This post is part of a series of learning resources I created for the Parea section of my blog! I hope to inspire genuine curiosity for STEM subjects, as well as help you succeed in them.
Chemistry is considered to be a really difficult high school subject. The concepts are challenging, and some of the units (*cough* gas laws) require a strong conceptual understanding along with some mathematical reasoning.
I think people treat chemistry as a “memorization” subject. In other words, as long as you memorize some formulas/rules you should be fine in the class. And there definitely is some memorization involved. Like, for example, knowing nomenclature, solubility, and reaction rules allows us to become faster at solving more complex problems.
I took Honors Chemistry and then AP Chemistry (an AP course offered by the College Board) the year after. Understanding the concepts was crucial in both classes; yet, in Honors Chemistry, “memorizing” the textbook & lectures (a common approach to studying) may have worked and obtained good grades, as the material was explored at a basic level. Yet, in AP Chemistry, which explored the material more in depth, this approach would not suffice. Rather, the real way to succeed is to visualize each problem or question being presented, and then apply the concepts you know toward addressing it.
This resource will give some tips & resources for success in chemistry class, as well as how to develop a genuine passion for chemistry.
Some General Tips: Studying for a Chemistry Class
A mastery of concepts is crucial toward doing well in chemistry (I’m sure this is something you may have already heard). But what is a “concept”? Is it a definition? A diagram? A theorem? A concept is all of these things, but more broadly, it is an idea. For example, the mechanisms of a buffer solution is a concept; the idea that the concentration of weak acid is equivalent to the concentration of conjugate base can be shown through visualizations and experiments. However, it can take a while to click (for me, buffer solutions only clicked after my chemistry teacher did an experiment involving alka seltzer and sodium hydroxide).
Thus ensuring that this “click” is automatic enables you to apply concepts to different situations (or in this case, different practice problems). As you’re taking a chemistry class, study the concepts throughout the units, then a few days before the test, start doing practice problems (which will vary for each class, but could include AP problems, problems your teacher curates, etc) while also making a quick list of important concepts.
So far I’ve talked about learning concepts; yet, applying them to different questions (such as AP questions) is a whole other challenge. There’s no magic formula for this, and each person develops their own iterative process for this; the best way to develop such a process is to do more practice problems.
Here is a general process that can help, though:
- Read the problem. The most important step. A lot of misunderstandings can arise if you don’t fully grasp the information being presented. Especially in chemistry, drawing a diagram of what’s going on can help you dissect the problem.
- What do I know? Try to relate the problem to what you already know, so that you could figure out what you don’t know. What words in the problem connect to the concepts you already know? This is where having mastery of concepts is extremely helpful. When doing practice problems, this is also a helpful way to identify what concepts you need to study; if you don’t know what terms/vocabulary are used in the problem, then you should brush up on those!
- What don’t I know? Concepts in chemistry build off each other in a logical fashion. Thinking through the concepts you know can help you identify the unknown; this step is where the “problem-solving” aspect comes in, and I don’t have a prescribed process for this, as in this phase, my approach to a problem varies each time. If I know there’s an unknown quantity I need to solve for (i.e. molar mass) I may use dimensional analysis to write an equation based on what I already know about the relationship between mass, moles, and molar mass. If I’m solving for a specific quantity but don’t know multiple quantities, I may try to write a system of equations relating what I know (i.e. this helped when doing a question on reduction potentials). Other times, the problem may be purely conceptual, in that it requires no math at all. Take the true/false statement: “Stirring increases the solubility of a substance.” On first thought, you would be tempted to say true – when we stir salt in water, more dissolves. Yet, this is not the case; temperature affects solubility, while stirring only affects the rate at which dissolving occurs. Knowing exactly what it means to be soluble (the concept) and drawing a diagram to visualize the difference between stirring and solubility (the process) can help break down this common misconception.
- Solve & Finish. In the previous step, a plan for solving a problem was determined. This step is merely just arriving at your answer based on that. A helpful tip – reexamine your answer to see if it makes sense (i.e. if you were supposed to get a positive answer and you got a negative answer, you know you messed up somewhere). Don’t assume that you’re just finished.
The Joy of Chemistry
Chemistry class (especially AP Chem) becomes so much more valuable when a passion exists for the subject. Now not everyone will like chemistry (nor will they want to pursue a career in that field), and that’s okay. However, having a curiosity to learn more will definitely make the class a lot more fulfilling (and I wish that was something schools focused on more). Science is all about inquiry and investigation (that’s how we know what we know now, right?) and that’s how the subject should be learned – though that is not the case everywhere.
Whatever you’re learning in class, try and develop a question to explore the subject further. Chemistry connects to so many areas of life, and personally I enjoyed learning more about chemical reactions and how that is essential to producing many materials and products ranging from foods to medicine. The process of finding the answers to your questions can be pretty rewarding 🙂
Some Resources
Now, here are some resources to help you master chemistry concepts and develop a curiosity for the subject.
Khan Academy’s Chemistry Library was a great resource for both Honors and AP Chem. It includes a variety of videos and articles to help you understand the important concepts. However, there are fewer practice questions, so I would recommend primarily using Khan Academy for understanding the why behind certain theorems & principles in chemistry.
Usually, when I Google a chemistry question I don’t know, I’m pointed to this website; and after I finish reading the article, I have a much better understanding, as well as a few things to think about. The concepts on LibreTexts can get pretty advanced (for higher level chemistry classes) but play around with the resources and animations to get help on what you’re looking for.
This free online chemistry book concisely and thoroughly reviews the necessary chemistry concepts for AP Chem. If I search up something I don’t know, I’m usually pointed to this website.
This is a chemistry channel run by the ACS (American Chemical Society). It shows how chemistry is applied to other facets of life in a non-technical manner, with a particular focus on chemistry research. They also have a magazine, linked here.
Another video to help kindle your interest in chemistry. This channel contains videos on most elements of the periodic table, showing how chemistry is really all around us.
This is probably one of my favorite YouTube channels, and definitely my favorite chemistry channel. When we think of chemistry, we usually think of explosions – after all, that’s the cool part, right? And this channel creates A LOT of explosions (among other cool things!). Yet the chemistry behind it is clearly explained, and after taking Honors & AP Chem, I’ve grown an appreciation for the complex equations/reactions shown, making the subject that more fascinating.
Conclusion
So what’s the key to succeeding in chemistry? Of course it involves hard work, effort, and having a deep understanding of the concepts. But it also involves developing a curiosity for the subject, and I hope this post helped spark a desire to learn more. Wishing you all the best on your chemistry journey!
Note – As I find more resources, I’ll add them here! However, feel free to comment any resources or share your passion for chemistry in the comments below 🙂
