CHEMISTRY 431          GENERAL INFORMATION                                     FALL 2007

OBJECTIVES: Chemistry 431 is a one semester Physical Chemistry course and designated primarily for Biochemistry majors. It will not fulfill the requirements for BS in Chemistry. If you are uncertain whether you have been properly placed in this class, please talk to your professor or advisor.

The course is taught with the objective to get students acquainted with principles that govern the physical and chemical behavior of matter on a deeper level than was done in General Chemistry. When possible, the emphasis will be given to the biochemically relevant problems. 
LECTURES: MWF 1:30 - 2:20 in CB 205
INSTRUCTOR: Sergei Smirnov              e-mail:
Office: CB 202            Phone: 646-1547
Office Hours:              MW 2:30 - 3:30   or by appointment
TEXTBOOK: "Physical Chemistry for the Biosciences", by Raymond Chag, from University Science Books, 2005
PREREQUISITES: Grade C or better in Chem 116 or Chem 217, Math 192 or Phys 216. No concurrent Chem 217 is generally allowed.
EXTRA HELP:
  1. CHEM 431 Website at http://www.chemistry.nmsu.edu/studntres/chem431/
  2. Chemistry Exercises Website at http://www.chemistry.nmsu.edu/studntres/exercises/ 
  3. Website for Peter Atkins' The Elements of Physical Chemistry,  
  4. Website of the 7th edition of Physical Chemistry by Peter Atkins and Julio de Paula at http://www.whfreeman.com/pchem7/ 
EXAMINATIONS: Chemistry 431 exams will be given on the following days during regular class time except for the final exam. All exams will be comprehensive, with emphasis on recently covered material. Exam keys will be posted next day. Any errors/concerns in grading of exams must be brought to the instructor's attention within a week of when the exam is returned. Make-up exams will be given only if a valid excuse is presented, such as documented illness, official University conflict, etc. Except for emergency cases, arrangement for a make-up exam must be made prior to the scheduled exam.  

Exam schedule:

Midterm Exam 1   Monday, October 3, in class
Midterm Exam 2   Monday, November 7, in class
FINAL                   Monday, December 10, 1:00 - 3:00 PM

For each examination you may need to bring a calculator. You may not share calculators during an exam. Electronic devices (other than calculators) are prohibited during an exam.
CLASS PARTICIPATION: Class participation is not required but encouraged. Discussions of homework will be conducted and your participation in these discussions may affect your score for the homework portion.
QUIZZES and
EXERCISES:		 The homework assignments will be collected every Monday for grading. If necessary, we will spend a portion of the lecture discussing some of the difficult problems in class. Periodically, assignments will be given for the web - based quizzes. You will have two days (until next lecture) to complete it and submit the answers electronically. I encourage you to work in groups on your assignments.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT: Please review the student code of conduct in your Student Handbook on cheating and other academic misconduct issues if you need to refresh it.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:   If you have or believe you have a disability that interferes with your performance as a student in this class, you are encouraged for academic reasons to discuss this on a confidential basis with the instructor and /or the Director of Disabled Students Program (phone: 646-6840, TTY:646-1918 Corbett Center, Room 244) and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator (tel. 646-7795). Appropriate accommodations may be provided for you.
WITHDRAWALS & "I" GRADES: Students are sometimes confused about the requirements for a grade of "Incomplete", assuming it is a "late W". No withdrawals from individual courses are allowed after the mid-point of the semester (October 10). "I" grades can be given only after the mid-point of the semester. To receive an "I" the student must be passing the course with a C grade or better at the midpoint of the semester and then be prevented from completing the course successfully due to illness or a family crisis. The student must provide documentation that the illness or family emergency makes it impossible for the student to complete the course with a passing grade.
GRADE: Quizzes/homework problem sets.................... 30%*
Two midterm exams (20% each).................... 40%
Final exam .....................................................30%
Total ............................................................ 100%

*-Honor students will have extra assignments.

The letter grade for the course will be given based on the standard percentage scheme:

86 - 100 A
76 - 85 B
66 - 75 C
55 - 65 D
< 55 F

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Last updated on 12/03/07