Taking Organic Chemistry in College?

Question

Last year, I took both General Chemistry 1 and 2....I passed General Chem 1 but I don't feel like I learned ANYTHING but then in General Chem 2 I worked my butt off to get a B, but I don't remember much, especially the labs. Does Organic Chem really use alot of General Chemistry? Will I be in big trouble if I can't remember all the principles and stuff? I have to take both Organic Chem 1 and 2

Answer 1

No, not really. Actually, Organic uses VERY little of the math that's involved in General chemistry. They're very different. I found Organic harder, actually, but there's a world of difference between the two. For one, you only use a handful of elements in organic (primarily Carbon, of course, but sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and a few others as well), and you'll spend more time learning about how reactions work than calculating things about them.

You will need to learn a LOT of reaction mechanisms (that is, the exact movements involved in the reaction, that is, "Such and such molecule interacts with such and such molecule by way of this that and the other to form this molecule". Only instead of "this that and the other", it'll be a series of steps.). You will also probably have to do a lot of syntheses (that's where they give you an end product and ask how you would make it from _____ as a starting material).

But I digress. To return to your question, no, it doesn't use a lot of the principles in Gen Chem. As long as you can hang onto some of the pretty basic stuff, you're good. I don't think I did more than five calculations in both of my two semesters of O-chem.

Answer 2

Organic Chem 1 and 2 are a blast! Yes you will need to fall back on what you have learned! Chemistry is a cumulative study, you must take it step by step or you will fall on your butt! If you have been cramming just to pass a test you are probably screwed! If not, it will surprise you how much you have really learned! Organic Chem is used as a "wash-out" class at many universities so be careful, talk to your instructor, make use of tutors, join serious study groups and above all study to learn!!

Answer 3

I'm not saying that it will be the same wherever you are going to school, but O-Chem was all about learning the different "families" of compounds, how they formed, and what their structures looked like. I really liked Chemistry in High School, did very well in P.Chem, Quantitative Analysis, CHem 1, Chem 2, etc., but I really hated O.Chem 1 & 2. Got a Cs both semesters, but an A in lab.

Answer 4

My daughter did okay in Chem I & II, but Organic fried her lunch. They say it's a whole different animal, but to my kid, it was a nightmare all semester for a B, and the direct cause for her turning down acceptance to medical school.

TX Mom