Higher Chemistry 2018-19

wait, what level are you guys studying at? GCSE, A level or Uni. I am doing GCSE and I am really scared. Can someone help me with naming formulas and compounds so like suffixes because I struggle.

Reply 25

536458

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Original post by bmarciel

wait, what level are you guys studying at? GCSE, A level or Uni. I am doing GCSE and I am really scared. Can someone help me with naming formulas and compounds so like suffixes because I struggle.

We're studying as Scottish Higher level, which is equivalent to A Level. Have you tried BBC Bitesize?

If you have any specific questions then ask them here and hopefully I (or someone else) can help answer them.
I can post a short note about naming and formulae later on.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 26

sbneelu

We're doing Scottish Higher Chemistry, which is about equivalent to AS Level.

By compound naming I'm assuming you mean organic chemistry? If so, I find that the best way is to just practise naming them because it's something you've got to memorise.

There are some rules that would help because it's very systematic. -an- means all single bonds, -en- means at least one double bond (-yn- means at least one triple bond but that's not in the Higher course and I'm assuming it's not in GCSE/AS level either, it may be in Advanced Higher (equivalent to A2 Level)).

The number of carbons is indicated by meth-, eth-, prop-, but-, pent-, etc. The number prefixes are di, tri, etc. Those apply to alkyl groups (branches in a chain), as well as bonds. So two methyl groups would be indicated with something like 2,2-dimethyl and a hydrocarbon with two double bonds would have -di- to show two and -ene- to show double bonds, so it'd end in -diene.

There are also suffixes for other functional groups, like -ol for alcohols, -al for aldehydes, -oic acid for carboxylic acids, -one for ketones and so on. They tend to bear resemblance to their group. Alcohol ends in -ol. Aldehyde starts with al-, ketone ends in -one, carboxylic acids are acids, and so on.

If you just practise naming them you'll get used to how they work. It's really systematic and it'll make sense with practice.

(Also sorry, I feel like that explanation was kind of rambly, I'm not the best at explaining things but there are loads of good resources online that could be quite helpful.)

Original post by bmarciel

wait, what level are you guys studying at? GCSE, A level or Uni. I am doing GCSE and I am really scared. Can someone help me with naming formulas and compounds so like suffixes because I struggle.

Reply 27

So the Higher chemistry exam is in a few days and I am so the most unprepared for it and plus I hate it, especially the calculations unit.
How do you revise chemistry?
I need some tips to revise chemistry otherwise I’m failing..
any comment will be helpful
Thanks

Reply 28

ailsa.02

Original post by katherine340

So the Higher chemistry exam is in a few days and I am so the most unprepared for it and plus I hate it, especially the calculations unit.
How do you revise chemistry?
I need some tips to revise chemistry otherwise I’m failing..
any comment will be helpful
Thanks

I found this website even though it’s not my school, the exam level questions are past paper questions and really handy since they have mark schemes too. Since they are organised by topic it lets me get to grips with the course one bit at a time. I would recommend working through some of the exam questions, even if you just do questions for the areas you feel you need to work on the most.

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/er/mchchemistrydepartmentblog/sample-page/higher/

Reply 29

bmarciel

Thank you, I’ll try to memorise them.

Original post by sbneelu

We're doing Scottish Higher Chemistry, which is about equivalent to AS Level.

By compound naming I'm assuming you mean organic chemistry? If so, I find that the best way is to just practise naming them because it's something you've got to memorise.

There are some rules that would help because it's very systematic. -an- means all single bonds, -en- means at least one double bond (-yn- means at least one triple bond but that's not in the Higher course and I'm assuming it's not in GCSE/AS level either, it may be in Advanced Higher (equivalent to A2 Level)).

The number of carbons is indicated by meth-, eth-, prop-, but-, pent-, etc. The number prefixes are di, tri, etc. Those apply to alkyl groups (branches in a chain), as well as bonds. So two methyl groups would be indicated with something like 2,2-dimethyl and a hydrocarbon with two double bonds would have -di- to show two and -ene- to show double bonds, so it'd end in -diene.

There are also suffixes for other functional groups, like -ol for alcohols, -al for aldehydes, -oic acid for carboxylic acids, -one for ketones and so on. They tend to bear resemblance to their group. Alcohol ends in -ol. Aldehyde starts with al-, ketone ends in -one, carboxylic acids are acids, and so on.

If you just practise naming them you'll get used to how they work. It's really systematic and it'll make sense with practice.

(Also sorry, I feel like that explanation was kind of rambly, I'm not the best at explaining things but there are loads of good resources online that could be quite helpful.)

Reply 30

Original post by ailsa.02

I found this website even though it’s not my school, the exam level questions are past paper questions and really handy since they have mark schemes too. Since they are organised by topic it lets me get to grips with the course one bit at a time. I would recommend working through some of the exam questions, even if you just do questions for the areas you feel you need to work on the most.

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/er/mchchemistrydepartmentblog/sample-page/higher/

Thank you so much!

Reply 31

ailsa.02

Original post by katherine340

Thank you so much!

No problem!! Good luck for next week, I’m kinda freaking out about it! I have an English exam on the 8th so finding it hard to split my revision.

Reply 32

Original post by ailsa.02

No problem!! Good luck for next week, I’m kinda freaking out about it! I have an English exam on the 8th so finding it hard to split my revision.

Good luck in English!
I’m really freaking out for chemistry as I got 50% in my prelim and I really struggle with it. In Nat 5 I was finding it so easy and got an A but this year I barely manage higher which makes me hate it.

Original post by katherine340

So the Higher chemistry exam is in a few days and I am so the most unprepared for it and plus I hate it, especially the calculations unit.
How do you revise chemistry?
I need some tips to revise chemistry otherwise I’m failing..
any comment will be helpful
Thanks

Original post by ailsa.02

I found this website even though it’s not my school, the exam level questions are past paper questions and really handy since they have mark schemes too. Since they are organised by topic it lets me get to grips with the course one bit at a time. I would recommend working through some of the exam questions, even if you just do questions for the areas you feel you need to work on the most.

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/er/mchchemistrydepartmentblog/sample-page/higher/

Have merged this into the main Higher Chemistry thread for you :smile:

Reply 34

Ali$hah

Are antioxidants oxidising agents ?? Also I don’t understand any of the enthaply stuff ?!

Reply 35

Original post by Ali$hah

Are antioxidants oxidising agents ?? Also I don’t understand any of the enthaply stuff ?!

I don’t think we need to know about antioxidants and I also don’t have anything about them in my notes however they are reducing agents.
What about enthalpy do you not understand? Calculations? enthalpy change in potential energy diagrams?

Reply 36

ailsa.02

Can anyone help with this multiple choice question? The answer is C but I have no idea why... :frown:

Attachment not found

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 37

sbneelu

Hmm it says attachment not found... Could you send the question again please?

Original post by ailsa.02

Can anyone help with this multiple choice question? The answer is C but I have no idea why... :frown:

Attachment not found

Reply 38

76E95965-7411-425B-8A86-29B74831C8AA.jpg.jpeg20.6KB

Original post by ailsa.02

Can anyone help with this multiple choice question? The answer is C but I have no idea why... :frown:

Attachment not found

Here is my working hope it helps!! This is a comparing volumes of gases calculation by the way E13FE56C-C51A-4940-8268-60A25A91F79C.jpg.jpeg

Reply 39

sbneelu