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How does one become exceptional at chemistry?

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Reply 20
Original post by alow
IQ is only good for determining mental deficiencies. The only thing having a high IQ proves is that you're good at IQ tests.


So a low IQ can mean you're mentally inferior, but a high IQ does not mean you're mentally superior? This is a silly argument.
Original post by alow
Your IQ is irrelevant, nobody cares about it, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/magazine/the-science-of-secondguessing.html

Practice. That's the only way you can become exceptional.


Practice how though?
Reply 22
Original post by Yua
So a low IQ can mean you're mentally inferior, but a high IQ does not mean you're mentally superior? This is a silly argument.


How so? A very low IQ would infer that you have poor memory and pattern recognition skills. An average and higher IQ means that you have the fundamental ability to perform tasks, the rest is more about your skill in test taking than anything else.

Here's a paper: http://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(12)00584-3
Reply 23
Original post by Chloe8585
Practice how though?


By doing chemistry. Read books, do problems, enhance your understanding.
Original post by alow
IQ is only good for determining mental deficiencies. The only thing having a high IQ proves is that you're good at IQ tests.


This is very true. I'm certain there a plenty of unintelligent/academically unable people with IQs of '150' etc. IQ tests are rubbish and don't show anything apart from what you've described and that's why I'll never take an IQ test.

The fact that someone would believe that their high IQ score makes them mentally superior to those with lower ones shows that they probably aren't particularly intelligent.
Reply 25
Original post by alow
How so? A very low IQ would infer that you have poor memory and pattern recognition skills. An average and higher IQ means that you have the fundamental ability to perform tasks, the rest is more about your skill in test taking than anything else.

Here's a paper: http://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(12)00584-3


I'll read the paper
Original post by alow
By doing chemistry. Read books, do problems, enhance your understanding.


I know this is ignorant, but could you fully explore what 'doing chemistry' really entails! Are you a chemist yourself?
Reply 27
Original post by IrrationalRoot
This is very true. I'm certain there a plenty of unintelligent/academically unable people with IQs of '150' etc. IQ tests are rubbish and don't show anything apart from what you've described and that's why I'll never take an IQ test.

The fact that someone would believe that their high IQ score makes them mentally superior to those with lower ones shows that they probably aren't particularly intelligent.


Yeah exactly, I've never taken an IQ test either and never will. If all you have to show for your supposed intelligence is an IQ test, you're definitely not that smart.

I don't understand why people would join institutions such as MENSA, it's just a bit sad and pathetic.
Reply 28
Original post by Chloe8585
I know this is ignorant, but could you fully explore what 'doing chemistry' really entails! Are you a chemist yourself?


It means reading outside of your A Level syllabus and doing problems related to what you read. There are many great resources that can help you learn if you're willing to put the effort in.

Yeah I'm a chemist.
Original post by IrrationalRoot
This is very true. I'm certain there a plenty of unintelligent/academically unable people with IQs of '150' etc. IQ tests are rubbish and don't show anything apart from what you've described and that's why I'll never take an IQ test.

The fact that someone would believe that their high IQ score makes them mentally superior to those with lower ones shows that they probably aren't particularly intelligent.


Agreed, and that theyre arrogant. All humans are equal. And could we apply this logic to animals- yes we could! But I would disagree that IQ tests are rubbish. They do give some insight into a persons natural cognitive ability, and whilst IQ may not necessarily correlate with success itself, it's beneficial if you use it to your advantage.
Reply 30
Original post by Chloe8585
Agreed, and that theyre arrogant. All humans are equal. And could we apply this logic to animals- yes we could! But I would disagree that IQ tests are rubbish. They do give some insight into a persons natural cognitive ability, and whilst IQ may not necessarily correlate with success itself, it's beneficial if you use it to your advantage.


Humans are not equal, it would be silly to ignore the genetic differences that occur between individuals.
Original post by alow
Yeah exactly, I've never taken an IQ test either and never will. If all you have to show for your supposed intelligence is an IQ test, you're definitely not that smart.

I don't understand why people would join institutions such as MENSA, it's just a bit sad and pathetic.


Yep some people have asked me before why I didn't try to join MENSA but I would never even consider it. It's just pathetic, as you've said, that they need they need to join a supposedly exclusively super-intelligent group of people just to show off that they're smart (when they're not necessarily anyway).
Original post by Yua
Humans are not equal, it would be silly to ignore the genetic differences that occur between individuals.



What was implied was that they are equal in value
Original post by alow
It means reading outside of your A Level syllabus and doing problems related to what you read. There are many great resources that can help you learn if you're willing to put the effort in.

Yeah I'm a chemist.


Which resources?
Reply 34
Original post by manlike99
Which resources?


Things like this: http://webspectra.chem.ucla.edu/

A Level spectroscopy questions will be trivial if you can make it through a few of those.
Reply 35
the same way anyone becomes exceptional at anything. experience.
Original post by Chloe8585
Is there a methodical approach you could take to become extremely proficient at chemistry?

I'm an a level student. Don't get that same epiphany feel in chemistry (where your brain clocks away at extremely efficient speed...) as I would in other areas. Suggestions? Appreciate all insight. Willing to work extremely hard. IQ 145 (switched on but not a genius)

Thank you!


If your IQ is really 145, you'd honestly be steamrolling through A Level chemistry. I'm pretty sure by that statistic, only 1 in 1000 people are smarter than you....

Anyways, there's chemistry aptitude, and there's chemistry A Level ability.

There are papers from the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge that are taken by very good students of chemistry. They're free to do online and give a good indication of what your ability is. If you score Rg, you're essentially a genius and prodigy in chemistry. Gold, and you're easily good enough for Oxbridge. Silver, you're a probable A* student. Copper, you're at the high end of A, low end of A*.

http://c3l6.com/downloads

Otherwise, if you're concerned just about A Level chemistry grades, just do past papers. Do the past papers of all exam boards, as they're pretty much identical in content and mark schemes. Though for some reason, AQA refer to skeletal formula as "sticks".
Reply 37
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
If your IQ is really 145, you'd honestly be steamrolling through A Level chemistry. I'm pretty sure by that statistic, only 1 in 1000 people are smarter than you....

Anyways, there's chemistry aptitude, and there's chemistry A Level ability.

There are papers from the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge that are taken by very good students of chemistry. They're free to do online and give a good indication of what your ability is. If you score Rg, you're essentially a genius and prodigy in chemistry. Gold, and you're easily good enough for Oxbridge. Silver, you're a probable A* student. Copper, you're at the high end of A, low end of A*.

http://c3l6.com/downloads

Otherwise, if you're concerned just about A Level chemistry grades, just do past papers. Do the past papers of all exam boards, as they're pretty much identical in content and mark schemes. Though for some reason, AQA refer to skeletal formula as "sticks".


Oh god I hope this is sarcasm
I'd say having a true passion for it!
Instead of just reading text books and trying to memorise facts by rote, try reading some paperbacks written for the general public. It might help concepts click better, then you have a more solid foundation to build on.

Example. I 'knew' thermodynamics. Could use and work with the equations. But I didn't really 'understand' the subject until i read 'Four laws that drive the universe' by the brilliant teacher Peter Atkins.

Alternatively, ask a few universities if thety wouldn't mind providing you witha list of recommended reading for year one B.Sc chemistry. Can usually pick an older edition second hand for next to nothing from places like Amazon. If you are comfortable with even half of it, you'd do exceptionally well at A-level.
(edited 7 years ago)

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