1st year chemistry practical exam?

daniel91

Can anyone give me some advice on how to prepare for this exam. Are you just given the method sheet and carry out the experiment to find the results?

Are you given each method or do you have to learn them off?
Does a report or anything have to be written up at the end?

I'm kinda lost here, any advice would be much appreciated!

RolandIRL

i think you're given a new booklet/sheet with the method on it. we don't have to memorise the experiments, i think. i heard someone say that one of the experiments in physical chemistry was going to be one of the experiments that was on the week of st paddy's day/week after - practical 18/19 (i'm not too sure though, i can't remember what my friend said)
i think we have to write up a results thing. i'm not sure though. only in first year, same as yourself.

what day is your practical on? mine's on tuesday morning

daniel91

ah that's a relief. I've mine on thursday morning. Not having to learn off them experiments gives me alot more time to study for biology on friday. Although i did miss one lab around paddy's day, think it was rag week, just gonna look over that and hope i dosen't come up.
Apart from that there isnt that much you can do for it, sure if your given the methods and familiar enough with the experiments it shouldn't be so bad!

RolandIRL

well, i missed the lab on paddy's day, (wed was my lab day) and that was practical 18, and i don't think practical 19 was done in the lab cos there wasn't enough weeks in the year for it.

my friend says that we're given new sheets for the practical (she seems to be in the know for any chem stuff ) so we don't have to memorize experiments, but we're not allowed to bring in our own lab manuals/copies.

if you just have a general idea of results (especially for the organic experiments), it'd help a lot to get through the lab quicker. i'm just going to write a list of all the experiments, and across from each of them, the expected results. know your functional groups especially for organic chem (if you've done LC chem, there's very few new ones), and know how to do redox equations, like iodine and thiosulphate reactions.

it's 3 hours, for 3 experiments (1 each from phys chem, organic chem, and inorganic chem) isn't it? i'm only presuming this :pac:

daniel91

3 experiments! christ i thought i was only 1 :L
3 hours is going to be cutting it short then, as i remember some of them took over 2 hours. well thats taking into account the pre-lab talk, and i guess they lay out the exam so that you have enough time and all.

RolandIRL

well, didn't you look at the sample papers? (see attached)

you don't have to identify say cations/anions in 4 solutions, just in one, but you still have to eliminate the other possibilities.

daniel91

were did you get a hold of these exam papers? can't find them online

RolandIRL

it's on blackboard. go to chemistry module -> Documents -> The Exam -> Lab Exam and they're there. they're the same as what i've attached above though. only 2 papers given. 2006 acutal and a back up one.

yer man!

The lab is fine, had mine last friday morning, you're givin one solution- find cation and anion, given compound - find organic compound, given a titration- I was only given half of this experiment to do so it waas quick enough. ASK FOR PLENTY OF BEAKERS and s*it, they give you f**k all glassware for cleaning stuff which is so annoying, most ppl leave after 2.5 hours. It's easy enough tho, plenty of time.

RolandIRL

thanks man. it's good to have some idea of what to expect.
better go over some experiments tomorrow. still haven't started looking at them yet