Chem1 Virtual Textbook

Just want to share with you site that cover elementary electrochemistry in somewhat greater depth than is found in standard textbooks, but at a level still suitable for first-year college and advanced high school courses. We really love this site because it has concept map for each of subtopic that can summarize all the concept for this topic. Take your time to surf this site and we know you are going to love it. :) 

Here is the link to the site: All about electrochemistry

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How To Learn Chemistry Fast?

Plan To Learn Chemistry Fast

The first step is to determine exactly how long you have to learn chemistry. You'll need a lot more discipline to learn chemistry in a day compared with a week or a month. Also, keep in mind you won't have great retention if you cram chemistry in a day or a week. Ideally you want a month or longer to master any course. If you do end up cramming chemistry, expect to review the material if you need to apply it to a higher level chemistry course or remember it for a test further down the road.

A Word About Chemistry Lab

If you can do labwork, that's fantastic, because the hands-on learning will reinforce the concepts. However, labs take time, so most likely you'll miss this segment. Keep in mind labs are required for some situations. If you are doing labs, check how long they take to perform before getting starting. Some labs take less than an hour start-to-finish, while others might take hours, days or weeks. Pick short exercises, whenever possible. Supplement book learning with videos, which are readily available online.

Gather Your Materials

You can use any chemistry textbook, but some are better than others for fast learning. Avoid dumbed-down books because you'll get the illusion that you learned chemistry, but won't master the topic.

Make a Plan

Don't be haphazard and just dive in, expecting success in the end! Make a plan, record your progress and stick to it.

1. Divide your time. If you have a book, figure out how many chapters you're going to cover and how much time you have. For example, you may study and learn three chapters a day. It may be a chapter an hour. Whatever it is, write it out so you can track your progress.
2. Get started! Check off what you accomplish. Maybe reward yourself after pre-determined points. You know better than anyone else what it will take to get you to get the job done. It may be self-bribes. It may be fear of an impending deadline. Find what works for you and apply it.
3. If you fall behind, try to catch up right away. You might not be able to double your work, but it's easier to catch up as fast as possible rather than have the studying snowball out of control.
4. Support your study with healthy habits. Make sure you get some sleep, even if it's in the form of naps. You need sleep to process new information. Try to eat nutritious food. Get some exercise. Take walks or work out during breaks. It's important to switch gears every so often and get your mind off chemistry. It may feel like wasted time, but it's not. You'll learn more quickly if you take brief breaks than if you just study, study, study. However, don't let yourself get sidetracked where you don't get back to chemistry. Set and keep limits regarding time away from your learning.

Helpful Tips

• Try to review prior material. Even if it's just a quick review, planning a set amount of time to go over old material will help you retain it.
• Work through problems. At the very least, make sure you can work example problems. If you have time (days or weeks instead of hours), work problems. Working problems is the best way to truly learn how to apply the concepts.
• Take notes. Writing down important points helps you learn the information.
• Recruit a study buddy. A partner can help keep you motivated, plus you can offer each other support and put your heads together when you encounter hard problems or challenging concepts.

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Failing Chemistry - What to Do if You Are Failing Chemistry

Are you failing chemistry? Don't panic. Here's a look at what you can do and how you can make the best of the situation and possibly turn it around.






What Not to Do
First, let's take a look at how not to handle the situation. You may view failing chemistry as the end of the world, but how you react could actually make a bad situation worse, so don't do these things:

• Panic
• Cheat
• Threaten your instructor.
• Attempt to bribe your instructor.
• Give up.
• Do nothing.

Steps to Take

• Talk to Your Instructor
  This should be the very first thing you do because nearly all of the options for minimizing the damage involve your teacher. Discuss your options. Is there any way you can pass? The answer to this question is almost always 'yes' since most chemistry classes end with comprehensive exams that are worth a ton of points. Most classes, especially at the middle school and high school level, are intended to allow for mistakes, since the point of the class is to teach you the material and not to weed you out. Most general chemistry classes in college are the same way, though there may be less opportunity to make up for a bad beginning. Ask about extra work. Ask about extra credit. Ask if there is any chance to re-do past assignments. Teachers usually respect an honest effort, even if you made a late start of it. If you are willing to work for the passing grade, there is almost always something you can do.
• Keep Doing Your Homework
  Or start doing your homework, if that is part of the problem. Digging yourself in deeper is not going to help you.
• Keep Attending Lectures and Labs
  Or start going, if you haven't been attending. Showing up makes a difference.
• Take Notes
  Write down whatever the instructor puts on the board. Try to write down what is said. If your teacher takes the time to write something out for you, it is because that information is important.
• Get Someone Else's Notes
  Part of your problem may have to do with your skill at taking notes. Studying your own notes strengthens the connection between what you experienced in class and what you are learning, but studying someone else's notes gives you a different perspective and may help you identify important concepts that you overlooked.
• Try a Different Text
  Your instructor should be able to recommend a different text that you can read in addition to the one you are using. Sometimes concepts 'click' when they are explained differently. Many textbooks come with outlines that instructors use to prepare notes. Ask if those outlines are available for your text.
• Work Problems
  Problems and calculations are a big part of chemistry. The more problems you work, the more comfortable you will become with the concepts. Work examples from your book, examples from other books... any problems you can find.

How to Fail Gracefully

Everyone fails. How you handle failure is important for several reasons, but with respect to chemistry it affects your academic future.

• Consider Withdrawing
  If you either don't want to put forth the effort required to turn your grade around or else can't avert failure, see if you can withdraw from the class. In some cases you may be able to drop the class without having any negative marks made on your academic record. No grade may be better than a bad grade, since a bad grade will work into your grade point average.
• Consider Staying in Class
  If you can't avert the failure no matter what, you may be tempted to just walk away. That may be fine if you never have to see chemistry again, but if you need to pass the class at some point, you may want to stick it out for lectures and labs so that you will be better-prepared the next time you face the material. You may not think you are learning anything, but chances are, some of what you read and hear will stick. If you are withdrawing from class, discuss remaining in class (not for a grade) with your instructor.
• Exit Gracefully
  Don't say or do anything you might regret later, no matter how tempting it may be at the time.

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How do I learn Chemistry?

If you have been asking yourself this question, then these tips and strategies are for you! Chemistry has a reputation as being a difficult subject to master, but there are steps you can take to improve your chances of success.

The Hype Versus Reality

You may have heard that chemistry, particularly organic chemistry, is a weed-out or flunk-out course, intended to keep students who aren't serious about their education from going on to the next level. That is not the case at the high school level or for college general chemistry or introductory chemistry. However, chemistry class may be the first time you've had to learn how to memorize or work problems. It is true that you will need to master these skills to proceed with an education in the sciences.

Organic chemistry requires much more memorization. It is considered a weed-out course for pre-med or pre-vet in the sense that you'll need to memorize much more to be successful in those fields than you'll encounter in organic. If you find you truly hate memorization, then those fields of study may not be for you. However, students who are taking organic so that they can become doctors or vets usually feel the memorization that is more directly related to their field of study is more interesting and therefore easier to remember than organic functional groups.

Common Learning Traps

No matter how you learn, these are traps that will make learning chemistry difficult:

• Assuming the learning style that worked in other classes will work for chemistry. Be flexible and willing to change your approach to learning.
• Thinking you can cram chemistry the night before the exam. You can't!
• Assuming understanding a problem means you can work it. This is like assuming you can speak a foreign language based on understanding a conversation.

How to Learn Chemistry?

The key to learning chemistry is to take responsibility for your own learning. No one can learn chemistry for you.

1. Read the Text Before Class... or at least skim it. If you know what is going to be covered in class you'll be in a better position to identify trouble spots and ask questions that will help you to understand the material. You do have a text, right? If not, get one! It is possible to learn chemistry on your own, but if you attempt this, you're going to need some sort of written material as a reference.
2. Work Problems. Studying problems until you understand them is not the same as being able to work them. If you can't work problems, you don't understand chemistry. It's that simple! Start with example problems. When you think you understand an example, cover it up and work it on paper yourself. Once you have mastered the examples, try other problems. This is potentially the hardest part of chemistry, because it requires time and effort. However, this is the best way to truly learn chemistry.
3. Do Chemistry Daily. If you want to be good at something, you have to practice it. This is true of music, sports, video games, science... everything! If you review chemistry every day and work problems every day, you'll find a rhythm that will make it easier to retain the material and learn new concepts. Don't wait until the weekend to review chemistry or allow several days to pass between study sessions. Don't assume class time is sufficient, because it isn't. Make time to practice chemistry outside of class.

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What is chemistry?

Chemistry is the study of matter and energy and the interactions between them. This is also the definition for physics, by the way. Chemistry and physics are specializations of physical science. Chemistry tends to focus on the properties of substances and the interactions between different types of matter, particularly reactions that involve electrons. Physics tends to focus more on the nuclear part of the atom, as well as the subatomic realm. Really, they are two sides of the same coin.

The formal definition of chemistry is probably what you want to use if you're asked this question on a test.

Why study chemistry?

Because understanding chemistry helps you to understand the world around you. Cooking is chemistry. Everything you can touch or taste or smell is a chemical. When you study chemistry, you come to understand a bit about how things work. Chemistry isn't secret knowledge, useless to anyone but a scientist. It's the explanation for everyday things, like why laundry detergent works better in hot water or how baking soda works or why not all pain relievers work equally well on a headache. If you know some chemistry, you can make educated choices about everyday products that you use.

What Fields of Study Use Chemistry?

You could use chemistry in most fields, but it's commonly seen in the sciences and in medicine. Chemists, physicists, biologists, and engineers study chemistry. Doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, and veterinarians all take chemistry courses. Science teachers study chemistry. Fire fighters and people who make fireworks learn about chemistry. So do truck drivers, plumbers, artists, hairdressers, chefs... the list is extensive.

What Do Chemists Do?

Whatever they want. Some chemists work in a lab, in a research environment, asking questions and testing hypotheses with experiments. Other chemists may work on a computer developing theories or models or predicting reactions. Some chemists do field work. Others contribute advice on chemistry for projects. Some chemists write. Some chemists teach. The career options are extensive.

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What Is the Difference Between Baking Soda & Baking Powder?

Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to 'rise'. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is puresodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake recipes which call for baking soda immediately, or else they will fall flat!

Baking Powder

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven.

How Are Recipes Determined?

Some recipes call for baking soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the other ingredients in the recipe. The ultimate goal is to produce a tasty product with a pleasing texture. Baking soda is basic and will yield a bitter taste unless countered by the acidity of another ingredient, such as buttermilk. You'll find baking soda in cookie recipes. Baking powder contains both an acid and a base and has an overall neutral effect in terms of taste. Recipes that call for baking powder often call for other neutral-tasting ingredients, such as milk. Baking powder is a common ingredient in cakes and biscuits.

Substituting in Recipes

You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda (you'll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you can't use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking soda by itself lacks the acidity to make a cake rise. However, you can make your own baking powder if you have baking soda and cream of tartar. Simply mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.

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Why does ice float?

A substance floats if it is less dense, or has less mass per unit volume, than other components in a mixture. For example, if you toss a handful of rocks into a bucket of water, the rocks, which are dense compared to the water, will sink. The water, which is less dense than the rocks, will float. Basically, the rocks push the water out of the way, or displace it. For an object to be able to float, it has to displace a weight of fluid equal to its own weight.

Water reaches its maximum density at 4°C (40°F). As it cools further and freezes into ice, it actually becomes less dense. On the other hand, most substances are most dense in their solid (frozen) state than in their liquid state. Water is different because of hydrogen bonding.

A water molecule is made from one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, strongly joined to each other with covalent bonds. Water molecules are also attracted to each other by weaker chemical bonds (hydrogen bonds) between the positively-charged hydrogen atoms and the negatively-charged oxygen atoms of neighboring water molecules. As water cools below 4°C, the hydrogen bonds adjust to hold the negatively charged oxygen atoms apart. This produces a crystal lattice, which is commonly known as 'ice'.

Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. In other words, ice takes up about 9% more space than water, so a liter of ice weighs less than a liter water. The heavier water displaces the lighter ice, so ice floats to the top. One consequence of this is that lakes and rivers freeze from top to bottom, allowing fish to survive even when the surface of a lake has frozen over. If ice sank, the water would be displaced to the top and exposed to the colder temperature, forcing rivers and lakes to fill with ice and freeze solid.

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Is there really a Chemistry of love?

I don't think there are any magic love potions that you can use to make someone fall in love, but chemistry does play an important role in how a relationship progresses. First, there's attraction. Nonverbal communication plays a big part in initial attraction and some of this communication may involve pheromones, a form of chemical communication. Did you know that raw lust is characterized by high levels of testosterone? 

The sweaty palms and pounding heart of infatuation are caused by higher than normal levels of norepinepherine. Meanwhile, the 'high' of being in love is due to a rush of phenylethylamine and dopamine. All is not lost once the honeymoon is over. Lasting love confers chemical benefits in the form of stabilized production of serotonin and oxytocin. Can infidelity be blamed on chemistry? Perhaps in part. Researchers have found that suppression of vasopressin can cause males (voles, anyway) to abandon their love nest and seek new mates. Hey, you gotta have chemistry!

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What are elements in humans body?

Most of the human body is made up of water, H₂O, with cells consisting of 65-90% water by weight. Therefore, it isn't surprising that most of a human body's mass is oxygen. Carbon, the basic unit for organic molecules, comes in second. 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of just six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. You may also wish to view the element composition of an average human body by mass.

1. Oxygen (65%) 
2. Carbon (18%) 
3. Hydrogen (10%) 
4. Nitrogen (3%) 
5. Calcium (1.5%) 
6. Phosphorus (1.0%) 
7. Potassium (0.35%) 
8. Sulfur (0.25%) 
9. Sodium (0.15%) 
10. Magnesium (0.05%) 
11. Copper, Zinc, Selenium, Molybdenum, Fluorine, Chlorine, Iodine, Manganese, Cobalt, Iron (0.70%) 
12. Lithium, Strontium, Aluminum, Silicon, Lead, Vanadium, Arsenic, Bromine (trace amounts) 

Reference: H. A. Harper, V. W. Rodwell, P. A. Mayes, Review of Physiological Chemistry, 16th ed., Lange Medical Publications, Los Altos, California 1977.

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