BMCC - Chemistry

Hey Back Displaced Floridian,
I am feeling some of the same frustration! We are still in Ch 2 doing Measurements and Sign figures. My professor doesn't really teach at all. He shows a power point. He doesn't tell you what one the tests or the quizzes. I have nightmares about this class because I have to pass it to get in nursing in 09. I have studied so much but I still didn't make very good on my 1st quizz. I think it's just my nerves..before the test. I just keep telling myself I can do it!! (I can do all things through christ who strengthens me). I hope your 1st test goes well.

Carolinagirlz

Well we'll determine to try our best to get through this! I need a C at minimum, the grade won't count into my GPA for nursing school acceptance, but I don't want my over GPA to be lower.

Here's an example of my frustration. The problem in the book said to write the follwong number w/o scientific notation and w/ the proper SI prefix. The number said "0.2010 m" . This just wasn't speaking to me, I looked at the answer, which was "2.010 dm".
I e-mailed the preofessor, asking what should I see here to click my little brain cells into understanding why the decimal moves over one and the prefix is dm vs., say, cm?
He e-mailed me once, I still didn't get it, aske him to please clearly tell me what should I be *thinking* as to why write the number 2.010dm? Here is a cut & paste of his second answer, so if anybody out there can explain it in human terms, please do, I'll be grateful!
<<The context of the problem will determine whether you convert m to dm
or cm.

For example, if you wish to calculate the density of a substance (100 g
and it occupied a cube 0.2010 m on each side) and compare it to other
densities that are listed in g/cm3 then you would first need to convert
0.2010 m to 20.1 cm, find the volume in cm3, then calculate the density.

You would not convert 0.2010 m to dm since the units of density that
you require are in cubic centimeters.

As I mentioned in class 1 cm3 = 1 milliliter (mL). So a substance with
a density of 1 g/cm3 can also be expressed as 1 g/mL.>>

Thanks,
Judy (by the way, the Cliff's Study Solver is a good investment, easier to understand than the text)

Hey displacedfloridian, carolinagirlz and others,

Been reading the thread and I wish you all the best of luck! My opinion is to just get one or two study guides and figure it out on your own; that's what I am planning to do since I know how professors are and I feel we are seeing alot of bad ones instead of good ones. Also, my bf is a genius in math and science; he offered to help me; his major was mechanical engineering at NYIT (which was harder than chem and physics put together) and he took A&P at Medgar as well because he needed it to get into an orthotic program in CT.

I'm taking Chem 121 in Fall 08; don't know who my professor is though. And I'm also taking Developmental Psych(online class in the Fall 08, too.)


For Summer 1, I am taking Mat 104 and someone mentioned that they are taking it as well. Im interested in study partners, . Please email me. My class starts June 6 and it's Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. And for anyone taking Chem in the fall, I am interested in studying together, as well.

I have been thinking whether I should even apply to the BMCC nursing program. Even though I am going to take A&P1, I still need to take Eng 101. I have to figure it out by this Thursday since I was thinking about taking it in the second summer session. (Surprisingly, since I am transfer student and graduated from BAruch College, I assumed BMCC would've taken my English 101 credit since I got a B but they didn't transferred it over, which was interesting...)

Keep in touch everyone!