[pepsi]

Starting my next batch of health career prereqs, I have one for prepatory chemistry. I get from this this will get me started learning chemistry, but what am I expecting to get? Anyone know, or care to share the basic maths of chemistry for a taste?

Gen? :P

[Dangerman]

I am assuming that you will learn about the periodic table (how it is organised etc.), you will learn how atoms bond and why (especially how electrons assist this), then after that you will probably progress to chemical compounds and balancing equations (which is tricky at first), and finally with these foundations branch into things like organic chemistry.

There isn't really that much math, besides making sure that on the RHS of the equation you have 5 Hydrogens and 5 on the LHS when balancing and that you obey the laws of bonding

Get your head around bonding because it is a pain in the ass to pick up and essential for figuring our chemical compounds and equations.

[Aftercresent]

It shouldn't be too hard. You'll go into nomenclature and the basics of bonding, types of bonds, characteristics of different columns in the periodic table, etc....

You might work your way up to calculations, with mols and and all the laws. Who knows.

[Genmotty]

I have never studied chemistry for health, and don't have much more knowledge than Joe average at chemistry. However I think that an introductory course is very much likely to take you thought bonding, looking at the ways the valency of atoms allow molecules to form and perhaps moving onto basic molecule structure.

I would doubt their would be much if any maths more than adding up numbers so that the equations balance. Like fundamental particle physics it isn't so much maths, as a set of basic interrelations between certain components and structures. A set of rules that create the basis for exploring the subject in greater detail later.

I mean, people devote large sections of their careers to stuing just the chemistry of a single atom even today still! For the most part, unless your thinking of pursuing bio-chem your probally not going to go any futher than this.

The math for governing the quatum physics of electrons and atoms I think is far far more advanced, and really a physicists interest, less than a chemist. Again while a chemist might go down that route in semiconductor physics or other streams of study. It is highly unlikely to be taught (in any great depth) at undergraduate level, that is really something that postgraduate studies look at.

Gen

[pepsi]

Thanks for the tidbits, this is for nursing overall. I imagine the effects of medications (body chemistry?) for bonding would be here. Was a little worried because algebra isnt my strongest math.

[Genmotty]

Don't worry, if you can do arithmetic you'll be fine.

Gen

[pepsi]

Originally Posted by Genmotty

Don't worry, if you can do arithmetic you'll be fine.

Gen

Started looking at my business math book again. You should see what a Medical professional needs to go through just to be an LPN/RN