October 2008 | SimpleChemConcepts

Monthly Archives: October 2008

Need for Clearer Rules on Misleading Ads by some Private Schools

Written on October 22, 2008 by sean in Announcement, Tips for Improvement

It came to my awareness that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will be setting clearer rules to curb false and misleading ads by Private Schools.

I was watching Channel News Asia yesterday and heard of this news that many Private Schools are placing lots of misleading ads to attract students to join their schools.

It is important for me to blogpost about this since i noticed that portion of the readers using this chemistry blog-site are re-taking their O Levels as Private Candidates.

This is part of MOE’s efforts to strengthen the current regulatory framework for private education and the following will be done by them:

Set up an independent Council for Private Education
Ensure proper use of quality labels, symbols and trademarks by private schools in advertisements & promotional material

On the students’ part, before you enroll into a Private School, you might want to:

Go to the Private School’s Administrative Dept and asked them on course details carefully
Verify that what they state in the Brochures/Phamplets are really what is being offered to you
Be very specific on their credentials and capability. i.e. if you looking for a private school with MOE-trained teacher to help you, it is important for you to ask them specific questions such as “Are the teachers MOE-registered teachers or NIE-trained teachers?” NIE-trained teachers will be what you are looking for in this case. MOE-registered teacher is just a registration by many tuition centres and private schools to ensure they are more marketable

Hope this information is helpful to students (and their parents) that are continuing their higher education as a Private Candidate.

If you need more information or clarification on Private Schools, you can always go to:

Singapore Assessment & Examination Board (SEAB)

Ministry of Education (MOE)

Consumer Associations of Singapore (CASE)

You can check out the Newspapers article from TODAY Papers 23rd Oct 08.

PS: Any thoughts on this blogpost? Drop us a comment right below.

0 Comments - Leave your comment!

Chemistry Phenomenon – Effervescence in Chemical Reactions

Written on October 22, 2008 by sean in Chemistry Notes & Tips, Chemistry Phenomenon

1 Comment

Many of us have observed or heard about EFFERVESCENSE for Chemical Reactions in the school laboratories.

Many chemicals reactions produced Effervescence such as:

Acid + Metal Carbonates –> Salt + Carbon Dioxide Gas + Water
Acid + Reactive Metals –> Salt + Hydrogen Gas
Reactive Metals + Water –> Alkaline Solution + Hydrogen Gas

But how about Effervescence in Our Everyday Lifes? Effervescence outside the Chemistry Laboratories?

Have you ever wondered what Effervescense is EVEN if you have not stepped into Chemistry Laboratories before?

I thought the best way to show this to you is by Dissolving A Lozenges!

Check the video out.

Alternative way to watch video -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP1C0YGKhx0

PS: Drop me a comment. I would love to hear from you. Of course, i welcome all suggestions on how i can improve my ways of communicating Chemistry.

PPS: If you are looking for more Chemistry Phenomenons, in order to associate it to abstract Chemistry Theories, you can check out CHEMISTRY ARCHIVES on CHEMISTRY PHENOMENON

1 Comment - Leave your comment!

O Level Chemistry – Mini Series on Tough MCQs Part 1

Written on October 21, 2008 by sean in Chemistry Notes & Tips

11 Comments

Heard from many of my students that O Level Chemistry Paper 2 (Theory Exam) was much easier than they have expected. It seems like majority of the questions are pretty basic and they can handle it pretty well. This applies to both Pure Chemistry & Combine Science (Chemistry) papers.

GOOD FOR EVERYONE! Hope all our local GCE O Level readers are doing well for it. Keep up the good work!

However, it also means that Chemistry Paper 1 (Multiple Choice Questions MCQs) would be much tougher. This is almost always the trend in Major Examinations, to even out the difficulties levels between papers.

As such, from today onwards i will start to share with you on the tough & tricky MCQs that i have come across over the last 10 years. I shall call this Mini Series on Tough MCQ!

Click Images to see clearer.

Question 1:

Question 2:

PS: Best Way to learn is to Try Out the questions & leave your comments (answers) right below, so that other students can come in to share their thoughts. I will eventually come in to share with you my suggested answers and reasonings.

11 Comments - Leave your comment!

All The Best to Your Chemistry Paper 2: Theory Exams

Written on October 19, 2008 by sean in Exam Strategies

0 Comments

ALL THE BEST TO YOUR CHEMISTRY PAPER 2: THEORY EXAMS!

Hi local chemistry students,

We have been waiting for this day, isn’t it? In 9 hrs time, it will be your O Level Chemistry Paper 2 Exams, which will also kick start your O Level Exams proper.

As usual, i would like to share with you on some basic BUT important “Before-Exam Tips!”

Things to Do before Exams!

Collect the things you need – 2 or more pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, a watch for timing yourself, & definitely your calculator

Get yourself a Good night’s sleep – so that you are fresh and alert in examination room. Last minute revision at late night is of no benefit for most

Have a good breakfast tomorrow morning – you can’t be hungry while trying to answer those questions

To Your Academic Success in Chemistry,
Sean Chua
Master Trainer
www.SimpleChemConcepts.com

PS: I will continue to share more Multiple-Choice-Questions in the next 2 weeks, in order to prepare you on your O Level Chemistry Paper 1 MCQ Exams in Nov.

PPS: For overseas readers as well as ICGSE, IB and IP students, those questions that i will be discussing will be equally suitable for your learning. Just that i am following GCE O Level Chemistry Syllabus for discussions all this while.

0 Comments - Leave your comment!

Chemistry Examination Tips – Paper 2

Written on October 17, 2008 by sean in Chemistry Guidebooks, Exam Strategies

1 Comment

In 3 days time, it will be the O Level Chemistry Paper 2 Examinations.

Many of you in Singapore, must be studying very hard for it right now and feeling very tense, since this is so call the 1st O Level Paper.

Today i would like to share with you some general examination tips on doing the Chemistry Paper 2 Examination.

In Paper 2, it consists of 2 sections.

Section A: Structured Questions

It consists of several compulsory structured and free response questions in which you write your answer in the answers spaces provided. In this section, you are required to answer ALL the questions, do Please DO NOT waste time deciding which questions to do!

Section B: Free Response Questions

In this section, there are 3 questions that you will write the answers in blank sheets of fullscap paper provided. The 1st 2 questions are Compulsory. The Last question is presented as an either / or format. You are required to read it and decide which one to do.

Many of you might think the above information are not useful enough…i.e. you already know..but it is important for me to write it 1st cos there are some students out there that are not even sure about the examination format.

Following are some points you might want to note:

For Paper 2 – remember the general rule of “1 Mark for 1 Point Written”
If a question is difficult, still write something, i.e. Mole Calculations Formulae etc, bcos you may score some marks. No marks are given if you leave it blank.
It is important to allow time to read over and check your answer and make any necessary corrections. Lots of marks are salvaged just by doing this step.
Start of a question (multiple-parts) are always easier to score in any Paper 2 questions. Thus if time is short, leave one question incomplete in order to answer another question (1st part of the question) [i normally would not mention thus tip - as i always want my students to focus and answer ALL questions. Posting it now since exams is very near, and i want you to score few more marks]
In Mole Calculations, it is important to show your working and include your units. Always checked your answer to see if it makes any “sense”.
Take time to read your questions carefully. Do not attempt “Speed Reading” of your questions, which is the main mistake made by many students in all examinations.
Do not attempt to copy the question down in your answer script. This is another common mistake made by students in examinations. It is a complete waste of time and will earn you NO marks.
When asked to give a use of a chemical, write your answers in a sentence. This allow you to make less mistakes in giving a Vague answers and will cause you to lose marks. Do not give a one-word answer.
Another common mistakes is giving the wrong oxidation state in chemical names. I.e. Writing iron(II) chloride for FeCl3 will cost you a mark. Answer should be iron (III) chloride.
You are required to know the exact formulae for common chemicals. If you write CuNO3 for copper nitrate by mistake, instead of Cu (NO3)2, you are certain to lose a mark.
Many students also made the mistakes of giving too many decimal places in calculations. Give all numerical answers correct to 3 significant figures.
For sketching of graphs, the common errors made by students are: 1) Failure to label both X and Y axes 2) Wrong Scales on Axes 3) Positions of points not clear or not written 4) Best-fit line is not drawn.
Hope the above Chemistry Examination Yips would assist you to gain more marks in O Level Chemistry Paper 2.

Until next time, where i will share with you the Chemistry Examination Tips for Paper 1 (Multiple Choice Questions)..

I wish you ALL THE BEST IN YOUR CHEMISTRY PAPER 2!

Sean Chua

Master Trainer

PS: Need more Examination Tips for O Level Chemistry Exams? Check out >> Up Your Chemistry Grades Now! ebook

1 Comment - Leave your comment!

Up Your Chemistry Grades Now! – Truth & Myth

Written on October 15, 2008 by sean in Chemistry Guidebooks, Chemistry Notes & Tips, Exam Strategies, Tips for Improvement

2 Comments

(Click Image to See Clearly)

I am very happy to receive several encouraging comments and reviews of the book, such as the one above by Rachel (one of the student reader of this chemistry blog). It shows that my effort to help both local & overseas chemistry students has not been wasted.

Its been several days since we launched my new Chemistry book “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” and several dozens of the ebook has been snapped up quickly by students (as well as parents) who are committed to score more marks in their upcoming O Level Chemistry Exams.

A F-R-E-E Introductory Section of the book has also been made available for immediate downloads.

For those that have either downloaded the F-R-E-E Introductory Section or got the Whole Book, i am certain that you are learning something at the moment to score more marks in Chemistry Exams.

We (my assistants) have also received an avalanche of email enquiries & questions on this Chemistry Book – on how this book will help them in improving their chemistry grades quickly & effectively.

So i have decided to share with you the TRUTH & MYTH of this book.

Up Your Chemistry Grades Now! book

MYTH:

1) It is NOT a Ten Years Series with lots of Past Years Questions. For those, there are many books already out there in major bookstore. You can look at some of my recommendations @ “Bookstore”

2) It is NOT an assessment book that gives you short notes on each chapter. There are even more books out there with such short notes.

3) It is NOT a book that tells you how to spot questions in Chemistry Exams. Cos i don’t believe in spotting questions. Chemistry is ALL about concepts – once you get the concepts right, all chapters seems to link together suddenly.

4) It is NOT a textbook where there are huge chunks of information that are simply indigestible.

this new Chemistry Book is in fact….

TRUTH:

1) A QUICK Chemistry Guidebook that allows you to know what are the common errors that are made by many students like you. “Common errors” refers to the wrong concepts that many students didnt realised.

2) “Chemistry Tips” provided to show you what Examiners are really looking out for? There is a certain way to score FULL MARKS only when you know how the question are phrased by the examiners and how to answer them effectively.

3) An easily digestible book with Question-By-Quesiton and Point-By-Point Analysis. This will allow you to pick out “TIPS” quickly & effectively. Examiners Comments are added to the Students Answers so that you can relate the thought process qucikly & effectively.

4) A good “final revision” material to read through after you have finished revising your notes, and past years exam papers. It aims to help you realised whether your thought process on answering exam-questions is right or wrong.. (Doing Ten Years Series is definitely important, but it does not mean that you going to score in exams)

5) Compilation of ALL the Chemistry Definitions / Terms that you need to know for your Chemistry Exams

6) Chemistry Book for Chemistry Students from the Experiences of many other Chemistry Students. Sample Students Answers are based on answers by real-life students that i had previously coached.

7) Book is suitable for GCE “N”, “O” Level Students, Secondary 3 as well as students under the IB and ICGSE programs.

I hope this blogpost will answer some of the questions in your mind.

Examination is near…Study Hard!

Wishing You The Best in Your Chemistry Success,
Sean Chua
Master Trainer /Chemistry Coach
Author Up Your Chemistry Grades Now! book

PS: For those that have purchased the book, please remember to download & claim the 2 bonus gifts..which many believed to be equally valuable as the book. …It is just my way of saying thanks for the TRUST and BELIEVE!

Hear what others said about the book:

“”Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” is really adequate to accomplish a purpose:A1 for “O” Levels Chemistry! I cannot thank you more Sean!”

Melissa Julyanti, O Level Student from Gan Eng Seng School 2008

“Hi Sean,

Thanks for a well written ebook and the lots of useful tips.
Perhaps the next step is for you to write a solution book on the 10 year Chemistry series.
That is why I am looking forward urgently to your June 2008 Chemistry Papers.

Thanks for your help.”

Lim Poh Seng, Parent

“I applaud the efforts of Sean 4 putting a book which is overflowing with chemical goodness.”

Dixon Wong, O Level Student 2008

“It was great. as i read through “Up your chemistry grades now” , i realised that there were actually things that i didnt know, especially some of the common mistakes i made.”

Chew Siying, O Level Student 2008

“Hi Sean,

I have bought this book for my daughter, she has given the feedback as follows :

To be honest, she did not really understand Chemistry well, after getting the book on Friday for her, when she reads through the book competely – She finds it fantastic. She can even understand better when she try out the questions and look thru the bonus video provided . She finds it knowledgable. Most important, your book has identify the Common Mistakes Made by many Other Students – this section has caught her attention. Finally, the book is written for easy reference and understanding.Great thanks!

I even recommended your website to my friends.”

Evelyn Wong, Parent

“Hi Mr. Sean.

I was quite sceptical when my friend showed me this website and encourage me to get a copy of your E-book. However at $7.00, it worth the risk and the rest are history.

Your book is concise,precise and full of study tips that I could relate to Chemistry and my other subjects. If I ever score A1 for my chemistry, I will owe it to you!

Thanks again!”

Peter, O Level Student 2008

“Hi Sean,

I’m dropping by to say thanx!

My mum bought the book for me without asking me. I was angry at first ‘cos I mean I don’t have time to even finish revision and she gives me another thing to read.

But you know what I find the common errors and the examination tips extremely useful! I mean I sometimes also make those mistakes you point out. Luckily you included the correct answer else I would have struggled! After reading those, i am more confident for my Chem!

Wish me luck!

Note: hey, you must launch your book earlier in future!”

Rachel, O Level Student 2008

2 Comments - Leave your comment!

O Level Chemistry – Rate of Reaction Mini Series Part 3

Written on October 13, 2008 by sean in Chemistry Notes & Tips

2 Comments

In the last blogpost, we have discussed on the 5 FACTORS that will determine and affect the Rate of Reactions.

Today we shall discuss on the last factor – Effect of Catalysts on Rate of Reaction

Definition:
A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a reaction and remains chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.

A catalyst works by allowing the reaction to proceed by an alternative pathway that involves a lower activation energy.

Characteristics of a Catalyst:

1. Only a small amount is needed to speed up a chemical reaction

2. It lowers the activation energy of a reaction
3. It is not used up during the reaction. Same amount of catalyst is present at beginning & at the end of reaction

4. It is selective in action. One catalyst cannot act on or speed up all types of reactions. Different catalysts speed up different reactions

5. The physical appearance of catalyst may change at the end of reaction, but it’s chemical properties remain unchanged

6. A catalyst increases the speed, and NOT the yield of a chemical reaction, i.e. the same amount of products is formed whether a catalysts is used of not

7. Impurities can prevent catalysts from working, i.e. catalysts is poisoned or inactivated

In O Level Chemistry Exams, there has been a recent trends that more questions are associated with Catalysts and how it affects the Rate of Reaction.

Let’s check out an exam-based question to see how much you understand:

Question 1:
What statement about catalysis is NOT true?
A. They speed up chemical reactions.
B. They are used up in a chemical reactions
C. Different catalysts catalyse different reactions.
D. Many transition metals are good catalysts.

2 Comments - Leave your comment!