I need a good source of Gen Chem practice

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

dcolon_et06

Premed
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2006
Messages
71
Reaction score
0
Hey. Ive been having a slightly rough time in my chem class lately and have been thinking about getting some extra help. I just recently lost my text book (there goes $130 :mad: ) and have been in the area to buy a new text but a different one. Can any of you recommend me a good General Chemistry text that you thought did the job when you had the class? I want something that can hopefully give a thorough explanation of the topics covered. Im more of a visual learner so hopefully something that has example diagrams and pictures that help explain the topic. Last, it has to have good explanations and examples (hopefully a breakdown) of the type of questions one will encounter in a certain topic.

Last, I know that practice problems are usually the key to a successful grade in the class for those who struggle. Does anyone know of a good source that provides lots of practice problems that also include a detailed breakdown of the question when answering it? The book we currently use now only gives maybe 1 or 2 broken down problems per topic and as said before, I'm a visual learner and I learn best by example. Its discouraging when I have to ask the professor or a tutor for help, and they simply try to get me to think about how I would approach every step to a problem. If I knew how to approach it, I would have done it already :p. Seeing problems fully answered and broken down step by step similar to what we are covering in class at the time would help soo much.

We are currently covering thermodynamics and I'm getting hammered because I just cant seem to visualize the process of which I will answer the questions let alone the way the equations work. Last chapter was Gases and it was pretty easy because I understood what the questions were asking and were able to visualise what steps I would need and what equations to plug in.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I think all text-books are complicated as hell... Thats why the profess. is there to explain em.. There are, however, "Chemistry books for Dummies." Its a part of the Dummies line of books.. You can find them for virtually all subjects: Org. Chem, Physics, etc.. Take a look at some of them, see what you think.
 
We use "Chemistry: The Central Science" in our general chem class. I really like it because the practice problems are broken down into a step by step process, which really helps me. I prefer to learn things in a step by step process.

If you need practice problems, my school's chemistry department posts "Problems of the Day" every other day for our chemistry students. Here is a link:

http://www.chem.uncc.edu/courses/1251/ProblemsOfTheDay/
 
Members don't see this ad :)
My school uses General Chemisty (Ebbing, Gammon) 8th edition and it is an extremely helpful text. Mainly I just read the book once and then do every practice problem at the end of the chapter and helps so much. I did very well on my first test as well because most of the problems I encountered were straight from the book. And, I don't goto any slouch of a school either.
 
thanks for the replies. any more out there?
 
We used Chemistry: Matter and Its Changes by James E. Brady. The book is very easy to read.
 
zumdahl (not sure if the 'h' is in the right place) is considered good. Not by me, the order is funky.
 
zumdahl (not sure if the 'h' is in the right place) is considered good. Not by me, the order is funky.

Yeah the chapters are all messed up, things that should have been in the start are at the end.
 
Theres books that come with a cd-rom or a access code to get extra help through the internet. My professor uses Chemistry the molecular science book. It comes with the main text book and a student soultions manual which shows each step of solving problems. Does your professor hand out pratice problems not from the book?
 
Petrucci and Zumdahl have good General Chemistry textbooks with lots of problems. If I had to choose between the two I'd go for Zumdahl.
 
=ncguy2005;4249435]We use "Chemistry: The Central Science" in our general chem class. I really like it because the practice problems are broken down into a step by step process, which really helps me. I prefer to learn things in a step by step process.
Same here.
 
We use "Chemistry: The Central Science" in our general chem class. I really like it because the practice problems are broken down into a step by step process, which really helps me. I prefer to learn things in a step by step process.

Same here.
 
Top