Got tons of reactions to remember, anyone got ideas to make them stick in my head?
2007-03-23 11:58:48 · 5 answers · asked by Chuckwalla 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It's just mindless memorization, the types of reactions don't matter. I have to know what plus what gets what.
2007-03-23 12:07:03 · update #1
Understand what is happening instead of just memorizing.
With enough understanding it is just following logical steps.
practice helps too.
2007-03-23 13:46:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I give my students 3 tips on Organic Chemistry. 1) Learn the mechanisms. If you can draw electrons moving from a partial negative source to a partial positive source, you're doing well. Almost all organic is this movement. 2) For "fill in the blank" problems, look at the starting material and the reagents. What's being added? If it's something with a lot of O's in it (KMnO4, for example), it's an oxidation. If it's something starting with H, it's acid ((H+). If it's something with a row 3 metal followed by H, it's hydride (H-, hydrogen with two electrons). If it's a reagent you're looking for, look at the difference between the starting material and the product. Is water added to the product? Then add H & H2O. Does an OH go to a C=O? Then it's oxidation. Likewise, if a C=O goes to OH, it's reduction (H2 has been added across the bond). 3) Write flash cards and/or a Big List o' Reactions. Do this repeatedly. The methodology says by the third time you've done this, you'll remember the reactions. Write out the reaction, the reagent, the spectroscopy change in IR and NMR. Do this and you'll be familiar with the reactions come exam time. 4) MAKE TIME. Organic chemistry requires a lot of work. Make sure you use your time efficiently and effectively. Do the problems in the book and look over examples done in class. And most importantly, look at the changes in molecules, not the molecules themselves. Hope that helps.
2016-03-17 01:26:16 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can you give more detail? I was a chemistry major and I don't recall anything that was "sheer memorization" in organic chemistry. Reactions call for a full understanding of electron transfer, not "what plus what gives you X" type of problems. If you can give some examples, maybe we could answer better.
2007-03-23 12:37:44 · answer #3 · answered by doctoru2 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dude learn what's going on instead. They pretty much follow a very same direction and instruction. Learn it.
2007-03-23 14:36:34 · answer #4 · answered by Hooshi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What kind of reactions like single, redox, double, halogen,...
2007-03-23 12:01:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋