<p>WADE!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/032159231X/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1335924060&sr=8-1[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/032159231X/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1335924060&sr=8-1</a>
You can get a used copy for 39 bucks on amazon. 5 stars, 25 reviews. You can’t go wrong with that.</p>
<p>Here’s a good “crash course” for Organic Chemistry I if you don’t want a huge textbook: <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/111801040X/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1335924398&sr=8-1[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/111801040X/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1335924398&sr=8-1</a>
This is a pretty short book with some exercises but concepts are explained very well. It’s a good companion to a textbook, but it’s pretty good by itself too (except it assumes you’re using it as a companion to a text so some information could be left out). It’s really really good so… Get it!</p>
<p>when will we find out about high honors and honors?</p>
<p>@numbersense–5/22 according to the ACS website.
[Chemistry</a> Olympiad Competition for High School Students](<a href=“American Chemical Society”>American Chemical Society)</p>
<p>Is the Atkins textbook more rigorous than a traditional AP level textbook? My s advanced to the national level this year, and he will be taking the AP exam on Monday. Would the Atkins textbook be a “repeat” of AP chemistry, or does the Atkins book go into more depth than the traditional AP level text?</p>
<p>Since the top 20 were announced today, when will top 50 and 150 be announced? (Isn’t that the breakdown of high honors and honors?)</p>
<p>Atkins has calc in it. It’s an honors undergrad general chem book, gives much more info than necessary for AP Chem.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback, Sophia7x</p>
<p>I have been using Zumdahl this year and I found that it wasn’t that good. I just got my Atkins in the mail today and I will be using my brother’s Organic Chem book (Bruice) once I have mastered all the general chem topics. A quick scan of the first chapter told me this book is as good as they say it is.</p>
<p>Atkins is clearly an overkill (even for a person going to IChO).</p>
<p>“Quantum Theory”? “Statistical Thermodynamics”? Many chapters should not be even read much past their Intros.</p>
<p>Zumdahl if studied in detail covers all General Chem one may realistically need.</p>
<p>@ChemTutor - the book they are referring to is Chemical Principles by Atkins and Jones, not Physical Chemistry (which Atkins is more famous for).</p>
<p>They published Part I today. Apparently 56 on the multiple choice. I think I got low 90s on Part II depending on whether they accepted other answers on #8. And the best I could have done on the labs is average.</p>
<p>I got around a 50. I got my test booklet back and I marked all my answers on it except for the magnesium nitride problem and I don’t remember what I put for that one. So either 49 or 50.</p>
<p>So angry at myself, 6 out of the 10 errors were dumb mistakes. 
I got #6 wrong because of a simple calculator error. 23 because I didn’t convert ATM to mmHg and I even underlined the units they wanted. haha wow my brain just wasn’t with me that day. And I don’t know what the heck I was thinking when I thought NH3 was a stronger base when CH3NH2 has an electron-donating alkyl group…</p>
<p>Can someone show me how to do 19, please? Thanks. I keep getting weird numbers.</p>
<p>Hey guys i got a 48 on the part 1. Is that enough for ACS to grade my other parts?</p>
<p>@Sophia
I had trouble with this too. Here’s how I did it.
You had to set the qwater= -qice
so mass ice= 29.3-25.0=4.3 g</p>
<p>overall equation
-m(ice)<em>c(ice)</em>(0-Ti)-m(ice)<em>∆HºFus- m(ice)</em>c(water)<em>(Tf-0)=m(water)</em>c(water)<em>(Tf-Ti)
-4.3 2.06</em>-Ti - 4.3<em>333 -4.3</em>4.184<em>21.5=25.0</em>4.184(21.5-40)
8.858Ti - 1818.71=-1935.1
8.858 Ti = -116.39
-13.13 = Ti
hope this helps</p>
<p>@YouTwoThirtyFive</p>
<p>OK, I see. The wrong book it is but at least I got the author right: 50% !
I will try to score better next time.</p>
<p>I think book selection depends on the goals and the personal preferences. Those aiming for National team should be fluent in:
General Chemistry (in US this is taken care of by AP Chem)
Organic Chem
Inorganic Chem
Analytical Chem</p>
<p>For the last 3 subject many textbooks used by Chem Departments to teach their students should work. Try to learn and understand as many reactions as it is possible.</p>
<p>Since it is more or less impossible to cover several years of college level chemistry being a busy HS student, one must use some judgment calls or outside advice which topics should be skipped or skimmed.</p>
<p>Hopefully, you can also manage to get some exposure to the less tested topics such as Biochemistry, Polymer science, Physical Chem, etc. Often enough is touched upon in the four major Subjects listed above but some additional reading may be needed to really become an well-rounded competitor.</p>
<p>An last but not least: SOLVE, SOLVE, SOLVE! Many Olympiad problems can be reasoned out without extensive Chem knowledge.</p>
<p>There’s something I’m confused about - My Chemistry teacher was sent a certificate from my district coordinator saying that I am “A 2012 National Finalist.” According to the ACS website, this <em>should</em> mean that I’m in the top 20.
But I haven’t gotten any call or been contacted in anyway. But my district coordinator is a little “weird” and may have purposely chosen not to contact me about it.
The ACS website says the top 20 will be announced on May 15th - Why are people being contacted so early? And have I gotten into the top 20 or not?</p>
<p>I don’t think you have - they probably would have called you. They do it so early so that they can get the appropriate paperwork done before announcing the top 20.</p>
<p>All 900 or so who participate National Test are called finalists. Top 150 are “Honors” and top 50 are “High Honors”. Top 20 call themselves Study Camp participants.</p>
<p>So if you get the certificate that chessloser mentioned above, it implies that you didn’t get high honors/honors? Or does everyone who participate get the certificate and they don’t print high honors/honors on any of them o.o?</p>