LC Chemistry

iMMer5ion

I am repeating and taking up Chemistry in September. I want to start studying it in summer as I haven't done Chemistry since JC. I did Biology for my Leaving though.
Can you break it down for me and explain where I should start off, what is vital to learn, which to leave til school starts etc. Need to get on top of it in summer, thanks

ChemHickey

iMMer5ion wrote: »

I am repeating and taking up Chemistry in September. I want to start studying it in summer as I haven't done Chemistry since JC. I did Biology for my Leaving though.
Can you break it down for me and explain where I should start off, what is vital to learn, which to leave til school starts etc. Need to get on top of it in summer, thanks

Hello, Nice timing, chemistry paper is over and most people won't want to speak of it again, but I love it so I'll help

If I were you, I would not start with atomic history. I would start with the atom and that work. Skip Chapter 2 and start with chapter 3 ( that's if you're using Chemistry Live by Declan Kennedy < very good in my opinion.)

If you do chapters 3-8 first, and get the basics on the atom, particles, the periodic table and everything as well as radioactivity, only then would I move onto the atomic history (chapter 1) This is because you'll need to know about alpha particles for part of the history and it would be easier I feel to leave chapter 2 until after you've done 3-8, but it might suit you otherwise.

After that, I would definetly follow the sequence, mole/stoichiometry acid/bases (maybe do oxidation/reduction) up to volumetric analysis of acid/bases. After that, maybe do the ox/red titrations and rates of reactions. MOVE to Organic-Fuels and Heat of Reactions then possibly. I would do that, follow organic and after organic, either move to Equilibrium or Water. I wouldn't recommend doing pH and indicators until after Equilibrium as you need a bit of knowledge of Kc values etc.

It is up to you though. You may need to get grinds if you are doing it at home, but if you're joining in with the leaving cert class 2013 they would only have up to chapter 14 done, maybe rates of reactions and also water too. Not certain, but if you can contact one of the classmates of this year, you can find out from them how much they have done.

If you have any queries next year or now, PM as I will be doing chemistry in college next year (modules and stuff) so I'll be more than happy to help. It all comes together anyway!

Enjoy! :L :cool:

FaoiSin

Would recommend the exact same order as ChemHickey. It's a great subject (easily my favourite) and once you familiarise yourself with the course it all comes together in such a way that it sticks in your head

Be sure to study the Mandatory Practicals well as well as the Demonstrations and the accompanying calculations

iMMer5ion

ChemHickey wrote: »

If I were you, I would not start with atomic history. I would start with the atom and that work. Skip Chapter 2 and start with chapter 3 ( that's if you're using Chemistry Live by Declan Kennedy < very good in my opinion.)

If you do chapters 3-8 first, and get the basics on the atom, particles, the periodic table and everything as well as radioactivity, only then would I move onto the atomic history (chapter 1) This is because you'll need to know about alpha particles for part of the history and it would be easier I feel to leave chapter 2 until after you've done 3-8, but it might suit you otherwise.

After that, I would definetly follow the sequence, mole/stoichiometry acid/bases (maybe do oxidation/reduction) up to volumetric analysis of acid/bases. After that, maybe do the ox/red titrations and rates of reactions. MOVE to Organic-Fuels and Heat of Reactions then possibly. I would do that, follow organic and after organic, either move to Equilibrium or Water. I wouldn't recommend doing pH and indicators until after Equilibrium as you need a bit of knowledge of Kc values etc.

It is up to you though. You may need to get grinds if you are doing it at home, but if you're joining in with the leaving cert class 2013 they would only have up to chapter 14 done, maybe rates of reactions and also water too. Not certain, but if you can contact one of the classmates of this year, you can find out from them how much they have done.

If you have any queries next year or now, PM as I will be doing chemistry in college next year (modules and stuff) so I'll be more than happy to help. It all comes together anyway!

That's excellent! Thanks so much!

Well the school I'm repeating in completes each subject in the one year, which enables you to do a subject for the first time. So I don't have to worry about catching up with the class! I only have to study it over summer, just to know some beforehand, as many would have done it in 5th year.

If I follow the plan you have (very kindly) given me ( thanks ), should I do all the Chapter Questions after doing each chapter?
And at what point should I begin attempting - or even looking at :eek: - exam questions on a topic I've studied?

Thanks so much, and good luck with Chem/Science next year!

iMMer5ion

YeaaahFaoiSin wrote: »

Would recommend the exact same order as ChemHickey. It's a great subject (easily my favourite) and once you familiarise yourself with the course it all comes together in such a way that it sticks in your head

Be sure to study the Mandatory Practicals well as well as the Demonstrations and the accompanying calculations

Should I learn the Experiments as you would learn the experiments in Biology? Are they a huge part of the paper?

Mista

iMMer5ion wrote: »

Should I learn the Experiments as you would learn the experiments in Biology? Are they a huge part of the paper?

They're much bigger.. more in depth and more learning. There 11 questions on the paper, including 3 experiment ones. You have to answer at least 2.

FaoiSin

iMMer5ion wrote: »

Should I learn the Experiments as you would learn the experiments in Biology? Are they a huge part of the paper?

They are much more difficult than the Biology ones but they are worth 37.5% of the paper if you do them. I did my Leaving Cert Chem earlier today and I did the minimum 2 that you have to do because I prefer the theory but a lot of people opt for the 3 experiments.

There is always a Titration Experiment and an Organic Experiment. The third is one from another part of the course like Rate of Reactions or the one today was from the Gas Chapter.

Geo10

If you use the Chemistry Live textbook the following two books ate invaluable:
• Rapid Revision Chemistry
• Exam Skills Chemistry
Study each chapter from the rapid revision and then ensure you can answer all the questions from exam skills which gives past exam Qs and their answers arranged chapter by chapter.
I just used the above 2 books in studying and I was able to answer all the questions in my exam today! (the ones I got wrong were my mistakes I.e. Didn't revise chapter in ages or made a major mess up in calculation!) The above 2 books are enough for an A1!
Also there's chapters you can leave out if you really want e.g I left out the chapters on organic families and reactions and I was perfectly covered!

ChemHickey

iMMer5ion wrote: »

That's excellent! Thanks so much!

Well the school I'm repeating in completes each subject in the one year, which enables you to do a subject for the first time. So I don't have to worry about catching up with the class! I only have to study it over summer, just to know some beforehand, as many would have done it in 5th year.

If I follow the plan you have (very kindly) given me ( thanks ), should I do all the Chapter Questions after doing each chapter?
And at what point should I begin attempting - or even looking at :eek: - exam questions on a topic I've studied?

Thanks so much, and good luck with Chem/Science next year!

Thanks. If I were you, I'd start looking at exam questions after you've the first 8 chapters done. It would be question 5 on the paper and you usually don't need any other knowledge of the course other than that. Don't disregard the workbook. that's what will get yo the a1!