IB Chemistry
Words of wisdom
Contributors: George Jolly, Albane Girma, Amy Take, Ellen Hao
What should you know before choosing subject? Who is suited for this subject?
“Chemistry is like a mixture of understanding concepts and applying basic maths.” - Amy
"Chemistry can be seen as quite an interesting but challenging subject. While chemistry has many applications in future life in jobs and just general knowledge, the theory of chemistry can be hard to understand for some. People should be acquainted at least a little with what Chemistry deals with (the study of the stuff that makes up everything) and the challenges that come with it, but provided that you learn it with keen interest or just sheer determination, you can do well." - George
“So don’t worry if you currently find Chemistry hard…if it’s what you really want to do, you find it interesting, and you’re willing to put in a little extra time, go for it!” - Albane
"There’s less rote memorisation in Chemistry than in Biology! Also, if you’re choosing between HL and SL Chemistry, be aware that they have a HUGE difference, e.g. at SL level, you don’t need to know about the s, p, d, f orbitals." - Amy
"Chemistry is one of those subjects where you either get it, or you don’t. That being said, anyone who is willing to put in that extra effort and work is definitely suited for Chem. I think that is key for chem: you cannot rely only on lessons and last minute revision. You have to be willing to ask questions, look online, do past papers, and actually read that huge text-book everyone buys but never uses.
I personally struggled with basic GCSE Chemistry… I just couldn’t grasp many concepts and found it so much more complicated than Biology or even Physics. Despite that, I was convinced I wanted to do Medicine and so obviously had to take chemistry…so I took HL Chem for IB. By no means do I find it easy, but I think that I’ve found a good method and rhythm that has been working quite well for me and so it’s not as challenging as I thought it would be. So don’t worry if you currently find Chemistry hard…if it’s what you really want to do, you find it interesting, and you’re willing to put in a little extra time, go for it!" - Albane
How should you approach studying for a subject? Taking notes?
"I don’t think there’s one set method to adopt when approaching the subject, because revision is really personal. I would say though that the most essential thing is understanding. If you really want to do well, make sure you understand when it’s fresh in your mind. If you find something difficult, make a small personal note or drawing in the textbook that will allow you to understand later when you re-read everything. We all have that tendency to leave things we don’t understand until the last minute…but you can’t do that when taking subjects like chem, especially if you do double sciences. People usually end up with a huge pile of things they can’t grasp, creating more confusion in other topics, where during precious revision periods they spend most of their time simply learning rather than revising and practicing. So if you don't understand something, ask, go online, or read textbooks…don't leave it until later!" - Albane
"For something like Chem, lots of notetaking for each topic is essential, with practice questions kept in mind. Looking at the chemistry syllabus is also helpful in allowing you to look at what you need to know. There are even smiley face sections of the syllabus for you to track which parts you feel poor/confident in (lmao). Understanding which parts you feel poor in chemistry and improving on them is key, and if you feel like you don’t quite understand how something works then asking questions is always helpful to improve on this. Illustrations and metaphorical representations of these topics may also help you to remember these." - George
"I don’t think there’s one set method to adopt when approaching the subject, because revision is really personal. I would say though that the most essential thing is understanding. If you really want to do well, make sure you understand when it’s fresh in your mind. If you find something difficult, make a small personal note or drawing in the textbook that will allow you to understand later when you re-read everything. We all have that tendency to leave things we don’t understand until the last minute…but you can’t do that when taking subjects like chem, especially if you do double sciences. People usually end up with a huge pile of things they can’t grasp, creating more confusion in other topics, where during precious revision periods they spend most of their time simply learning rather than revising and practicing. So if you don't understand something, ask, go online, or read textbooks…don't leave it until later!" - Albane
"For something like Chem, lots of notetaking for each topic is essential, with practice questions kept in mind. Looking at the chemistry syllabus is also helpful in allowing you to look at what you need to know. There are even smiley face sections of the syllabus for you to track which parts you feel poor/confident in (lmao). Understanding which parts you feel poor in chemistry and improving on them is key, and if you feel like you don’t quite understand how something works then asking questions is always helpful to improve on this. Illustrations and metaphorical representations of these topics may also help you to remember these." - George
“There’s often such a huge difference between understanding and applying knowledge, and the IBO is an expert in making simple questions seem impossible.” - Albane
"Personally, I’ll use a whiteboard to help me memorise key concepts and mechanisms that can only be learned through rote memorisation. I’ll scribble out the periodicity reactions or any diagrams, and using a whiteboard means that I don’t have to be worried about getting too messy!" - Amy
"My personal method is a mixture of notes and practice questions. Before topic tests, I make personal notes answering the “smiley face” questions to make sure I understand everything in my own way…use colour, diagrams, pictures… anything that helps you remember. This also really helps me sort things out in my head…writing and organizing my notes just helps me make more sense out of the theory. I also find that having one notebook with everything is so much more convenient during revision than scrambling through a million torn paper booklets.
The second thing is practicing. I always do practice questions from textbooks, online, anything I can get my hands on really. There’s often such a huge difference between understanding and applying knowledge, and the IBO is an expert in making simple questions seem impossible. So make sure you do past paper questions because there are only so many ways they can ask you certain questions, so if you’ve done past ones, you’ll be ready." - Albane
What are your top tips for acing the exam?
"Apart from practicing, like, a lot, having organised and precise notes on everything thats been covered is a healthy investment in the subject, and will help immensely throughout the exam periods to come." - George
"Pace yourself. It may seem silly to say that about chem, but it’s true for any subject really. Make sure you revise properly for topic tests and that all your notes are up to date. Take mock exams seriously so that you have a good revision session for the actual exams. Just be consistent with your revision and learning because you absolutely cannot cram everything last minute…it’s a really bad idea." - Albane
"Try to consolidate your information. For the 2015 IB Chemistry syllabus, a lot of the topics went hand-in-hand, e.g. Kinetics + Energetics + Equilibrium, Organic Chemistry + Food Chemistry. Try to connect the knowledge from one unit with your understanding of Chemistry as a whole, and then it’ll become a lot easier to link concepts and understand the entire context of the subject." - Ellen
"Apart from practicing, like, a lot, having organised and precise notes on everything thats been covered is a healthy investment in the subject, and will help immensely throughout the exam periods to come." - George
"Pace yourself. It may seem silly to say that about chem, but it’s true for any subject really. Make sure you revise properly for topic tests and that all your notes are up to date. Take mock exams seriously so that you have a good revision session for the actual exams. Just be consistent with your revision and learning because you absolutely cannot cram everything last minute…it’s a really bad idea." - Albane
"Try to consolidate your information. For the 2015 IB Chemistry syllabus, a lot of the topics went hand-in-hand, e.g. Kinetics + Energetics + Equilibrium, Organic Chemistry + Food Chemistry. Try to connect the knowledge from one unit with your understanding of Chemistry as a whole, and then it’ll become a lot easier to link concepts and understand the entire context of the subject." - Ellen
Anything else?
"Richard Thornley on Youtube will be your best Chem friend for the next two years, trust me. On the “few” occasions that I’ve had to binge watch his videos before a test, he really saved me, so go subscribe and in return he might just help you pass Chem!" - Albane
"Richard Thornley on Youtube will be your best Chem friend for the next two years, trust me. On the “few” occasions that I’ve had to binge watch his videos before a test, he really saved me, so go subscribe and in return he might just help you pass Chem!" - Albane
Notes / Resources
chemguide
chemguide isn't the most attractive of websites, but it can give you the information you need. It's not specifically directed towards the IB curriculum, but it's easy to understand and has a wealth of information about organic chemistry, as well as topics like atomic structure.
Richard Thornley
Richard Thornley's Youtube channel is a gift from the heavens. Each video explains one syllabus statement in enough detail, with helpful diagrams and clear explanations, and the content is being/has been updated for the 2016 and onwards exams!
Richard Thornley's Youtube channel is a gift from the heavens. Each video explains one syllabus statement in enough detail, with helpful diagrams and clear explanations, and the content is being/has been updated for the 2016 and onwards exams!
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Crash Course Chemistry
Crash Course Chemistry isn't specifically directed towards the IB syllabus, but each video's description box has links to different 'chapters' within the video to skip the content you already know/don't need. It's fast-paced, quirky, and very informational. (Another bonus: the graphics make you feel happy.)
Crash Course Chemistry isn't specifically directed towards the IB syllabus, but each video's description box has links to different 'chapters' within the video to skip the content you already know/don't need. It's fast-paced, quirky, and very informational. (Another bonus: the graphics make you feel happy.)
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For the Over-achievers
TED-Ed and Periodic Videos
The Periodic Videos team has created an interactive periodic table that is both beautiful and functional. If you click an element, a video will pop up about the element and its many talents.
The Periodic Videos team has created an interactive periodic table that is both beautiful and functional. If you click an element, a video will pop up about the element and its many talents.
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If you ever get tired of this subject, watch this video to remember exactly why Chemistry is awesome.
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Matter matters. In an enthralling talk, Lee Cronin discusses the organic and inorganic, and makes matter come to life.
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Disclaimer - The opinions represented on this page are from the individual contributors only, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Save our Study or of any other organization. We do not make any guarantees about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information.