Repeating and starting chemistry

LC2010HIS

Hey

Guys, would it be wise to take on chemistry now?
I might be repeating and I was just wondering would it be ok to start it now for HL or is there too much to study?
Also, is it similar to Bio as in Unit 1,2,3 and old reliables etc

:PThanks guys

Psychedelia

well its hard to say.
see i loved the subject and could have done it in a year as a repeat.
but some people despise the subject.
i think this is because that if you don't get some of the foundations that it seems to strech into infinity!!
its quite a big course but i found it easier in one way from biology. cos biology is all learning facts.
where as chemistry you learn mechanisms and sometimes methods as well as facts.
the maths element is easy and the hardest bits you'll find are using the log button on your calculator and using the plus or minus b formula to solve a quadratic equation.

chemistry involves: the history of chemistry and the various scientists who've contributed.
organic chemistry which is concerned with elements contain C,H and O mainly, organic is actually easy enough if you stick with it from the beginning.
there is a lot to learn on method and increasing accuracy of results especially with regards titrations.
there are many more chapters such as redox and water and electrochemistry but i won't bore you with all those details!

Learning your experiments well will get you far.
But basically its down to what you like.

if you find the interactions between atoms and such interesting then its great. for instance for JC you learned that electrons travel in fixed paths around the nucleus, orbits. but that's false and you'll learn the various proofs that varying scientists have established for the actual nature of electrons.

but chemistry was my favourite subject, you may wish to get the opinion of someone who was less enthraulled with it so that you can see both sides of the story.

i warn you though, separation techniques are as boring as hell but only a small part of it! :P

wayhey

+1 to the post above.

I'd be careful about taking Chemistry up unless you need it to get into a course you like. I'd a really awful teacher, we skipped loads of the course, had to get grinds.... I really only started to like the subject a few months ago. I used to dread going into class. The first few chapters on history and atomic theory are incredibly boring. If you're doing Higher you'll have to learn quite a few equations for the experiments so it can be boring to study if you don't like it. You say you've done Biology... IMO at Leaving Cert. the two are worlds apart. I love Biology, much more than Chemistry anyway, but it's really just learning material off. Chemistry requires a little more understanding I think. Having said that there is somebody who started it in October as I saw in a post, I'll go find that out, probably be useful to talk to?

http://www.skoool.ie/skoool/examcentre_senior.asp?id=2083 lists all the topics and stuff, maybe have a flick through it. If you like Chemistry it's a lovely subject- but beware there's a little maths (it's far from impossible but I'm just saying) and the experiments, great for getting marks on the paper, do have a LOT more detail to them than the Biology ones. Some people hate organic chemistry... I like it but it does take up a big place on the course so maybe have a look at that too.

Good luck with it either way!!

EDIT: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=66476112#post66476112

Just there schwagga asked should he do HL after taking it up in October, dunno, it might help you. Also noticed what you said about "old reliables"- the Chemistry course is nice in that it has definitions and experiments so they have to ask you some of them. The questions generally follow a similiar format every year but I thought this year's paper was a little bit unusual, especially Organics.

Psychedelia

also it might help to look at a paper:

http://www.examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2010/LC022ALP000EV.pdf

forget thinking that looks hard, its meant to. but if you think that looks interesting then you're half way there.
if you think that looks boring as hell then you might want to consider something else.