online live lectures): W – 9:00 -11.50am

Lecture Class Link https://dallascollege.webex.com/meet/smaurice

Pre-Lab Class: M 10 am – 11:00 am

Lab Sessions: Via Virtual Lab (See Instructions below)

Last day to drop with a “W”: Thursday, Apr 4th 2021

Course Information:
CHEM 1405, Introductory Chemistry I (4 credit hours)
This is a Core Curriculum course selected by the colleges of DCCCD. It satisfies 4 credit hours of
Foundational Component Area 030: Life and Physical Science. CHEM 1405 is a Texas Common
Course Number.

Prerequisites:
DMAT 0305. College level ready in Reading.

Catalog Description:
This course is for non-science majors. Fundamental concepts are presented in lecture and
laboratory including states of matter, atomic structure, the periodic table, chemical bonding,
reactions, stoichiometry, properties of metals, nonmetals and compounds, chemical nomenclature,
acid-base theory, oxidation-reduction, and solutions. Descriptive chemistry is emphasized. (3
Lecture, 3 Lab)

Coordinating Board Academic Approval Number 4005015103 Note: students MAY NOT transfer
both CHEM 1405 and CHEM 1411.

Required Course Materials

Learning materials they will be provided as part of the IncludED program (dcccd.edu/included) or as
free materials you can access in your online course shell.

If you opt out of the IncludED program, you would be responsible for obtaining all your required
learning materials by the first day of class. For more details, see Institutional Policies.

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 Required Materials (provided as part of IncludED program):
1. Introductory Chemistry Essentials: 6th Ed., Tro, ISBN: 9780134291802, Year: 2018, Pearson
2. Access Code for Sapling Single Course HW Intro Chem Edition: N/A, ISBN: 9781319080235,
Sapling Learning (https://www.saplinglearning.com/ibiscms/login/)
3. eScience Lab Kit 4604, 2nd Edition Introductory Chemistry, Version 4.
https://esciencelabs.com/productdisplay/2nd-edition-introductory-chemistry-version-4

Additional Required Materials (not part of IncludED):

The following supplies are also required, but are not part of the IncludED program:
1. Scientific Calculator: Non-programmable, Non-graphing (TI 30X IIS recommended).
Programmable calculators containing alpha keys & graphing calculators will not be allowed
on tests. Cell phone calculators will not be allowed on tests.
2. Some of the eScience labs require materials that are not provided in the eScience lab kit. The
additional materials required for each lab are given on eCampus, and a complete list is
provided here: 4 Distilled water, tap water, cola, ice, mini marshmallows (35), gummy bears
(2), sugared bubble gum, paper towels, penny (1), permanent marker, clear tape, paperclip,
rubber band, scissors, camera (smartphone will work), timer (smartphone will work), pencil,
paper.

Optional Additional Texts (not required):

1. Study Guide, ISBN: 9780321949059
2. Student Solutions Manual, ISBN: 9780321949073

Graded Work
The tables below provide a summary of the graded work in this course and an explanation of how
your final course grade will be calculated.

Lecture: 80% of final grade; Lab: 20% of final grade

Summary of Graded Work

Assignments Points Total
Online homework 13 @ 10 points each 130
Quizzes 2 @ 5 points each 10
Tests 3 @ 100 points each 300
Comprehensive final exam 1 @ 200 points 200
Labs 15 @ 10 points each 160
Total Points: 800

Final Grade

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 Percentages Points Required/800 Letter Grade
>89.5 >716 A
79.5 – 89.4 636 - 715 B
69.5 – 79.4 556 - 635 C
59.5 – 69.4 476 -555 D
<59.5 <476 F

Description of Graded Work

Online Homework: Homework assignments are electronic and are taken via Sapling Learning.
Every chapter has an online homework assignment.
• The assignment for Chapter 1 is a practice assignment and is worth 5 points of extra credit.
• A link to Sapling Learning is given in the left-hand menu of the eCampus lecture course and a
link to each homework assignment is given in each chapter folder under the Course Content
button.
• Access to Sapling is included in your tuition unless you opted out of the
IncludED program. You must register for your Sapling account through eCampus. The link
to register is located under the Sapling Learning eCampus menu button and in the eCampus
Chapter 1 folder, under Course Content.
• Each homework assignment is worth 10 points.
• There are thirteen homework assignments for a total of 130 points, or 16.25% of your total
grade. Failure to complete the homework could have a significantly negative impact on
your overall course grade, lowering it by as much as two letter grades.
• Homework is "open book".
• Homework due dates are given in the eCampus Course Calendar.
• As well as the graded homework assignments, Sapling Learning also has activities, videos,
and online "labs" available for many of the chapters. These are optional and are not graded,
however they are strongly recommended as valuable practice activities. These resources may
be accessed by clicking on the Sapling Learning button in the eCampus menu.

Online Tests and Final Exam: Tests will be given via eCampus, and will be in the Test folders, in
the Course Content area. Tests will be true/false, multiple choice, and/or written ‘show your work’
type. You may use scratch paper to work out calculations etc., and refer to your notes, but you may
not refer to the internet during the test.

Extra Credit: There are opportunities for extra credit for this course.
• Each online chapter folder (except Chapters 1 and 2) contains a short “mini quiz” on material
we have covered in the previous chapter. Each mini quiz is worth two points of extra credit.

Labs: Labs are an important part of the chemistry experience; they help you connect theory discussed
in lecture with real-world observations. Participation in the lab portion of the course is
mandatory. The lab portion of the course is accessed through an eCampus Community called BHC-
CHEM-1405-LAB. You can access the lab community by clicking on the Community tab located at
the top of the eCampus screen. Once in the Lab Community, click on the FA2020 Labs menu button.

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This semester you will not actually be performing "wet labs". Instead, you will complete “dry labs”,
digital simulations or study assignments.

To submit your lab reports you must type your answers directly into a Word document, save it with a
given file name, and then upload it to eCampus via the provided link. Detailed instructions are given
on eCampus in the experiment folders. It is very important that you have access to Microsoft Word.
You can download Word for free, using your DCCCD account.

A lab schedule is given in the eCampus Lab Community calendar. Plan to complete approximately
one lab per week. Do not wait until the end of the semester to submit all of your labs at once: your
instructor will not grade them, and you will earn zeros for labs submitted late.

Lab Grade Policy

IMPORTANT: Since you will receive a single transcripted grade for both lecture and lab, you must
earn an overall grade of 70% for the lab portion of this course, in order to pass the class. Failure to
complete and submit any lab, will result in a grade of zero for that lab, and could jeopardize your
chances of passing the lecture portion of the class.

Grading Disputes:
A student that wishes to dispute a grade must inform the instructor as soon as possible. Discussions
about grades are private and must be held in the instructor’s office or during scheduled online office
hours. For online communications, discussion must be held through official channels (such as
verified college email accounts, or through Blackboard either messaging or Collaborate for in person
meetings). Grades will not be discussed through unofficial channels or over the phone. Disputes
regarding all assignments must be brought to the attention of the instructor no more than 3 days after
the grade has been posted in eCampus.
Attendance and Your Final Grade
There is no mandatory attendance for online classes. However it will be to your benefit to attend the
online live lectures as there is no guarantee that the recording of a live lecture will be accessible after
the scheduled live lecture period. Also there are due dates (refer to class calendar) and additional
information that may be presented. Late Work Policy Late work is generally not accepted. The
instructor reserves the right to evaluate on a case by case basis extenuating, documented
circumstances.

eCampus Information

This class uses eCampus (http://ecampus.dcccd.edu/). Login to eCampus using your DCCCD account
e.g.: e9876543@student.dcccd.edu. If you have trouble logging in, please contact Technical Support
on the web or by phone at 1-866-374-7169 or 972-669-6402.

Once you have logged in to eCampus, please make sure that your email address is correct in the
system. If I cannot contact you via email, you will miss important information. To check that your
email is correct, click on the “My DCCCD” tab at the top of the eCampus screen, then click on

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“Personal Information” under “Tools” at the left-hand-side of the screen then “Edit Personal
Information”.

Once you have logged in and verified your email address, access the CHEM 1405 course by clicking
on the “Courses” tab at the top of the screen and then selecting 2020FA-CHEM-140521401. Spend
some time familiarizing yourself with eCampus by clicking on the buttons to the left of the course
screen. Lecture material and tests can be found under the "Course Content" button.

Institutional Policies
Institutional Policies include information about tutoring, Disabilities Services, class drop and repeat
options, Title IX, and more.

Course Schedule
Detailed lecture and lab schedules can be found in the eCampus course calendar
(https://dcccd.blackboard.com/webapps/calendar/viewPersonal). Refer to the eCampus lecture and
lab calendars regularly to check due dates for assignments, tests and labs etc. Any changes made to
the lecture or lab schedules will be reflected in the eCampus calendar.
Weekly to do list:
• Read the chapter in the textbook
• Watch the lecture videos if provided
• Read the PowerPoints and complete all of the examples and skill-builders
• Refer to handouts for the salient points in the chapter (useful when reviewing for the test!)
• Complete the worksheets and check your answers against the keys
• Complete the end of chapter questions in the textbook for extra practice (answers to the odd
questions are at the back of the book)
• Complete and submit the Sapling online homework (10 points per chapter)

Core Objectives

CHEM 1405 is part of the Life and Physical Sciences Foundational Component Area 030.
i. Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena
using the scientific method.
ii. Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the
implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.
iii. The following four Core Objectives are:
(A) Critical Thinking Skills: to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis,
evaluation, and synthesis of information.
(B) Communication Skills: to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of
ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.
(C) Empirical and Quantitative Skills: to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical
data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
(D) Teamwork: to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work
effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this Introductory Chemistry course, students will:

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 1. Convert units of measurement and demonstrate dimensional analysis skills.
2. Classify matter according to its state and composition.
3. Determine the role of energy in physical and chemical changes.
4. Write chemical formulas and use the rules of nomenclature to name chemical
compounds.
5. Write and balance chemical equations. Define the types and characteristics of different
chemical reactions.
6. Solve stoichiometric problems.
7. Determine the basic nuclear and electronic structure of atoms.
8. Identify trends in chemical and physical properties of the elements using the Periodic
Table.
9. Describe the bonding in, and the shape of, simple molecules and ions.
10. Use the Gas Laws and basics of the Kinetic Molecular Theory to solve gas problems.
11. Determine the concentration of aqueous solutions.
12. Identify the characteristics of acids and bases, and solve problems based on their
quantitative relationships.

Expectations of students:
• Read each assigned chapter in the book.
• Work ALL of the assigned problems in the chapter AND the end of chapter problems.
• Perform/attend to all your labs.
• If you are having trouble, contact your instructor, during class session, during office hours or
via email. Additionally, If you need more help, meet with the chemistry department’s tutors
(no appointment necessary, schedule available on eCampus).
• If an extended illness or an unusual situation develops let your instructor know.

Other Course Policies and tips for success

Instructor Policies and Suggestions for Student Success:

•Organize you schedule and set aside time each day (or every other day depending on your
work/life schedule) to study and complete assignments.
• Learning is more effective when it is broken up into separate and spaced out periods of
training.
• Check your email at least once a day, every day.
• You may receive notification of announcements to help you keep track of assignments,
remind you of deadlines, and let you know of any information you may need to succeed in
this class.
• Make sure to read the announcements in Blackboard.
• Announcements are posted every week.
• Each assignment is available for several days. Avoid procrastinating and completing
assignments at the last moment: no make up work will be allowed. Also, I will not be
available to answer emails at night or during weekends.
• Communicate with your instructor. I am here to help you navigate this course and learn. If
you have any question or doubt: ask!
• All emails are answered within 1 working day (that is Monday to Friday). Fair warning: I am
a morning person: I am more likely to answer at 6 am than at 8 pm. * I am available for online
meetings for single students and groups as well as online office hours. If you need help, send
me an email so we can find a time and day that works for you.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:

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Scholastic dishonesty is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Scholastic dishonesty includes,
but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and collusion. As a college student, you are considered a
responsible adult. Your enrollment indicates acceptance of the DCCCD Code of Student Conduct
published in the DCCCD Catalog at College Policies code of conduct Cheating. This course is
designed for students who want to honestly learn. I have high esteem for hardworking students with
solid ethics. Cheating hurts these students in many ways. You are provided with many opportunities
to learn and better your understanding. Any attempt to take advantage of the provided opportunities
in an unethical manner, for personal gain is strongly discouraged and will be heavily penalized.

What exactly is cheating?

There are 2 types of assignments:
formative (when you are learning) and
summative (when you demonstrate you have learned).

• Homework, assignments, and lab reports are formative assignments: you use them to learn
and understand. You can ask for help. Solving homework problems in collaboration with a
group of students in your class is not cheating. You must conduct laboratory experiments by
yourself but if you do not understand how to do something, you can contact the chemistry
tutoring office to explain and assist with your experiment. Asking for help for formative
assignments or experiments is not cheating. However, if you were to pay someone to do your
homework, or copy an entire homework from another student, that is cheating.

• Exams are summative assessments: you must demonstrate you have learned the content. You
must do so entirely by yourself. Seeking or obtaining help to complete an exam is cheating.

Measures against cheating in this class.

For exams: you will have one timed attempt for each test. All questions are written by your instructor
and may be original questions. Each exam will contain a set of questions that are unique for each
student. You should know that: I run routine checks after tests to verify that exam questions are not
posted online. Now, because I do not like cheaters (mostly because they damage and hurt
hardworking, honest students), I write exam questions using a function in Blackboard that generates
unique questions for each student. What does that mean? If you post a question on an online tutoring
system, I will find it, and I will know it is you because the question is uniquely yours. This will
constitute proof that you cheated and will result in a zero grade for the test. Further measures can be
taken for students that commit multiple infractions (such as cheating on multiple tests). In summary:
do not cheat! It is not worth it; and it may have extreme consequences on your future.

Now, before you panic. Can you ask for help for assignments that are not exams? Absolutely yes! I
will remind you that Brookhaven has online tutors that are highly qualified (more so than tutors on
online sites), and it is FREE to access. When it comes to homework, lab, or assignments questions, I
am also more than happy to help you with them although I strongly urge you to contact the tutors
first. The main purpose of those assignments is to LEARN. So, if you cannot solve or do not
understand a question, you can ask for help. Asking for help is considered learning, not cheating.

Academic integrity Issues with Blackboard testing: while testing in Blackboard: do not reload
pages, use only the Blackboard navigation arrows. If Blackboard crashes on you while you are taking
a test, communicate with me. Blackboard automatically records a log while you take the exam that

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contains a detailed description of the time you spent on each question. If the test crashes, you can
email me and I will be happy to help you.

This has happened before in the past and the log will confirm your honesty and support your claim.
The log is there to help honest students. However, If you falsely claim that your test crashed while
the log shows that you had looked at all questions, you will receive no help and a grade zero.

Brookhaven Chemistry Laboratory Policies and

Information Pre-lab Activity
Brookhaven chemistry experiments require a pre‐lab activity. The purpose of the pre-lab is to ensure
that you understand the experiment and all related safety procedures. The required pre-lab activities
for most CHEM 1405 labs are:
1. Open the folder for the experiment in the eCampus CHEM 1405 Lab Community
2. View any required lab videos
3. Download and print the experiment
4. Read the experiment and outline the general steps of the procedure in your own
handwriting. This procedure summary should be no more than one page in length.
5. Examine the provided data tables. Think about how you are going to acquire the
information necessary to fill them out.
6. Answer all pre-lab questions

Be sure you know how to do all the calculations required in the experiment prior to starting the lab.
If you can’t do the calculations, seek help before the lab.
You need to complete the pre-lab correctly, and in full, before you start the lab activity.

Lab Attendance Policy

• All registered students must watch the Lab safety video and complete lab safety quiz on ecampus.
• Successful completion of the mandatory safety lab is required to continue in the course.
LECTURE AND EXAM SCHEDULE

Date Chapter Topic

Week 1: 01/20 Ch 1-2: Intro –Chemistry & the Scientific Method.
Week 2: 01/27 Ch 2 cont’d: Measurement and the Scientific Notation.
Ch 2 cont’d: Significant Figures and Conversion Factors.
Dimensional Analysis.
Week 3: 02/03 Ch 3: Matter and Energy- States of Matter; Elements,
Compounds and Mixtures.
Physical and Chemical Changes
Week 4: 02/10 Ch 3 cont’d: Temperature and Heat Changes
Heat Capacity.
Week 5: 02/17 Ch 4: Atoms and Elements; Isotopes.
Week 6: 02/24 Ch 5: Molecules and Compounds, Nomenclature
Chemical Formulas.
02/25 – 02/27 Exam I - Chapters 1 – 5 (online)

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Week 7: 03/03 Chapter 6: Chemical Composition.
Calculation of Empirical and Molecular Formulas.
Week 8: 03/10 Chapter 7: Chemical Reactions, Types of Chemical Reactions.
Balancing of Chemical Equations.
Oxidation and Reduction Reactions.
Week 9: 03/17 Chapter 8: Stoichiometry; Limiting Reagents,
Theoretical Yield and Percent Yield.
03/18 – 03/21 Exam II - Chapters 5 – 8
Week 10: 03/24 Chapter 9: Atomic Structure, Intro to Quantum Chemistry,
Electronic Configuration, and the Periodic Trends.
Week 11: 03/31 Chapter 10: Chemical Bonding, Lewis Structures
Predicting shapes of Molecules (The VSEPR Theory);
Electronegativity and Polarity
Week 12: 04/07 Chapter 11: Gases- Kinetic Theory and the Gas Laws
Week 13: 04/14 Chapter 12: Liquids, Solids, and Intermolecular Forces.
04/15 – 04/18 Exam III - Chapters 9 – 11 (online)
Week 14: 04/21 Chapter 13: Solutions and Colligative Properties
Week 15: 04/28 Chapter 14: Acids and Bases, pH and pOH calculations
Acid-Base Titration and Buffers
Week 16: 05/05 Review: Chapters 1-14
05/10 – 05/13 Comprehensive ACS Final Exam

The instructor reserves the right to amend this syllabus, grading schematic, and the lecture,
lab and testing schedules as needed.