CHM107 Syllabus

Last Updated 8-14-04

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	CHM-107 Chemistry & Society
	A survey of chemistry and its impact on society and the environment
	Syllabus (for lecture)
	Ken Costello, Instructor costello@chemistryland.com
	Textbook, "Chemistry in Context" Third edition Authors: Stanitski, Eubanks, Middlecamp, & Stratton

The syllabus provides a good outline for the course and gives details about testing.

• In this class you will learn how chemistry has played a vital role in the survival of the human race. Unfortunately, in the process of doing good, chemistry has also done some harm.

• Today as it was in the past, society is in a continual struggle to make progress while paying the penalty for making progress. Chemistry is right in the middle of this dilemma.

• In other words, our solutions to problems often create new problems elsewhere. To make matters worse, we tend to ignore the problems. As a society we are much like the magician's audience. We love to see the magic of chemistry but rarely investigate what were the consequences behind the performance.

For example, our transportation system solves the below problems

• We are a society who loves to be mobile.
• We also consume goods that are not produced locally and have to be moved in from other states and countries.
• We also produce items that usually need to be shipped elsewhere.
• We do not work at home, but work beyond walking distance.

Transportation solves the above problems but creates new problems

• Pollution and the health risks that go with it.
• Traffic, traffic accidents, noise pollution.
• Loss of habitat for animals and plant life.
• Lack of exercise and overweight citizens.

Problems in our environment are directly related to us solving other problems, which is why it will be hard to clean up our environment.

• For example, we all know cars pollute, but cars solve the problem of getting to where we want to go. Therefore, how many of us have given up our car and are walking just because we know cars pollute?

• As a society, we have the same dilemma. We don’t want to give up the things we want, even if it means hurting ourselves, our environment, and other living things.

•The key to solving problems is to find solutions that minimize the negative consequences.

• For example, many cities switched their buses to run off of compressed natural gas instead of gasoline or diesel. Natural gas produces less pollution. Even better, some cities use electric trolleys or light rail trains, which produce even less pollution.

• So it is possible to get the things we need and want and reduce the stress on our environment by predicting the negative consequences and working to minimize them.

This struggle to improve our life by finding solutions, coupled with paying for the consequences of our solutions, has been with us for many thousands of years. In this course, we will cover the problems that chemistry helped solve and the subsequent impacts on society and the environment. This will take us back to prehistoric times all the way to the present. We will analyze the impact of chemistry throughout history and modern times using the following steps.
1. What was the problem? 2. How did chemistry solve the problem? 3. What was the positive impact of solving this problem on society? 4. What were the negative consequences to society and environment that resulted from this solution? 5. What chemistry principles need to be learned to better understand steps 1 through 4?
You will find that most problems belong to these categories: • Food • Shelter • Health • Defense • Energy
The chemistry in these eras of time solved problems but also created some: • The stone age • The bronze age • The iron age • The industrial age • The electronic age • The information age • Most of our attention, however, will be on current problems.

As we study current problems, realize that what we mostly observe around us are not problems, but the solutions to problems.

Example (1): You see a gas station. It’s there because it’s a solution for the people who want to drive somewhere and need to buy gas.
Example (2): You see cars. Cars are solutions for people who want to travel far away from their homes for various reasons and don’t want to walk.
Example (3): You see a golf course. It’s there because some people find golfing relaxing or enjoyable.

All of these solutions have a positive impact on society but they also come with consequences.

Examples 1 & 2 help us get quickly to the store or to work, but the consequences are more sources of pollution. The golf course provides pleasure for golfers and it beautifies the neighborhood. Unfortunately, it consumes a great deal of water resources and over-fertilizing the greens contaminate ground water.

One problem that has been solved but causes the many environmental problems we face now is the following.
Problem #1: We want a multitude of products that are cheap and readily available.
Solution: Mass produce everything in factories by using available chemical resources (oil, coal, gas, nuclear) for energy and readily available chemicals as starting materials. To keep prices low, keep productivity at maximum and avoid anything costly. Distribute products via vehicles that also consume chemical fuels. Consumers can also drive to stores to buy these products often. For agricultural products, also strive for maximum production using whatever chemicals supports production.
Impact on society: We are all materially very wealthy. Owning many more things than our ancestors ever dreamed of. Because of mass production of food products, we also have access to more food than our ancestors ever dreamed of.
Negative Consequences: Non-renewable energy resources have dwindled. Burning of fuels to provide energy for factories has created air pollution. To cut costs, waste products from factories are not dealt with and therefore have contaminated our air, water, and soil. Mass produced foods have often been formulated to increase storage at the expense of nutrition. The distribution of products have also filled our highways and streets with trucks that also pollute our environment. The driving to stores also adds to pollution. The discarded products are filling landfills and taking away habitats of animals and plants. For maximum productivity, pesticides and fertilizers are used and have contributed to toxic chemicals in the environment.
Chapters in textbook that cover the chemistry principles involved:
Chapter 1: “The Air We Breathe” • Understanding the composition of air • Atoms and molecules • Formulas and Chemical Names • Chemical reactions • Combustion • Air pollutants.
	Chapter 3: "The Chemistry of Global Warming" • Vibrating molecules and the greenhouse effect • The carbon cycle • Weighing the unweighable • Molecules and moles • Methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases • Sources of greenhouse gases
Chapter 4: “Energy, Chemistry, and Society” • Understanding what is energy, the sources of energy, and consequences of using energy. • Calculating energy changes and activation energy • The impact of coal and petroleum fuels. • Cleaner burning fuels: oxygenated fuels, alternative fuels • Order versus entropy • Energy efficiency
Chapter 5: "Take a Drink: The Wonder of Safe Drinking Water" • Molecular structure and properties of water • Ions and ionic compounds • Measurement of aqueous concentrations • Water treatment • Common water pollutants • Comparison of tap water, bottled water, and filtered water.
	Chapter 6 in textbook: “Neutralizing the Threat of Acid Rain” • Understanding acids and bases • Chemical reactions of sulfur oxides & nitrogen oxides. • The chemical effects of acid rain on buildings, iron, & paint • Chemical effects on lakes, streams, and forests.
Further research into the issues: • Locate Web sites that report on air pollution, water pollution (river, lake, ground, and rain), and soil pollution. Look for community, state, country, and global data. • Locate Web sites that report on energy consumption. Check for community, state, country, and global data. Also, investigate your own consumption of energy. • Use Web to locate a newer graph for pH measurements like one shown on page 237.

Problem #2: Find raw materials that allow easier and faster production of manufactured goods. (This problem is related to problem 1) This material should allow for cheap, lightweight, waterproof, inert, and moldable products.
	Solution: Plastics: Chaining together simple molecules allows the creation of a variety of materials known as polymers or plastics. These simple molecules primarily come from petroleum.
	Positive impact on society: Plastics contribute to our material wealth. We own more things because they are cheaper to manufacture. Cars are lighter in weight and therefore produce less pollution. Our clothes are warmer, last longer, and are easier to care for. Things are cheap enough to be disposed of; eliminating cleaning and use of water and soap. Plastics are waterproof and are durable in all weather conditions. Plastic containers or bags take up less space at home or in the landfill. Some plastics can replace body parts.
Negative consequences: • Because of plastics' durability, they do not decompose easily in landfills or as litter. • Some plastic holders for beverage bottles have strangled marine animals. • Plastics are made from petroleum which is a limited resource.
Chapter in textbook that covers the chemistry principles involved: Chapter 9: "The World of Plastics and Polymers" • Definition and properties of polymers • Chemistry of the six most common polymers • Addition and Condensation approaches to polymerization • Polyesters and polyamides • Raw starting material of plastics • Plastic recycling
Further research into the issues: • Locate Web sites that report on current US production of plastics. • Locate Web sites that have innovative ways (or products) for recycling plastics. • Locate Web sites that discuss biodegradation of plastics

Problem #3: For refrigeration, we need a gas that upon compression will turn to liquid at room temperatures. It also cannot be flammable and should be cheap to make.
Solution: Combine a few chlorine atoms, fluorine atoms, and carbon atoms to make a variety of compounds called chlorofluorocarbons.
		Positive Impact on Society: The comfort of refrigeration was enjoyed in homes, cars, businesses, and elsewhere. This gas was also used to make refrigerators and freezers. Chlorofluorocarbons were also useful in spray cans, the making of Styrofoam and other foam-like plastics, fire extinguishers, cleaning solvents, and many other products that needed a non-flammable gas. In other words, it had a huge positive impact on society, which is why accepting its negative consequences has been so difficult.
Negative consequence: The chlorofluorocarbons worked their way into the upper stratosphere and destroyed ozone, which blocks the sun's high energy ultraviolet light. Excess ultraviolet light damages skin, breaks DNA, causes skin cancer, damages eyes, kills plants, and causes many more problems. Life on Earth will cease to exist if too much UV light gets through the atmosphere. A hole in the ozone layer around the south pole has grown to 10 million square miles (twice the size of United Sates). People in Antarctica and southern tip of South America are now warned to wear thicker clothing for protection. The ozone level over the whole Earth has also dropped.
Chapter in textbook that covers the chemistry principles involved: Chapter 2: "Protecting the Ozone Layer" • Ozone: What is it? How is formed, and how is it destroyed? • Atomic structure, molecules, and periodic properties of the elements • Electromagnetic radiation • Biological effects of ultraviolet light • What are chlorofluorocarbons and how do they interact with ozone? • What is the distribution of stratospheric ozone throughout the globe?
Further research into the issues: • Locate Web sites that report on stratospheric ozone levels for different longitudes and latitudes, including where you live. • Locate Web sites that give UV forecasts for various cities. • Locate Web sites that give satellite images of ozone concentration.

TESTING
As you might guess, giving or taking tests in distance learning classes is always more difficult than in traditional classes. In some distance learning classes, students take tests online. In other distance learning classes, students are required to come to the college testing center for testing. I believe that a distance learning class should be done all at a distance if the student so desires. However, many instructors are concerned that if a student takes tests only over the Internet, there's no checking to see if that student is doing the test by him or herself or getting help from their chemistry-smart friend. At some point in the future where we all have Web cameras and a fingerprint input device, then these fears will go away.
For now I would like to give tests in a variety of ways to better guarantee a student's progress and reduce the traveling a student may have to do. Tests will be done part online, part orally over the telephone, and some will be taken at Mesa Community College or proctored (supervised) at a different location closer to the student. In other words, there will be tests and quizzes for each chapter that you will take over the Internet. Some tests will be given orally. That means you and I will coordinate a time that I can telephone you and ask you some of the test questions. This will help ensure that it is you who knows the answers rather than someone else. I may also record our conversation so we both can have a record of the questions and answers. The final will be taken at Mesa Community College, either at the testing center or at my office. For those of you that are too far away, I'm sure we can come up with a different location for you.
In my traditional classroom and here as well, I always offer students chances to retake tests. My goal is that you learn the material. And if you restudy and take the test again, I'm happy to see you do better on your test. However, I do reduce your retaken points by 10%. For example, let's say you got 70% on a test, and when you retook it, you got 96%. That means you made a 26% higher score. I would take 10% off of the 26%, which is 2.6% which rounds to 3%. So instead of 96%, you would get 93%. That's much better than 70% but even more important is that you went back and learned the material.
You will be tested on 7 chapters of the textbook plus my material on the historical impact of chemistry. There will also be a midterm test and a final test. There will also be assignments to send me as well. So here's a point breakdown. 7 Chapters at 50 pts. each = 350 pts 1 test on historical impact = 50 pts Midterm test = 100 pts Final test = 100 pts Assignments = 200 pts As you can see, assignments make up a big share of the grade. Some of the fun of an Internet class is finding things on the Internet. A lot of your assignments will be searching for Web sites and information that contribute to understanding Chemistry & Society. Assignments will be listed on the CHM-107 home page. New assignments will be added to the home page as the semester progresses.
In summary, I think this class is very valuable and enjoyable at the same time. It's important to be aware of what's happening around you, and at the same time, this awareness is like traveling to new places seeing things you didn't know existed. Welcome to Chemistry & Society. Now, let's go exploring...