Chemistry for Non-Science Majors | Madison College Outline of Instruction

20806200 Chemistry for Non-Science Majors

Course Information

Description

This course is designed for non-science majors seeking a one-semester chemistry course to fulfill the college-level lab science requirement. It consists of four hours of lecture, a two-hour laboratory and a one-hour quiz section each week. Emphasis on application of chemical concepts to phenomenon observed in everyday life, technology, and related social issues. Includes discussion of measurement, classifying matter, physical and chemical changes, chemical symbols, writing equations, atomic structure, nuclear changes, periodicity, states of matter, chemical bonding, the mole, solutions, acids and bases, redox reactions, fossil fuels and the history and methodology of chemistry. This course is not acceptable as a replacement for Gen Organ & Biol Chemistry, 20-806-201, or College Chemistry, 20-806-209. Recommendation: high school algebra with a "C" or better.

Total Credits

Course Competencies (Course Outcomes)

Solve various problems using unit cancellation methodology

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group work and labs

Criteria

you follow steps of unit cancellation methodology

you set up valid solution using unit cancellation methodology

you check solution by making sure that data and units are correct

you check solution by making sure that the given and unknown are correctly identified

you check solution by making sure that units cancel

you check solution by making sure that numerators and denominator of conversion ratios are equivalent

you calculate solutions including those containing data expressed in scientific notation
Use mathematical formulas appropriately

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group work

by successful completion of labs

Criteria

you choose correct formula for given problem

you rearrange formula (as needed)

you substitute correct values in a formula

you solve expression for unknown variable
Convert between English and metric system

Assessment Strategies

by successfully completing quizzes, exams

by successfully completing group work and labs

with the English-metric conversion table

Criteria

you identify basic metric units of mass, volume, length, and density

you identify basic English units of mass, volume, length, and density

you apply correct relationships between like metric units of kilo denominations from memory

you apply correct relationships between like metric units of deci denominations from memory

you apply correct relationships between like metric units of centi denominations from memory

you apply correct relationships between like metric units of milli denominations from memory

you apply correct relationships between like metric units of micro denominations from memory

you use English-metric conversion table to obtain needed conversion equivalents
Demonstrate use of scientific method in laboratory experiments

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and home labs

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you record detailed observations

you distinguish between observations and interpretations

you recognize patterns evident in observations

you organize data in ways to make patterns more evident

you formulate questions concerning the observations, interpretations and analysis

you formulate a hypothesis that explains a set of observations
Analyze current societal risks, problems, and proposed solutions caused by introduction of chemical species into ecosystem

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of group activities

by successful completion of article reports

by successful completion of exams

Criteria

you gather and organize pertinent information

you determine variables that will affect risks of hazard

you assess risk of hazard given information concerning a particular scenario

you evaluate arguments and proposed solutions to chemical-related societal problems

you state well-reasoned personal opinion on current chemical-related societal problems
Apply chemical concepts, theories and/or models to everyday experience

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and home labs

by successful completion of article reports

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you examine pertinent chemical concepts, theories and/or models

you identify appropriate conditions and results in scenarios drawn from everyday scenarios

you interpret conditions and results using pertinent concept, theory, or model

you predict results of changing a variable in scenarios drawn from everyday experience
Identify and Represent Matter and Its Changes

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and home labs

by consulting a Periodic Table and a list of common ions

Criteria

you investigate the development of Atomic Theory

you investigate the composition of pure substances

you investigate the properties of pure substances

you investigate the composition of mixtures

you investigate the properties of mixtures

you investigate the composition of elements

you investigate the properties of elements

you investigate the composition of compounds

you investigate the properties of compounds

you represent compounds using chemical symbols

you represent elements using chemical symbols

you represent chemical changes using balanced equations

you represent physical changes using balanced equations
Explain how the structure of the atom determines its identify, mass, and emission spectra

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you examine the composition of an isotope with respect to the three main subatomic particles

you represent the composition of an isotope with respect to the three main subatomic particles

you contrast the terms mass number and atomic weight (average atomic mass)

you relate the absorption and re-emission of energy from a population of atoms to the position of electrons within the atoms
Describe the source, nature, effects, and applications of radioactivity

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you describe the source and nature of radioactive emissions

you determine the type of emission, daughter isotope, and rate of decay of a radioactive transmutation

you analyze factors that affect risk of biological damage from radiation

you relate radioisotope type of decay in a number of common applications

you relate radioisotope rate of decay in a number of common applications

you relate radioisotope use in a number of common applications

you relate radioisotope function in a number of common applications
Use the Periodic Table predict chemical and physical properties of the elements

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and group activities

Criteria

you explain the spatial arrangement of the elements in the periodic table

you use the periodic table to obtain basic information about the atoms of each element

you use the Periodic Table to determine general chemical and physical properties the elements
Compare and contrast ionic, polar covalent and nonpolar covalent bonds

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and group activities

by consulting a periodic table and table of electronegatives

Criteria

you investigate the formation of ionic compounds in sentences

you investigate the formation of ionic compounds in chemical symbols

you investigate the formation of ionic compounds in pictures

you investigate the formation of covalent compounds in sentences

you investigate the formation of covalent compounds in electron dot structures

you determine whether the bond between two atoms is ionic, nonpolar covalent, or polar covalent
Apply Kinetic Molecular Theory to explain behavior of the phases of matter and phase changes

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you relate the general properties of each phase of matter with its corresponding arrangements of atoms, molecules or ions

you relate changes in potential energy to phase changes

you relate changes in kinetic energy to phase changes

you draw pictures to explain the relationship between gas pressure, temperature, and volume
Relate the melting and boiling points of various compounds to the type of bonding in the smallest unit of the compound

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you determine the polarity of a molecule

you predict whether it is ionic, nonpolar covalent, and polar covalent given the formula for a simple compound

you identify the type of the intermolecular forces between the particles in the liquid phase given the formula for a simple compound

you identify the relative strength of the intermolecular forces between the particles in the liquid phase given the formula for a simple compound

you predict the relative melting points of ionic compounds

you predict the relative melting points of nonpolar covalent compounds

you predict the relative melting points of polar covalent compounds

you predict the relative boiling points of ionic compounds

you predict the relative boiling points of nonpolar covalent compounds

you predict the relative boiling points of polar covalent compounds

you explain why the properties of water are so different than those of methane
Relate the dissolution of a compound with the properties of the aqueous solution

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you explain how water dissolves polar compounds

you examine the components of a solution using appropriate terms

you examine the relative concentration of a solution using appropriate terms

you examine the degree of saturation of a solution using appropriate terms

you predict the solubility of a compound in water

you predict the conductivity of a compound in water
Use the mole to calculate the amount of reactant and/or product involved in the chemical reaction

Assessment Strategies

with pertinent chemical formulas and a periodic table

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and group activities

Criteria

you explain the purpose of the mole in quantifying mass of products and reactants in chemical reactions

you calculate amounts of any reactant or product in a chemical reaction using stoichiometric principles
Relate the properties of acid and basic solutions to the concentration of hydronium and hydroxide ions present

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you investigate the reaction of acids dissolved in water and define each term accordingly

you investigate the reaction of bases dissolved in water and define each term accordingly

you investigate properties of acids

you investigate properties of bases

you investigate common applications of acids

you investigate common applications of bases

you contrast the definition and behavior of weak acid, strong acids, weak bases, and strong bases

you relate the pH of a solution to its acidity and concentration of hydronium and hydroxide ions
Relate the use of the three main fossil fuels to structure and properties of the organic compounds therein

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you interpret structural formulas of organic compounds

you investigate the relative composition and use of the fossil fuels

you investigate refinement and use of gasoline as a fuel
Explain the relationship between functional groups, physical properties, and function of various organic compounds

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you predict the physical properties of various organic compounds

you predict the ramifications of the solubilities of various organic compounds

you examine the production and use of soap
Examine the synthesis, structure and function of common polymers

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and group activities

Criteria

you investigate the synthesis of common addition and condensation polymers

you investigate the composition of common addition and condensation polymers

you investigate the composition of polymers with recycling codes 1-6 plus CLPE

you investigate the structure of polymers with recycling codes 1-6 plus CLPE

you investigate the general use of polymers with recycling codes 1-6 plus CLPE
Explain how the oxidation of food molecules provides energy for cells in mammalian systems

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you analyze redox reactions

you identify which contains the most stored energy given the structure of various organic molecules involved in catabolic pathways

you investigate the purpose of starch hydrolysis in a cell

you investigate the conditions in the cell of starch hydrolysis

you investigate the location in the cell of starch hydrolysis

you investigate the overall reactants in a cell of starch hydrolysis

you investigate the products of starch hydrolysis in a cell

you investigate the products of starch hydrolysis in a cell

you investigate the conditions in the cell of starch glycolysis

you investigate the location in the cell of starch glycolysis

you investigate the overall reactants in a cell of starch glycolysis

you investigate the products of starch glycolysis in a cell

you investigate the purpose of the Citric Acid Cycle in a cell

you investigate the conditions of the Citric Acid Cycle in the cell

you investigate the location in the cell of the Citric Acid Cycle

you investigate the overall reactants in a cell of the Citric Acid Cycle

you investigate the products of the Citric Acid Cycle in a cell

you explain how the body harnesses the energy produced by the oxidation of glucose in the cell
Explain how the fission process is used to produce power safely in a nuclear plant

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of group activities

Criteria

you investigate process of fission

you draw a schematic of the components of a nuclear power plant

you explain the components of a nuclear power plant

you explain the important of each component to the operation of the plant

you predict what will happen if one of the components of a nuclear power plant malfunctions
Use collision theory to explain the effect of various factors on the rate of a chemical reaction

Assessment Strategies

by successful completion of quizzes, exams

by successful completion of laboratory exercises and group activities

Criteria

you draw potential energy diagram for that change given a description of a chemical change

you draw pictures to illustrate the effect of temperature, concentration of reactant, physical subdivision of reactant, and catalyst on reaction rate