Several students have asked me in the last few years, “What can I do this summer to get ready for Chem 201 next fall?”
A perfectly reasonable question, and one that deserves an instructive response. But I hesitate to answer. Why? (more…)
Several students have asked me in the last few years, “What can I do this summer to get ready for Chem 201 next fall?”
A perfectly reasonable question, and one that deserves an instructive response. But I hesitate to answer. Why? (more…)
The first 5 or 6 weeks of Chem 201 races through a lot of material you covered in Chem 101/102. In particular, we discuss,
All of these topics should look at least a little familiar, but how well will you recall and (even more important) be able to use them next fall? One simple way to make sure you get off to a good start in Chem 201 is to review these key topics from 101/102.
Here is a detailed list of topics that you can use to guide your 101/102 review. It includes a large number of pointers regarding key facts, skills, and explanations. To put it another way, it’s a long list so don’t let it overwhelm. Pick-and-choose a few topics for summer study, and we will get the rest of it in 201. (Note: my other two summer review suggestions also cover some of the material on this list.)
(added 8 Aug, 2019) An alternative to my detailed list exists and that is to dive into a smallish (250 page) book, “Preparation for Organic Chemistry” by I. David Reingold. The book is available in paperback and also in a $9.99 Kindle-friendly version. The author describes the book in this way, “Reviews material from general chemistry that is relevant to organic, set in an organic context”. I haven’t seen more of the book than the Table of Contents, but even that limited topic list overlaps well with the topic list that I give you below.
Chem 101/102 Topics that Apply to Organic Chemistry
Lewis Structures
Molecular Geometry
Resonance Structures (= resonance contributors = resonance forms)
Quantum Mechanical Models of Electronic Structure
Intermolecular Forces
Structure-Energy Correlations
Chemical Equilibria & Concentration
Chemical Reaction Rates (Kinetics)
Organic chemistry is, despite what you may have heard, pretty much the same everywhere, whether MIT or Portland Community College. The courses that science majors and pre-meds take are 2 semesters (3 quarters) long and rely on a commercially produced textbook. There are about a dozen texts to choose from, and they all look pretty much the same: same physical size, same #chapters, same #pages, same content, and (usually) the same topic sequence. (Only the price tag changes!) If this similarity doesn’t persuade you, consider this, the American Chemical Society offers a standardized test for organic chemistry to college professors in order to test their students at the end of the year. (We don’t use this test, but I have no doubt that most of you would do well on it.)
When you think about this degree of standardization, you might guess that just about any college-level material you study will be helpful and you would be exactly right, but as I suggest below, a textbook might not be the best choice for summer work. Instead, I suggest that you find one of the “supplement” style books that I list and work with it instead. Notice that I say, “work,” and not “read.” That’s because all of the supplements are workbooks where you read a little and then do some problems. I think the following two paragraphs (quoted from To the Student in Pushing Electrons) says it best,
“I have only three instructions. First, supply an answer wherever a line appears under a blank space. The correct answer might be a word, a number, a structure, or some arrows. Second, don’t look up the correct answers until you have made a serious try at doing it yourself. Third if you plan to just look up the right answers and transcribe them, return the book and get your money back.
The program uses two effective learning devices: active involvement and repetition. You will participate actively in the learning process. Because so much of the academic experience consists of receiving information, it should be refreshing to work through a program using your own wits. You will see an example of an operation and then carry it out several times as the supporting material is gradually removed. The approach is methodical. Some of you will find that you can accelerate your trip through certain sections. But the program has been written in the hope that none of you will ever feel abandoned. Expect to spend a total of 10 to 14 hours to complete the program.”
4 Books To Consider:
Decisions, decisions. If you have access to only one book (even the textbook), use what you have. If you have access to 2 or 3 supplements, then here’s a way to decide. First, think about time. If you are looking for a small time commitment, choose “Pushing Electrons”. Second, if you are ready to commit to a more substantial summer prep, consider writing style. Read 3-4 pages of “Second Language” and “Arrow Pushing”. Which style meets your needs? Go with that book!