May 11, 2024  
2023-2024 WWCC College Catalog 
    
2023-2024 WWCC College Catalog

CHEM& 161 - General Chemistry I W/Lab


Credits: 5
LEC hours per week: 4
LAB hours per week: 2
This course provides a detailed examination of the properties of matter and is intended for science majors in fulfillment of the AS Degree (Option I) or Engineering lab science requirements. Topics include measurements in chemistry, periodic trends, atomic structure, stoichiometry, solution chemistry, enthalpy, and bonding. Formerly: CHEM 121.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM& 139  or high school chemistry (one-year) with a grade of C or co-enrollment in CHEM& 139 ; grade of C or higher in MATH 021  or appropriate placement; grade of C or higher in ENGL 087  or AENG 100  or appropriate placement; or permission from Science Chair.
Course Outcomes:
  • Differentiate between major chemical categories: states of matter; metals vs. nonmetals; ionic compounds vs. covalent compounds.
  • Solve quantitative problems using discipline-specific tools: scientific units and metric conversion; stoichiometry and dimensional analysis; fundamental laws and physical constants; thermodynamics.
  • Diagram the atom in terms of the major subatomic particles, their location, masses and charges.
  • Interpret the arrangement of the periodic table and periodic trends in terms of electron quantization.
  • Predict the products formed in selected oxidation-reduction, acid-base, and metathesis reactions.
  • Diagram Lewis structures for simple molecules and polyatomic ions.
  • Analyze data gathered by the safe use of laboratory glassware, equipment and reagents.
  • Critique the precision, accuracy, and explanatory power of laboratory data.
Course Topics:
  1. Matter and Measurement
  2. Atoms, Molecules and Ions
  3. Stoichiometry
  4. Aqueous Reactions
  5. Thermochemistry
  6. Electronic Structure of Atoms
  7. Periodic Trends
  8. Chemical Bonding
Course Attribute(s): Lab Course, Natural Science