How hard is intro to chemistry?

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I heard that intro to chemistry is hard. Has anyone here taken intro to chemistry and can give any tips. Thanks

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Hi there! I'm in Intro to Chem right now. I have to admit... I didn't think it was going to be that hard... but I kind of had "sticker shock" when I saw the syllabus on the first day. We have 3- 100pt exams, 1-150pt final, 10-10pt lab assignments, and 7-10pt homework assignments.

However, we have had 3-10pt assignments so far, and I've gotten 10/10 on all three. I've noticed that the scores for other people aren't that high (she posts the class averages and how it breaks down), but I just don't think everyone has been putting a lot of time into their assignments.

I have been keeping up with the readings, going to lecture, and working the problems and so far it's going pretty well.

Just be sure you keep up and you should do fine!

Good luck! HTH's :uhoh3:

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I heard that intro to chemistry is hard. Has anyone here taken intro to chemistry and can give any tips. Thanks

Its like a math class just study and practice practice! For me the lab was harder then lecture, our instructor did not help us at all and he graded for everything, homework lab books etc...anything he could take points off for he would. He did grade on a curve though but that was so frustrating.

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Its like a math class just study and practice practice! For me the lab was harder then lecture, our instructor did not help us at all and he graded for everything, homework lab books etc...anything he could take points off for he would. He did grade on a curve though but that was so frustrating.

How much math is involved?

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I am taking the class now. So far I don't think it is that hard. My instructor said that it is a way of thinking. If he can change your way of thinking by the end of the class, then he has done his job. As far as the math, it isn't that bad. Granted I have just begun, but so far it's fine.

He assigns homework but doesn't take it up. It is just practice for us. He goes over the homework in class the next time we meet. So far, I really like the class. I was scared of chemistry until I started this class. Now I think that I am going to be okay.:smilecoffeecup:

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.
How much math is involved?

Chemistry is a great deal of math; you'll be calculating metric quantities and volumes and weights, etc. Algebra will be your friend here.

It's difficult to accurately answer your question about "how hard" is something. It's all in your aptitude. If you allow ample time to study the concepts, and read the material, attend class, ask questions and do the homework, you'll probably find it to be more manageable than someone who doesn't. In my Chemistry class, about half of us did the work. Half didn't, and they're the ones who blamed the teacher for making it "hard".

I'm convinced that anyone can learn anything if they put forth the effort.

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How much math is involved?

I found the class to be all math, I did not know what to expect going in and was surprised to find it was so much math. Don't let that scare you though, the math isn't hard, its pretty much memorizing formulas and just plugging the stuff in. If you took any kind of algebra course you will be all set, alot of dimensional analysis, which you need for nursing anyway so its good practice. I actually ended up really loving chemistry it was something I had never taken before.

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Specializes in Psych, Tele.

Be prepared to see alot of dimensional analysis. It is best if you review the material right after class, so you don't forget what you went over with the instructor. That's the easiest way to attain an A.

The math is definitely essential since you will be using it in the chemistry section of A&PI, and in your dosage calculations in Pharmacology.

Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Chem is a lot of math, but you'll get really comfortable with dimensional analysis. And that will come in handy when you take pharmacology in nursing school.

Anyway, here's the site that really helped me get through chem:

http://misterguch.brinkster.net/chemfiestanew.html - yes, it's a high school teacher's site. But it's great.

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http://misterguch.brinkster.net/chemfiestanew.html - yes, it's a high school teacher's site. But it's great.

OMGosh... I want this guy for my teacher!!!! LOL

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Wish he'd been my teacher, too.

Awesome site!

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
i heard that intro to chemistry is hard. has anyone here taken intro to chemistry and can give any tips. thanks.

how much math is involved?

"hard" is a subjective and relative term. what may be hard for one person can be easy to another. you are also asking how much math is involved? that depends on what the curriculum of this chemistry class is that you are taking at your school. i would recommend that you go to the campus and try to find students who have taken the intro to chemistry class at this school you are going to and ask them what classwork and math are involved. you might check to see if there is information about the class online since many colleges today have websites and many of the instructors put some information, including the course syllabus, online where it can be publicly accessed.

i was at one time a chemistry major. i was also at one time scared to death to take chemistry. this is what i learned. it is a very logical science. as long as you keep up with the reading and memorizing of the information from the very beginning of the class, you should have to problem with it. most science and math is logical and one concept builds upon the next. this is also true in nursing and medicine. from the very beginning, make flashcards of the elements, their atomic numbers and valences to help you memorize and learn them because you need to be able to pull this information from your memory later when you do some basic math problems. flashcards are the fastest and most painless way to learn information and retain it.

can you add, subtract, multiply and divide? do you remember the rules of working with fractions? this is all 8th grade level math. the only other thing you need to know is how to find "x" in a very basic equation from basic algebra--nothing fancy. the chemistry instructor will show you what you need to know about working with chemistry equations.

here is a website for high school students that is pretty much what is covered in an introduction to chemistry course. you might want to bookmark it to use as a reference for when you take your chemistry class.

as someone who has been a nurse for many years i have some words of wisdom about nursing and education for you. . .professional nurses are problem solvers. that is what nursing school is preparing professional nurses to do on their jobs beside attend to their patients. there wasn't a day that went by that i wasn't stamping out little fires that flared up all around me. getting through school is riddled with all kind of problems as well--fear of chemistry and math might be yours. as a full fledged professional you will be expected to take the bull by the horns and deal with and solve problems as they come up. here's your first big one--chemistry and math. how badly do you want to be a nurse? how firm is your resolve to succeed? to what lengths will you go to be successful in a chemistry class (no cheating allowed)? we all have our fights we have to fight. your character is what is really at question here. do you have the capacity to learn and the flexibility to analyze your mistakes and change? do you have what it takes to get to the finish line? real rns are strong leaders--battleships in action, tough, resolved, digging in and working away at getting a job done? is that you?

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