Feb 10, 2025  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Catalog

CH 180 - General Chemistry I


Credit Hours: 3

The first course of a two-course sequence; detailed introduction to chemistry for science, engineering, or health-related majors. Example topics include: dimensional analysis, chemical nomenclature, states and classes of matter, atomic theory, quantum theory, gas laws, chemical equations and stoichiometry, periodicity, chemical bonding and thermochemistry.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • describe the scientific method and the evolution of scientific knowledge, including fundamental principles of chemistry;
  • categorize matter according to state (solid, liquid, or gas) and class (pure substance or mixture), and distinguish between physical and chemical properties and changes;
  • solve measurement problems using mathematical fundamentals including uncertainty in measurements (precision and accuracy), the metric (SI) system, English-metric conversions, and dimensional analyses;
  • relate the properties of compounds to the ionic or covalent nature of their chemical bonds;
  • name simple inorganic compounds and simple organic functional groups;
  • use atomic theory to describe the periodic relationships among the elements, and interpret the descriptive chemistry of the groups of the periodic table;
  • write and balance molecular and ionic chemical equations and use them to solve stoichiometric problems;
  • calculate and manipulate solutions to stoichiometry problems;
  • apply a simple quantum mechanical approach to atomic structure to describe stable electronic configurations of atoms and common ions;
  • explain the relationship between electronic configuration, the periodic table, and the properties of the elements;
  • solve enthalpy problems;
  • predict the structure, geometry, and polarity of molecules using the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR), valence bond, and molecular orbital theories of chemical bonding; and
  • apply the empirical gas laws and the kinetic molecular theory to solve problems involving the parameters of the gaseous state.


Prerequisites: Prerequisites: Math Placement MT 125 (or higher) and high school (Regent’s) chemistry or CH 140
Corequisites: CH 181
F/S (C, N, S)