CHEM 14A
General Chemistry for Life Scientists I
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Preparation: high school chemistry or equivalent background and three and one half years of high school mathematics. Requisite: completion of Chemistry Diagnostic Test. Enforced corequisite: Life Sciences 30A or Mathematics 3A or 31A or score of 48 or better on Mathematics Diagnostic Test. Not open to students with credit for course 20A. Introduction to physical and general chemistry principles; atomic structure based on quantum mechanics; atomic properties; trends in periodic table; chemical bonding (Lewis structures, VSEPR theory, hybridization, and molecular orbital theory); coordination compounds; properties of inorganic and organic acids, bases, buffers. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2023 - Took AP Chemistry in high school, but still struggled a bit in this class. The content includes a good amount of quantum chemistry in the first half of the quarter which made the class feel more like physics for a bit -- this is where a lot of people struggled (including me). - Exams were multiple choice and not too many questions (around 15), but honestly they're quite difficult. Some questions were based on things Professor Lavelle mentioned once briefly in class, and a lot of the other content we learned and practiced in class weren't on the exams. Exam grades heavily impact your overall grade - Lecture attendance isn't taken and lectures are recorded. Professor Lavelle has his own website with a bunch of content and help. - Attendance for discussions were taken -- I personally had a TA who didn't really help us much; she just gave out a worksheet for us to complete and that was about it. I attended two other discussion sections with other TAs over the quarter, and they were fine so I guess I just didn't have the best luck when enrolling. - There were extra credit points for completing the reviews which thankfully boosted up my grade
Fall 2023 - Took AP Chemistry in high school, but still struggled a bit in this class. The content includes a good amount of quantum chemistry in the first half of the quarter which made the class feel more like physics for a bit -- this is where a lot of people struggled (including me). - Exams were multiple choice and not too many questions (around 15), but honestly they're quite difficult. Some questions were based on things Professor Lavelle mentioned once briefly in class, and a lot of the other content we learned and practiced in class weren't on the exams. Exam grades heavily impact your overall grade - Lecture attendance isn't taken and lectures are recorded. Professor Lavelle has his own website with a bunch of content and help. - Attendance for discussions were taken -- I personally had a TA who didn't really help us much; she just gave out a worksheet for us to complete and that was about it. I attended two other discussion sections with other TAs over the quarter, and they were fine so I guess I just didn't have the best luck when enrolling. - There were extra credit points for completing the reviews which thankfully boosted up my grade
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2024 - This class was so bad for me as someone who loved chemistry in highschool. The teacher is not thorough, though he seems very smart. I had to teach myself everything through organic chem tutor on YouTube. The midterm was okay, but I feel the final was not the best representation of the information the achieve quizzes or his slides presented to us! The practice exams were undersatable, but our tests were different. That final was hurrendous! Whew! A real piece of work! :( I would say focus on theory and the math part equally, because it’s easy to not put much thought into theory then you see it maybe 30% on the midterm and a lot on the final. This class is definitely a gpa dropper and I’m trying really hard not to feel bad about myself, but it will be okay. Very scared that I’m taking this same prof again next quarter for 14b… but I’m determined to do better ig :/
Winter 2024 - This class was so bad for me as someone who loved chemistry in highschool. The teacher is not thorough, though he seems very smart. I had to teach myself everything through organic chem tutor on YouTube. The midterm was okay, but I feel the final was not the best representation of the information the achieve quizzes or his slides presented to us! The practice exams were undersatable, but our tests were different. That final was hurrendous! Whew! A real piece of work! :( I would say focus on theory and the math part equally, because it’s easy to not put much thought into theory then you see it maybe 30% on the midterm and a lot on the final. This class is definitely a gpa dropper and I’m trying really hard not to feel bad about myself, but it will be okay. Very scared that I’m taking this same prof again next quarter for 14b… but I’m determined to do better ig :/
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