General College Chemistry II

Instructor: Dr. Lara Baxley   lbaxley@cuesta.edu 

Office Hours (Student Help Hours): In Zoom.  Tues., Wed., Thurs. 1-2 pm

Welcome!

Welcome to Chem 201B!  I look forward to being your guide through the next 18 weeks of general chemistry.  This is a challenging course and requires a lot of time and effort, but I am here to help you along the way.  This Welcome Letter outlines my expectations, course policies, required materials and the course schedule, and also gives information about what you should do in order to be successful in this course.  

Important Course Dates

All due dates and exam dates can be found in the Course Schedule.

Required Meetings

This course will be conducted entirely online, including lectures and labs.  There are mandatory meeting times that will occur via Zoom or other platform.  Please ensure that you are available at the following times for these meetings:

• CRN 70247
  • Lecture: Tuesdays 8:30-10:20 a.m.
  • Lab: Mondays 9:30 am - 12:20 p.m.
• CRN 72845
  • Lecture: Tuesdays 8:30-10:20 a.m.
  • Lab: Mondays 1:30-4:20 p.m.
• For both CRNs there is an additional 2 hours of online participation each week for completing online lecture videos and activities, plus additional time (at least 8-10 hours) that will be necessary for reading, completing homework, and practicing problems.

Equity

I am committed to equity and inclusion in all of my classes.  If you meet the prerequisites for this course, you belong in this class, and you can succeed.  It will take a lot of time, effort, and dedication, but you can do it and I am here to help you!  In my class, I expect that all students will behave in a professional manner towards their peers, their instructor, and their community.

Is Distance Learning for You? 

You CAN succeed in an online class, but it does take extra self-motivation, personal discipline, and organization.  While there are mandatory class meetings with lecture and group work, much of the time you will be working on your own and teaching yourself with the help of computer software, internet forum discussion questions, tutorials, and videos.  I will provide extra motivation and study tips to help you along the way and if you stumble, I will help you.  Please take the following exploratory Self-assessment surveyLinks to an external site. to judge your level of preparedness for taking an online class.

How to Succeed in General Chemistry

Chemistry is a challenging subject.  Many students struggle with a lot of time and effort.  I have learned that this is often because they are unfamiliar with how to study chemistry effectively.  Being successful in chemistry requires different skills and strategies than biology, history, English, or many other subjects.  If you tend to spend a lot of time studying chemistry without seeing successful results, please talk with me about your study strategies.  Before you start the semester, I suggest that you read my Tips of Succeeding in General Chemistry.

Necessary Computer Equipment/Skills:

• Electronic Device with Webcam: computer or tablet with a webcam and modern software/apps, preferably not a phone, and internet access.
  • Cuesta system requirements are the Technical FAQs pageLinks to an external site..
  • Mastering Chemistry system requirements are at the Mastering System Requirements pageLinks to an external site..
  • For some lab simulations, you will need a computer (not tablet or Chromebook).  If you do not have a computer, the best option is to borrow one from a few hours from a friend or family member.  If this is not an option, send me an email to lbaxley@cuesta.edu to discuss other options.
• Scanner: Be able to scan documents from your computer or phone as a pdf (there are free apps for phones). 
  
  • For iPhone, try: Cam Scanner, Genius Scan, JET Scanner, or PDF Photos
  • For Android, try: Cam Scanner, easyPDF, or Image to PDF
  • Alternatively, you may write directly in the document using a tablet or computer and save as a pdf.
• Graphing Program:  The best program to use is Excel (not the free version).  If you do not have Excel, there are computers in the library with Excel.  Google sheets is reasonable, but doesn't work as well as Excel.  
• Computer skills: downloading , printing, and scanning documents, using Canvas, using your Cuesta email account, posting discussion questions, watching videos, entering equations and graphing in Excel, and using Mastering Chemistry. It will also be necessary to follow directions for using other programs and online computer simulations.  

Required Textbook 

• Textbook: Chemistry, A Molecular Approach, N. Tro  Prentice Hall, 2014  5^th, 4^th ed. or 3^rd edition OK, or e-text in Canvas.
• Mastering Chemistry Online HW, $70 through Canvas or free with new 5th edition text or e-book. Purchase online through Canvas only, not direct from Pearson.

Other Required Materials

• Scientific Calculator non-programmable with Exponential notation (EE or EXP on most calculators,) and logs (LOG and LN).  TI-30XIISLinks to an external site. is suggested (No TI-8X series calculators)
• Splash proof chemistry goggles:  There will be some experiments conducted at home.  In order to conduct these safely, you must have approved chemical safety goggles.  Goggles must completely enclose the eye and not have direct venting (holes) in them.  Acceptable goggles are  Uvex Stealth Gray,Links to an external site. and Uvex Stealth BlueLinks to an external site., and Fisherbrand EconomyLinks to an external site..
• Other materials for kitchen chemistry.  Other materials will be necessary for at-home experiments.  I will make every effort to make the materials easily accessible and inexpensive.  

Accessing the Course and Class Participation:

The course will be accessed through Canvas, including links to Zoom meetings and other materials.  In order to succeed in the course, please attend all Zoom meetings and complete all work in Canvas or other required platforms by the due dates.  If you are unable to attend a meeting, contact me as soon as possible.  If you do not attend during the first week of classes you may be dropped in order to make room for another student from the wait list.  Therefore, please contact me as soon as possible if there are extenuating circumstances that prevent your attendance.

Excessive absences (missing 3 Zoom meetings, 2 labs, 2 quizzes, or 2 exams) or neglect of coursework (below 50% in the 3^rd week, or missing 50% of assignments or participation) may result in a drop.  Missing 3 or more lab experiments will result in a non-passing grade.

Contact With Instructor: 

Email is the best way to contact me about the course, and Piazza (the online discussion board linked in Canvas) is the best way to ask questions related to HW or course material. Piazza posts are usually answered within 8 hours, usually much less.

How to Get Help with Course Material:

I am here to help you learn and enjoy the course material.  If you are having trouble, please contact me early, and often.  For questions about course content, please use Piazza discussion forums.  If you have questions that are not related to the content of the course, please send me an email.

Free online tutoring is available at Net Tutor and in person free tutoring is available at Student Success Centers at both the San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles campuses, and may also be available online.

College Services

Nationwide, 36% of college students face challenges in securing safe housing or affordable food.  If you need help, Cuesta College has several resources that can help you.

• On-campus food pantry (open daily) and a food bank distribution site (3^rd Tuesday of the month).
• If you experience food or housing insecurity, please contact the Student Support Resolution Coordinator, Donna Howard, in Room 3172, 805.546.3192 or donna_howard1@cuesta.edu
• The Cuesta CaFE Center (room 3142) has food, toiletries, hygiene products, and clothing for students in need.
• Cuesta College offers personalized, confidential therapy services to support students for their academic success and personal development. Visit room 3150 or call (805) 546-3171 for appointments.
• I might be able to help too, so if you are comfortable in doing so, please let me know if you need assistance.
• More services and information can be found at https://cuesta.instructure.com/courses/12134/pages/resources

Prerequisites: 

MATH 127, MATH 127SI or its equivalent with a grade of C or better and CHEM 201A or equivalent with a grade of C or better.

Course Description:  

A continuation of Chemistry 201A with particular reference to the periodic classification of the elements and the laws of chemical equilibrium as illustrated by the qualitative scheme of analysis. Topics covered will include chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, aqueous equilibria, free energy entropy, electrochemistry, coordination chemistry, nuclear and organic chemistry. Laboratory work will include quantitative work as well as a qualitative scheme of analysis for cations and anions and some computer acquisition and analysis of data.

Student learning outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, a student should be able to:

1. Evaluate and interpret numerical and chemical scientific information, including the determination of a rate law or equilibrium constant based on experimental data.
2. Solve mathematical problems in chemistry, including equilibrium calculations, kinetics, electrochemistry, and energetics.
3. Communicate chemical concepts through the use of molecular formulas, structural formulas, and names of compounds.
4. Perform laboratory experiments based on qualitative, gravimetric, volumetric, and instrumental analysis techniques and effectively utilize the appropriate experimental apparatus and technology.

Evaluation:

• Homework:  Chemistry is best learned by regularly practicing problems  Assignments of required and suggested problems will be assigned via an online HW system or through Canvas. Online HW assignments can always be completed after the due date for partial credit. The required problems represent the bare minimum; you are strongly encouraged to answer the suggested problems for extra practice. Practice until you always get them right.
• Participation:  Students learn better when discussing course material and problem-solving strategies with other students.  Therefore, part of your grade will be based on participation.  Participation will include Zoom problem-solving sessions during scheduled class time, replying to discussion board prompts, and other opportunities. 
• Worksheets and Textbook Problems:  Chemistry is best learned by regularly practicing problems.  In addition to homework, extra practice problems are available on worksheets in the Lab Manual and posted in Canvas.  These problems will not be collected or graded, but you should expect to complete all worksheets in order to master the material.  Answers to all questions are given, so you can correct your own work.  If you cannot do them on your own (no textbook or notes), you are not ready for the test!  Keep practicing.
• Prelabs: Most labs will have a prelab, which must be submitted before starting the lab.  Most prelabs will be graded by Canvas, but some will be hand-graded.
• Lab Reports: Each lab experiment will require the submission of a lab report.  Some experiments and lab reports will be conducted in groups as assigned by the instructor.  Others will be conducted individually.  For group labs, students will meet via Zoom or other platform to conduct the experiment at a distance. 
• Lab Project: Each student is to complete one short lab project of their choice.  The grade for the lab project will be included with the lab report grade.  Lab projects must be approved by the instructor for appropriateness and safety before being conducted.  Lab projects may be conducted individually or in pairs, with pre-approval from the instructor.
• Quizzes: Quizzes will be given during lecture time on the dates listed in the schedule.  The lowest quiz score will be dropped.
• Midterm Exams: Exams will be given during lecture time on the dates specified on the class schedule.  The format of the exams will include a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, and free response.
• Final Exam:  The final exam will be comprehensive.  The format of the final exam will be the same as the midterm exam.  The final exam will be given during the time determined by the Cuesta final exam schedule.

Grading

Item	% of Grade
Homework	10 %
Participation	5 %
Prelabs	4 %
Lab Reports	16 %
Quizzes	15 %
Midterm Exams	25 %
Final Exam	25 %

Letter Grades

Range	Letter Grade
90-100 %	A
80-89 %	B
70-79 %	C
65-69 %	D
<65%	F

Plus/Minus grades:   Plus/minus grading are awarded for the highest and lowest 2% of each grade (state law does not allow grades of “C-” at CA Community Colleges).

Make-ups:

• Quizzes: To accommodate absences, the lowest quiz score will be dropped.  Make-up quizzes are not available, except in the case of Cuesta team or course events (provide validation). 
• Labs: Some lab experiments will be conducted with peers during the scheduled lab time (as scheduled in the Cuesta Class Finder) and others will be conducted individually on your own time.  If you miss a lab that occurs during the schedule lab time, you may be required to complete the lab on your own without a group. 
• Exams: If you must miss an exam, please contact me as soon as possible (prior to the exam, if possible).  I can accommodate make up exams only for certain circumstances and may give them during finals week.

Late Work

• Homework can always be submitted late for reduced up to 30% credit.  
• Lab Reports can only be submitted up to one week late for up to 50% reduced credit.  
• NQA Coupons: Each Student will have two NQA (No Questions Asked) Coupons where they may submit one homework assignment or lab report up to one week after the original due date for full credit.  To redeem your coupon, send me an email after you submit the assignment.  This NQA Coupons may only be used for regular (Mastering Chemistry) homework or lab reports, not discussion posts, prelabs, etc.
• Discussion posts must be completed on time because if you submit a post late, you aren't really part of the discussion with the rest of the class.

Accommodations

Some students may face learning disabilities or challenges that affect their academic performance. If you have a disability that could affect your class performance, please contact DSPS at 546–3148 as soon as possible.  Exams and quizzes taken with accommodations must be taken concurrently (same start or end time) as the class.  Please schedule your classes and other obligations such that accommodated exams and quizzes can occur concurrently with the class.  

Academic Integrity:

Any form of falsely claiming work to be your own when it was not (copying off another quiz or lab report etc.) or sharing your work with others is considered cheating.  If you violate the academic honesty policy, you may receive a “0” for the assignment AND an equivalent assignment, or an F for the course.  See the Cuesta College schedule for official student conduct policies.

The use of the internet, such as google, Chegg, or other sites, for lab reports, quizzes, exams, homework, or other work is prohibited unless otherwise specified in the assignments.  If you aren't sure how to answer a question, ask for help from your instructor, tutor, or classmate, but do not copy someone else's answer, and do not resort to google or Youtube.  There are many chemistry videos on Youtube with incorrect information.  Instructor-approved Youtube videos are available in Canvas for many topics, so watch these instead of finding your own.  If a video is unavailable for a particular topic, contact your instructor for help.

It is expected that students will work together on lab reports and other assignments.  It is also expected that each student will do their own work and write answers in their own words.  A good way to work together is to talk about a question, discuss an answer, and then each person writes an answer in their own words.  For calculation questions, each student should do the calculations on their own and then compare answers.  Although it may be tempting, do not write the result of another student’s calculation. 

Lab experiments will be designated as either Individual Labs or Group Labs.  Follow the directions for each lab on what is considered acceptable collaboration.  Each student is required to collect data as described in the directions for the lab.  Copying data from another student is not allowed, unless specified in the lab instructions for that lab experiment.

Regular and Effective Contact:

Regular and effective contact will be met through threaded discussion forums, announcements to students, email contact, and office hours. I will respond to questions posted in Canvas (Piazza) within 24 hours, and usually in less than 8 hours (sometimes I might not respond during the weekend). Assignments will be graded, with comments, usually within one week. Each student is expected to contribute to regular discussion posts and work with other students during Zoom problem-solving sessions.  Students will also work in groups for some of the lab experiments.

Authenticating Student Identity will be conducted using the Learning Management System (Canvas) and the online homework system, which requires students to log into the program using a secure login and password to access. You must use your official Cuesta College email address for the online homework system (like marie_curie@my.cuesta.edu).

Netiquette and Online Course Participation:

• Use respectful and professional language in your forum discussions. Respect the learning progress of your peers.
• Please do not use texting language, lol (SCNR).
• Emoticons are acceptable ways to show emotion.
• Avoid ALL CAPS as they come across like YOU'RE SCREAMING.
• You are expected to read all forum posts, and to make at least 8 posts or responses with specific details in the discussion forums this term. Try to give guidance rather than provide exact answers. Assigned posts do count towards your 8 post minimum.
• All messages are public, so be professional and courteous when you post.
• Make your posts and replies specific to a particular problem or issue.
• Complete sentences and thoughts are mandatory for forum posts.
• You must log into Canvas at least once per week.

Technical Issues? 

For issues related to accessing Cuesta's Canvas Site, email: support@my.cuesta.edu. Technical issues with the online homework system are best resolved by clicking the appropriate links in the MC system. 

About Me

My husband Greg and I have been teaching chemistry since 1999.  I have taught at Bakersfield College, Cal Poly, and Cuesta College.  I love teaching, especially general chemistry, and love learning from my students.  I work hard to create an open, friendly, supportive class environment, but I also maintain high standards for my students.

Greg and I have two adult children who are awesome, amazing people.  In our spare time we love to garden, camp, backpack, hike, exercise, travel, and attend live concerts (mostly small, local, independent rock, alternative, folk-type music).  We're really missing those concerts during COVID!

 

Class Schedule

(Material or assessments may be moved as needed)

Lab schedule will be provided later.  Plan to meet every Monday for lab, except during weeks 4 and 9 when there are no Monday classes.

Lecture, Quiz, Exam Schedule

Week	Lecture Topic	Lab Topic	Assessments (Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m.)	Notes
1 (8/17)	Ch 15: Kinetics	Chem 201A Review Problems	None	1/16  Deadline to drop with a full refund
2 (8/24)	Ch 15 cont’	Kinetics	Quiz 1 (Including nomenclature)	1/30  Deadline to Add 1/30 Deadline to Drop w/out a W
3 (8/31)	Ch 16: Equilibrium	Kinetics	Quiz 2 (Including nomenclature)
4 (9/7)	Ch 16 cont’ Ch 17: Acids and Bases	Holiday: No Lab	Quiz 3	Mon. Holiday – No Lab this week
5 (9/14)	Ch 17 cont’	Equilibrium Mini-Lab 1 is Due	Exam 1 (Chs 15 & 16)
6 (9/21)	Ch 17 cont’ Ch 18: Aqueous Equilibria	Acids and Bases	none
7 (9/28)	Ch 18 cont’	Buffers	Quiz 4
8 (10/5)	Ch 18 cont’	Titrations	Titration Assignment Due (No Quiz)
9 (10/12)	Ch 19: Thermodynamics (one module due to Flex Day)	No lab this week Mini-Lab 2 is Due	Quiz 5 (asynchronous; due Wed)	Monday and Tuesday Flex Days – No lab this week.  No Zoom meeting on Tuesday, but there is material in Canvas for the rest of the week.
10 (10/19)	Ch 19 cont’	Practice Problems for Exam	Exam 2 (Chs 17 & 18)
11 (10/26)	Ch 20: Electrochemistry	Thermodynamics	none
12 (11/2)	Ch 20 cont’	Electrochemistry	Quiz 6
13 (11/9)	Ch 26: Coordination Compounds	Electrochemistry Mini-Lab 3 is Due	Quiz 7	11/8 Deadline to drop w/ a W
14 (11/16)	Ch 26 cont’ Ch 21: Nuclear Chemistry	Electrochemistry	Quiz 8
15 (11/23)	No modules.  Exam only.	Nuclear Chemistry	Exam 3 (Chs 19, 20 & 26)	Thanksgiving week
16 (11/30)	Ch 21 cont’	Qualitative Analysis	none
17 (12/7)	Ch 22: Organic Chemistry	Qualitative Analysis Mini-Lab 4 is Due	Quiz 9
18 (12/14)	Final Exam: Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 9:45-11:45 a.m.