Memorization

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magicaldinosaur

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Hey guys, I'm taking summer Orgo and the pace hasn't been too bad except for things that require straight up memorization (PKAs, common names) that the professor said we will need to know for the exam. We have midterms weekly so I'm a bit freaked out because how do I memorize so many random names and numbers in a few days?
 
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Ok. I'm sorry.


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Hey guys, I'm taking summer Orgo and the pace hasn't been too bad except for things that require straight up memorization (PKAs, common names) that the professor said we will need to know for the exam. We have midterms weekly so I'm a bit freaked out because how do I memorize so many random names an numbers in a few days?
Anki.
 
write it out repeatedly
 
For the OP, to get a better answer we'd probably need more information. Though, I'll let someone else give you the whole memorization versus actively learning speech.

I'm a little surprised your mid term is limited to those two items (names and PKA), but maybe I'm reading into it too much. Anyways, you learn IUPAC names by memorizing how they are formed, the pattern is consistent (although there are two ways to do IUPAC, your professor will let you know if they prefer the latest update or if both the new and the old are acceptable). For the common names, you just have to know them because they aren't systematic besides the obvious parts like "acetic acid" certainly has a carboxy group. It actually doesn't take that much time to figure out the IUPAC, but common names are sometimes inconsistent and require brute familiarity via repetition.

You have to memorize some baseline PKA, water is usually a good reference and another acid like acetic acid for comparison -- then you just fill in the PKA stuff in between. The important thing is to not only memorize PKA, but to know why they work that way, and understand why you're learning it in the first place. Thus, simply memorizing the PKA values without knowing what they mean will just hurt you later when you're trying to figure out which compound will be more likely to be de-protonated.

For the reactions, you can either make you own cards in Anki as someone suggested, or use this from Ohio State: https://legacyweb.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/flashcards/

But, do note that there is eventually diminishing returns from sheer memorization, there's just too much going on -- it's easier to just take the time to "get it". (whoops the lecture came)
 
For the OP, to get a better answer we'd probably need more information. Though, I'll let someone else give you the whole memorization versus actively learning speech.

I'm a little surprised your mid term is limited to those two items (names and PKA), but maybe I'm reading into it too much. Anyways, you learn IUPAC names by memorizing how they are formed, the pattern is consistent (although there are two ways to do IUPAC, your professor will let you know if they prefer the latest update or is fine with both). For the common names, you just have to know them because they aren't systematic besides the obvious parts like "acetic acid" certainly has a carboxy group. It actually doesn't take that much time to figure out the IUPAC, but common names are sometimes inconsistent and require brute familiarity via repetition.

You have to memorize some baseline PKA, water is usually a good reference and another acid like acetic acid for comparison -- then you just fill in the PKA stuff in between. The important thing is to not only memorize PKA, but to know why they work that way, and understand why you're learning it in the first place. Thus, simply memorizing the PKA values without knowing what they mean will just hurt you later when you're trying to figure out which compound will be more likely to be de-protonated.

For the reactions, you can either make you own cards in Anki as someone suggested, or use this from Ohio State: https://legacyweb.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/flashcards/

But, do note that there is eventually diminishing returns from sheer memorization, there's just too much going on -- it's easier to just take the time to "get it". (whoops the lecture came)
I understand the whole "not memorizing" thing and I am devoting lots of time to fully understanding it. But during the summer, there is limited time to memorize baseline PKAs, decreasing order of importance in naming, and common names he wants us to know (aniline, etc). I am working on acid/base and review for now and doing a lot of problems, but I'm referring to the things I need to know by heart on exams which is on friday. Yikes.
 
Hey guys, I'm taking summer Orgo and the pace hasn't been too bad except for things that require straight up memorization (PKAs, common names) that the professor said we will need to know for the exam. We have midterms weekly so I'm a bit freaked out because how do I memorize so many random names and numbers in a few days?

Well you probably don't need to memorize pKa's specifically for each compound. You should know the relative range of different function groups, see link below. The names, well I mean they're definitely not difficult. Just expose yourself to them.

http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/aflynn/CHM2120_files/pKa_of_common_functional_groups.pdf
 
I understand the whole "not memorizing" thing and I am devoting lots of time to fully understanding it. But during the summer, there is limited time to memorize baseline PKAs, decreasing order of importance in naming, and common names he wants us to know (aniline, etc). I am working on acid/base and review for now and doing a lot of problems, but I'm referring to the things I need to know by heart on exams which is on friday. Yikes.

Decreasing order of importance in naming is straight forward. It doesn't take as much time compiling the list. The rest is just practice.
pKa's - just understand relative range and relative acidity among different functional groups. you can use the baseline of one function group to map out the rest.
common names - if he's giving you a list of them, I don't know what the problem is, just make flash cards and do them all day during your free time.

The memorizing portion is done with for now. It's not that much when you put it on paper. Maybe it seems overwhelming because this is all new to you.
 
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