Chemistry 101

[Stillman]

So it looks like I will be going back to do a University course next year. But I have to do a chemistry bridging course in November. And I'm shitting my pants about it so has anyone got any good basic chemistry sites links youtube vids they think may help me out?

[at0m]

There's some really cool but kinda specific stuff on http://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry. It's all explained very well. It comes highly recommended by a lot of people too

[Alice]

There are actually some pretty good youtube video's out there. Many "Chemistry 1A" vids etc. Many uni's (eg Berkeley IIRC) record their lecture series, and make it available online for free. It certainly can help having at least familiarised yourself with the content before you see it in person.

The best advice I can give is to never miss a lecture. Not even once. It takes WAY longer to catch up than had you simply attended.

Feel free to send me a pm with questions (or better still, just post them here so others can participate too). I majored in chemistry, and did honours and PhD in Chem (just about to submit woohoo!), and now work as a research chemist (one can never have too much chemistry in their lives lol ). So I should hopefully be able to at least steer you in the right direction, I'll do my best. It's not that scary really, we just have to find the best way to explain it based on how your particular brain is wired (visually, mathematically, spacially etc). There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to education and learning unfortunately.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Alice

[qualia]

The best advice I can give is to never miss a lecture. Not even once.

that all depends on what the contents of the lectures are. some lecture i've had have been a lecturer reading off the ppt slides (word for word basically), useful only for catching up on other work. others have been tutorial style going though problems which you def wouldn't want to miss. imo tuts are more worthwhile, and i guess labs are compulsory.

[fydesvindico]

There are actually some pretty good youtube video's out there. Many "Chemistry 1A" vids etc. Many uni's (eg Berkeley IIRC)

I second that, Berkeley's Chem 1A vids are a good start..

 

"general organic & biological chemistry" by janice gorzynski smith is one of the better text books to work through... If you already have an idea of basic chemistry; going through and doing the 'chapter highlights' questions is great for a recap.

when I did my bridging course, my uni recommended "general organic biological chemistry" by karen timberlake... But in comparison to janice gorzynski smith's textbook, it seemed to miss out on allot of small details I was grateful to have learnt in janice's book.

Vids are always good, but personally I seem to retain information allot easier when working through a text book rather than watching videos etc..

at0m's link has some good videos for the basics too... I'm sure there was another thread here a while ago with some great links to some chemistry sites also.. there were a few beauts in there.

Edited September 13, 2012 by fydesvindico

[fydesvindico]

http://www.learnerstv.com/course.php?cat=Chemistry

some other vids I found in my bookmarks that might be of interest...

[IndianDreaming]

A Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry - Peter Sykes

If you're so inclined, search for a torrent entitled 'Chemistry Complete' - and prepare to blow out your download limit

[Stillman]

Thanks guys will sift through it all on my days off.

[Stillman]

I started my bridging Course yesterday at Uni. I'm going to have to study to keep up. I think I can get my head around most of the concepts its things like rearranging equations that I can understand (to a point lol) but struggle to put into practice. But I am keen so I think thats half the battle.

[Halcyon Daze]

You won't have to do organic Chemistry in first Semester, but it's worth studying your ass off in Semester 1 so that you do well in Semester 2 (organic chemistry). Wikipedia is a really good start for the periodic table.

Oh and aim high, aim to become 100% proficient in chemistry 101 by the end of the semester. It's not that hard, mainly memory and repetition.

[Stillman]

I am actually enjoying the information overload

heres a really good online Periodic table for anyone learning

http://www.ptable.com/

[Stillman]

The course I am doing is a summer intensive beast info overload. I am handling most of the theory side of things but the algebraic maths has absolutely molested my frontal lobe.

Currently I am attempting to work out a problem using the ideal gas law using the basic formula PV= nRT

My lecturer is Marquis de sade but looks like Black adder, I am drowning drowning I tell you.

Heres an example of a q we have

What volume of NH3 at 12 degs c and 1.00 bar contains the same number molecules as .205dm3 of O2 at 33 deg c and 2 bar?

I'v e broken the question down into its parts but every time I read the Question my brain locks.

[qualia]

forgive me if i'm wrong on the values i have no chemistry experience,

first convert everything to the required units (i.e. degrees->kelvins, brs->pascals etc)

but for oxygen you have P T V R, you want to find n (the common quantity between the two).

you have T P R and now n for NH3, now you can find V.

[obtuse]

The chemistry bridging course that i did was mostly re-arrangement of equations, a good knowledge of all the basic gas laws, really basic thermo, working out units of measurement, and a few other things.

First year chem was then thermodynamics, acid base and solutility based work, organic chem (naming and structural and then later mechanisms), a little light energy based stuff, lewis structures, co-ordination chemistry and energy levels.

Funny thing was the bridging course never helped me one iota, and i think like you i was for a while drowning in equations, and that one as above i would probably still have lots of problems figuring out, it reminds me more of algebra than chemistry.

I cant help with material to help your bridging course, but for a more serious chemistry course this might help:

http://ocw.mit.edu/c...video-lectures/

Cheers, Ob.

Edited November 14, 2012 by obtuse

[cornilius maximus]

I must agree with atom,

I used that khan academy website for chemistry, maths and some biology, particularly genetics.

It was very useful.

I was tutoring first year chemistry and structural biochemistry at uni this year, and like obtuse said it really is repetitious rope learning.

But if you need a hand with any concepts let me know and hopefully I can help.

peace

cornilius maximus

[Stillman]

I get it now. the issue is there is 2 equations in the question taht have to be "zero'd off" against themselves.. Obtuse has it on the head, I am keeping up with the chemistry theory but drowning in algebra.