Course Description
For most first-year engineering students, CHEM 154 is the first chemistry class that you take in the first semester.
The course covers topics such as stoichiometry, intermolecular interactions, thermochemistry, periodic trends, and electrochemistry.
Unlike first-semester math and physics classes (PHYS 157 and MATH 100), CHEM 154 is not a pre-requisite for any second-semester classes.
A lot of the content is high school review, but a lot more difficult.
NOTE: Pre-biomedical engineering students have to take CHEM 121 and CHEM 123 instead of CHEM 154.
Types of Assignments To Expect
In-class activities (worksheets) - The lowest 3 assignments are dropped.
Achieve assignments - The lowest assignment is dropped.
Quizzes - The quizzes are online and can be completed within 24 hours once released.
Midterm - There is only one midterm exam and it has multiple choice and written response.
Final Exam - The format is similar to the midterm except that it might be more difficult than the midterm because of the select all that apply questions
Laboratory - In addition to the lecture portion, there is a laboratory portion as well.
NOTE: You have to pass the laboratory and lecture portion of CHEM 154 to pass the course.
Advice/Study Tips
Prepare formula sheets that include theoretical concepts, formulas, and diagrams presented in the textbook and in class.
The non-mathematical portion of the course can be very important. While most of your energy should be spent doing practice problems, make sure that you understand the concepts that don't require calculations by reviewing the lecture notes and textbook explanations and explaining them to yourself aloud to remember the content.
Some of the multiple-choice questions can have an overwhelming amount of choices to select from (up to a maximum of 10 choices). So read the question and come up with your own answers first. If that strategy doesn't work, focus on one option at a time and use the process of elimination to narrow down your options.
For final exam preparation, you should also study from the practice midterms in combination with the practice final exams.
NOTE: A lot of the study tips for CHEM 121 and CHEM 123 can be applicable to this course as well.
Resources
1. The Organic Chemistry Tutor made a video on electrochemistry
2. Michel van Biezen has a playlist for thermochemistry questions.
3. A lot of the concepts for General Chemistry 1 are similar to the content in CHEM 154. Organic Chemistry Tutor also has a video for General Chemistry 1.
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