The Student Room Group

A-level Chemistry Study Group



Welcome to the A-level Chemistry Study Group! :party2:


Saw a few of these study group threads floating around and thought I would make one :tongue:*
This is just a place to rant about the subject, chat and meet people, I guess. If you have any specific questions, it might be better to post them in the chemistry study help forum than here :yes:

Icebreakers :wink:
Are you in year 12 or year 13?
Which exam board are you on?
Why did you pick chemistry?
Have you done any practicals yet?
What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far?
What are you going to study at uni?

Specifications



TSR has a megathread for chemistry resources but it was posted in 2006 so I have no idea when they were last updated :dontknow: I think the specification links are out-dated too. Might go through them later to see which ones are relevant and collate them here :grin:

For people who are considering whether chemistry is for them: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5029000

Link to other study group threads: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5748700
(edited 4 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
im in year 12, we are doing AQA chemistry. i chose chem bc i really love the subject and the type of content it entails. we have done three required practicals so far, and i HATE the bonding topic. i also dont like the group 7 topic bc i feel like theres so many tests we have to learn. i am hoping to study dentistry at uni.
Are you in year 12 or year 13?
year 13


Which exam board are you on?
edexcel

Why did you pick chemistry?
need it for med

Have you done any practicals yet?
yes most of them

What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far?
favourite: organic
Least favourite: Rates of reaction stuff

What are you going to study at uni?
Medicine
Reply 3
Original post by SaleemaP
im in year 12, we are doing AQA chemistry. i chose chem bc i really love the subject and the type of content it entails. we have done three required practicals so far, and i HATE the bonding topic. i also dont like the group 7 topic bc i feel like theres so many tests we have to learn. i am hoping to study dentistry at uni.


:hi:
the bonding topic is really horrible.. there's so much memorisation :ahhhhh:
testing is okay once you get the hang of it :yes:
best of luck! are you going to be entered for the AS exam this year?

Original post by RickHendricks
Are you in year 12 or year 13?
year 13


Which exam board are you on?
edexcel

Why did you pick chemistry?
need it for med

Have you done any practicals yet?
yes most of them

What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far?
favourite: organic
Least favourite: Rates of reaction stuff

What are you going to study at uni?
Medicine


:hi: nice to see you again :hugs:
I quite like rates of reaction :lol: it's very mathematical, which I like :yes:
just being nosy but have you had any decisions from unis yet? :holmes:
Reply 4
Original post by nyxnko_
:hi: nice to see you again :hugs:
I quite like rates of reaction :lol: it's very mathematical, which I like :yes:
just being nosy but have you had any decisions from unis yet? :holmes:


Yh, I think it’s quite complicated. I’m hoping to get the the hang of it haha.
Thank you! Yes, I think we’re going to be doing the actual AS as a form of mock this summer
Reply 5
Hi, I'm currently preparing for my A2 chemistry. I scored an A in the recent CIE examination and I feel like the only difficult part is time management in the exam provided you have done a solid preparation. Ask me any questions and hopefully I will be able to help!
Original post by nyxnko_
:hi:
the bonding topic is really horrible.. there's so much memorisation :ahhhhh:
testing is okay once you get the hang of it :yes:
best of luck! are you going to be entered for the AS exam this year?



:hi: nice to see you again :hugs:
I quite like rates of reaction :lol: it's very mathematical, which I like :yes:
just being nosy but have you had any decisions from unis yet? :holmes:


Heard back from all 5

Offer from St georges (med) and QMUL (biomed)

Got interviews for 3 more :biggrin:
Reply 7
Original post by SaleemaP
Yh, I think it’s quite complicated. I’m hoping to get the the hang of it haha.
Thank you! Yes, I think we’re going to be doing the actual AS as a form of mock this summer


Well, good luck with everything :rave:

Original post by GP-Luffy
Hi, I'm currently preparing for my A2 chemistry. I scored an A in the recent CIE examination and I feel like the only difficult part is time management in the exam provided you have done a solid preparation. Ask me any questions and hopefully I will be able to help!


Good luck!
The timings are really horrible.. :grumble:

Original post by RickHendricks
Heard back from all 5

Offer from St georges (med) and QMUL (biomed)

Got interviews for 3 more :biggrin:


ayyyyy congrats!! :woo: hope you get into the one you want!
Reply 8
Hi I'm in year 13 doing OCR A. I mainly picked chem because its a requirement for the course I want to do at uni, but if it wasn't I think I would have picked it anyways as I did enjoy it at GCSE :smile: We have done most of the practicals, I think there's about 3/4 left. I prefer organic to physical (particularly dislike electrode potentials) and hoping to study dentistry :biggrin:
Reply 9
Hi, Im a year 13 AQA chemistry student and I hate organic chemistry it is mass memorization with so many equations :frown: and I chose it as I was planning to apply for medicine but sadly changed my mind last minute.
@nyxnko_
:jive:
:ta:

Icebreakers :wink:
Are you in year 12 or year 13?
Which exam board are you on?
Why did you pick chemistry?
Have you done any practicals yet?
What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far?
What are you going to study at uni?


Yr 13
Edexcel
Know deeper about the different types of bonds and their relationships (tbh helps me relate to one another :rofl: )
yup. As of recent, paper chromatography to identify chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in leaves
Favourite would be...redox calculations and challenging ...equilibria and aromatic/aliphatic
err...not decided yet
Reply 11
Can i get some of your opinions please. Here's the scenario.

I am currently in year 13 and am looking to resit one of my chemistry papers where i got a total grade of C at AS. (67 on U1, 65 on U2). I want to ask you; which unit of Chemistry AS (WJEC) Do you believe is easier to learn and practice all while studying the A2 section of A-Level chem.

Thanks in Advance.
Are you in year 12 or year 13? Year 13
Which exam board are you on? AQA
Why did you pick chemistry? Chemistry is a respected subject and didn't seem very difficult when I was choosing my options
Have you done any practicals yet? I've almost finished all of the practicals
What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far? Favourite are Atomic Structure, Periodicity and Kinetics (all AS) because of how short and easy these topics are
What are you going to study at uni? Finance & Accounting
(edited 4 years ago)
Hiya, I'm in Year 13 doing OCR B (Salters). I picked chemistry because I enjoyed it at GCSE and I knew it was required to do my uni course. I've done most of the practicals now, and my favourite topics so far are ozone, proteins and aspirin (and I'm not too keen on Arrhenius plots!). I've got offers to study Veterinary Medicine at uni :smile:
Reply 14
Has anyone done the 2019 chemistry olympiad?
Are you in year 12 or year 13?
Year 13

Which exam board are you on?
WJEC

Why did you pick chemistry?
I enjoyed it at GCSE

Have you done any practicals yet?
I've done most of them

What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far?
Favourite topics - organic chem
Least favourite - p block chemistry

What are you going to study at uni?

Chemistry! :smile:
Reply 16
Original post by rm.25
Hi I'm in year 13 doing OCR A. I mainly picked chem because its a requirement for the course I want to do at uni, but if it wasn't I think I would have picked it anyways as I did enjoy it at GCSE :smile: We have done most of the practicals, I think there's about 3/4 left. I prefer organic to physical (particularly dislike electrode potentials) and hoping to study dentistry :biggrin:


Best of luck! :rave:
I haven't started electrode potentials yet.. but I've heard it's hard :bricks:
Reply 17
Original post by AOA2017
Hi, Im a year 13 AQA chemistry student and I hate organic chemistry it is mass memorization with so many equations :frown: and I chose it as I was planning to apply for medicine but sadly changed my mind last minute.


Yeah.. I really hate the memorisation :sadnod: It's the mechanisms and the conditions for me... like it's not even hard, there's just so much of it..
Ooh, what are you applying for instead? :holmes:
Reply 18
Original post by Spannerin'moi
@nyxnko_
:jive:
:ta:

Icebreakers :wink:
Are you in year 12 or year 13?
Which exam board are you on?
Why did you pick chemistry?
Have you done any practicals yet?
What's been your favourite (and least favourite) topic so far?
What are you going to study at uni?


Yr 13
Edexcel
Know deeper about the different types of bonds and their relationships (tbh helps me relate to one another :rofl: )
yup. As of recent, paper chromatography to identify chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in leaves
Favourite would be...redox calculations and challenging ...equilibria and aromatic/aliphatic
err...not decided yet


:hi:
lmao, that is honestly one of the best reasons I've heard for taking chem :rofl:
that practical sounds fun! i don't think we do it for AQA, sadly :sad:
hehe, I quite like equilibria :wink:
that's okay, you've still got time, I think.. :dontknow: :lol:
Reply 19
Original post by Sami.T
Can i get some of your opinions please. Here's the scenario.

I am currently in year 13 and am looking to resit one of my chemistry papers where i got a total grade of C at AS. (67 on U1, 65 on U2). I want to ask you; which unit of Chemistry AS (WJEC) Do you believe is easier to learn and practice all while studying the A2 section of A-Level chem.

Thanks in Advance.


Heya, I'm sorry you've not had any responses to this yet. I'm on AQA but would suggest that you resit the one that you struggle with the most, because if you learn that really well, it will support your knowledge of A2 content as well, but do take my advice with a pinch of salt :redface:
If possible, maybe post your question on the chemistry forum instead: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=130

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