Chemistry final today

[mtowngman]

Biology final Monday and it's over. All I've been doing the last two weeks is studying. This semester's been rough. Spending more time on DU is high on my list of things to do during break.

[KitchenWitch]

1. Congrats

Is it general chemistry?

[mtowngman]

2. yes, it is

and I was surprised at how hard it is,for me anyway. Then, the last time I had any science class was 30 years ago in high school.

[KitchenWitch]

4. A lot of rote memorization IIRC

[ProfessorGAC]

5. It Shouldn't Be!

I thought that of biology and physiology, but most chem classes (at least the 20 or so i took) are problem solving based. I know in grad school things are different, and it's been a long time since i was an undergrad, but in GC, there were lots of things like remembering how different orbital shapes interact, and in my organic classes there was a huge focus on mechanistic steps.

But, to be honest, my classes in undergrad were so mechanism heavy that i was shocked in graduate school how many classes i took before i learned anything i didn't already know. So, my undergrad program had to be pretty in-depth. (We had 101 students in GC. 68 in Organic 201. 38 in Organic 202. I graduated with 2 other guys!)

But, good chemistry classes shouldn't be rote memorization. If it is, one will never actually understand how & why the reactions work.
The Professor

[billyskank]

7. Rote learning got me through my 'A' level chemistry

As I recall, quite a lot of organic chemistry can be worked out on the fly because it follows certain rules, but the only way I could cope with inorganic chemistry was by simply learning lots of reactions by rote. It got me a 'B' in the end, which I was well happy with.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. I Must Learn Differently, billy

Electronic behavior is electronic behavior, so the "rules" are the same. Just the routes change between inorganic and organic! But, i will admit that i tend to be an intuitive learner. And, at some point i just "get" the concepts! No amount of memorization would get me to that point sooner. It might take a minute. It might take a week. So, we must process information differently and what worked for me wouldn't for you, and vice versa.
The Professor

[billyskank]

11. I couldn't grok the rules of inorganic chemistry

I was always more of a physicist. :)

[NNadir]

10. I hate when people say chemistry is memorization.

Chemistry is the most poorly understood of the sciences, and one of the most maligned. It is also the most important sciences. Our entire economy and our entire future is dependent on the chemical sciences - there is no aspect of human life in which an understanding of chemistry does not play a role.

Chemistry is also one of the most beautiful sciences. While one can and must approach it in a systematic, mathematical way - in which memorization should be a necessary but minor peripheral matter - there is incredible art in chemistry. When one is sufficiently capable one can and should look at some organic synthesis - say a historical synthesis by R. B. Woodward - and be awestruck with the the creativity, the intellect, the spirit, and the revelation that such a work inspires.

I am always depressed when I walk into a popular bookstore to go to the science section and see popular books on the subject of biology, physics (lots of Einstein and Feynman paens) and almost nothing on the subject of chemistry. (In most bookstores of course, the New Age type sections dwarf the science sections in any case.) On some level, whether people appreciate it or not, this is tragic.

[KitchenWitch]

14. Second semester of General Chem for me was mechanism based

and a lot of equations...first semester was mostly memorization, but it has been a number of years...

Organic just about killed me.

[Jamastiene]

3. Yep, that's precisely what I am doing now.

I finished up last week. Already received my grade report and everything. Now, if I can manage to make the next 2 weeks go by as slowly as the last 4 months of this semester did...

[ncrainbowgrrl]

6. Break a leg!

:hug:

I have a final paper due tomorrow- then I can go back to just doing 3 jobs (2 paid, 1 unpaid) without having anythiing else on my plate for 2 weeks!

[deadparrot]

9. Good luck!

Public speaking (more like debate analysis) for me in less than a half-hour. Bio tomorrow, then finished. :hi:

[NNadir]

12. So how'd it go?

[mtowngman]

15. probably not too bad

although I just realized I messed up one problem about determining the empirical formula of a substance. Other than that, nothing's glaringly wrong that I can think of. Thanks for asking.

[Chemical Bill]

13. I have to say...

something, given my name.;) Good Luck with bio, I hope the chem went well.

Bill