Hour-by-Hour Schedule
5:40-6:40 AM: CRITICAL AREA - Acid-Base Equilibrium Fundamentals
Focus: ICE Tables and pH Calculations (Your weakest thinking skills area)
Key Activities:
- 5:40-5:50 AM: Quick confidence builder - solve 2 strong acid pH problems you can handle
- 5:50-6:25 AM: ICE Table Mastery using systematic 8-step method:
- Write balanced equation → 2. Set up ICE table → 3. Fill initial concentrations → 4. Define change with variable x → 5. Express equilibrium concentrations → 6. Substitute into Ka/Kb expression → 7. Solve for x → 8. Calculate final pH
Essential Formulas to Memorize:
- pH = -log[H₃O⁺], pOH = -log[OH⁻]
- pH + pOH = 14, Kw = 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁴
- Ka × Kb = Kw, % ionization = ([H₃O⁺]eq/[HA]initial) × 100%
Practice Problems:
- 3 weak acid pH calculations using ICE tables
- 2 weak base problems with Kb values
- Check work using 5% approximation rule
6:25-6:40 AM: Active Recall Test - Close notes and solve one ICE table problem from memory, explaining each step aloud
6:40-6:45 AM: BREAK
Light stretching, hydration, deep breathing
6:45-7:45 AM: CRITICAL AREA - Organic Chemistry Nomenclature
Focus: Systematic IUPAC Naming (Your lowest application scores)
Key Activities:
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6:45-7:00 AM: Functional Group Recognition Drill
- Create flashcards: alcohols (-OH), aldehydes (-CHO), ketones (C=O), carboxylic acids (-COOH), esters, ethers, amines
- Priority Order Memorization: Carboxylic acids > Esters > Amides > Aldehydes > Ketones > Alcohols > Amines > Ethers
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7:00-7:30 AM: 4-Step IUPAC Method Practice:
- Find longest carbon chain → 2. Identify functional group → 3. Number chain (functional group gets lowest number) → 4. Name substituents alphabetically
Memory Devices:
- Carbon count prefixes: “My Elephant Plays Drums Perfectly, Having Obtained New Drums” (Meth-1, Eth-2, Prop-3, But-4, Pent-5, Hex-6, Hept-7, Oct-8, Non-9, Dec-10)
Practice Problems:
- 5 complex molecules with multiple functional groups
- 3 isomer identification problems
- 2 polymer structure problems
7:30-7:45 AM: Feynman Technique - Explain organic nomenclature rules as if teaching a friend
7:45-7:50 AM: BREAK
7:50-8:50 AM: CRITICAL AREA - Buffer Calculations & Ksp Problems
Focus: Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation and Solubility
Key Activities:
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7:50-8:20 AM: Buffer Calculations
- Henderson-Hasselbalch Formula: pH = pKa + log([A⁻]/[HA])
- Practice identifying conjugate acid-base pairs
- Calculate buffer pH changes when acid/base added
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8:20-8:45 AM: Ksp Solubility Problems
- Systematic approach: Write dissolution equation → Ksp expression → ICE table with solubility “s” → Solve
- Precipitation prediction: Calculate Q, compare to Ksp (Q > Ksp = precipitation)
- Practice common ion effect problems
Essential Constants:
- Kw = 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁴ at 25°C
- pKa + pKb = 14
Practice Problems:
- 3 buffer pH calculations
- 2 Ksp solubility problems
- 2 precipitation prediction problems
8:45-8:50 AM: Spaced Repetition - Quick review of ICE table method from Hour 1
8:50-9:05 AM: BREAK
Walk outside, healthy snack, hydration
9:05-10:05 AM: MODERATE AREA - Rates of Reaction & Equilibrium
Focus: Rate Law Determination and Le Chatelier’s Principle
Key Activities:
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9:05-9:30 AM: Rate Laws from Experimental Data
- Method of Initial Rates: Compare experiments where only one concentration changes
- Recognition patterns: Double concentration → double rate = 1st order; → quadruple rate = 2nd order
- Practice calculating rate constants (k)
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9:30-9:55 AM: Equilibrium Concepts
- Le Chatelier’s Principle: Stress → system shifts to relieve stress
- Q vs K comparisons: Q < K (forward), Q = K (equilibrium), Q > K (reverse)
- Practice ICE tables for Kc calculations
Practice Problems:
- 3 rate law determination problems
- 3 Le Chatelier’s principle scenarios
- 2 equilibrium constant calculations
9:55-10:05 AM: Interleaving Review - Mix one acid-base problem with one organic nomenclature problem
10:05-10:10 AM: BREAK
10:10-11:10 AM: CRITICAL AREA - Advanced Organic Chemistry
Focus: Reaction Mechanisms and Polymer Chemistry
Key Activities:
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10:10-10:40 AM: Organic Reactions
- Addition reactions: Alkenes + H₂O, HX, X₂
- Substitution reactions: Alkane halogenation
- Elimination reactions: Alcohol dehydration
- Condensation reactions: Ester formation
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10:40-11:05 AM: Polymer Chemistry
- Addition polymerization: Monomers with C=C bonds
- Condensation polymerization: Two different monomers, small molecule eliminated
- Practice identifying monomer units and polymer types
Practice Problems:
- 4 reaction mechanism problems
- 3 polymer identification problems
- 2 synthesis pathway problems
11:05-11:10 AM: Active Recall - Draw major functional groups from memory
11:10-11:25 AM: BREAK
Physical movement, nutrition, hydration
11:25-12:25 PM: MODERATE AREA - Atomic Structure & VSEPR
Focus: Electron Configurations and Molecular Geometry
Key Activities:
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11:25-11:55 AM: Electron Configurations
- Aufbau principle: Fill lowest energy orbitals first
- Hund’s rule: Half-fill degenerate orbitals before pairing
- Periodic trends: Atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity
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11:55-12:20 PM: VSEPR Theory
- Common geometries: Linear (180°), trigonal planar (120°), tetrahedral (109.5°), trigonal bipyramidal (90°, 120°), octahedral (90°)
- Practice predicting molecular shapes from Lewis structures
- Hybridization: sp³ (tetrahedral), sp² (trigonal planar), sp (linear)
Practice Problems:
- 3 electron configuration problems
- 4 VSEPR geometry predictions
- 2 hybridization identification problems
12:20-12:25 PM: Spaced Repetition - Review Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and buffer concepts
12:25-12:30 PM: BRIEF BREAK
12:30-1:00 PM: FINAL CONSOLIDATION & CONFIDENCE BUILDING
Focus: Strategic Review and Confidence Boosters
12:30-12:45 PM: Quick Review of Strongest Areas
- Thermochemistry problems you can solve well
- Calorimetry calculations for confidence
- Review Hess’s Law applications
12:45-1:00 PM: Final Critical Review
- Formula sheet creation: Write key formulas on one page
- Common mistake checklist: Review error patterns to avoid
- Confidence visualization: Imagine successfully solving exam problems
- Strategic reminders: Start with easier questions, show all work, manage time
Key Formulas and Constants Summary
Acid-Base Equilibrium
- pH = -log[H₃O⁺], pOH = -log[OH⁻], pH + pOH = 14
- Ka × Kb = Kw = 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁴
- Henderson-Hasselbalch: pH = pKa + log([A⁻]/[HA])
- % ionization = ([H₃O⁺]eq/[HA]initial) × 100%
Equilibrium
- Kc = [products]/[reactants] (concentrations at equilibrium)
- Kp = Kc(RT)^Δn for gas-phase reactions
- Q vs K: Q < K (forward), Q = K (equilibrium), Q > K (reverse)
Organic Chemistry
- Functional group priority: COOH > COO-R > CONH₂ > CHO > C=O > OH > NH₂
- Nomenclature: Longest chain + functional group + substituents (alphabetical)
Rate Laws
- Rate = k[A]ᵐ[B]ⁿ where m,n are reaction orders
- Arrhenius equation: k = Ae⁻Ea/RT
Strategic Exam Approach
Question Order Strategy
- Survey exam (2-3 minutes) - identify easy wins and point values
- Start with confidence builders - solve problems in strong areas first
- Tackle weak areas systematically - use learned problem-solving methods
- Reserve 10 minutes for final review and checking
Problem-Solving Reminders
- Show all work for partial credit
- Use dimensional analysis to catch unit errors
- Check if answers make chemical sense
- Circle final answers clearly
- If stuck, write what you know and attempt partial solutions
Confidence Mantras
- “I’ve prepared systematically for my weak areas”
- “I know the step-by-step methods for solving these problems”
- “I’ll start with what I know and build from there”
review formal charge
Consider Fe2O3 + 3 H2 → 2 Fe + 3 H2O. The heat of reaction is:
The Ksp of calcium hydroxide is 5.50 x 10-6 , what is the molar solubility of calcium hydroxide?