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Hardest Chemistry class?

mregomrego Posts: 1,038Registered User Senior Member
edited September 2009 in Engineering Majors
What's the hardest chemistry class? Organic (I or II), Physical Chem, Analytic, etc?
Organic I seems like hell... does it get easier?
Post edited by mrego on
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Replies to: Hardest Chemistry class?

  • systemshock87systemshock87 Posts: 57Registered User Junior Member
    Depends on everyone's perspective.
    I find chemistry (general) to be the easiest because everything seems pretty much the same like equilibrium, a little thermo, electrochemistry and a huge load of stochiometry (lots of conversion)
    Organic chemistry might be harder but not because the subject is hard, rather because it's different from most classes you've taken before. There is veryyyy little math, the subject focuses more on how the structure of the compounds present look like and how they interact with each other. Roughly, thermodynamic and kinetic conditions are also explained. It's all about compounds containing the carbon atom and how the other atoms present in the compound affect it and how the geometry affects it and how the arrangement of those atoms affect it. It's more conceptual. I recommend you to read the first few chapters thoroughly, because they will help make ochem make sense later on.
    I find physical chemistry easier, but most people don't. I think it depends on how much you like math, because there's a huge load of math. Make sure you understand partial differential equations. Pchem is generally divided into 3 sections: Thermodynamics, Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics. All of which requires a lot of math, let me repeat you need to know differential equations very well (Like maxwell's equations). They are both very conceptual and very numerical. You also need some more imagination and creativity and learn how you should assume.
    I don't know much about analytical chemistry since I'm not a chem major.
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  • yg7s7yg7s7 Posts: 876Registered User Member
    I thought Organic chemistry was easy... It just introduces some new ideas at the beginning but once you get it the rest is all memorization. It's different because it has almost no math or whatsoever, but the material is completely visual.

    I wouldn't say Analytical chemistry is hard, but I hated the class towards the end because I just couldn't enjoy studying bunch of spectroscopic techinics and stuff.

    I'm taking P-chem right now (Thermodynamics). Thanks for the tip, systemshock87!!
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  • nshah9617nshah9617 Posts: 1,005Registered User Senior Member
    For some masochistic reasons, I took a few chemistry classes.

    Ochem1/OChem2: Not bad at all especially for engineers--don't get caught up with memorization but instead follow the electrons and most reactions make sense.

    PChem: This can be hard depending on your background. If you took Thermo/E&M by now it won't be as bad but as system said it depends on comfort level with math.
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  • ele902ele902 Posts: 274Registered User Junior Member
    It really depends on whose's teaching. I found Physical Chemistry to be the hardest as a biochemical engineer. Both physical chemistry courses I took were both "weeder" course, with tons of Fs and Ds given out.
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