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CH 104: Lesson 1a
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Introduction and Review of Math Fundamentals
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The short version of what chemists and other scientists do is that they observe, classify, compare, measure, speculate, and test. To put it a different way, they observe and ask questions of nature. That is also what will be expected of you. In the next few lessons we will look at several of the basic skills associated with learning chemistry, including such things as the observation and description of materials and objects, making measurements, and doing calculations. Then we will consider a number of applications of these basic skills--such things as making inferences, classifying the types of changes that materials can undergo, using those changes make separations, begin studying chemical reactions, and classifying materials into categories useful for the study of chemistry. We will apply calculations to the study of chemical reactions and to the chemicals themselves. Then we will look at how the nature of chemicals and chemical reactions can be explained by the existence of atoms, and how the nature of atoms dictates the properties of chemicals. As you can see, we have a long way to go in this course, but we will start with simple beginnings. In this lesson (and throughout the course) you can use the table of contents to see how the topics of the lesson are organized and to link to them. You can navigate through the course material by using the buttons on the left side of a page to link to topics that are "subordinate" to the page you are on, by using the buttons at the top of the page to link to other topics that are at the "same level" as the page you are on, and by using the table of contents. The bottom of each page will generally have a link to the "top of the page" and from there you can link to the other pages you need as you need them. This short lesson will focus on the mathematical fundamentals needed for the rest of the lessons in this course. In "Preliminary Information" you will find out what you need to know about the metric system, scientific notation, and significant digits. The Pretests will help you assess your current understanding of these topics and help you decide which of the other sections of this lesson you need to work through. When you feel you have learned the material listed in the Assumptions and Objectives, try the Self Quiz and Problem Set in Wrap-Up. |
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Distance Learning questions Clackamas Community College
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