HEllo

well i didnt know where to post this topic so sorry if it in wrong ssection
i am taking gen chem right now and taking o chem in summer my recent teacher is not so great she mostly talks and whatever..so i just wanted to know what are most important things i need from gen. chem to do good in o chem

and if u took calc based pyhsics how was it? ppl are scaring me abt this class i dont really have any other physics yet but i wana go stright to calc based
is it really that bad? and if u have taken it can u help me like what should i know before statring the class?
thanyou in advance

Physics is physics, algebra based covers the same material, only it's a little clumbsy (no derivatives!). If you've taken Calculus you'll be fine. However, be aware that calc based physics is aimed primarily at engineering students so it might be a tad more rigorous.

For Ochem, my humble opinion is that you need to know very little from general chem to do well in the class. I think having a strong understanding of acid/base relationships helped me in Ochem II, however I think you could easily pick that up as you were taking the class. Try and remember the traits of the elements as you move around the periodic table in terms of size and electronegativity, that really has helped me understand bond strengths and related concepts. Just be prepared to read and work ALOT of problems, I really think that's the key, whenever I get lazy and don't work ALL the suggested problems my grade suffers for it. I think the same is true for physics, just do the work, ALL the work and you'll be fine. :luck:

I guess bonding and element properties are the most important things. But really ochem is off on its own from gen chem.

When I was a TA for gen chem, a student told me that she somehow already took OChem and did fine, while she was having trouble with gen chem.

When I was a TA for gen chem, a student told me that she somehow already took OChem and did fine, while she was having trouble with gen chem.


wow and i thought gen chem was pretty ok

You want to know your atomic orbital hybridizations (VESPR theory- sp, sp2, sp3) for Orgo 1, because the shape of molecules plays an enourmous role in compound synthesis and stereochemistry.

Understand equilibria and Le Chatelier's principle.

Understand the intermolecular forces. Understand why (in general) polar solvents dissolve polar solutes, and non-polar solvents dissolve non-polar solutes.

As was previously mentioned, acid and base chemistry is vital.

You will encounter some molecular orbital theory in UV spectroscopy in Organic 2 (sigma, sigma*, pi, pi*).

When I was a TA for gen chem, a student told me that she somehow already took OChem and did fine, while she was having trouble with gen chem.

i have the same thing :) i took both orgos, LOVED IT (yes, seriously),
but gen_chem is killing me. im retaking inorganic || right now n it all doesnt make any sense, esp. after orgo. too much calculations and unexplained theories, n "you wil understand it later" involved .. gen_chem is definately not my thing))

thanx everyone

i have the same thing :) i took both orgos, LOVED IT (yes, seriously),
but gen_chem is killing me. im retaking inorganic || right now n it all doesnt make any sense, esp. after orgo. too much calculations and unexplained theories, n "you wil understand it later" involved .. gen_chem is definately not my thing))
:) :D

Buy a molecular model kit....it helps a lot! :thumbup:

i have the same thing :) i took both orgos, LOVED IT (yes, seriously),
but gen_chem is killing me. im retaking inorganic || right now n it all doesnt make any sense, esp. after orgo. too much calculations and unexplained theories, n "you wil understand it later" involved .. gen_chem is definately not my thing))

i loved ochem too! :D