Information

Fall 2008

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This is a course for non-science majors or anyone who is curious about the chemistry of everyday things. Topics covered are of current interest and global importance, including the greenhouse effect and the threat to the ozone layer.

The course is part of the Monterey Peninsula College Living Room Series, which is designed for the convenience of those students who have limited access to the MPC campus. The class meets for six hours a week for short lectures and to do laboratory experiments. Other instruction comes from the textbook and from a series of videotapes that can be borrowed from the library and watched at home. The course is most appropriate for those students who learn well from a textbook without the aid of traditional lectures.

CLASS MEETINGS

8 Saturdays starting 9/6 and ending 10/25 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in PS 201 and 204.

INSTRUCTOR: Mark Bishop

Office: PS 208-D

Office phone: 646-4156

Office hours: by arrangement

E-Mail Address: bishopmark@comcast.net
or mbishop@mpc.edu

Web Sites: http://www.mpcfaculty.net/mark_bishop and http://preparatorychemistry.com/

TEXTS (available in the MPC bookstore):

An Introduction to Chemistry, Atoms First by Mark Bishop, Copyright 2008 (required)

Student Study Guide and Selected Solutions for An Introduction to Chemistry, Atoms First by Mark Bishop, Copyright 2008 (recommended)

Acrobat versions of the chapters in the text and study guide can be found at

Online text

LABORATORY AND LAB REPORTS: We will do one or two experiments per week in the Saturday sessions. Click here to see the schedule. You should read the description of each experiment before you come to the lab. You will turn in written lab reports for each experiment. They will be due no later than one week after completion of the experiment. If you must miss an experiment, check with your instructor to arrange to make it up..

READING ASSIGNMENTS: Since the lecture time in this course is very limited, it is extremely important that you read the textbook carefully. Lists of objectives in the textbook tell you what you need to know from each chapter. There will be some time provided each Saturday for you to ask questions.

VIDEOTAPES and DVDs: There are 26 programs in The World of Chemistry Video Series. They each deal with a different topic that relates to the material covered in the textbook. You will be asked to view 21 of these, and you will be given a schedule telling you which programs to view each week. Each program is about 30 minutes long. As you view the programs, you will be introduced to Nobel Prize winning chemists who describe their work, you will see chemical demonstrations that will reinforce your understanding of chemical concepts, and you will travel the world learning about the chemistry of our bodies, the environment around us, and the chemical industry. Videotapes and DVDs are available in the MPC library and the Aiso Library at the DLI. It is a very good idea to view and discuss the programs with other students. You can view the programs online by visiting the Internet link below and signing up. It's free.

The World of Chemistry

VIDEOTAPE (or DVD) SUMMARIES: The videotapes (or DVDs) are an important part of the course, but the exam questions will be taken from the textbook material. To encourage you to watch the programs, you will be required to turn in weekly summaries of each program assigned. These do not need to be elaborate. They can be simple half-page summaries or notes taken on the key components of each tape. You can skip up to three program summaries, but if you miss more than three, you will be given an incomplete for the course until you are able to turn them in.

EXAMINATIONS: There will be three exams. Each exam covers one-third of the course material. The exam questions come from the chapter glossaries and the questions at the end of the textbook chapters. You are allowed to bring in one 3 inch by 5 inch index card. It can contain any information you want, but it must be handwritten...no electronic devices involved in its production.

GRADING: Grades are assigned based on the overall percentage of the total points derived from the exams and the labs. Each lab report is worth 10 points, and the exams are worth 100 points each. The grading criteria is below.

90-100 % A

75-90 % B

60-75 % C

50-60 % D

0-50 % F

You can take the course on a credit/no credit basis. You must let me know of your intention to take this option by the end of the second week of classes. A grade of C or better earns a credit for the course.

DROPPING THE COURSE: Although you may be dropped from the course due to missed classes or exams, it is still your responsibility to inform your instructor if you want to drop. If you don't, it is possible that you could receive an "F" for the course. You must clean and check out of your laboratory locker upon withdrawal from the course. Failure to do so will result in the holding of your grades and restricting the next semester's registration until you pay a $5 fee.