Is Chemistry II really that important?

[masterMood]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So i have a really $h.tty prof. at mah school, but it's really easy because all i have to do is go to the tutor with a combination of my old tests/quizzes, and i end up with above a 100 average in the class. Only problem is that i don't read anything from the textbook, and most of the time i feel like ahh who gives a damn.

chem I was a lot more productive because it seemed a tad bit more qualitative in nature (more conceptual), whereas chem II is mostely quantitative.

here's a summary of the topics covered in chem II: thermodynamics and reaction spontaneity, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, properties of acids and bases, aqueous solution equilibria, electrochemistry, molecular structure and bonding theories, transition metals and their coordination compounds, and chemical properties of selected elements.

basically i'mt aking 15 credits, but with a combination of never going to chem II class and calc II class, it's like i'm taking 8 credits 😍. I feel like Chem II could really be self-taught in 2-3 days if someone really wanted to (i took chemistry regents/honors, and crammed for the SAT 2 and ended up with a 760, though my average in the chem regents/honors class was 89 ha ha). It also seems like there isn't much difference between chemistry regents and AP Chemistry/college level. So yeah, is chem II one of those that doesn't really matter, just learn b efore you take the mcat?

 

[DrBowtie]

I took it last summer and it was crammed into four weeks. I got one of the highest grades in the class, yet now that I have been prepping for the MCAT I realize I haven't retained it at all.

My advice is spend a little bit more time now to save you time later when you don't have any time to spare.

 

[MEG@COOL]

Caring about chemistry is caring about ones life. If one does not care about chemistry at the undergraduate level then there is absolutely no chance that they will ever care about anything important in the future. You will probably make a horrible doctor.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

My humble opinion: yes, it is worth it to pay attention in Chem II and learn the material properly. I took Chem II in a summer course and, like Brett Bachelor, I didn't retain much of it (especially once the MCAT was over).

I am learning this semester, however, that chemical equilibria, kinetics and free energy, and acid/base concepts will all come right back at you in Biochemistry. Granted, in biochem all the reactions are enzyme catalyzed, but I had to spend several evenings with my trusty LeMay general chem text getting back up to speed - wishing I had paid more attention the first time.

 

[{:(]

I am learning this semester, however, that chemical equilibria, kinetics and free energy, and acid/base concepts

Which school did you go to? We learn most of that first quarter here in a three quarter series. My prof does ch. 21 in Zumdahl (nuclear chemistry) first quarter as a bonus because he is a jerk off who likes to use his class as a political platform. Actually on second thought, your school is probably doing it right, making my professor just crazy.

 

[masterMood]

my reasoning is that the textbook goes way too much indepth than is necessary to conceptually understand the material, and I've realized that when a person understands something after reading a textbook they remember a few key points. So i've been looking at the sparknotes guide on chemistry (online for free) http://www.sparknotes.com/chemistry/ and it does a pretty damn good job explaining the concepts.

I think the biggest analogy is mathematics. You could've understood the material by reading the textbook and trying to weed out what's important and what's not, but the review guides usually tend to give you all that's necessary. Downside to this is that it doesn't prepare you to actually reading textbooks and getting used to it

 

[Dov]

Pointless!?... You're gonna need it for the MCATS. Also, the concepts are key and will appear again in advanced bio courses (i.e. biochem) and physics. Just learn them now.

 

[Heimerfink]

A) you need a firm understanding of the material for MCATS not just the memorized version you can learn in 2 days.

B) Don't most med schools require this class as a prereq?

 

[omega_703]

Cool, I'm also taking Chem II and Cal II. Honestly, I find Chem II more fun than Chem I. Chem I for me was rather boring. Chem II is mostly about understanding the formulas and the relationships between the variables. After that, it's all a game of "plugging in".

I agree that Chem II material could be learned in a few days, but it surely helps to take time to truly absorb the material. Plus, try enjoying it. We usually do better when we view something as a game, rather than a chore.

 

[Lindyhopper]

Work through the problems in EKs 1001 questions in every topic covered in class. 👍 Post any questions on their website Forum. PhDs will give thoughtful answers.
If you can do their problems, you will understand the material, do well in the course, & be prepared for the mcat.

 

[SeventhSon]

chem2 stuff is cool because once it clicks (how equilibrium works in terms of reaction rates, etc.) you never forget it. The key was putting the time in the first time to scratch beneath the surface.

 

[RayhanS1282]

Chemistry II has all that electrochemistry stuff whose concepts are key and will shows up as a passage on the PS section.