If you are in college or high school and have never taken a general chemistry course, you may find the matter difficult. Many students find it difficult to learn about things they cannot actually see – atoms, molecules, protons, chemical bonds, and the like. Chemistry students study abstract terms and concepts which define a microscopic world
In order to study abstract concepts, it is important to develop your abstract thinking skills. Air is not just something we breathe, as it is composed of molecules that have weight. Water is not simply a liquid you can pour in a glass. It contains oxygen and hydrogen atoms that interact with each other.
Once you develop abstract thinking skills, the task begins to look easier. At the same time, studying periodic table can be demanding. You have to process large amounts of information and remember the important facts. The content you should get familiar with may be divided into facts, rules, concepts, and problems. The term fact refers to verified information about events and processes, which represent an objective reality. The term concept denotes units of knowledge and cognitive units of meaning. Concepts connect different facts together. Chemical rules are used as generalizations about the working of things. Rules are principles that govern certain processes or spheres. For example, a chemical rule can be used to explain how elements bond together. Finally, chemical problems serve to describe certain tasks and situations whereby additional information is required to come up with a solution. Problems combine the other three components – concepts, rules, and facts.
Since you will have to learn a number of facts and concepts, it may be a good idea to use flashcards. You will learn some of the new information when you are making the cards. You will learn most of the information with practice. Flashcards allow you to switch topics, which is not an option with ordinary notebooks. Purchase a pack of index cards and start making flashcards.
You can use a highlighter but remember that most of the important concepts and facts are already in bold typeface. Your chemistry teacher will probably mention some likely test concepts, answers, and questions. You may want to highlight them.
What to focus on? When you study for the test, make sure you know the difference between solids, gases, and liquids. Know how to relate the names of elements to corresponding symbols. Classify properties as physical properties, chemical properties, intensive properties, and extensive properties. Learn different techniques for separating mixtures. Learn to distinguish between nonmetals, metals, and metalloids. Be familiar with the law of conservation of mass and the law of definite proportions. Learn about atomic weight and how isotopic masses and abundances are measured. This is not all!
You need to master the appropriate techniques for learning chemical content. For example, you use concepts but memorize facts. You solve problems but develop rules to be used. This is the way to excelling in your general chemistry class.