Reflection on My First Chemistry Class

Written By Zachariah Kovac
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Wow, this semester has been hard. I took logic, trigonometry, chemistry, and computer science—all very academically challenging classes on there. For my chemistry class, I took the introduction to college chemistry; It was the prerequisite to general chemistry.
One regret is not taking chemistry my first official semester because it will take me three years in community college to get to my four-year college. Going to a community college is controversial, so I will not go deeper than that. The choice is up to you.
Tip, you can skip the introductory class by taking and passing AP chemistry class (More Information Here) or testing into a higher level of chemistry. I took honors chemistry, so it was not the worst, but that is a whole other story.
Overall, it was a good experience. I enjoyed everything that I learned. See the outline at the end if you are curious. 
With the pandemic, it made all my classes a lot harder. You can ask anyone that is doing classes now, and it is hard. I had months off of not doing work for high school, and it was a hard adjustment from doing only one college class and some high school classes to taking four classes. 
I learned that chemistry requires a lot of memorization of concepts.
I highly recommend constantly reviewing material; the more exposure, the better. College goes over many concepts in a short amount of time, so you need to get as much practice with worksheets that you can find; reading the textbook, homework problems, and making flashcards are all great ideas too.
Outline of the Class:
Lab Safety
The Chemical World:

  • Everything is a chemical

  • Scientific Method

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

  • How to Succeed in Chemistry

Measurements and Problem Solving:

  • Math Review

  • Scientific Notation

  • Significant Figures

  • Significant Figures in Calculations

  • The Basic Units of Measurement

  • Problem Solving and Unit Conversion (Dimensional Analysis)

  • Units Raised to a Power

  • Density

  • Calculating density

  • Density as a Conversion Factor

  • Numerical Problem Solving Strategies.

Matter and Energy:

  • Matter

  • Classifying Matter to its State

  • Classifying Matter to its Composition

  • Physical and Chemical Properties

  • Conservation of Mass

  • Energy

  • Temperature

  • Heat Capacity

  • Energy and Heat Capacity Calculations

Atoms and Elements:

  • Atomic Theory

  • The Nuclear Atom

  • The Properties of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons

  • Elements: Defined by Their Numbers of Protons

  • Periodic Law and the Periodic Table

  • Ions: Losing and Gaining Electrons

  • Ions and the Periodic Table

  • Isotopes

  • Atomic Mass

Molecules and Compounds:

  • Constant Composition

  • Chemical Formulas

  • Compounds

  • A molecular view of Elements and Compounds

  • Writing Formulas for Ionic Compounds

  • Nomenclature

  • Naming Ionic Compounds

  • Naming Molecular Compounds

  • Naming Acids

  • Formula Mass

Chemical Composition:

  • Counting Nails to the Pound

  • Counting Atoms by the Gram

  • Converting between Moles to Number of Atoms, Grams to Moles, Grams of Element to Number of Atoms

  • Counting Molecules by the Gram

  • Converting Between Grams and Moles of a Compound and Grams of a Compound to Number of Moles

  • Chemical Formulas as Conversion Factors

  • Mass Percentage Composition of Compounds

  • Mass Percentage Composition from a Chemical Formula

  • Calculating Empirical Formula for Compounds

  • Calculating Molecular Formulas for Compounds

Chemical Reactions:

  • Evidence of a Chemical Reaction

  • The Chemical Equation

  • How to Write Balanced Equations

  • Aqueous Solutions and Solubility

  • Precipitation Reactions: Reactions in Aqueous Solutions that form a Solid

  • Writing Chemical Equations for Reactions in Solution: Molecular, Complete Ionic, and Net Ionic Equations

  • Acid-Base and Gas Evolution Problems

  • Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

  • Classifying Chemical Reactions

Quantities in Chemical Reactions:

  • Relationship with Ingredients

  • Mole to Mole Conversions

  • Mass to Mass Conversion

  • Limiting Reactant, Theoretical Yield, and Percentage Yield and Percent Yield from initial masses of Reactants

  • Enthalpy

Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table:

  • Light: Electron Radiation

  • The Electron Spectrum

  • The Bohr Model

  • The Quantum-Mechanical Model: Atoms With Orbitals

  • The Quantum-Mechanical Orbitals

  • Electron Configurations

  • Electron Configurations and the Periodic Table

  • The Explanatory Power of the Quantum-Mechanical Model

  • Periodic Trends: Atomic Size, Ionization Energy, and Metallic Character

Chemical Bonding:

  • Representing Valence electrons with Dots

  • Lewis Structures of Ionic Compounds: electrons Transferred.

  • Covalent Lewis Structures: Electrons Shared

  • Single Bonds

  • Double and Triple Bonds

  • Writing Lewis Structures for Covalent Compounds

  • Writing Lewis Structures for Polyatomic Ions

  • Exceptions to the Octet Rule

  • Resonance: Equivalent Lewis Structures for the Same Molecules

  • Predicting the Shapes of Molecules

  • Electronegativity and Polarity

  • Polar Bonds and Polar Molecules 

Gases:

  • Kinetic Molecular Theory: A model for Gasses

  • Pressure: The result of Constant Molecular Collisions

  • Pressure Units

  • Pressures Unit Conversions

  • Boyle's Law: Pressure and Volume

  • Charles's Law: Volume and Temperature

  • The Combined Gas Law: Pressure, Volume, Temperature, and Moles

  • Determining Molar Mass of a Gas from the Ideal Gas Law

  • Ideal and Nonideal Gas Behavior

  • Mixture of Gasses

  • Partial Pressures and Physiology

  • Collecting Gases over Water

  • Gasses in Chemical reactions

  • Molar Volume at Standard Temperature and Pressure. 

Liquids, Solids, and Intermolecular Forces:

  • Properties of Liquids and Solids

  • Surface Tension

  • Viscosity

  • Evaporation and Condensation

  • Boiling

  • Energetics and Evaporation and Condensation

  • Heat of Vaporization

  • Melting, Freezing, and Sublimation

  • Energetics of Melting and Sublimation

  • Heat of Fusion

  • Sublimation

  • Intermolecular Forces

  • Dispersion Force

  • Dipole-Dipole Force

  • Hydrogen Binding

  • Ion-Dipole Force

  • Types of Crystalline Solids: Molecular, Ionic, and Atomic

  • Water

Solutions:

  • Solutions: Homogeneous Mixtures 

  • Solution of Solids Dissolved in Water

  • Solubility 

  • Saturation

  • Electrolyte Solutions: Dissolving Ionic Solids

  • Solubility and Temperature

  • Solution of Gasses in Water

  • Mass Percent and using it in calculations

  • Molarity and using it in calculations

  • Ion Concentration

  • Solution Dilution

  • Solution Stichometry

  • Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point evaluation

  • Osmosis

Acids and Bases:

  • Acids: Properties and Examples

  • Bases: Properties and Examples

  • Arrhenius Definition

  • Bronsted-Lowry Definition

  • The reaction of Acids and Bases

  • Neutralization

  • Acid Reactions

  • Acid-Base Titration

  • Strong and Weak Acids and Bases

  • Water acid and Base in one

  • The pH and pOH scale

  • Calculating pH from [H3O+]

  • Calculating [H3O+] from pH

  • The pOH scale

  • Buffers

What to Memorize Before taking Chemistry:

  • Know generally where elements are and what the symbols are and vise versa. So if Fe is on a test you would know that is iron.

  • Significant Figure Rules and in Calculation

  • Scientific Notion

  • Equations

  • Density

  • SI Multipliers

  • Polyatomic Ions

  • Molecular Geometry, The basics

  • Solubility Rules 

If you want to learn more about chemistry then I highly recommend purchasing access to the diamond level blog.

Zachariah Kovac
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