How To Get An A* In A Level Chemistry

Chemistry is a subject which involves rote learning (especially organic chemistry) and application. You can`t just rely on memorising the textbook and hope to get a good grade. You have to use your knowledge and practice doing lots of questions and past papers.

1. One of the first topics you will do is mole calculations. This is s tricky topic if you don`t get enough practice. Ask for help again and again if you don`t get it and memorise the three main formulas which are

• moles = mass/Mr
• moles = concentration/volume
• moles of gas = volume/24000 cm3

Then it`s basically a question of deciding which formula to use first and continuing from there.

2. For the structure and bonding topic, use the right words. For example, don`t confuse bonds with intermolecular forces or molecules with atoms and ions. This topic usually has 3 and 4 mark questions and the examiner will be looking for these specific words in your answer. Practice these questions and mark them straight away to see if you are getting all the marks.

3. When revising, cover one topic at a time and test yourself on questions on that topic. The "Physics and Maths Tutor" website is great for this. Become an expert in one topic rather than revising the whole lot and attempting whole past papers. Once you have mastered all topics, then do times past papers.

4. If you are good at maths, you will find topics like energetics and kinetics relatively easy. If you struggle, then you need to know how to rearrange a formula, logarithms, cancelling out units and plotting graphs.

5. For organic chemistry questions, always draw the molecule and name it when taking notes or when doing questions. This is the equivalent to showing your working and is a good habit. To learn the structures of functional groups, look at how they are different to each other. For example you could:

• draw an alakane and alkene and compare
• compare aldehyde (C=O group is at the end of a carbon chain)and ketone (C=O bond is in the middle of a chain)
• compare primry secondary and tertiary alcohols
• compare carboxyllic acids and esters
• compare amines and amides

6. Mind maps are excellent for learning organic chemistry. I get my students to draw one molecule in the middle of the page and have arrows coming off it to show all of it`s reactions. Along each arrow they have to write down the reagents and conditions. I also get them to name and draw the mechanisms.

7. If your exam board does essay questions, don`t avoid these. This is where the marks are.

8. If your exam board does multiple choice, don`t think that you don`t need to work anything out for them. You do. They can be deceiving because the answers are there (and often very similar answers) so it`s tempting to just make a quick guess.

9. As a rough estimate, if you revise your notes 3 times, its an E grade, 5 times for C grade and 10 times for an A*.