Chemistry is one of the most feared subjects in high school and in preparation for exams. Many students think it is abstract and difficult, but in this post you will see that chemical phenomena are very close to our daily lives and it will be much easier to learn this matter with our tips for studying chemistry.
How to Learn Chemistry: 12 Tips
First, begin by understanding the basic principles of Chemistry. Since it is a matter full of symbols and representations, it have a periodic table within your reach and consult it whenever you need it.
- Associate Chemistry with Day-to-Day Examples
Chemistry is a science that studies the nature of matter. It is important to emphasize that everything around us is matter, and can be solid, liquid or gaseous.
Take an example:
In photosynthesis of a plant, it absorbs light and transforms it into energy.
This process is chemical and can be represented by the following equation:
6 CO 2 + 12 H 2 O → C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 + 6H 2 O
(ie carbon dioxide and water become glucose, oxygen and water)
- Your kitchen is your laboratory
Most of the “exact” part of chemistry, that is, the part that involves calculations, is made up of statements quite similar to recipes. For example, if you want to make a brigadeiro, you should use a can of condensed milk, five tablespoons of chocolate and one of butter.
If you reduce only the number of spoons of chocolate, without changing anything else in the recipe, the brigadier will be tasteless. If you increase a lot, it will be sickening. This also applies to stoichiometry.
- Record the data of the questions
The texts of the issues, especially those of the Enem, tend to be large, so it is always good to emphasize or annotate the important information in a summarized way. This is especially true for the numbers in the statement and what they mean in that exercise. Do not forget to relate the greatness involved in the problem!
Doing so makes it easy to remember which formula to use and where to apply that data.
During chemistry tuition, write by hand in a brief manner, entering your own comments. This will help you to pay more attention to the points you have the most difficulty.
- Know the chemical elements
The periodic table represents the 118 chemical elements and they are the ones that form most of the chemical reactions that you will come across in your studies. These elements exist and are present in many things around you. The Elements website shows the application of chemical elements to everyday objects and can help you to make Chemistry less abstract.
- Practice!
The theory is very important to understand Chemistry, but performing the exercises is essential. Like Physics and Mathematics, the more you practice, the easier it will be to remember how to solve the chemistry exercises at the time of the test. Oh, do not forget to do simulated and solve questions from the old tests at chemistry tuition Singapore.
- Understand the resolution of the exercises
Did you have any doubts about resolving the issue? Understand how it can be resolved. After you finish studying the subject, redo the exercises in class without consulting the resolution and noting the step by step of your thinking.
- Identify Chemistry in Movies
Do you think Chemistry is the most boring of all? Maybe a biography of Marie Curie could help you see the most inspiring chemistry.
There are several movies and serials that cover themes related to the content of this matter, such as Spider Man 2, in which Dr. Octopus wants a tritium to generate energy for his reactor, or Blade Runner, in which the city is totally polluted with acid rain.
Movies can pass on some concepts wrongly. Therefore, look for videotapes on the topics covered. With a critical eye, assess whether the concepts developed are right from the point of view of chemistry.
- Know Effect Phrases
Like Physics, Chemistry has formulas and concepts that are very important at the time of the test. There are a few phrases that help in memorizing. For example, to remember the nomenclature of acids, a phrase used a lot is stubborn mosquito, I kill you, I get you, I put you in the window.
- Exercise text interpretation
The mathematical part is very important for learning Chemistry. But a careful reading of the statement is essential. In some questions, mainly of Environmental Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, the answer does not require any calculation, but rather a good interpretation of the statement and its relation with chemical concepts.
- Ask for help!
You should not be ashamed to have doubts about content, especially when studying alone. So ask for help from your friend who dominates the story, or write your question in an online study group, such as Geekie Games.
Try to follow the step by step calculations, so when you are solving the exercises alone, you will know what to do. If your friend is passionate about matter, even better! Maybe he does not show you the positive side of chemistry?
- Train basic math
Many chemistry questions can be solved with basic math concepts. Review the contents of percentage and proportion before embarking on the actual contents of Chemistry. This can make you feel more prepared for when the exercises involve more complex calculations.
- Understand the names of substances
Did you know that substances have popular and scientific names? With scientific names, you can recognize or deduce chemical formulas. Check out some:
- Vinegar: ethanoic acid or acetic acid (CH 3COOH)
- Aspirin: acetylsalicylic acid (C 9H 8 O 4)
- Ethyl alcohol: ethanol ( C 2H 6 O)
- Naphthalene: naphthalene (C 10H 8)
- Carbon dioxide: carbon dioxide (CO 2)
