SC 110 - Inorganic Chemistry

3 Credits

Outline Effective Date 2024 Fall
2024/2025

Lecture Hours: 42
Lab Hours: 28
Course Description:
This course introduces students to inorganic chemistry with an emphasis on environmental applications. Basic chemical concepts such as chemical bonding, chemical reactions and state of matter are presented in the lecture series with application of those concepts in the laboratory component.

Rationale:
This course is required for Environmental Sciences Certificate students and all first-year students within the Environmental Sciences diploma. It is designed to provide students with the background knowledge and understanding of chemistry that is required in many other science courses, as well as in the workplace. Chemistry plays a pervasive role in our lives. Hundreds of materials use directly or indirectly everyday are products of chemical reactions. Most of the world’s problems, such as environmental pollution, alternative energy sources, health, drugs, medicine, and nutrition, require some knowledge of chemistry to understand and solve them.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes this course will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

Explain scientific methods and chemistry concepts such as states of matter, solution, solute, solvent, solubility, concentration (including calculating percent, molarity, normality, parts per million, mole fraction, osmolarity, density, specific gravity), toxicity, and half-life.
Name and write chemical formulas mainly using IUPAC nomenclature.
Identify bonding types for different compounds and differentiate between intramolecular and intermolecular forces.
Predict and explain chemical reactions, including balancing chemical equations, calculating reaction rates and equilibrium constants, calculating equilibrium concentrations, describing reaction mechanism, action of catalyst, equilibrium, and reversible reactions.
Describe hydrolysis, redox, combustion, and acid-base reactions.
Discuss solubility of minerals and organic compounds as it relates to nutrient availability and contaminant transport in surface and soil water.
Perform titrimetric, gravimetric, and spectrophotometric analyses of typical environmental concern.
Safely use analytical balances, glassware and instruments in a typical wet laboratory setting.

Required Resource Materials:

SC 110 - Inorganic Chemistry Lab Manual.

The Worker’s WHMIS Reference Guide. Tri Canada Safety Training and Supplies.

Note: General Chemistry texts available in the library, mainly the QD section are also available to students.

Recommended Course Material

Bettelheim, F.A., W.H. Brown, M.K. Campbell, S.O. Farrell, O.J. Torres, and S. Madsen. 2020.

Introduction to general, organic, and biochemistry. 12th ed. Cengage, Boston, MA.

Optional Resource Materials:
None

Conduct of Course:

This course is delivered through lectures and assignments (42 hours) and laboratory exercises (28 hours). Students are encouraged to ask questions and participate in lectures, labs, and assignments throughout the course.

As per Lakeland College policy class attendance is vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports, therefore absenteeism is recorded. Class attendance is vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports, therefore absenteeism is recorded.

Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours can be required to withdraw and would then automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor following an in-person meeting. Be sure to contact your instructor and ask what they will require from you as verification for each absence. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

NOTE: Any exceptions to the above attendance policy (e.g., timetable conflicts, work-related issues) must be approved in writing by the Department Chair prior to the beginning of the course.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, or exams. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:

Lecture Modules

Matter, Energy and Measurement
Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
Chemical Bonds
Chemical Reactions and Energy Calculations
Gases, Liquid, and Solids
Solutions and Colloids
Reaction Rates and Chemical Equilibrium
Acids and Bases
Inorganic Contaminants In the environment

Lab Modules

Density Determination
Law of Constant Composition
Classes of Chemical Reactions
Sulfate Analysis: Turbidometric Method
Titration

Course Assessments:
Learning will be assessed using the following:

Assignments assessing understanding of materials and concepts covered in class
Lab experiments, data collection and reporting
Quizzes, midterm, and final exams

The final grade is an aggregate of the following components:

Unit Quizzes	10%
Assignments	10%
Midterm Exam	20%
Final Exam	30%
Labs	30%
Total	100%

Assignment and Lab due dates are discussed in class. Penalties for late assignments and labs are outlined in class syllabus.

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course. Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.