Chemistry a level??

I don't know whether to choose a level chemistry because of the amount of content it contains and the maths section. I need help!!

Reply 1

Med2512

Original post by tasnimali2492

I don't know whether to choose a level chemistry because of the amount of content it contains and the maths section. I need help!!

All a level subjects contain a lot of content so the best way to decide whether or not to study a subject is if you are quite good at it and if you enjoy it. If you struggled at a subject at GCSE I would say don’t choose it at a-level as it is quite a lot harder and there is more content to learn. But it is possible to learn it all. There is a lot of maths involved too but it is like basic gcse maths so not too hard. So basically if you enjoy chemistry just do it :smile:

Reply 2

username4762440

People tend to say it is 'mathsy' but in all honesty, I don't think that is the case. Like there are some topics in which you deal with equations and you need to be able to rearrange them, put numbers in and let your calculator do the hard part.
I am terrible at maths too and I didn't find Chemistry hard because of the 'maths-heavy' topics.

In terms of how content heavy it is, I would say it is definitely less than Biology. What other subjects are you taking?

Reply 3

Gone245

Original post by tasnimali2492

I don't know whether to choose a level chemistry because of the amount of content it contains and the maths section. I need help!!

I’m doing it and I’ve been told most of the math is GCSE level and it is more than possible to get the top grades without doing maths a level although you need to learn logarithms in year 13 for the ph scale

Reply 4

tasnimali2492

iginal post by Yashfa25)All a level subjects contain a lot of content so the best way to decide whether or not to study a subject is if you are quite good at it and if you enjoy it. If you struggled at a subject at GCSE I would say don’t choose it at a-level as it is quite a lot harder and there is more content to learn. But it is possible to learn it all. There is a lot of maths involved too but it is like basic gcse maths so not too hard. So basically if you enjoy chemistry just do it :smile:

I'm taking biology, psychology and chemsitry but I might drop chem for English literature

Reply 5

username4762440

Original post by tasnimali2492

I'm taking biology, psychology and chemsitry but I might drop chem for English literature

Hey,

Biology is definitely more content-heavy than Chemistry, but a lot of people find it easier too. Personally, I always found Chemistry easier, might have just been because the Biology exams (imo) are a pain. English Literature is an amazing subject but again, very content-heavy. I would recommend that you choose the subjects you enjoy and then working hard for them won't be an issue ygm.
Besides, as you say, you can always change the subjects.

In terms of choosing between Chemistry and English: less content for Chem but it is harder. Though if I am honest, if you enjoy a subject, how 'hard' it is truly is irrelevant (given that you got a decent GCSE grade for it).

Good luck!

Reply 6

Kallisto

Entertainment Forum Helper

Original post by tasnimali2492

I don't know whether to choose a level chemistry because of the amount of content it contains and the maths section. I need help!!

This subjects at A levels consists of:

1) reaction mechanisms
-electrophilic addition
-electrophilic substitution
- radical subsititution
-redox reactions
- kinds of influencing reactions (pressure, temperature...)
2) organic chemistry
- fats
-proteins
- synthethic materials
- saccharides
3) Models in chemistry and chemical structures
- functional groups
- isomerism
-stereoisomerism
- orbitals
- mesomeric structures
4.) tests
- fehling's test
- tollen's reagent
-biuret test
- titration
- chromatography
- galvanic cell
- electrophoresis
5) stochiometry
- masses
- molar masses
- concentration
- ph value
- acid dissociation constant
-solubility product

That is what I was teached at A levels and a bit more of what I listed. Yep, it looks like a lot to cram, but if you think the other sciences are lesser in lessons, you are so wrong, on the contrary, it is even more!