Tips on surviving your Chemistry A-level

**Sweets** · 29-06-2007, 08:16 PM

Well, urgh, I found Biology easier. Simply because you can just master most of it with the past papers and a whole load of memorising (and that is how I got 100/100 UMS in two units... I basically memorised the two textbooks by rote and did tonnes of past papers. I'm no genius. Just wierdly capable of memorising at the time...*sigh* Lost that ability now. I know: magic potion!).

Nevermind the coursework, though. Never was good at it. Always something that must go wrong.

With chemistry, you've got a bit more skills that come into it like diagrams, a bit more mathematics, a bit more understanding and a harsher mark scheme (not as pedantic, I'll grant you, but that's only because you really can't be ambiguous or vague with it most of the time). I think you can lose more marks with a biology mark scheme than a chemistry mark scheme before you lose your A.

I loved all my sciences equally. Was very excited when I began my A-levels, though I completely burned out at least from January.

Can I add --- the chemistry textbook by George Facer (just called AS chemistry i think) is really excellent. It covers everything in a really logical way.

Edit: I used this textbook studying for the EDEXCEL exam.

Has anyone else used it? And can you compare it to the Nelson Thornes series? Does it explain things better?

**No Future** · 29-06-2007, 11:21 PM

I preferred 'Make The Grade' to Facer's AS/A2 textbooks

**Miss M.** · 30-06-2007, 03:42 PM

Chems a hoot.

**terpineol** · 02-07-2007, 03:40 PM

I prefer chemistry by far to biology. I think the main difference is that with biology you can blag enough for a B without having to do much atall, but to get an A in chemistry you actually have to do some work. Though even at that, to get an A in biology requires more than to get an A in chemistry.

In my opinion.

**MarsBars** · 09-07-2007, 03:50 AM

Chem a piece of piss compared to bio?! bollocks! :-) Biology is the easiest subject possible, yeah theres a lot, but its all interesting and something you could easly spend all night revising, Chemistry, i challenge ANYONE to get interested about effin cells and electrode potentials! Its also impossible hard with questions completely unrelated to the syllabus croppin up, and bloody 12 mark questions on calculations of titrations. Grrrrr I hate chemistry, If anything screws up my chances of med school that will be it

**GreenSherbet** · 04-11-2007, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by hash118118

Why does everyone make such a big deal about Chemistry - it really is a piece of piss compared to Biology. Someone please back me up on this...

i agree. biology has so much to take in, chem only requires a little revision as one concept fits in with the rest of the workload.

**muff1nman** · 04-11-2007, 06:59 PM

i guess it jsut depends on the individual

tbh, ive learnt more about science and how everything works in general from chemistry AS level then all my other sciences combined.

A level biology seems much harder then AS - kreb cycle is a nightmare, but without chemistry i probably wouldnt understand any bit of it. theres too many stupid little things we have to memorise like all the parts of a flowering plant (i reckon im going to hate learning anatomy lol)

A level chemsitry jsut seems to be the same as AS chemistry so far really, no concept seems to be that relatively hard.

A level physics is a nightmare. i hate electricity =/!

**x.Parin.x** · 04-11-2007, 08:10 PM

personally i prefer biology..its so much more interesting. the thing with chemistry is u have to understand the whole concept, if u get it ur fine in the exam. with biology i think its can be a bit of a drag with all the information u have to learn, but at the end of the day its not really that hard. i dunno about u guys but the main issue as far as a2 chemistry goes is lack in motivation, i really dont find it that exciting, and i totally agree with MarsBars totally irrelevant questions tend to crop up in the exams- but then if u enjoy the subject u will be fine!

**muff1nman** · 04-11-2007, 08:19 PM

lol yea thats true for any subject, in the end, your personal interest and drive will get you where you want =]

im glad i took all the sciences though, it made me realise how intermixed chemistry is with all the mechanics of life itself. was kinda a weird moment when i realsied we only exist because the reactions in our bodys occur only because its favourable energy-wise.