GAMSAT: Biology, Chemistry and Physics...

Just wanted to ask a question regarding how much detail we should be learning for S3.

As a non-science grad, I've found some of the posts above about Alcohols have gone into much more detail than I think I'll be able to fit in my head. I was under the impression that the GAMSAT is slanted towards the logical/reasoning side of things, rather than learning lots of data/facts. So I've been going through A2 notes/online lectures, and basically just making sure I understand them, rather than memorise them. I'm thinking that if I understand everything fine, it should provide me with the intuition needed to tackle GAMSAT.

So for anyone that's done it before, am I making a big mistake? Obviously I'll try to learn as many 'facts' as I can, but am I not right in concentrating on just grasping the understanding rather than the intricate details?

Reply 22

Original post by byebyebadman

Just wanted to ask a question regarding how much detail we should be learning for S3.

As a non-science grad, I've found some of the posts above about Alcohols have gone into much more detail than I think I'll be able to fit in my head. I was under the impression that the GAMSAT is slanted towards the logical/reasoning side of things, rather than learning lots of data/facts. So I've been going through A2 notes/online lectures, and basically just making sure I understand them, rather than memorise them. I'm thinking that if I understand everything fine, it should provide me with the intuition needed to tackle GAMSAT.

So for anyone that's done it before, am I making a big mistake? Obviously I'll try to learn as many 'facts' as I can, but am I not right in concentrating on just grasping the understanding rather than the intricate details?

Anyone??

Also, I've been looking at Org chem today, and I've come up to Ethers/Epoxides in the study guide I've been following. However the Griffiths review of topics doesn't even mention Ethers, despite naming most of the other functional groups as topics to cover?

Reply 23

Oh and this thread had so much promise in its first few hours.............

Anyway, third question........ I've been trying to get my head around logarythms and pH ect calculations. Now in all of the lectures I've watched/books I've read, I've understood the concepts, and they've looked pretty straight forward. But when I go to practice calculations, I get stuck. For starters, I can't type "log" or "-log" into my calculator without getting an E (presumably, ERROR) message on my calculator. I can only push in log if I already have something on the calculator screen.

To take the Chem Guy's example...... say I know the [OH] is 2.64x10"-2, then I know to find the pH I need to find the -log of, 1x10"-14 divided by 2.64x10"-2

What order, and in what intervals do I need to type that lot into my calculator? Do I need to use any brackets at any point? Do I need to press equals at any point before my final calculation? And if I can't press log before having something on my calculator screen, do I need a new calculator? (I have a canon F-502G)

(By the way I was using (") as the exponent sign.

Reply 24

Ok, 4th question....

In Org Chem, how much detail do we need to know reaction mechanisms? Obviously we don't have to draw out complete reaction mechanisms for the GAMSAT, as its a multiple choice test? So do I need to learn all the mechanisms? Or just make sure I'm aware of all the possible reactions?

Reply 25

Pooley

2

Hi,

I'm also new to TSR. I'm going to be sitting this years GAMSAT having only recently decided to apply to SGUL. How long has everyone been revising for so far?

Also, does anyone know where we can find out the location of the test centres? I know in the past there has been one in Sheffield, just wondered if anyone knew whereabouts in Sheffield?

Thanks :smile:

Reply 26

DexterM

11

Original post by Pooley

Hi,

I'm also new to TSR. I'm going to be sitting this years GAMSAT having only recently decided to apply to SGUL. How long has everyone been revising for so far?

Also, does anyone know where we can find out the location of the test centres? I know in the past there has been one in Sheffield, just wondered if anyone knew whereabouts in Sheffield?

Thanks :smile:

Last year it was at Ponds Forge Sports Centre :smile:

Reply 27

izz_1616

8

Original post by byebyebadman

Just wanted to ask a question regarding how much detail we should be learning for S3.

As a non-science grad, I've found some of the posts above about Alcohols have gone into much more detail than I think I'll be able to fit in my head. I was under the impression that the GAMSAT is slanted towards the logical/reasoning side of things, rather than learning lots of data/facts. So I've been going through A2 notes/online lectures, and basically just making sure I understand them, rather than memorise them. I'm thinking that if I understand everything fine, it should provide me with the intuition needed to tackle GAMSAT.

So for anyone that's done it before, am I making a big mistake? Obviously I'll try to learn as many 'facts' as I can, but am I not right in concentrating on just grasping the understanding rather than the intricate details?

Hello!

This is what my personal opinion is, as I think the answer you're looking for varies on an individual basis.

From what I've seen for some of the GAMSAT science questions, the information you need to answer the question is provided in the text; therefore in these cases you could potentially answer the question with no prior knowledge. Conversely, there are questions that you would need prior knowledge for in order to be able to successfully answer the questions.

I suppose under the time constraints of the exam, rather than looking for the answer in the text, knowing some details before hand would not only make you familiar with the question, but could help you locate the answer your looking for more quickly.

The best way to know for yourself would be to do some practice questions and see how well you can answer them with/without knowing the specific details of bio/chem/physics. If you find yourself struggling, (like I did with organic), you could focus more on that particular subject and see if that helps you.

Reply 28

OP

Original post by byebyebadman

To take the Chem Guy's example...... say I know the [OH] is 2.64x10"-2, then I know to find the pH I need to find the -log of, 1x10"-14 divided by 2.64x10"-2

First of all, are you confident about what a pH actually means, i.e. that it is only a convenient way to handle big numbers? pH of 7 sounds much better than 10 x 10e6 H+ atoms.

As for your example, if you have 2.64x10e-2, try to press log on your calculator. Then type in 2.64x10e-2. You should get -1.578... So your pH would not be -1.58 but rather 1.58 (as you are taking the -log - but there is nothing like that on your calculator).

Makes sense? Or do you get an -e- instead of -1.578?

Reply 29

Original post by n.evermind

First of all, are you confident about what a pH actually means, i.e. that it is only a convenient way to handle big numbers? pH of 7 sounds much better than 10 x 10e6 H+ atoms.

As for your example, if you have 2.64x10e-2, try to press log on your calculator. Then type in 2.64x10e-2. You should get -1.578... So your pH would not be -1.58 but rather 1.58 (as you are taking the -log - but there is nothing like that on your calculator).

Makes sense? Or do you get an -e- instead of -1.578?

Sorry I'd already figured it out. My calculator won't allow me to press log before pushing in the number I want the log of. Don't know if you can do so on other calculators, but you can't on mine. Either way it doesn't matter now. :smile:

The other thing I was tripping up over was the EXP button. I didn't realise that it was e-10, and thought you had to push in the exponent you wanted after EXP. So was always pushing in 10 after EXP, and therefore getting numbers with a decimal place too far to one side. Once I got my head around the workings of a calculator it seems to make sense.

I've been looking at O.Chem again this morning, and I'm again unsure about how much detail I need to know. I've been looking over electophilic subst of benzene, and don't know how far I should go with my note taking, or how much depth I should go into? Ie, I'm pretty comfortable with the mechanisms for EAS of a Benzene ring, the fact that you need something very electrophilic, and the need for a catalyst in some situations. And I think I pretty much understand about EAS of substituted rings and whether electrohiles will attach to O,M or P positions. But do I need to go further and look at EAS of multi-substituted rings? Do I need to know the theory of why some substitutes are OP directors rather than P, or is it enough to just know they are OP directors?

Reply 30

OP

Regarding O Chemistry... EAS = Electrophilic Addition / Substitution reaction?

I think the best way to figure out how much detail we need to know is to find an organic chemistry sample question from the actual GAMSAT.

I'm still a little lost regarding how much detail we need to know. I found that factual recall can sometimes be really helpful (as you tried to remember all the facts and thus familiarised yourself with the over all topic). However, I wouldn't go for too much detail.

Where do you get your information for O Chem from? I had a look at Organic Chemistry for Dummies which was really helpful for some basics (like naming or isomers), but was too detailed in some other ways (Fisher projections or alternatives to how to draw atoms etc.). Also, I used Letts Revise Chemistry.

Regarding your question, I think it doesn't really matter whether you know whether it will be O, M or P position (i think that was opposite, meta or p...?)

I would think that such details are given in a GAMSAT question

Reply 31

Original post by n.evermind

Regarding O Chemistry... EAS = Electrophilic Addition / Substitution reaction?

I think the best way to figure out how much detail we need to know is to find an organic chemistry sample question from the actual GAMSAT.

I'm still a little lost regarding how much detail we need to know. I found that factual recall can sometimes be really helpful (as you tried to remember all the facts and thus familiarised yourself with the over all topic). However, I wouldn't go for too much detail.

Where do you get your information for O Chem from? I had a look at Organic Chemistry for Dummies which was really helpful for some basics (like naming or isomers), but was too detailed in some other ways (Fisher projections or alternatives to how to draw atoms etc.). Also, I used Letts Revise Chemistry.

Regarding your question, I think it doesn't really matter whether you know whether it will be O, M or P position (i think that was opposite, meta or p...?)

I would think that such details are given in a GAMSAT question

EAS = electrophilic aromatic substitution. And Ortho is adjacent to the director, Para is opposite the director, and Meta are the other two positions.

I've been using a combination of that same book (org chem for dummies), along with chemguy, khanacademy and freelanceteach youtube video lectures).

Reply 32

OP

Original post by byebyebadman

Anyone??

Also, I've been looking at Org chem today, and I've come up to Ethers/Epoxides in the study guide I've been following. However the Griffiths review of topics doesn't even mention Ethers, despite naming most of the other functional groups as topics to cover?

Regarding Ethers... Isn't it simple a R-O-R' group, i.e. an ester would be an ether. As Griffith mentions esters, I guess that's pretty much everything we need to know about ethers..

I imagine we should be comfortable with identifying methyl ethanoate as an ester... and that you can produce esters from (1) ethanoic acids or (2) primary alcohols.

Reply 33

OP

I was wondering who would be interested in a GAMSAT revision mailing list. I find myself not checking this site daily and I guess a mailing list would work better for me.

Everyone on the mailing list can try and post what she or he has revised. Ideal would be a daily mail but I understand that this may not always be feasible.

I'm trying to revise every day for the GAMSAT and I guess it would be nice to simply summarise what I've done and discuss it with others. If you feel the same and think this sharing of what you've done would be of any use in your revisions, let me know.

Reply 34

As I understand it, you can use heats of formation to find the Enthalpy change of a reaction by using the equation:

EnthChange of Reaction = (Enthalpys of formation of Products) - (Enthalpys of formation of Reactants)

So far so good?

And using this formula, elemental products or reactants will always have enthalpys of formation equalling zero. Right?

So for the following question, why isn't the answer just the enthalpy of formation for AlCl3 multiplied by 2? As the reactants are both in their elemental forms, so have no enthalpy of formation?

Calculate DH for the reaction 2 Al (s) + 3 Cl2 (g) --------->2 AlCl3 (s) from the data.
2 Al (s) + 6 HCl (aq) ------->2 AlCl3 (aq) + 3 H2 (g)

DH = -1049. kJ

HCl (g) ------- >HCl (aq)

DH = -74.8 kJ

H2 (g) + Cl2 (g) -------> 2 HCl (g)

DH = -1845. kJ

AlCl3 (s) ----- >AlCl3 (aq)

DH = -323. kJ

Reply 35

mogambo