Chemistry / Biochemistry major

mhcc.edu/Science

chemist

Faculty Advisers

Dr. Elizabeth Cohen: 503-491-6012 Room AC2566 | Elizabeth.Cohen@mhcc.edu | Students with last name A-E
Bernadette Harnish: 503-491-7293 | Room AC2596 | Bernadette.Harnish@mhcc.edu | Students with last name F-J
Dr. Michael Russell: 503-491-7348 | Room AC2568 | Michael.Russell@mhcc.edu | Students with last name K-O
Dr. Joyce Sherpa: 503-491-7443 | Room AC2565 | Joyce.Sherpa@mhcc.edu | Students with last name P-S
Dr. Jessica Wittman: 503-491-7633 | Room AC2589 | Jessica.Wittman@mhcc.edu | Students with last name T-Z

Chemistry is the study of matter, and its interactions with other matter and energy. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.

Students who pursue chemistry as their college major can go on to work in: different types of labs; crime forensics; food science; fermentation (making cheese, beer, wine, and more); or teaching. Many careers in science require students to earn a four year degree or higher.

Curricular Outcomes

At the completion of this curriculum, students should be able to:

  • Retain and apply critical chemistry concepts while enrolled in the curriculum
  • Use chemistry principles and logical reasoning skills to solve problems
  • Demonstrate proper laboratory techniques with attention to detail, including the use of associated equipment and instrumentation
  • Communicate scientific topics effectively
  • Recognize connections between chemistry and other disciplines

Students interested in pursuing the Chemistry/Biochemistry major can complete the following courses toward the Science requirement and/or electives on the AS (recommended), AAOT, AGS or ASLA degrees. Students are highly encouraged to work with a university transfer adviser to ensure transferability of courses. Admitted students may also log on to Navigate to start the process of building an academic plan based on this major and can notify an adviser for review.

CH221General Chemistry I5
CH222General Chemistry II5
CH223General Chemistry III5
CH241Organic Chemistry I 15
CH242Organic Chemistry II 15
CH243Organic Chemistry III 15

Transfer Schools

chemist

Exploring chemistry as your major? Learn more with MHCC's Career Coach, which covers: skills needed for each career, wages, employment rates, and live job postings in the Greater Multnomah County Area.

Careers related to chemistry:

The following shows just one example of how students can complete an Associate of Science degree while also taking lower-division chemistry courses. Be sure to work with an MHCC chemistry adviser and the transfer institution you'd like to attend to ensure correct courses are being taken. Not all courses are offered every term. Click on a course number to see what term(s) the course is typically offered.

  • Full time = 12 or more credits per term; takes about 2 years to complete.
  • 3/4 time = 9 to 11 credits per term; takes about 3 years to complete.
  • Part time = 6 to 8 credits per term; takes about 4 years to complete.

Sample Plan (full time)

Plan of Study Grid
First QuarterCredits
CH221 General Chemistry I 5
MTH251 Calculus I: Differential Calculus 5
WR121Z Composition I (Course offered online) 4
 Credits14
Second Quarter
CH222 General Chemistry II 5
MTH252 Calculus II: Integral Calculus 5
WR122Z
or WR227Z
 Composition II (Course offered online)
or Technical Writing (Course offered online)
 4
Arts & Letters 3-4
 Credits17-18
Third Quarter
CH223 General Chemistry III 5
MTH253 Calculus III 4
Social Science 3-4
 Credits12-13
Fourth Quarter
CH241 Organic Chemistry I 5
MTH254 Calculus IV: Multivariable/ Vector Calculus Part 1 5
PH211 General Physics with Calculus I 5
 Credits15
Fifth Quarter
CH242 Organic Chemistry II 5
PH212 General Physics with Calculus II 5
Oral Communication 3-4
Social Science 3-4
 Credits16-18
Sixth Quarter
CH243 Organic Chemistry III 5
PH213 General Physics with Calculus III 5
Health & Physical Education 3
Arts & Letters 3-4
 Credits16-17
 Total Credits90-95

CH104 General Chemistry for Health Professions

Credits 5Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, and MTH058 or MTH060, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course is taught on the assumption that the enrollee has had no previous introduction to the study of chemistry. The student must be proficient in general mathematics and must be able to handle elementary algebraic operations. The first term includes the major topics of inorganic chemistry including elements, compounds, atomic structure, nomenclature, stoichiometry, bonding and structure, states of matter, solution chemistry, equilibrium, reaction rates, thermodynamics, acid-bases and pH and nuclear chemistry.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Classify and balance nuclear reactions, identifying all radioactive particles involved and calculating the kinetics of a nuclear decay reaction.
  2. Collect, record, analyze, and interprete experimental data while demonstrating an ability to work safely and proficiently in handling common laboratory equipment and chemicals.
  3. Convert English and metric measurements using unit conversions including Avogadro’s number, density, molar mass, and stoichiometry while maintaining the precision of the measurement.
  4. Define and recognize acids, bases, conjugate acids, and conjugate bases based on their formula and Keq, as well calculate the pH, pOH, [H3O+], and [OH -] for solutions containing them and explain what a buffer solution is and how it prevents a large pH change.
  5. Describe the parts of a solution (including electrolytes) and the effect of temperature and pressure on solubility using the concentration units of molarity, percent composition (mass/mass, volume/volume, and mass/volume), and ppm/ppb to specify the concentration and the dilution equation to calculate changes in concentration.
  6. Distinguish between covalent compounds, ionic compounds, and acid in order to properly name, draw, characterize, and explain the physical properties of a compound based on bond angles, VSEPR geometry, molecular shape, polarity, and intermolecular forces.
  7. Explain the behavior and calculate the physical properties of a gas using Boyle’s Law, Charles’ Law, Gay-Lusaac Law, Avogadro’s Law, Dalton’s Law, Graham’s Law, and the Ideal Gas Law.
  8. Explain the thermodynamics of a reaction, including the enthalpy and the activation energy, and how thermodynamics and changes in reaction conditions effect the kinetics of a reaction and equilibrium (using Le Chatelier’s Principle) for a reversible reaction.
  9. Interpret the periodic table to determine periodic trends and structure of an atom, including atomic number, mass number, and electron configuration, in order to classify (combination, decomposition, double displacement, single replacement, acid-base, and/or redox), to predict the products, and to balance a chemical reaction as well as identify the oxidized element, oxidizing agent, reduced element, and reducing agent in redox reactions.

CH105 Organic Chemistry for Health Professions

Credits 5Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: CH104 and MTH058 or MTH065, or placement above stated course level.

This course is an introduction to organic chemistry. The student must have passed CH104. The course includes an introduction to the nomenclature, physical properties, and chemical properties of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, benzenes, haloalkanes, alcohols, ether, aldehydes, ketones, amines, and carboxylic acid derivatives.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Classify carbons, hydrogens, alkyl halides, alcohols, and amines as primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary.
  2. Collect, record, analyze, and interprete experimental data while demonstrating an ability to work safely and proficiently in handling common laboratory equipment and chemicals.
  3. Convert between Lewis dot structures, line drawings, Kekule drawings, condensed formulas, molecular formulas, perspective drawings, and Fischer projections, including drawing constitutional isomers and stereoisomers and assigning VSEPR geometry, molecular shape, bond angle, and hybridization for all atoms in these drawings.
  4. Explain the phenomenon of optical rotation and how it is measured and affected by concentration and pathlength.
  5. Identify and assign Cahn-Ingold-Prelog descriptor to the stereocenters of in chiral compounds as well identifying the relationship between two chiral compounds with the same molecular formula as identical, enantiomers, diastereomers, epimers, anomers, and/or meso compounds.
  6. Identify the functional groups and the type of carbon bonding in a molecule, and then predict how functional groups and molecular shape affect the boiling point, melting point, solubility, and intermolecular forces of a molecule.
  7. Name organic molecules (alkanes, alkenes, benzenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alkyl alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, amines, carboxylic acids, and derivatives of carboxylic acids) using both the IUPAC system and common naming systems, assigning R/S stereochemistry and geometric stereochemistry where appropriate.
  8. Predict the products of the chemical reactions of alkanes (halogenation, combustion), alkenes (combustion, halogenation, hydrogenation, hydrohalogenation, hydration), alkynes (combustion, halogenation, hydrohalogenation, hydrogenation), alcohols (combustion, dehydration, oxidation, esterification, Lucas), ethers (combustion), aldehydes/ketones (combustion, reduction, acetal/hemiacetal formation), amines (acid-base), and carboxylic acids and derivatives (substitution, acid-b
  9. Show an understanding the basics of a reaction mechanism by using terminology like carbocation, radical, nucleophile, and electrophile and by classifying reactions as acid-base, oxidation-reduction, substitution, addition, and elimination.

CH106 Biological Chemistry for Health Professions

Credits 5Fall/Spring

Registration Requirement: CH104 or CH112.

CH106 is an introduction to the general topics in biochemistry: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids and bioenergetics.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Classify an enzyme using the six main classes of enzymes (oxidoreductase, ligase, lyase, hydrolase, isomerase, transferase), explain how an enzyme catalyzes a reaction (energy effect, catalytic effect, proximity effect, orientation effect), and describe the influence of environmental conditions (temperature, pH, and concentrations), enzyme regulation, and enzyme inhibitors on enzyme catalysis.
  2. Collect, record, analyze, and interprete experimental data while demonstrating an ability to work safely and proficiently in handling common laboratory equipment and chemicals.
  3. Describe and draw of a protein and its monomers, including describing the four levels of peptide structure, how the structure and solubility of the individual amino acids and the polypeptide changes with pH (high pH, low pH, neutral pH, isoelectric pH), and methods for denaturing a protein.
  4. Differentiate between the functions and structures of DNA and RNA, including their roles in protein synthesis (transcription and translation) and how they are replicated.
  5. Draw and identify by name, structural description, and function the four most common types of monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, ribose, galactose), four most common types of disaccharides (lactose, sucrose, maltose, cellobiose), and five most common polysaccharides (cellulose, amylose, amylopectin, starch, glycogen) as well as classify the type of glycosidic bond and identify the products of carbohydrate reactions.
  6. Explain the three stages of the metabolism of a carbohydrate (glycolysis, Kreb cycle, electron transport chain), including the involvement of NAD, NADH, FAD, FADH2, ATP, ADP, mitochondria, coenzyme A, cytochromes, and the various enzymes at each step.
  7. Identify by structural description, function, and image the categories of lipid, including simple lipids (triglycerides, oils, fats, waxes, soaps), complex lipids (sphingophospholipids, glycerophospholipids, phospholipids, sphingolipids, glycolipids), steroids, and eicosanoids (leukotrienes, prostaglandins, thromboxanes) as well as identify the chemical and physical properties within each category, including the saponification, the rancidification, and the hydrogenation of tri

CH151 Basic Chemistry

Credits 4Fall/Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels. Co-requisite: MTH095, MTH098 or higher.

CH151 is a basic course designed for students who want to take CH221 but who lack sufficient math and/or chemistry background. This one-term course includes mathematical applications appropriate to CH221, as well as an introduction to classification of matter, atomic theory, stoichiometry and nomenclature.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Convert English and metric measurements using unit conversions including Avogadro's number, molar mass and stoichiometry
  2. Differentiate between potential energy and kinetic energy and interpret energy transformations, including exothermic and endothermic reactions
  3. Distinguish between different types of compounds and describe how their structure affects their reactivity
  4. Identify the classification of matter and the physical/chemical states of a substance, including the properties of the three states of matter
  5. Interpret the periodic table to determine periodic trends and structure of an atom

CH221 General Chemistry I

Credits 5Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels. Co-requisite: MTH111 or placement above stated course level. Recommended requisite: CH151.

This course offers the fundamental basis of chemistry for science, pre-professional and engineering majors. A strong emphasis is placed on a mathematical approach. CH221 covers atomic and molecular structure, stoichiometry, periodic properties, thermochemistry and introductory chemical bonding.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Convert English and metric measurements using common unit conversions including Avogadro’s number, molar mass, and molarity.
  2. Differentiate methods to determine the enthalpy change associated with exothermic and endothermic reactions.
  3. Distinguish types of common chemical reactions and net ionic equations.
  4. Identify elements and molecules through nomenclature and formulas.
  5. Interpret a balanced chemical equation and apply stoichiometry to determine percent yield and theoretical yield.

CH222 General Chemistry II

Credits 5Summer/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: CH221 with a grade of "C" or better.

This course offers the fundamental basis of chemistry for science, pre-professional, chemistry and engineering majors. A strong emphasis is placed on a mathematical approach. CH222 covers molecular bonding and molecular properties, gases, liquids, solids, physical states and changes of state, solutions, kinetics and nuclear chemistry.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Convert gas law properties using the ideal gas law.
  2. Differentiate nuclear chemical reactions to predict common decomposition patterns.
  3. Distinguish rate laws to apply time to chemical reactions.
  4. Identify bonding characteristics in covalent molecules using VSEPR theory and valence bond theory.
  5. Interpret phase diagrams to determine solids, liquids and gases.

CH223 General Chemistry III

Credits 5Summer/Spring

Registration Requirement: CH222 with a grade of "C" or better.

This course offers the fundamental basis of chemistry for science, pre-professional and engineering majors. A strong emphasis is placed on a mathematical approach. CH223 covers equilibrium, introduction to acids and bases, spontaneity of reactions, ionic equilibria, oxidation reduction and electrochemistry.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Convert initial and equilibrium concentrations to find equilibrium constants.
  2. Differentiate entropy, enthalpy and Gibbs energy values to predict the direction of a chemical reaction.
  3. Distinguish between soluble and insoluble compounds in water.
  4. Identify acids and bases using both Bronsted and Lewis theories.
  5. Interpret the quantity of acid and base present using pH expressions.

CH241 Organic Chemistry I

Credits 5Fall

Registration Requirement: WR121 or WR121Z and MTH095, each with a grade of "C" or better, or placement above stated course levels; and CH222.

The study of aliphatic, aromatic and biochemical compounds. CH241 includes a study of nomenclature, aliphatic hydrocarbons, structure, conformation, stereochemistry, resonance and aromaticity, addition mechanism and infrared spectroscopy.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Apply IUPAC nomenclature and common nomenclatures rules to draw and name organic molecules using Kekule drawings, line drawings, Newman projections, Haworth projections, Fischer projections, and prospective drawings and be able to compare the stereochemistry shown in these drawing
  2. Apply the basic general chemistry concepts of Lewis Dot structures, VSEPR, molecular shape, polarity, bonding models (hybridized orbital theory and molecular orbital theory), pKa, pH, kinetics, and thermodynamics to the structures of organic molecules in order to predict physical properties as well as the stability, reactivity, and reaction outcomes
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the mechanism of organic reactions by proposing mechanisms for reactions of moderate complexity, and be able to predict patterns of reactivity by analogy to similar systems on the basis of mechanistic reasoning
  4. Demonstrate safe, efficient and independent use of traditional and modern laboratory techniques and instrumentation relating to organic synthesis and structural determination by keeping an organized and well documented lab notebook, following a prescribed experimental procedure, and preparing a written report that critically analyzes the data collected to determine the identity, purity, and yield of products as well as any procedural errors
  5. Design multi-step synthesis for compounds of moderate complexity using conceptual models and retro-synthetic analysis strategies
  6. Predict the products of organic reactions, including the resulting regiochemistry, stereoselectivity, and stereospecificity

CH242 Organic Chemistry II

Credits 5Winter

Registration Requirement: CH241.

This course continues organic chemistry involving the study of free radical, substitution and elimination mechanisms involving alkyl halides, alcohols and ethers. Organic redox reactions, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and carbonyl chemistry are also studied.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Apply the basic general chemistry concepts of Lewis Dot structures, VSEPR, molecular shape, polarity, bonding models (hybridized orbital theory and molecular orbital theory), pKa, pH, kinetics, and thermodynamics to the structures of organic molecules in order to predict physical properties as well as the stability, reactivity, and reaction outcomes.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the mechanism of organic reactions by proposing mechanisms for reactions of moderate complexity, and be able to predict patterns of reactivity by analogy to similar systems on the basis of mechanistic reasoning.
  3. Demonstrate safe, efficient and independent use of traditional and modern laboratory techniques and instrumentation relating to organic synthesis and structural determination by keeping an organized and well documented lab notebook, following a prescribed experimental procedure, and preparing a written report that critically analyzes the data collected to determine the identity, purity, and yield of products as well as any procedural errors.
  4. Design multi-step synthesis for compounds of moderate complexity using conceptual models and retro-synthetic analysis strategies.
  5. Predict the products of organic reactions, including the resulting regiochemistry, stereoselectivity, and stereospecificity.

CH243 Organic Chemistry III

Credits 5Spring

Registration Requirement: CH242.

This course continues the study of carbonyl chemistry as well as polymers, heterocycles, proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids.

This course fulfills: Lab Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Apply the basic general chemistry concepts of Lewis Dot structures, VSEPR, molecular shape, polarity, bonding models (hybridized orbital theory and molecular orbital theory), pKa, pH, kinetics, and thermodynamics to the structures of organic molecules in order to predict physical properties as well as the stability, reactivity, and reaction outcomes.
  2. Apply the fundamentals of organic chemistry learned in CH241, CH242, and CH243 to important biological molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins) in order to predict the physical and chemical properties of these biological molecules both in the laboratory setting and in a biological organism.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the mechanism of organic reactions by proposing mechanisms for reactions of moderate complexity, and be able to predict patterns of reactivity by analogy to similar systems on the basis of mechanistic reasoning.
  4. Demonstrate safe, efficient and independent use of traditional and modern laboratory techniques and instrumentation relating to organic synthesis and structural determination by keeping an organized and well documented lab notebook, following a prescribed experimental procedure, and preparing a written report that critically analyzes the data collected to determine the identity, purity, and yield of products as well as any procedural errors.
  5. Design multi-step synthesis for compounds of moderate complexity using conceptual models and retro-synthetic analysis strategies.
  6. Predict the products of organic reactions, including the resulting regiochemistry, stereoselectivity, and stereospecificity.

Course offered online

Cultural Literacy course