 Mapping cone acyclicity criterion

For a chain map $f:C\to D$, use $M_i=C_{i-1}\oplus D_i$ and $d(x,y)=(d_{C}x,(-1{)}^{i}f(x)+d_{D}y)$. The chain map identity makes $d^2=0$. The short exact sequence of chain complexes $0\to D\to M\to C_{\ast -1}\to 0$ has connecting homomorphism $(-1{)}^i{f}_{\ast }$ in degree $i$. Its long exact sequence in homology shows that the homology of $M$ vanishes precisely when every $f_{\ast }$ is an isomorphism.