Essentials of Chemistry

Overview

This time-tested, but recently updated course is designed to give non chemists, and chemists in need of review, an understanding of basic and fundamental chemical principles. The essential, overarching themes of chemistry will be explored through the use of modern contextual examples. Registrants for this course will receive the textbook, Chemistry in Context.

When and Where

Key Topics

• Course introduction, measurements, certainty
• Concentrations, combustion reactions, and chemical equations
• Atomic structure, compounds, molecules, ions
• Shapes of molecules, infrared spectroscopy, molar calculations
• Energetics of chemical reactions, hydrocarbons, petroleum
• Water, hydrogen bonding, water quality, preparing solutions
• Acids, bases, pH
• Nuclear energy, and equilibrium

Back to Top

How You'll Benefit from This Course

• The language of basic chemistry
• What happens when two or more chemicals react, and how to predict the outcomes of key chemical reactions
• The simplest methods for performing the “math” of chemistry

Back to Top

Course Instructor

Dr. Carl E. Heltzel, Executive Director of Global Environmental Awareness Resources, and Senior Chemist at Corporate Environmental Risk Insurance Agency in Lexington, Kentucky.

Dr. Heltzel was formerly the Monroe Moosnick Professor of Chemistry at Transylvania University, where he taught numerous courses for over 9 years. Dr. Heltzel has also taught courses as visiting professor at the University of Hawaii, the University of Kentucky, and Chaminade University. He is the co-author or editor of 9 chemistry and environmental chemistry textbooks, including the ACS textbook Chemistry in Context. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and other periodicals. Dr. Heltzel has served as a consultant to a number of institutions including the Ohio EPA, the California EPA and Integrated Solid Waste Management Board, the United States Department of Education, the Center for Aluminum Technology, the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, the Kentucky Coal Association, Environmental Research, Inc., and various law firms. Dr. Heltzel is a member of the American Chemical Society’s National Committee for Environmental Improvement, and was the Chair and Councilor of the Lexington Section of the ACS. Dr. Heltzel is the recent past editor of the ACS magazine ChemMatters which was awarded the top honor of Distinguished Technical Publication in the Society for Technical Communication’s International Competition in 2007.

Back to Top

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who is working with chemicals in a laboratory or production environment that would like to improve their understanding of the underlying chemical principles of their work. This course can serve as an introductory course, or a pre-chemistry course for those about to take a college chemistry course. This course could also serve as a refresher course for people who have already had some college chemistry

Back to Top

System Requirements

You need a high-speed connection to the Internet and an up-to-date version of your Web browser (Internet explorer is preferred). For the audio portion of the live session, we will use a telephone conference call for attendees from the U.S. and Canada. You will need a phone near your computer capable of making long distance phone calls to a 1-800 number. A hands-free or speaker phone is highly recommended.

International attendees may have access to a toll-free global call-in number or use VOIP, depending on their country. An ACS staff member will contact you to complete these arrangements. Please contact Stephanie Rizk at s_rizk@acs.org if you have any questions.

Back to Top

Course Fees

Note: Each person must register individually for this course.

Your course fee includes the textbook, Chemistry in Context, 5^th Edition.

Back to Top