CHEM212-002, Spring 2012

Lect. Tu, R  1:30 - 2:45 p.m.

S & T-1, Rm 131

Dr. Gerald L. R. Weatherspoon

Office Hours: 10:00 -11:00 a.m., Tuesday

3:00-4:00 p.m., Thursday

Science & Tech-1, Rm. 343-B

REQUIRED BOOK FOR LECTURE COURSE:   Chemistry:  The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, 6th edition (2011); Silberberg; McGraw-Hill publishers.

This is the second of a two semester chemistry course for science majors that builds on fundamental principles mastered in the first semester of the course. A passing grade of at least "C" should have been earned in Chem 211 before attempting to pass this course. If you register for this course and have not successfully completed Chem 211 you will be DROPPED from the class. The material covered in Chem 211 is a prerequisite for Chem 212. Therefore, simultaneous enrollment in Chem 211 and Chem 212 will not be allowed. A review of Chem 211 concepts (mathematical operations, trends in the periodic table, laboratory experiments) should take place before the first class meeting.  Please feel free to discuss any aspect of the course with me during office hours or during a scheduled appointment. Due to time constraints and duties besides this course drop-in attempts for office hours and assistance are strongly discouraged. Do not expect to dominate the entire period reserved for office hours and be considerate of others when you do show up for office hours. An additional aid provided by the Chemistry Department is the tutoring center, basement level of Science & Tech-I, which is open during the week and staffed by students who have been successful in the subject matter.   Periodically announcements concerning the tutoring center and all General Chem sections will be posted electronically.  To maximize your performance in the course requires daily practice and class attendance.  Attendance on the first day of class is critical if you intend to get started on the right track (students not present when the roll is called will be dropped from the class). If you honestly do not have the time or inclination to work at chemistry daily and attend ALL of the scheduled classes, DROP NOW and save the tuition.

Positive classroom participation will be considered during tabulation of final grades, with the firm expectation that all aspects of the class will be conducted with civility and respect for differing ideas, perspectives, and traditions. Students should come to class prepared to work problems on the board. Paced learning, rather than last minute cramming, will prove beneficial to your performance in the lecture and laboratory portions of this course. "All-night cram sessions" and doing just enough to hopefully get by are the primary reasons for the high "F" rate in chemistry.

The successful student will make use of the many learning aids available: discussions, study groups and work sessions with fellow students, actively participating in class, working textbook problems. Keep in mind that lecture is a learning aid used to clarify concepts and does not control how much you learn---you do.   Your textbook also lists a very useful study aid that may be accessed via the internet.

Students enrolled in this course must activate their GMU email accounts to receive important University information, including messages related to this class. I will only reply to email received from students using their GMU email accounts.

Departmental seminars are usually held at 4:30 p.m. each Thursday.  Speakers and locations will be posted throughout S&T-1.  Attendance is strongly recommended, especially for chemistry majors.  Chemistry and biochemistry majors should also consider joining the local student affiliate chapter of the ACS (GMU Chemistry Club) as well as ACS.

Important Dates: Spring 2012

COS

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Students must enroll and obtain a passing grade in the appropriate Chem 212 laboratory in order to successfully complete and receive a grade in CHEM 212. There are no makeup exams or quizzes in CHEM 212. Students are expected to earn at least 80% of the total possible points in lab to pass the lab portion of the class.