Fall 2008

Administrative Information

Class meets: MWF 12:20-1:15 am in ST129
Class Text: Chemistry, 4th ed. Olmsted & Williams

Main Instructor: Dr. Jeremy Kua
Office: ST 381
Phone:  (619) 260-7970
E-mail:
Office hours: Mon 1:30-3pm, Tue 2:30-4pm, Thu 10am-noon
Class web site:  http://home.sandiego.edu/~jkua/chemprecep08/

Course goals: To learn the fundamentals of chemistry from a molecular perspective. The course covers atomic and electronic structure, chemical bonding, structure of matter (gases, liquids, solids), the Periodic Table, writing chemical reactions, and stoichiometry.

Course requirements:
1. There will be six problem sets, three in-class hour long exams, and one comprehensive two hour Final Exam.

2a. Collaboration is allowed (even encouraged) on problem sets. However each student must write up their own work. Make sure you understand how to solve the problems on your own especially if you worked with others on the problem set.
2b. There will be NO collaboration on exams.

3a. Grade breakdown is as follows:
                6 Problem Sets at 2% each       12%
                3 Exams at 17% each               51%
                Final Exam                               33%
                Participation                               4%
3b. Tentative Grading Scale (subject to change by the instructor at any time)
                A     85-100%
                B       70-84%
                C       55-69%
                D       40-54%
                F          0-39%
Appended + and - will approximately constitute 3% widths at either end of the scale for A-D grades. 

4a. There are no make-up exams. If you have a very good reason for missing an exam you have to let me know beforehand or as soon as possible. If I judge the reason to be valid and you did let me know beforehand or ASAP, an alternative will be available (probably in the form of an oral exam where I ask you anything I would have expected you to know on the exam).
4b. Late problem sets will be graded for no credit (unless you have a very good reason for turning it in late).

5a. Students are most welcome to come in during office hours. Generally if my office door is wide open even if not during my office hours, you're more than welcome to stop by. Remember, I'm here to help you master the material. On the rare instances I'm super-busy right when you appear, I'll just ask you to come back a little later. I check my e-mail reasonably often during working hours so you can contact me that way too. (Don't expect replies on weekends and evenings.)
5b. I love talking about chemistry, in particular chemical bonding and the strangeness of the universe we live in. So if you have a wild thought or idea, I'll probably be interested in hearing it while giving you a dose of my wild ideas. Hopefully that will be obvious from class!

6. All students are expected to adhere strictly to the Academic Integrity policy. Violations will be dealt with through the Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, in accordance with the University of San Diego policy on academic integrity.