CHEM 1614 General Chemistry I Syllabus 7B0 Fall 2026

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Credit Hours 4.00 Lecture Hours 4 Clinical/Lab Hours 3
Type of Credit
Baccalaureate/Transfer
CIP Code
40.0501
Course Meeting Time

10:27-12:07 PM Monday/Wednesday and 10:27-11:11:17 AM Tuesday/Thursday/Friday

Course Description

The student will apply chemical concepts and principles to topics including atomic structure, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, thermochemistry, periodicity, chemical bonding, and states of matter. Quantitative applications are emphasized.

Prerequisites

CHEM 1534 with a grade of C or better or appropriate high school chemistry course with a grade of C or better and MATH 1424 with a grade of C or better or appropriate assessment score, or STEM pathway of transitional math

Course Alignment

IAI Number
P1-902L
CHM 911
IAI Title
Gen Education Chemistry (lab)
General Chemistry I
General Education Outcomes

General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:

  1. Communication
  2. Critical Thinking
  3. Responsibility

Faculty Contact Information

Faculty Name
Caitlin Malm
Faculty Email
cschupp@kcc.edu
Faculty Phone
815-932-7413 ext 311
Faculty Office Number
Room 119
Faculty Student Support Hours

7:30 am – 8:00 am

Course Information

Course Outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate appropriate safety precautions while in the chemistry laboratory and when handling chemicals and equipment.
  2. Demonstrate skills in measurement and in clear communication of data and results.
  3. Apply the concepts of significant figures and unit conversions to measurements and calculations.
  4. Describe the modern model of the atom in terms of the subatomic structure of atoms, ions, and isotopes.
  5. Relate the names and formulas of elements, ions, and compounds.
  6. Describe various types of chemical reactions in terms of conservation of mass, bond rearrangement, balanced chemical reactions, and energy changes.
  7. Perform calculations relating moles, mass, and molarity that involve compounds, solutions, gases, and chemical reactions.
  8. Apply the concepts of heat and enthalpy to chemical and physical processes.
  9. Relate atomic spectra to electron transitions in atoms.
  10. Use the electronic structure of atoms and their positions in the Periodic Table to predict periodic trends in chemical and physical properties.
  11. Draw Lewis structures and use them to predict the molecular geometry and polarity of simple covalent molecules.
  12. Apply the gas laws to gases and mixtures of gases.
  13. Use predicted intermolecular forces between molecules to make statements about their properties.
  14. Describe types and properties of solids.
Topical Outline
  1. Introduction to Matter, Energy, & Measurement
    1. States of matter
    2. Classifying matter
    3. Physical and chemical changes
    4. Forms of energy
    5. SI units
    6. Measurement of properties
    7. Precision vs. accuracy
    8. Significant digits
    9. Unit conversions
    10. Dimensional analysis
  2. Atoms, Molecules & Ions
    1. Atomic theory
    2. Atomic structure and isotopes
    3. Atomic mass
    4. Periodic table
    5. Molecules
    6. Ions
    7. Ionic compounds
    8. Nomenclature of ionic, inorganic and simple organic compounds
  3. Chemical Reactions & Stoichiometry
    1. Balancing chemical equations and reaction types
    2. Formula weight
    3. Percent composition
    4. Mole concept and conversions between chemical quantities
    5. Empirical/molecular formula
    6. Combustion analysis
    7. Stoichiometry
    8. Limiting reactants
  4. Reactions in Aqueous Solution
    1. Electrolytes
    2. Solubility rules
    3. Precipitation reactions
    4. Ionic and net ionic equations
    5. Acid/base neutralization reactions
    6. Redox reactions
    7. Oxidation numbers
    8. Activity series
    9. Molarity calculations
    10. Dilution equation
    11. Solution stoichiometry
    12. Titrations
  5. Thermochemistry
    1. 1st law
    2. Internal energy
    3. Heat and work
    4. Endo- and exothermic reactions
    5. Enthalpy of reaction
    6. Specific heat
    7. Calorimetry
    8. Hess's Law
    9. Enthalpy of formation
    10. Bond enthalpies
  6. Electronic Structure of Atoms
    1. Wave properties of light
    2. Quantization
    3. Photons
    4. Line spectra
    5. Bohr model
    6. Wave properties of matter
    7. Atomic orbitals: shapes, quantum #'s, energies, spin
    8. Filling orbitals
    9. Electron configuration of atoms and ions
  7. Periodic Properties of Elements
    1. Development of the periodic table
    2. Effective nuclear charge
    3. Sizes of atoms and ions
    4. Ionization energy
    5. Electron affinity
    6. Periodic trends
    7. Chemical properties by group
  8. Chemical Bonding
    1. Octet rule
    2. Ionic and covalent bonds
    3. Electronegativity
    4. Bond polarity
    5. Lewis structures of atoms, ions and molecules
    6. Resonance structures
    7. Exceptions to octet rule
    8. Bond strength and lengths
    9. Average bond enthalpies
  9. Molecular Geometry & Bonding Theories
    1. Molecular shapes and polarity
    2. Applying the VSEPR model
    3. Orbital overlap
    4. Hybrid atomic orbitals
    5. Sigma and pi bonds
    6. Delocalization
    7. Molecular orbitals
  10. Gases
    1. Pressure concept
    2. Gas law relationships (P, V, T, n)
    3. Ideal gas equation
    4. Gas density and molar mass
    5. Gas stoichiometry
    6. Gas mixtures
    7. Mole fraction and partial pressures
    8. Kinetic-molecular theory
    9. Effusion
    10. Diffusion
    11. Real gases
  11. Intermolecular Forces and Liquids
    1. Interparticle forces (ion/dipole, hydrogen bonding, dipole/dipole, dispersion)
    2. Properties of liquids
    3. Phase changes
    4. Heating curves
    5. Vapor pressure
    6. Phase diagrams
  12. Solids
    1. Properties and structures of different types of solids
Textbook/s and Course Materials
  • Modified MasteringChemistry access code with e-copy of textbook for Chemistry: The Central Science, 15th ed., by Brown, et al, published by Pearson (both code and e-copy of textbook are also used in CHEM 1624)
  • Laboratory Experiments for Chemistry: The Central Science, 14th ed., by Brown, et al (also used in CHEM 1624)
  • Chemical Periodic Table (will be provided in class & on exams)
  • scientific calculator or graphing calculator
  • safety goggles
  • All of these materials will also be used in CHEM 1624, no new materials will need to be purchased for CHEM 1624 if you take it the following semester.
Methods of Evaluation

Course Components

Participation & MasteringChemistry Homework 20 % of overall grade

Lab Experiments 20% of overall grade

Chapter Exams & Quizzes (lowest will be dropped) 40% of overall grade

Final Exam (All course material) 20% of overall grade

 

Grading Scale

Letter Grade   A    B    C     D      F

Overall %      90   80   70   60   <60

Academic Division

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700

Course Policies

Absences and tardies

Students who are absent from class or lab will have five school days to arrange a time to make up the missed test or lab.

  • Labs and exams will be made up during a mutually agreeable time.
  • Quizzes will be made up the following school day after school.

Absences that extend for multiple days will require different arrangements.

Late students will not be admitted to class without a pass except on “bad” weather days.

Cheating and plagiarism

Cheating is defined as

Submitting data for a lab that you were not present to perform

Submitting written work completed by someone else

Submitting a written report without proper citation

Copying from another student during a test or quiz

Using unauthorized resources during a test or quiz

The student will be assigned a 0 for the grade and the incident will be reported to the Dean of Students.

Cheating will be cause for exclusion from the National Honor Society.

 

Expectations for Classroom and Online Behavior

Learning Chemistry is a wonderful experience filled with lectures, discussions, reading, activities, and most importantly lab activities. It is through the lab activities that students come to see and be amazed at the wonder of Chemistry. There will be multiple different ways that students experience Chemistry and demonstrate their understanding of the concepts discussed. Students are expected to be an active participant in their own learning in this course.

 

Laboratory Safety and Attendance Policies

Attendance at the first laboratory meeting is required. A student may not participate in lab if he/she has missed the first lab meeting, which includes the mandatory lab safety training. If a student misses the first lab meeting, he/she must notify the instructor to make arrangements to make up the safety training before the second lab meeting. If a student has not completed the safety training before the second lab meeting, the student must either drop the course or the student will be institutionally withdrawn.

Students are expected to comply with the KCC Science Laboratory Safety Rules at all times. These rules will be discussed during the first lab meeting and each student will sign an acknowledgement of receipt and understanding. Students who do not comply with the safety rules will be asked to leave the lab and will receive no credit for that day’s work.

Laboratory experiences are an essential part of this chemistry course. Therefore, any student who misses three or more laboratory periods will automatically fail the class. Due to the possibility of late enrollment in this course, missing the first laboratory period does not count as an absence for this purpose. Students who are not permitted to complete an experiment due to a safety rules violation, such as being late or not having the appropriate attire, are considered to have missed that lab period.

Course Calendar

Week

Chap.

Lecture Topics

Lab

 

 

1

 

CH 1-Intro to matter, energy, & measurement

CH 1-intro, states of matter, classifying matter, physical/chemical changes, energy, SI units and measurement of properties, precision vs. accuracy, sig. digits and calcs, unit conversions and dimensional analysis

 

Lab Safety Training

Log into Masteringchemistry

Readiness Activity

 

2

 

CH 2-Atoms, molecules & ions

CH 2-atomic theory, atomic structure and isotopes, atomic mass, periodic table, molecules, ions, ionic cmpds

Drawer Check-In

#1 Basic Lab Techniques Parts A,B,D,E

 

3

 

CH 2-Atoms, molecules & ions

CH 2-nomenclature of ionic, inorganic and simple organic cmpds

 

#2 Identification of Substances by Physical Properties

Parts A,B,C,E

 

4

 

CH 3-Chemical rxns & stoichiometry

Exam 1—covers chapters 1 & 2

CH 3-balancing chemical equations and reaction types, formula weight, percent composition, mole concept and conversions between chemical quantities, empirical/molecular formula, combustion analysis, stoichiometry, limiting reactants

#3 Separation of the Components of a Mixture

 

 

5

 

CH 4-Rxns in aqueous solution

CH 4-electrolytes, solubility rules, precipitation reactions

ionic and net ionic eqns, acid/base neutralization reactions

redox rxns, oxidations numbers, activity series

 

#7 Chemicals in Everyday Life Parts A-F

 

6

 

CH 4-Rxns in aqueous solution

CH 4-molarity calculations, dilution equation

titrations, solution stoichiometry, titrations

#21 Rxns in Aqueous. Solns: Metathesis Rxns and NIEs Part A

 

7

 

CH 5-Thermo-chemistry

Exam 2—covers chapters 3 & 4

CH 5-1st law, internal energy, heat and work, endo- and exothermic rxns, enthalpy of reaction

#15 Activity Series

Parts A,B,C

 

 

8

 

CH 5-Thermo-chemistry

CH 5-calorimetry, specific heat, Hess’s Law

enthalpy of formation, bond enthalpies

#33 Molarity, Dilutions, and Preparation of Solutions

Parts A-E & H

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

CH 6-Electronic structure of atoms

CH 6-wave properties of light, quantization, photons, line spectra, Bohr model, wave properties of matter

atomic orbitals: shapes, quantum #’s, energies, spin,

filling orbitals, electron configuration of atoms and ions

#20 Titration of Acids and Bases

Part A

 

10

 

CH 7-Periodic properties of the elements

CH 7-Development of the Periodic table, effective nuclear charge, sizes of atoms/ions, ionization energy, electron affinity, periodic trends, chemical properties by group

Exam 3—covers chapters 5, 6, & 7

#28 Heat of Neutralization

Part A,B,C

 

 

 

11

 

CH 8-Basic concepts of chemical bonding

CH 8-octet rule, ionic & covalent bonds, electronegativity, bond polarity, Lewis structures of atoms, ions and molecules, resonance structures, exceptions to octet rule, bond strengths and lengths, average bond enthalpies

 

POGIL Activity:

Electron Energy and Light

*View gas discharge tubes through spectroscope

 

12

 

CH 9-Molecular geometry & bonding theories

CH 9-molecular shapes and polarity,

applying the VSEPR model, orbital overlap

hybrid atomic orbitals, sigma and pi bonds

#10 Paper Chromatography:

 

 

13

 

 

CH 9-Molecular geometry & bonding theories

CH 9-delocalization, molecular orbitals

Exam 4—covers chapters 8 & 9

#11 Molecular Geometries: Lewis Structures and the VSEPR Model

 

14

 

CH 10-Gases

CH 10-pressure concept, gas law relationships (P, V, T, n) ideal gas eqn, gas density and molar mass, gas stoichiometry, gas mixtures, partial pressures, kinetic-molecular theory, effusion, diffusion, real gases

 

#13 Behavior of Gases: Molar Mass of a Vapor

Part B



 

 

15

 

CH 11-Liquids

CH 11-interparticle forces (ion/dipole, hydrogen bonding, dipole/dipole, dispersion), properties of liquids, phase changes, heating curves, vapor pressure, phase diagrams

EXAM 5-Covers chapters 10 & 11

#38 Enthalpy of Vaporization and Clausius-Clapeyron Equation

 

 

16

 

CH 12-Solids

CH 12-properties of different types of solids (crystalline, amorphous, polymeric)

Catch-up/TBD

 

The comprehensive final exam MUST be taken as scheduled by Kankakee Community College.

The final exam is tentatively scheduled for: Thursday, December 10th

College Policies, Resources and Supports

College Policies

For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide. 

Resources

KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:

  • Clubs and organizations
  • Counseling and referral services
  • Office of disability services
  • Student complaint policy
  • Transfer services
  • Tutoring services, etc.
Copyright & Syllabus Disclaimer

The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright. 
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.