CHEM 135 General Chemistry for Engineers: Syllabus and Introduction to Matter

Course Syllabus and Organization

Course Overview

This course, CHEM 135 General Chemistry for Engineers, introduces foundational concepts in chemistry, emphasizing the structure and properties of matter, chemical substances, and chemical transformations. The course is designed for engineering students and covers both theoretical and practical aspects of general chemistry.

• Instructor: Dr. Andrei Vedernikov

• Teaching Assistants: Pierce van Mulbregt, Sophia Brandon

• Class Time: TuTh, 11:00 am – 12:15 pm; CHM 1407

• Office Hours: W, 4:00 – 5:00 pm (in person and on Zoom), or by appointment

Required Materials

• Textbook: N. J. Tro, Chemistry: Structure and Properties, 3rd edition, Pearson, 2024

• Mastering Chemistry: Online homework system (access code required)

• PointSolutions: Account, subscription, and app for in-class participation (clicker questions)

• Web-accessible device: Smartphone, tablet, or laptop for clicker questions

Grading Structure

Grades are determined by performance in several categories. The following table summarizes the grading breakdown:

Assignment	Points for Each	Number of Assignments	Total Points
In-class (Clicker) Questions	2 points	20+; 10 best scores counted	20 points
Homework	10 points	13; 10 best scores counted	100 points
Exams	100 points	3 exams	300 points
Final Exam	200 points	1 exam	200 points
TOTAL			620 points

Grade Scale:

• A: ≥95% (≥586 pts)

• A-: 88-94% (543-585 pts)

• B+: 85-87% (524-542 pts)

• B: 82-84% (506-523 pts)

• B-: 78-81% (481-505 pts)

• C+: 75-77% (462-480 pts)

• C: 72-74% (444-461 pts)

• C-: 71% (388-443 pts)

• D+: 60-62% (369-387 pts)

• D: 57-59% (351-368 pts)

• D-: 53-56% (326-350 pts)

• F: <50% (0-306 pts)

In-Class Questions

• Classroom Response System (CRS) by PointSolutions is used for participation.

• Students must have a PointSolutions account, a registered web-accessible device, and the PointSolutions app.

• 20+ clicker questions will be offered; 60 seconds per question.

• Participation points are awarded even for incorrect answers.

• No make-up for missed clicker questions.

Exams

• Three 50-minute exams: October 7, November 4, December 4

• Final 2-hour exam: December 15 (10:30 am - 12:30 pm)

• All exams are cumulative, with emphasis on new material.

How to Succeed in the Course

• Attendance: Strongly recommended for all lectures.

• Responsible for all material in the lecture schedule and any additional material covered in class.

• Announcements made in class are important.

• Discussion sections begin Monday, September 8; work through end-of-chapter homework before meetings.

• Practice solving problems within and at the end of chapters.

• Additional advice available on the course website.

Introduction to Chemistry: Matter, Chemical Substances, and Chemical Transformations

What is Chemistry?

Chemistry is the science that studies matter and its chemical transformations. In chemical transformations, the identity of participating chemical particles changes.

• Matter: Anything that has mass and occupies space.

• Chemical Substance: A form of matter with constant composition and distinct properties.

• Chemical Transformation: A process in which chemical substances are converted into different substances.

Classification of Matter

Matter can be classified based on its composition and the type of chemical particles it contains.

• Elements: Substances composed of only one type of atom. Examples: Helium (He), Oxygen (O2), Diamond (C).

• Compounds: Substances composed of atoms of two or more elements chemically bonded together. Examples: Water (H2O), Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

• Mixtures: Physical combinations of two or more substances. Can be separated by physical methods.

Types of Mixtures

• Homogeneous Mixtures: Uniform composition throughout. Example: Clean air.

• Heterogeneous Mixtures: Non-uniform composition. Example: Wet sand, dusty air.

Classification by Number and Type of Atoms

• Monoatomic Particles: Atoms that do not bond together (e.g., He, Ne, Ar).

• Molecules: Finite number of atoms bonded together (e.g., O2, H2O, CO2).

• Network Solids: Large numbers of atoms bonded in a continuous network (e.g., diamond, NaCl).

Periodic Table of Elements

• 118 elements are currently known.

• 94 elements occur naturally on Earth; the rest are synthetic.

• Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe (~88.6% of all atoms).

• Oxygen is the most abundant element in Earth's crust (47% by mass).

Element Names, Symbols, and Appearance

• Carbon (C): Exists as graphite, diamond, fullerenes, graphene.

• Oxygen (O): Gas at room temperature; constituent of air.

• Nitrogen (N): Gas at room temperature; major constituent of air.

• Aluminum (Al): Solid; construction metal.

• Iron (Fe): Solid; construction metal.

• Copper (Cu): Solid; used in electrical wires and pipes.

• Bromine (Br): Liquid at room temperature.

• Iodine (I): Solid; used in disinfectants.

• Mercury (Hg): Only metal liquid at room temperature.

Elements with Non-Obvious Symbols

English Name	Symbol	Latin Name
Antimony	Sb	Stibium
Copper	Cu	Cuprum
Gold	Au	Aurum
Iron	Fe	Ferrum
Lead	Pb	Plumbum
Mercury	Hg	Hydrargyrum
Potassium	K	Kalium
Silver	Ag	Argentum
Sodium	Na	Natrium
Tin	Sn	Stannum

Observing Chemical Species

• Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM): Allows imaging of surfaces at the atomic level by measuring current as a sharp tip passes over a surface.

• Atomic Force Microscope (AFM): Measures forces between a sharp tip and the surface to produce images of molecules.

• Electron Ptychography: Advanced technique for 3D atomic resolution imaging.

Pure Substances and Mixtures

• Pure Substance: Made of only one type of particle; has constant composition.

• Mixture: Made of more than one type of particle; can be separated by physical methods (e.g., distillation, crystallization).

• Examples of Pure Substances: Water (H2O), Oxygen gas (O2).

• Examples of Mixtures: Air (N2, O2, Ar, CO2), Sea water (H2O, NaCl), Metal alloys.

Chemical and Physical Changes

• Physical Change: Alters the state of matter (e.g., gas, liquid, solid) without changing the composition of chemical particles. Example: Boiling water.

• Chemical Change: Alters the identity of chemical species. Example: Electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases.

Key Equations and Concepts

• Physical Change Example: $\text{H}_2\text{O}(l) \rightarrow \text{H}_2\text{O}(g)$ (boiling)

• Chemical Change Example: $2\text{H}_2\text{O}(l) \rightarrow 2\text{H}_2(g) + \text{O}_2(g)$ (electrolysis)

Additional info: The syllabus and introductory lecture provide foundational definitions and classifications essential for understanding subsequent topics in general chemistry.