Understanding Rather Than Memorising
William James said: The essence of genius is to know what to overlook. We cannot agree more! You have to be selective with what you memorise. When we study, efforts should focus on understanding concepts rather than memorising every last detail. Once we have gathered the important facts, we can implement this selective memory method. But remember, under no circumstances should memorisation replace understanding.https://www.examtime.com//p/117192-Chemistry-Facts-mind_maps?frame=true
Tip #: Pick Your Battles
The chemistry syllabus is pretty content heavy, and lots of it is very complex content that requires more understanding than memorisation.
Theres also things like answer structure and exam technique the can help you gain marks. The only problem is, its too late for lots of that now.
You cant teach yourself this amount of content with the level of understanding you need in one night, and you cant make any drastic shifts in the way you answer questions. This may sound pretty bleak, but its important to stay realistic.
Chemistry cramming cant solve all your problems. If you try to do everything tonight, youre going to burn out and go into your exam tomorrow flustered, tired and unprepared.
So you have to use your time wisely make the changes that you can make.
Similarly, remember to stick to your guns!
You know what you know, so when youre standing outside the exam hall with 10 minutes left, and you hear two people bickering over what an acid is or something, dont let what they say derail you. Have confidence in what youve learned!
Understanding Rather Than Memorizing
You must be specific about what you remember. When we examine, endeavors should concentrate on understanding ideas instead of memorizing every detail. When we have assembled the imperative certainties, we can actualize this particular memory strategy. Be that as it may, recollect, by no means should memorization supplant understanding.
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Ap Chemistry Test Section : Free Response
The free response section includes both long- and short-answer questions. These test all six skills that are taught in the course: argumentation, mathematical routines, models and representations, representing data and phenomena, model analysis, and question and method.
Details:
- 3 long-answer questions, 10 points each
- 4 short-answer questions, 4 points each
- Worth 50% of total exam score
- A scientific or graphing calculator is recommended
Knowledge And Skills Required

The exam contains approximately 75 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored.
Questions on the Chemistry exam require candidates to demonstrate one or more of the following abilities:
- Recall: remember specific facts demonstrate straightforward knowledge of information and familiarity with terminology
- Application: understand concepts and reformulate information into other equivalent terms apply knowledge to unfamiliar and/or practical situations use mathematics to solve chemistry problems
- Interpretation: infer and deduce from data available and integrate information to form conclusions recognize unstated assumptions
The subject matter of the Chemistry exam is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the main topics indicate the approximate percentage of exam questions on that topic.
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Best And Worst Study Tips For Organic Chemistry As A Pre
Vanshika Goyal
DANGER WARNING!
Organic chemistry has been known to destroy the GPAs of countless pre-meds. If you donât treat it with caution, you are setting yourself up to suffer the same fate. This subject is easily one of the most challenging of all the medical school prerequisites, and it requires meticulous preparation.
Learning ochem is like learning a new language. You have to train your mind to piece together information in a way that is completely foreign to you. It takes consistent practice, sharp skills, and undying commitment. You canât decide the night before the test that youâre finally going to unlock the treasure chest of ochem secrets. They need your time and attention to work their magic on the day of the exam.
Luckily, I saved you the hard work of having to discover the secrets yourself. Use our best and worst organic chemistry tips to plan an effective study schedule and guarantee yourself an A!
Read Before The Lecture
If someone were to tell me that only 10% of a General Chemistry class made an A, I would tell them that 90% of the class wasnt reading the material before the lecture. In fact, most college students NEVER do this. If you want an advantage over other students, this is a great tip for any class. Not just General Chemistry.
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Drill The Details With Flashcards
Once you have a good understanding of the general structure of the AP exam, the type of content youll be covering, and you have a study schedule, you should focus on truly mastering the material. One fantastic tool for this is flashcards.
Brainscape offers a set of nearly 700 AP Chemistry flashcards to help you study for the AP Chem test. Unlike traditional flashcards, Brainscape uses an adaptive learning algorithm based on cognitive science that can accelerate your learning by helping you focus on the precise areas on which you need to improve.
The Brainscape AP Chemistry flashcard collection helps you learn information in the following categories, which cover all the different subjects in the AP Chem test.
- Descriptive Chemistry
- Laboratory Rules
Plus, it reminds you of general strategies that can help you on test day .
Review And Study Material Before Going To Class
In a traditional learning model, students arrive at class, the instructor introduces the material, expounds on relevant concepts, assigns follow up readings and assignments, and ends class. Students are then expected to go home, review their class notes, attempt to complete assigned readings and assignments, actually learn what was taught in class , come to class the following week with any questions they have from the previous lecture, and be ready to move on and explore new material and concepts. The problem with this model is that it’s ineffective, especially with subjects and material that are challenging to learn.
Studying your chemistry assignments, readings, and material before going to each class is one of the most effective strategies for learning chemistry.
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Ways To Prepare For Chemistry Exams
In this day and age, we are well acquainted with the notion of studying hard. But how many of us know how to study smart? The art of studying has become a lost art of sorts. The true key to getting good grades is not just studying hard, it is studying smart.
Therefore, we at Bright Culture want to share with you our top 4 tips to prepare for chemistry exams. We have developed a methodical approach to studying chemistry that we believe will be effective for your child. Practice these tips and you will do better for your chemistry exams!
Lets dive right in!
Tip #: Logbooks And Reviewing Mistakes
Make a summary or error logbook of each VCE Chemistry exam that you do right after youve finished the exam. You should find yourself spending equally as much if not more time correcting and learning from an exam, as it takes to actually do it!
Especially when you start out youll be following a bit of an 80/20 rule.20% of the time actually spent doing the exam 80% learning from it. You will find that the first time you do an exam, it might take you over 3 days, just because of how long it is, and how much content you can learn from a single exam. The best method I found to do this was,when starting out, to consult the textbook to learn/confirm your knowledge every time you did a question.
Therefore, what I apply even in my own exam preparation nowadays is to: read the question answer the question consult my textbook answer the question again consult the examiners report/answer guide make notes on anything to improve.
Another major thing is also to make sure that when reviewing mistakes, you are reviewing the entire topic rather than just solely what the question is asking. For example, if the question is about methanol fuel cells, and youve gotten it wrong, when you review the topic, you dont just review methanol fuel cells, you review fuel cells in general, and if need be, even the whole area of redox and cells. Whilst reviewing specifics is great, reviewing the full topic helps to identify foundational cracks in your knowledge.
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Is The Ap Chemistry Exam Hard
The AP Chemistry Exam is by no means easy, but it can be made manageable with proper practice and preparation. A strong understanding of mathematics and prior experience with chemistry is recommended in order to master the great amount of qualitative and quantitative information that is covered over the span of the course.
To be successful in AP Chemistry you will also need to hone your critical thinking skills. The exam now emphasizes higher level thinking skills that go beyond memorization such as visualization, mathematical reasoning, data analysis and contextual understanding.
How To Pass Chemistry In College

Chemistry is one of the hardest subjects for students to learn. However, with proper study habits, you will be able to succeed in your classes and achieve a high-grade point average. To help you out, here are some tips on how to pass chemistry in school.
The first thing that you should do when studying is to make sure that you understand all the concepts that you need to know. You can use an online tutorial or textbook.
It is important that you understand what you are learning because it will help you prepare better for tests and quizzes. When taking notes, you should write down everything that you read so that you will not forget anything.
You should also practice your time management skills. Make sure that you have enough time to study. If you only have half an hour left before class, then you should spend two hours studying instead of just one. This way, you will get more done and be less stressed.
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Dont Forget To Take An Acs Practice Exam
I hope these 7 ACS Exam Tips really help you this semester. Many Chemistry Students go into taking the exam without any preparation on taking it. Even if you dont study for the ACS Exam , these ACS Exam tips for Chemistry Students will still help significantly.
Thank you guys so much for reading this article, or watching the video above! Good luck on studying and on taking your ACS Exam.
P.S. Dont forget that we have ACS PRACTICE EXAMS with VIDEO SOLUTIONS
Take Advantage Of Lab Time
When it comes to understanding and learning chemistry, there is no substitute for hands-on experience, and there is no better way to get this experience than by attending chemistry labs. Take every opportunity presented to work in the lab. Working through chemistry problems and conducting chemistry experiments in a practical environment will strengthen your understanding and knowledge of chemistry.
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Make A Study Schedule
Students usually skip this, but it’s essential. The best way to study efficientlyto maximize your time and not go crazy studying every moment of every dayis to be organized.
Create a study schedule. Map out your time, including what you need to study and by when. This includes creating goals for when you’ll have mastered each subject. it also includes when you have free time so you don’t get burned out.
Not sure where to start? Check out this video to give you a model.
How Is The Ap Chemistry Exam Structured
Like other AP tests, the AP Chemistry exam has two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. On both sections, you will have access to a periodic table of the elements as well as a chart listing any formulas and constants you might need for your calculations.
Here is a brief overview of the multiple-choice section on AP Chemistry:
- Number of Questions: 60 questions with four answer choices each
- Time: One hour and 30 minutes
- Scoring: Worth 50% of your total AP Chemistry score
- Calculator Use: Prohibited
Be aware that some of these questions will exist as a part of question groups , whereas others will stand on their own.
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Physical Properties Of Carbon Dioxide
CO2 naturally exists in the gaseous form. Its molar mass is 44gmol-1. It has a melting point of -55.6oC. I.e., it exists in the solid form below this temperature. In the solid form, it is known as dry ice, and it should not be handled with utmost care as it can cause damage to the skin. It is a linear and covalent molecule that is slightly soluble in water. As the temperature increases, the solubility in water decreases.
In gaseous form, it is colourless and odourless. It has a sour taste. It is a dense gas, with a density of 1.977gmL-1. Due to this, it is heavier than air and can displace oxygen. It is acidic in nature and forms a weak acid called carbonic acid when dissolved in water. It can turn blue litmus paper red.
The gas is non-flammable, making it especially useful for applications in fire extinguishers. The presence of oxygen is crucial for combustion to take place. Carbon dioxide in fire extinguishers cuts the supply of oxygen from the fuel source due to which fire is doused.
O2 + CH4 CO2 + H2O
In high concentrations, it is toxic to humans and has a pungent odour. When exposed to pure carbon dioxide, the person collapses and eventually dies when they are unable to get oxygen. At low concentrations, however, it is relatively non-toxic and odourless.
Practice Experiments And Problems Daily
The fundamentals to learning and understanding basic chemistry are practice.
Practicing problems, solving equations, and working formulas should be the fundamental study pattern for your daily study routine.
Similar to subjects like English and Mathematics, chemistry requires regular attention and practice to excel.
It would help if you spent approximately an hour every day studying chemistry and brushing up your knowledge base to stay ahead of the class.
Moreover, other practices like regular evaluation, assignments, and experiments are the most straightforward ways to understand your learning gap and improve yourself before the following assessment.
When solving chemistry experiments, try not to look at the answer key unless you are not able to solve the problem or you are totally surprised.
The best way to solve complex chemical equations is to keep looking for a solution.
Ask for help from friends or teachers and ask them to explain to you how it happened.
It will not only solve the equation at hand but also provide you with an understanding of the concept and help you solve many more equations.
Lastly, be consistent with your practice. If you got a wrong answer, do it again on pen and paper until you are able to solve it correctly.
When solving the problem, focus on each step and understand the equations.
Once a problem is solved, find other issues that fit the category and solve them until you are entirely confident of your knowledge.
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When Should I Start Studying For Ap Exams
The sooner you can start studying for the AP exams, the more time you will have to practice strategies that can help you ace them. Typically, students start reviewing content 1 to 3 months before the AP test and switch to taking practice exams closer to the exam date. When determining the timing of your AP exam study plan, remember:
- It will take time to collect and organize review materials and to make a study schedule.
- The time it takes you to review the concepts covered throughout the course will be based on your study strategy. If you need to watch videos to relearn the concepts, you need to give yourself more time to study.
- You want to spend at least two weeks before the test day taking practice exams and identifying concepts that need more practice.
The more time you give yourself to study for your AP exams, the less time you will need to devote to studying each day, and the more likely you will retain the material.
In the next section of this AP study guide, there are examples of a 2-week, 1-month, or 3-month AP exam study plan.
Read All Parts Of The Question

The short and the long AP Chemistry questions have several parts. Read all the parts before you start answering and think about how they might be related . If any part asks you to answer a question based on your results to the previous parts, be sure to actually use your prior results to answer. If you couldnt do one of the previous parts, make up an answer and explain what you would have done.
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Seek Out Additional Help
There are three great avenues for getting help on any material youre still struggling with. The first is your professors office hours. Every professor will have some designated time during the week that they see students and help them with questions. Utilize this resource. Although some professors are notoriously swamped with students seeking help, I had many teachers throughout my college career express how few students came by every week. You have no excuse not to go see your teacher if you need help with something. Not only is it their job to teach you, but a good professor will instruct you in a way thats conducive to how they think which means you will learn the exact way to answer a problem for a question they created. I had a calculus professor one time who would ask incredibly difficult questions on the exam that in no way resembled what we were doing in the textbook or homework assignments. I started attending his office hours and quickly learned his thinking process, which became a great aid in solving the questions I encountered later on in the exam.
No matter what resource you utilize, theres no shame in asking for help. When you get your final grade at the end of the semester you dont want to look back with regret on not getting the help you needed.