Description and Objectives

Chemistry 255/256 is an introductory chemistry course in which students learn about the properties and characteristic reactions of the many and various kinds of materials in the natural world. Topics include:

• Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
• Stoichiometry
• Reaction Types
• Solutions and Gases
• Equilibrium
• Acids and Bases
• Energy, Enthalpy and Entropy
• Electrochemistry

This course does not give extensive coverage to Quantum Mechanics, Bonding Theories, and Kinetics, which are dealt with thoroughly in AP Chemistry.

In comparison to Chemistry 205/206, this course has a greater emphasis on mathematical problem-solving and attention to methodology. This course will be suitable for those students who are considering taking AP Chemistry in the future.

Textbooks

Chemical Principles, 7^th ed., Zumdahl & DeCoste, Brooks/Cole, 2013. This is an intelligently-written textbook, with challenging problems that will help students become excellent mathematical problem-solvers.

Course Requirements

Course Requirements

A textbook and notebook will be provided. A basic scientific calculator must be purchased.

Homework

• Homework assignments are 20% of the student’s quarter grade.
• Homework should be done in the student’s notebook, with work shown, and a photo uploaded to Schoology prior to the beginning of class.
• Late homework, if turned in prior to that unit’s test, will receive partial credit.
• Homework not submitted due to illness must be made up. Full credit will be given if it is received in a reasonable time; ordinarily it should be submitted by the day after the student’s return to school.

Tests

• Tests are 80% of the student’s quarter grade.
• All tests will be open book and open notes. Students will not, however, receive extra time for tests, so they should prepare accordingly.
• If a student has been approved by the school for medically-required extra time, he must use it immediately rather than later in the day, and he will receive no more than the approved amount.
• Test corrections will be assigned as homework. Students are encouraged to help each other with the corrections.
• If a student for a legitimate reason cannot take a test at the scheduled time, he should ask one of his parents to send the teacher a message indicating this, by the end of the day. An alternate test time will be scheduled for a later date, during a lunch period.

Successful Students

Successful students take responsibility for learning the material each day. Their problem-solving skills will grow as the result of working at attention to detail, order, and neatness. For problems with answers in the back of the chapter or book, they will check the answers and attempt to figure out any mistakes they have made. They will ask questions when needed, in class or privately after school.