Chemistry 101

May 29, 2011 8:09 AM

Starting Inorganic and General Chemistry at Uni with no prior knowledge! How do i catch up with the rest come exam time?

Specifically im looking for resources that explain things like redox reactions, electron configurations, the workings and organisation of the periodic table, mathematical stuff like the Schrödinger equation in a SIMPLE didactic manner. Preferably explained assuming i know nothing.
So far the topics of our classes have been: hydrogen, noble gasses, chemical reactions and compounds, chemical thermodynamics (to get a general idea of what were doing).

I have enough motivation to do this in one semester, I just need a method and a plan how to!
Im also in Germany, but i dont mind english resources.

posted by freddymetz to education (3 answers total)

The Khan Academy has a whole bunch of chemistry on it. Currently, on the blue.
posted by rtha at 8:17 AM on May 29, 2011 [3 favorites]

It sounds to me as if the course is intended to be an introductory-level class, so the assumption may well be that you know very little.

You may get some value out of looking through a high school chemistry textbook or any kind of Advanced Placement (US) or A/AS-level (UK) chemistry resources. These should give you everything you need.

If you're after a very condensed, outline-style introduction, Chemistry Made Simple is a good place to start and is much easier to understand than the terrible, horrible Schaum's outlines.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:42 AM on May 29, 2011

In theory they shouldnt be able to assume we know anything, but in reality most people in my course majored in chemistry in high school, so a LOT is assumed.
posted by freddymetz at 9:03 AM on May 29, 2011