In the previous blogposts in this Periodic Table Mini Series, we have discussed on the common errors that students made when they are answering questions that are related to the Periodic Table. We have also discussed what the examiners want – i.e. what you need to write in order to score the full marks in that question. Hope you have benefited from the tips given. If you are looking for more of such “Student’s Common Errors Made” and “What Examiners Are Looking Out For in Exam”, you might want to check out Up Your Chemistry Grades Now! which was officially launched since last October, and have sold to more than 9 countries since.

Today, we will finish up Periodic Table Mini Series with an Examination Tips.

In Chemistry Exams, you are commonly being asked to predict the properties of an unknown element.

What you can do is to find the nearest element in the same group which you are familiar with. The unknown element will have almost the same properties as the familiar element.

Question:
For Barium (Ba),
(a) How would you expect it to react with cold water and what would you expect to be the pH of the solution produced?
(b) What would you expect to be the formula of its oxide?

&

Suggested Solution:
The nearest familiar element to Barium is Calcium. Thus:
(a) Just like calcium, it should react quickly with cold water and produce an alkaline solution with a strong pH, as well as liberation of Hydrogen Gas.
(b) BaO, just like we commonly have CaO (slaked lime)

This strategy always work when you encounter such questions in Chemistry Exams.

Hope you have been learning something in this mini series of Periodic Table.

Until the next post.

In the previous blog post of the Periodic Table Mini Series, we have discussed about the properties of a special group of elements in the Periodic Table – known as Metalloids.

Today, we will look into the Group I elements, also known as the Alkali Metals.

All the Group I elements have the following common properties:

• Soft & Silvery solids
• Low densities and low melting points
• React vigorously with cold water to form an alkaline solution of the metal hydroxide  and hydrogen gas
• Burn brightly when heated in chlorine gas to give a white solid metal chloride product
• Atoms of Group I elements have 1 electron in their outer shells
• Atoms of elements tend to form cation with a charge of +1 in compounds

If you are asked in Chemistry Exams / in Chemistry Tuition Class / by your Chemistry Teacher / by your Chemistry Tutor – on predicting properties of other Group I elements, remember this 2 points:

• Based on Known Properties of Lithium, Sodium and Potassium
• The changes down the group

and this brings us into looking at the trends of Group I elements,

Generally, as We Go Down The Group:

• Melting points of elements decrease
• Elements become more reactive

Let us check out a GCE O Level Examination Question:

Francium (atomic number 87) is in Group I of the Periodic Table.

(i) Suggest the physical appearance of Francium

(ii) How would you expect the melting point of francium to compare with that of sodium?

(iii) Suggest with an equation, what would be observed if a piece of francium is put into cold water? Explain what happens to the pH of the solution produced.

Let us check out some common errors made by many students in O Level Chemistry Examinations, before i provide you with the correct answers (suggested) – this has proved to be effective in learning the correct Chemistry Concepts by students, based on feedbacks from those that have purchased Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!

Students’ Common Answers:

(i) It is a silvery hard solid since it is a metal.

(ii) It is lower than sodium.

(iii)It would reactive to produce an alkaline solution and hydrogen gas.

2Fr  +  2H2O  –> 2FrOH  +  H2

The pH of the solution would be alkaline.

Let us see how the student(s) fare..

Examiners / Markers’ Comments:

(i) Wrong answer by student. Group 1 metals is indeed silvery solid, but it is soft, NOT hard! Many students did not realise that Group 1 metals are soft. NOT ALL metals are hard. Group 1 is the exception.

(ii) Answer is not complete to gain the full marks. You must give a reason to support your prediction. Better answer would be: “Francium has a lower melting point than sodium, since it is lower then sodium in Group 1.

(iii)The chemical equation is correct. But the student will loose marks in his/her answers. He/She did not mention that Francium will EXPLODE with added to cold water, since Group 1 metals get more reactive down the group. He/She also did not mention that the pH would be around 12-13, which is like sodium hydroxide – a strong alkali.

Hope you find the above discussion to be helpful towards your learning of Chemistry in a more effective & efficient manner.

Until the next post…

We have finally approach a brand new year and this is definitely a brand new beginning for students and parents. For many, it will be the year you take your Qualifying Examinations (PSLE, GCE ‘O’ Levels, GCE ‘A’ Levels, etc).

Looking over my facebook account for December period, it seems like many of the O Level Students (2009) has made a New Year Resolution to study hard and do whatever it takes to improve their grades tremendously in CA1 and the Mid-Year SA1 exams, in order to be confidently prepared for the Aug/Sep Preliminary and GCE ‘O’ Level Exams. I congratulate this group of students for having such a goal! Many of my ex-students and workshop participants would have heard me emphasizing “Goal-Setting” umpteen times. =)

Recapping on Year 2008, SimpleChemConcepts.com has gone through a couple of exciting moments and changes.

Having been coaching GCE ‘O’ Level Chemistry for the last 10 years in Small Group Class settings (less than 10 students) and some Individual Setting, using “Consultative Coaching” methodologies, I have effectively transformed it to Seminar /Workshop Setting which proves to be so much more effective for students to grasp those Chemistry Concepts in a FUN way.

With a seminar / workshop setting (just like any other adult’s Motivational and Self-Improvement seminars and workshops), I managed to get students to learn Chemistry more effectively and efficiently using Accelerated Learning Techniques (system I learned personally and adopted from US), Focus Learning and Group Dynamics! (* Analogy: Playing basketball in a team of 5 is definitely more fun and effective than playing it alone or in a pair, isn’t it? *)

Of course, my core methodologies of 4 A’s is ever present, in order to link “abstract boring Chemistry Theories” to “Interesting Everyday Life Examples and Phenomenons.”

• Associations with Everyday Life
• Applications in Real Life & Industrial Examples
• Analogies for abstract Chemistry Theories
• Accelerated Learning Techniques™

Since March 2008, we have helped hundreds of students (from Singapore Government Schools as well as International students that flown from other countries) to develop the interest in Chemistry and score the marks they desire academically, through the following Chemistry Programmes:

• March Holiday 3-days Intensive Revision Bootcamp
• June Holiday 5-days Intensive Revision Bootcamp
• Mole Calculation Mastery Workshop
• Redox & Electrolysis Mastery Workshop
• Organic Chemistry Mastery Workshop
• Chemistry Final Leap Programme (Effective Crash Course)
• December Holiday Essential Concepts Revision Workshop

Due to numerous requests from parents and students to provide more academic subjects to help them, SimpleChemConcepts.com has also invited SingaporeOLevelMaths.com (#1 website for “A-Math Tips” in Yahoo, Google and MSN search engines) to become our learning partner. This gave birth to Winners Education Group – providing quality coaching services to GCE ‘O’ Level students in both Chemistry and Mathematics (A- and E-Maths).

Also due to avalanches of requests for the past months, we have started our Chemistry & A-Math Ultimate Leap Programmes. These are weekly tuition lessons coaching sessions using the same effective techniques employed in our workshops and bootcamps.

For those students (and parents) that has attended our chemistry coaching before and been referring students to us, i would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU!

In 2008, i have also written my first chemistry book for GCE ‘O’ Level students known as “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!“. It is NOT a Ten Years Series or Assessment books with questions and answers. Think you can get dozens off the shelves in bookstores. It is a book that i have written based on the experiences of students that i have coached for the last 10 years – it shows the mistakes that majority of them made over-and-over again, so that students can be aware to avoid them in exams. It also include a section on what Examiners are looking for in your answers in exams. This section shows you the key words and phrases that gives you the full marks, contrary to many students belief that Chemistry is a memorising subject. You can download a F-R-E-E copy of the Sample Introductory Section here.

PS: By the way, the Friday class for Chemistry Ultimate Leap Programme is already full and we are going full steam this coming Friday for some fun and actions. If you have missed out on it, do contact us for alternative classes.

Hi everyone,

We have come to the end of 2008 and this is the festive month of joyful celebration and giving! Everyone loves the holidays! Christmas less than a week away and shortly after we will welcome the New Year – 2009!

Today, I’m here with a *special gift* for all my avid readers!

In only 2 months since the official launch, my chemistry book “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” has traveled to over 10 countries, and they are:

Singapore , United States , Malaysia , Mauritius , United Kingdom , Indonesia , India , Brunei , Pakistan, Australia , and counting…..

benefiting hundreds of students in their mastery of Chemistry.

Many of you might have also downloaded the F-R-E-E Introductory Section of the book to have a feel how this chemistry book is different from the many Ten Year Series, Assessment Books and Guidebooks available in bookstores.

To celebrate the brand new year of 2009, I want to present you with a special *offer* of over 40% off my book so that you can turn around your current Chemistry results like many others who have read! (more…)

This will be the 3rd post on Post Analysis Series “Common Errors in Chemistry Concepts made by Students”.

In Part 1, i have brought the attention that Ionic Compounds can only conduct electricity when they are in the molten or aqueous states, and the reason being the Free Moving Ions that can carry charges.

Immediately, I received a blog comment from an avid reader of this chemistry blogsite as well as facebook friend, asking me the following:

“Hi. You stated that the phrase ‘free moving electrons’ is incorrect, so may I know if I’m right if I said ‘mobile valence electrons’? I think this phrase is written in the chem textbook if I didn’t remember wrongly. Hahas. I hope you can clear my doubt. Thanks! =)”

=> I am elated to receive his comments and i would like to take this opportunity to re-emphasize that for Ionic Compounds, they conduct electricity in the aqueous and molten states – NOT because of the Free Moving Electrons or Mobile Valence Electrons, but the FREE MOVING IONS.

Most of the textbooks available in the bookstores/schools have mentioned about this, but it seems like schools these days do not use the textbook for teaching anymore, and many students missed out this main concept in Ionic Bonding. Let’s check out the one by Marshall Cavendish Education (a very good Textbook by the way):

(Click image above to have a clearer view – answers at the bottom of the image)

I hope this re-affirm my emphasis towards this Chemistry Concepts that is so basic yet crucial.

PS: If you wish to have a extensive list of “Common Errors Made by 90% of students over and over again” and “what Examiners are looking out for in your examination answers”, Click Here for More Info

(more…)

During the O Level Chemistry Essential Concepts Revision Workshop, i had observed that many of the participants will make common mistakes in certain types of questions. It is not 1-2 students, but more than 50% of them will make these common mistakes. Many of these questions are in fact discussed and presented in my chemistry book “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!”.

For the next 1 week, i will blogpost about some of the common errors that are made by these group of revision workshop participants, so that everyone is aware of it, and can avoid it in Chemistry Exams. This mini series will be known as “Common Errors in Chemistry Concepts made by Students”.

Check out the question below for the 1st misconceptions that many students made:

Question:

Explain the following observation:

“Solid sodium chloride does not conduct an electric current but a solution of sodium chloride in water is a good conductor.” (2 marks)

Common Mistake made by students:

“Sodium chloride in solid state cannot conduct electricity but when they are dissolve in water, there are free moving electrons that can carry charges and thus conduct electricity.” – student’s answer

Comments on the common mistakes made:

Many students made the mistake by mentioning that sodium chloride conducts electricity when they are dissolved in water, because there are free moving electrons. They must have learned that electricity flows due to free moving electrons in wires/circuits.

This is NOT true for ionic compounds such as sodium chloride.

Ionic compounds conducts electricity when they are in aqueous state (dissolved in water), because of the FREE MOVING IONS, not electrons.

Water molecules are able to overcome the strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the positive and negative ions, such that the ions are free moving and can carry charges around.

Hope this explanation is clear to you.

Drop me a comment on how you find this blogpost discussion.

PS: More of such “Common Mistakes Made by Students in Chemistry Exams” are documented in “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” chemistry guidebook.

Hi everyone there,

If you have bought “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” ebook, remember to get your 14 bonus videos and the “A to Z Chemical Definitions You Must Know” bonus booklet.

else

NOW is the Final Chance for you to enjoy my book + bonuses (worth $324) at the crazy price! since the launch on 7th Oct 08,

I’m serious.

The price is going to revert back to its original price of $17 on 12th Nov 08, one day after my birthday. =) u can guess when is my birthday now… =))

If you want to score the marks you truly deserve for your Chemistry, act now!

Hear what one of the parents said:

===============================================
“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 completely – She finds it fantastic. She can even understand better when she try out the questions and look through the bonus video provided . She finds it knowledgeable. 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
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Click HERE for more feedbacks and comments from parents & students on this book

For those that would like to get a feel of how the book is going to help you to improve your Chemistry Grades, Here is the chance to Download your FREE copy of Introductory Section to “Up Your Chemistry Grades Now!” HERE (Do note that I am limiting the number of copies, once reached. It will not be available anymore!)

To your academic success in Chemistry,
Sean Chua

PS: Remember you have a 7 days 100% money-back guarantee on this offer. That is the promise to my readers that have been supporting me with so much trust all this while.