Proposed Official Launching of Blog

Sometime in Mid February 2011, this Chemistry Blog will be officially used as part of CURRICULUM DELIVERY for A-Level Chemistry. Notes might be referred to here, homeworks, classworks, projects... the works! Now it falls to the new batch to enter the new Phase of Chemistry Education, whereby there are no veils, no barriers, but instead we have 24/7 access to information regarding our day-to-day school work, as well as past (and future) work.

Results aren't as good as too many are having difficulties but not doing anything or not enough about them. It doesn't matter if it's difficult or easy... something, at least, needs to be done. If you feel shy or are hesitant to ask questions in front of an audience, here is where you can seek help, either openly, or with an anonymous nickname.

Much more to come over the months regarding this post. Keep posted!

Final Term Holidays :)

Ok folks, we've come this far together... it'd be a shame to let up now and not strive to do our very best.

I'll be out of the state for most of the holidays, but I'll be able to check the blog as well as my GMAIL account. Please do keep sending those questions in.

Last but not least, have a pleasant Hari Raya in advance :)

A2 Step Up Time!

Alright, time in purgatory is over, it's time to step up or... There's NO alternative! Difficult content will be coveed in classes, with very little time. No more room for games. Turn on your analytical minds as first up will be Analytical Chemistry (starting off with Mass Spectrometry, then moving on to NMR, among other techniques).

We need to get as many examples in as possible, but we also need to cover Separation Techniques, basically more Applications, before we move into e grey area of the syllabus which seems very much like a test of general knowledge.

The Good: Lots of topics covered, pretty interesting stuff which makes a scientist, a REAL scientist, not just an exam-passer. General knowledge in your field is necessary, and being at the forefront develops character!

The Bad: Syllabus isn't clear-cut near the end, so no minimalistic approaches. And if it's too late to revise, then it will matter.

The Ugly: Being among the Excuse-makers & Pretenders. DO NOT FALL INTO THESE CATEGORIES!

Very short time for us to complete what we need to do. Let's make it smooth by paying FULL ATTENTION. Remember, it ain't my fault if you didn't bother listening in class. I have to focus on those who ARE listening. Good luck!

Step Up for Revision!

Time's running short... and it's time to put the pedal to the metal!
You should all be in Phase 3 of revision by now.
2-3 hours per day just on revision. Maybe 2 more for practising PYPs.
Blog is up... email is up... questions are NOT coming.
Either you're all ready already (which would be excellente! ^_^),
or you don't need help. No need to be shy with questions with me.
We're practically family now =)

Anyway, I've completed my collection of PYPs with Mark Schemes.
I also read ALL of the Examiner's Reports on each Paper per year.
My next task is to go through the Practical Paper Instructions.
Now that's not my specialty, I have to admit.
But that should not stop me from going through them anyway.
Correction: US! =)

Nonetheless... GOOD LUCK FOR YOUR UPCOMING AS LEVEL EXAMS!
Always rooting for ya'll!

Trends in Chemistry (Period 3, Group I, II, IV, VII)

The Periodic Table is like a map, in which we read in the same way we'd read an English novel. From the lay out of the Periodic Table itself... we can extract a lot of information, first and foremost the electronic configuration of an element. From there, we can determine its properties, and even deduce probable reactions and compounds formed.

There are a trends that we look for:
1) Electronic Configuration
2) Atomic Radius
3) Ionic Radius
4) Melting & Boiling Point
5) Electrical Conductivity
6) Ionisation Energy
7) Electronegativity

Remember, in most cases for Inorganic Chemistry, look to the Periodic Table for guidance. Think about atomic/ionic charges, sizes ---> Charge density, electronegativity differences, redox, hydrolysis, decomposition, etc...

A topic that requires a great deal of reasoning ability.

Past Year Paper Afternoon Sessions

The Chemistry Department has kindly volunteered their time to go through PYPs with students @ LT 1 or 2 on Tuesday Afternoons from 2:30 - 4:30 pm every week. We might expand sessions to Wednesday Afternoons. Please take note that our tutors are sacrificing quite an amount of time just to help students score better in their exams. Reciprocation of this on the part of the students is REQUIRED. DO NOT COME TO THESE SESSIONS WITHOUT HAVING DONE THE PAPERS ALLOCATED PER WEEK! The sessions will be fast-paced; meant for students who have already tried the papers, and found questions that were too difficult / tricky to answer. If you are slow in the session due to your own lack of attempts, we cannot slow down for you. A team is only as fast as their slowest player. Nonetheless, we will be available to help you out with those really difficult questions that you could not understand even in the revision session during our Free Blocks. Do not hesitate to request for more help!

Past Year Paper Schedule 2010
6^th April, 2010: June P1 2003

13^th April, 2010: June P2 2006

20^th April, 2010: November P2 2009

27^th April, 2010: TBA but most probably a Workshop on Reaction Mechanisms
Going for June P2 2009; Reaction Mechanisms to be done in respective classes.

Electrochemistry Revision & Reading

There isn't much on chemguide about A2 Electrochemistry. You folks are going to have to depend quite heavily on my notes this time. There's some on AS Electrochemistry on Chemguide, which includes Electrolysis of Brine

Basic pointers regarding the drawing of the experimental setup:
1) SHE always on the left in diagram
2) Sign of electrode potential as measured from voltmeter = charge of RHS electrode
3) Labeling of direction of flow of electrons is done ONLY on the voltmeter wire

Basic pointers regarding the construction of a cell diagram:
1) (-) on the left; (+) on the right
2) | to denote a boundary between electrode & electrolyte
3) // to denote the salt bridge
4) Either side of a cell diagram will be the solid electrodes
5) Electrons are lost on the left, and gained on the right

N.B. DO NOT CONFUSE THE Cell Diagram with the experimental setup diagram.

If anyone has good links for Electrochemistry A2 please feel free to post!

Update: So far, in class, we've gone through the cell diagrams / experimental setup for measuring the electrode potentials for Zn²⁺/Zn, Cu²⁺/Cu & Cl₂/Cl^- half-cells.
The class will go home and research on the case for measuring the standard electrode potentials for Cr³⁺/Cr²⁺ & Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ systems.

Update (14/4/2010): Pt(s)|Cr²⁺(aq),Cr³⁺(aq)//Fe³⁺(aq),Fe²⁺(aq)|Pt(s)
AND
Zn(s)|Zn²⁺(aq)//Cu²⁺(aq)|Pt(s)
DONE in class for those who were polite enough to be PRESENT.

Acid-Base Equilibria Revision Intro

Please go to CHEMGUIDE A-B EQUILIBRIA

This will be your absolute guide to Acid-Base Equilibria! Do revise it well during your well-earned holidays. 2nd APR will be hot on your heels once you return, and I'll be noting your progress. Let's do this well for all our sakes!

Reply to this thread with questions and comments (relevant ones please!); including pictures/links where necessary.

The Birth of Ravenslark's Chemistry

And here we go... a New Beginning, of the Next Chapter of our Academic Lives! On this Day, the Forum is now Open for discussion!

Holidays begin at the end of this Day. An opportunity to better ourselves WHILE resting up. Please post any questions regarding our previous topics, current topic, and even AS topics on this blog. We'll post comments together, and learn more and more about scoring in A-Level Examinations. Good luck!