<p>I take it next semester (block scheduling). I've had honors chem last year, but I'm not sure it was enough. I don't know stoichiometry, redox reactions, anything like that. What am I supposed to know going in? How much more difficult is AP Chem than AP Bio?</p>
<p>I’m in both, and AP Chemistry, conceptually is more difficult than AP Biology by a ton. Students don’t usually struggle with the math in AP Chem, it’s just the concepts that follow. The things I would go over is, 1) Stoichiometry. Stoich is so important you use it almost all the time so familiarize yourself with that before stepping in the classroom. Redox reactions are focused more in AP Chem, in Honors Chem, you probably remember it as single replacement reactions. Redox is just the fancy name for them, and you’ll go in depth about them in AP Chem. I would also study up on inorganic nomenclature. Remember, everything stacks on itself. In other words, know your concepts and know them well. You’ll notice that a lot of the concepts will show up again throughout the class. There’s so much to go over and it’s important that you have in a strong foundation in each concepts, that’s why it’s a yearlong class. Also read through your notes every night and ask tons of questions lol.</p>
<p>You’ve taken Honors Chemistry and you don’t know stoichiometry? That makes things a bit…challenging. </p>
<p>Tips:
•Know how to write equations
-diatomic molecules
-rules of equations (decomposition, double replacement, etc)
-solubility rules
-element symbols
•Stoichiometry
-you really need to have this down
•Basic structure of an atom and the intramolecular forces
•Dimensional analysis (which morfs into stoichiometry)
•Heat (although you do learn this more in depth in the class itself)
-what “q” is
-how to find q
•Trends (although you do learn this more in depth in the class itself)</p>
<p>Redox equations are not a fancy name for single replacement reactions. Redox involves looking at the exchange of electrons in the reaction, while single replacement is a type of reaction.</p>
<p>GO OVER STOICH. I’m in AP Chem right now. Luckily, I took Honors Chem sophomore year and had an amazing teacher so I haven’t had much catching up to do, but many of my peers were not so lucky. For me, I’ve actually done better understanding the concepts, but sometimes I tend to make mistakes on the math. Don’t overlook the math skills. Remember your solubility rules and periodic table trends too.</p>
<p>I took Bio last year and I actually found Bio to be more difficult. It was too much memorization for me. Because I understand the chemistry concepts better, I’m more successful in chem than I was as a junior in bio. But to each his own.</p>
<p>We have three levels of chemistry we’re supposed to take. Honors and Regular Chem only get to the periodic table. (I have no idea how it takes them an entire year to get to the periodic table, but it did.) Then you’re supposed to take Chem II (which is stoichiometry and kinetics and gas laws and such), and then AP Chem. I was going to take Chem II first semester and then AP Chem, but they ended up being in the same semester.</p>
<p>Would there be any way for you to take Chem II and then take AP Chem? I’m not sure if you want a stronger foundation. It makes things a lot easier. It really depends on what you want. A strong foundation in chemistry or to take AP Chem?</p>
<p>step 1: don’t rip your hair out
there is only one step.</p>
<p>@Niquii Sorry, you’re right. That’s embarrassing… :S</p>
<p>Funny we sort of like relearn Stochi in AP chem. But I’m not sure how someone that haven’t taken it would do. But if you must take it, don’t sleep. I can’t tell you how many time people slept in the class. Some people does do well but if you sleep you missed out on a lot.</p>