Over time I’ve noted a fair number of scientifically oriented people who found Chemistry inscrutable. Math, biology & physics show up as strengths, but they report Chemistry as the subject they couldn’t learn. Does anyone else have this experience and, if so, can you explain it?
The chemistry principles are easy, but remembering all the arbitrary catalysts was very hard in organic chemistry. So much memorization of random facts.
-
-
The perception that memorizing is key to Organic chemistry is true for nomenclature, but not the reactions. Understanding mechanisms is key rather than memorizing. Also remember hearing from my Ph.D. Advisor that verbal SAT scores a better predictor of success for Organic chem.
-
Agreed. Once you understand concepts of electro negativity, steric hinderance etc with some degree of spatial awareness, reactions become much more intuitive. Less “rote memorization”.
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
I started out as a chemical engineer (track organic engineering). An interesting fact, half of my classmates were female. In all other engineering degrees the ratio was 90/10.
-
Also when I started the average lifespan of an organic chemistry professor was +10 shorter...
- 2 more replies
New conversation -
-
-
This was always my feelings on the matter. Math, physics, everything else on science seems to make sense, but chemistry just seemed like the key to success was just memorizing a bunch of stuff.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
Requires more conscientiousness than the others. Math & physics you can get by on intelligence alone. Chemistry you have to organize long, complex, messy labs. Biology is a class by itself: either premeds or environmental types, both driven in their own way.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
I'm a chemist. There appeared to be significantly more arbitrary facts in the biology units I took during undergrad.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
In biology, you find all types and all levels of interest regarding chemistry. Personally, I'm with the Max Gottlieb (from Sinclair Lewis' novel Arrowsmith): "Organic chemistry? Bah! Organic chemistry is cookbook chemistry! PHYSICAL chemistry is Power!"
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
My order of preference: Physics, Math, Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and then Biology. Inorganic chemistry was my least favorite because of the need to learn reactions which you couldn't come up with yourself or learn intuitively.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
For me it’s the other way around. I liked math, bio and chem and hated physics
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.