Hardest Chemistry Classes I've Taken In Undergrad
TLDRThe speaker, a chemistry major nearing graduation, reflects on their most challenging courses. They recount their experiences with five difficult classes: General Chemistry 1, Organic Chemistry 1, Biochemistry, Organic Synthesis, and Physical Chemistry, highlighting why each was tough. They emphasize the unique challenges, such as transitioning to college, mastering new ways of thinking, and handling intensive coursework. The toughest course, Physical Chemistry, is noted for its complex quantum mechanics and heavy math demands. Despite the challenges, the speaker found these courses rewarding and encourages viewers to share their own experiences.
Takeaways
- 📚 The fifth hardest chemistry class mentioned is General Chemistry One, which is challenging due to its timing as a first-semester course and the adjustment period for new college students.
- 🌟 General Chemistry One has relatively easy material but becomes difficult due to the context of being a new college student and the need to develop study habits and adjust to college-level coursework.
- 🔍 The fourth hardest class is Organic Chemistry One, known for its difficulty in requiring a different skill set focused on spatial reasoning and problem-solving based on chemical structures, rather than math.
- 🌱 Despite the summer session condensing the material, the speaker found Organic Chemistry One enjoyable and felt it was where they truly began to delve into the core of chemistry.
- 🧬 Third on the list is Biochemistry, which the speaker found frustrating due to a lack of interest in the subject and the need to memorize new nomenclature specific to biological systems.
- 🌐 Biochemistry was also affected by the transition to online learning, adding confusion about class structure and making it more difficult to navigate.
- 🔄 Second hardest is Organic Synthesis, a 400-level class that focuses on the practical aspects of being a synthetic organic chemist, including synthesizing complex molecules and understanding reactions in greater depth.
- 🧩 Organic Synthesis is described as challenging due to the need for extensive knowledge of reactions and the ability to think in three dimensions to create complex chiral molecules.
- 🌌 The most difficult chemistry class, according to the speaker, is Physical Chemistry, particularly the quantum mechanics semester, which is likened to mathematical chemistry on steroids.
- 📈 Physical Chemistry requires intense mathematics, including calculus and multi-variable calculus, and demands abstract thinking as it delves into the quantum mechanical model of the atom.
- 🏆 Despite its difficulty, Physical Chemistry is also noted as interesting and rewarding, offering insights into quantum mechanics that can be fascinating for those who put in the effort.
Q & A
What is the speaker's perspective on General Chemistry One?
-The speaker finds General Chemistry One challenging not because of the material's difficulty, but due to the timing and context of when it is taken, which is usually during the first semester of college.
Why does the speaker consider Organic Chemistry One infamously difficult?
-Organic Chemistry One is considered difficult because it requires a different skill set, focusing on spatial reasoning and problem-solving based on chemical structures without much math involved.
What was the speaker's experience with Organic Chemistry One during the summer?
-The speaker took Organic Chemistry One over the summer, which was half the length of a normal semester but covered all the material. Despite the condensed time frame, the speaker loved the class and found it rewarding.
How does the speaker describe the difficulty of Biochemistry?
-The speaker found Biochemistry frustrating due to a lack of interest in the subject area and the need to memorize new nomenclature specific to biological systems.
What challenges did the speaker face when taking Biochemistry online?
-The speaker faced challenges with the class structure and confusion around how the class would work when Biochemistry was moved online during the spring semester.
What is the speaker's view on Organic Synthesis as a class?
-The speaker found Organic Synthesis to be extremely challenging and different from other classes due to its focus on synthesizing complex chiral molecules and the need for critical thinking like a 'chemistry detective'.
Why is Physical Chemistry considered the most difficult class by the speaker?
-Physical Chemistry is seen as the most difficult due to its intense mathematical requirements, the need for abstract thinking, and the complexity of understanding quantum mechanics.
What is the significance of the 'I survived Pchem' bumper sticker mentioned by the speaker?
-The 'I survived Pchem' bumper sticker signifies the difficulty and the accomplishment of enduring the Physical Chemistry class, reflecting its notorious reputation among chemistry majors.
How does the speaker feel about the subject matter of Physical Chemistry?
-Despite finding Physical Chemistry extremely difficult, the speaker also finds it interesting and appreciates the quantum mechanical perspective on chemical phenomena.
What advice does the speaker give for students preparing to take Physical Chemistry?
-The speaker advises students to be well-prepared with their math skills and to be ready to invest significant effort and dedication into understanding the complex subject matter.
What is the speaker's overall message about the difficulty of chemistry classes?
-The speaker's overall message is that while certain chemistry classes are notoriously difficult, they are also rewarding and provide a deep understanding of chemical principles.
Outlines
📚 General Chemistry One: The Foundational Challenge
The first paragraph discusses the difficulty of General Chemistry One, which the speaker found challenging due to its timing during the first semester of college. Despite the material being relatively easier compared to other chemistry courses, the adjustment to college life and the rigor of the class made it a tough start. The speaker emphasizes the importance of developing study habits and adjusting to college-level coursework. They also mention that mastering the class is achievable with hard work and adaptation to college academic expectations.
🔬 Organic Chemistry One: A Pivotal Step in Chemical Understanding
In the second paragraph, the speaker describes Organic Chemistry One as a notoriously difficult course that requires a different set of skills, focusing on spatial reasoning and problem-solving based on chemical structures rather than mathematical calculations. The speaker enjoyed the course, despite taking it over the summer, which condensed the material into a shorter period. They found it rewarding as it delved deeper into the core of chemistry, moving beyond basic concepts and into more complex chemical structures and reactions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡General Chemistry
💡Organic Chemistry
💡Biochemistry
💡Organic Synthesis
💡Physical Chemistry
💡Quantum Mechanics
💡Chirality
💡Nomenclature
💡Derivatives
💡Problem-solving
Highlights
Reflecting on the most challenging chemistry classes during the speaker's major.
General Chemistry One is considered hard due to its timing for first-semester freshmen and the adjustment to college-level study habits.
The material in General Chemistry One is easy, but the context of taking it as a freshman makes it difficult.
Organic Chemistry One is infamous for its difficulty, requiring a different skill set focused on spatial reasoning and problem-solving based on chemical structures.
The speaker enjoyed Organic Chemistry One for its depth in chemistry and the feeling of doing real chemistry work.
Biochemistry is frustrating due to its focus on nomenclature and memorization, diverging from the speaker's interest in chemistry.
The transition to online classes during the pandemic added an extra layer of difficulty to the Biochemistry course.
Organic Synthesis is a 400-level class that dives into the practical aspects of synthetic organic chemistry, making it very challenging.
Organic Synthesis requires understanding complex chiral molecules and advanced problem-solving skills.
Physical Chemistry, specifically the quantum mechanics semester, is described as the most difficult chemistry class, involving intense mathematics and abstract thinking.
Physical Chemistry's difficulty stems from deriving equations from Schrödinger's equation and understanding quantum mechanical models of the atom.
The speaker finds Physical Chemistry interesting despite its difficulty, appreciating the quantum mechanical perspective on chemical phenomena.
The American Chemical Society sells 'I survived Pchem' bumper stickers, indicating the notorious difficulty of Physical Chemistry.
The speaker advises being well-prepared with mathematics and dedication when taking Physical Chemistry.
An invitation for viewers to share their own lists of hardest chemistry classes in the comments.
A call to like, subscribe, and engage with the content for more videos in the future.
Transcripts
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