November 28, 2024, 08:36:59 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Organic Chemistry over the Summer  (Read 3446 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Animal1234

  • New Member
  • **
  • Posts: 3
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
Organic Chemistry over the Summer
« on: May 19, 2010, 04:02:45 PM »
I plan on taking a 6 week course over the summer and I was hoping I could get some tips on how to prepare for this course.  I havnt taken general chemistry in over 2 years so I really do need to refresh on some of the basics.

Could you recommend me some of the basic things I should review before starting this course?

Thank You

Offline stewie griffin

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 384
  • Mole Snacks: +61/-7
Re: Organic Chemistry over the Summer
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2010, 06:22:56 PM »
Look at/review the following:
1) Hybridization, double/triple bonds
2) Acid-base reactions (do you remember what Ka is?)
3) Equilibrium (don't need all the math, but you should understand the idea and Le Chatlier's principle)
4) Basic ranking of H, C, O, N, F, Cl, Br, S in terms of their electronegativity
5) Reaction coordinate diagrams (energy diagrams, delta G, activation energy)
I'm not saying you have to know all of this before you start the course... I'm sure you'll go over this stuff again in the class at least as a refresher, if not more in depth. But off the top of my head these are the gen chem ideas that probably are used most in organic class.
Best of luck.

Offline Animal1234

  • New Member
  • **
  • Posts: 3
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
Re: Organic Chemistry over the Summer
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2010, 02:07:03 PM »
Thanks for the list. 

I think reaction coordinate diagram was the only thing I dont remember covering in gen chem.

Anyways, do you have any tips on how to do well in Ochem?  I feel like the professor will try to rush through it in 6 weeks so I need to be somewhat prepared. 

Thanks Again

Offline g-bones

  • Chemist
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 197
  • Mole Snacks: +22/-7
Re: Organic Chemistry over the Summer
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2010, 06:00:37 PM »
maybe try picking up the the textbook before the class begins and give it a read-through.  dont bother trying to master all of the concepts beforehand as that is the point of taking the class as well, just try to get a read over in so that at least things will seem familiar and not everything will become brand new each class.  other than that i would say just keep on top of the reading and coursework and you should be fine.  staying on top of the homework will definitely pound mechanisms into your brain so that, even if something is slightly unfamiliar on an exam, at least you will know how electrons tend to flow.  good luck  :)

Sponsored Links