FUNdamentals of Chemistry
Score Requirements: (Score Table 1)
About the Course:Have you ever wondered if there was something more to the air you breathe, the water you drink, or the salt you sprinkle on your French fries? You would be in good company if you said, “Yes.” About 2000 years ago (give or take a century) Greek philosophers like Empedocles pondered the same question. Their answer: everything is made of five basic elements: fire, water, earth, air, and ether. Fast forward through the dark ages (not the best time for chemists) to present day where we now know that all “stuff”(“matter” to us chemists) like air, water, and salt are made of elements, compounds, and mixtures. This course will explore early understandings of the unseen and the progression toward our current subatomic understanding of what matter is, as well as how and why it changes. Students will enhance their understanding of matter by utilizing the chemists’ best friend: The Periodic Table of Elements (memorization not required). In addition, students will conduct virtual labs to study solubility, acid-base reactions, density, chemical equilibrium, and specific heat. By the end of the course, students will be able to answer the question that Empedocles could not.
About the Instructor: Eric Stoffregen holds a B.S. in Chemistry from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned his teaching certification through the N.C. Teach program at UNC Chapel Hill. He has taught Chemistry and Physical Science at Chapel Hill High School during his tenure and has served as the lead Physical Science instructor for the past 3 years. Eric wrote the curriculum guides for Chemistry and Physical Science for new instructors to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City School System. Chemistry for Eric combines his love for understanding how things work and highly energetic demonstrations.
Instructor(s) subject to change.