Dear peeps,

I won't time to see you guys before the exam on tues and the more I think about it, the more I cannot sleep. So I decided to post a summary of what to look out for so that I can sleep in peace hoping that my dear 4B will get serious this weekend and go through the points again.

Key steps to success at SPA:
1) Get your mind focused on the exam
2) Spend the 1st 5 minutes reading and highlighting important stuff
3) Pick out all the parts where u see the word "record" and count how many recordings you are supposed to have
4) Prepare a table with proper headings and units and prepare spaces for the number of recordings you are supposed to have. *You MUST have a table regardless of wat.
--> remember: NEVER use the word "amount". If you mean mass, write mass. If you mean volume, write volume!
5) Remember your goggles. You should put it on once some one in the lab starts doing smth and can only take it off once everyone has finished and is writing.
6) Always keep in mind that the doing is only a small part. Recording and presenting answers is the major part! So keep track of your timing and leave more than enough time to present your answer nicely. Worse come to worse, plot your graph and extrapolate. i.e fake smth.
7) Don't panic even if everything breaks or you do something wrong or whatever. Just heck it and redo calmly or if not enough time, focus on presenting your answers. Again, worse come to worse, fake something sensible.
8) Best fit line is always super important if you have a graph. Again, I stress a best fit line does not need to be a straight line or a curve. It all depends on your results. Only exception is if the question specifically says straight line.... And if you have shivery hands, get a curve ruler!!!!!!!!!!!
9) Graphs must have proper axes and units and good scale.

Units, dec pls and sig fig
If you still dont know,
Temperature is in 0C (deg on top)
Volume is in cm3 (3 on top) (dont gey kiang and write dm3)
Time is in seconds (not mins)
Mass is usually in grams (g)
Mole is mol.

Thermometer reads to nearest 0.5. Meaning your recording must end with either 0 or 5.
e.g. 36.3 is 36.5, 25.1 is 25.0. Anyway just agar the reading on the thermometer to halfway between or the line itself if you know what I mean.

Volumes by measuring cylinder is to nearest 0.5 also. Same explanation as thermometer.

When you do (+/-/x/divide/take average) of any readings, follow the number of dec places of the reading. e.g. if you take average of temperatures, final answer should be to 1 dp since your temp reading is to 1 dp.

Some procedures to remember
- measuring cylinder, burette etc all MUST read at eye level ==> bend down!
- thermometer also read at eye level! not sideways.
- always measure volume using a MEASURING CYLINDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not a beaker!

Things to bring:
pencil - for any graph drawing and any other form of drawing (with lead hor ppl)
eraser
blue/black pen - for any writing (with ink and able to come out ink hor)
highlighter - if necessary
ruler - super important
calculator - super important (with batteries and working hor)
curve ruler - for shaky hands

Other tips:
- go through all your spa practices. Esp the heat ones. Learn and follow how they set up apparaus in those epxeriments and adopt good practices when possible. e.g if cover is provided, use it....
- heat errors:
--> heat lost to surroundings leading to lower temperature recorded (or vice versa)
- time errors:
--> inconsistent stirring leading to inaccurate time recorded
--> human reaction time because of time lag between starting stopwatch and start of reaction leading to inaccurate time recorded
--> temperature not held constant coz of exo or endo reaction leading to rate of reaction being affected.

AND ONE LAST TIP: Revise your mole concept. everything including today's stuff like calculating moles from masses, from solution concentration...., limiting reagents etcetcetctec...

Vous comprend? (all of you understand?)

ok thats it from the super lor soh Ms Chan. 0 Comments(s), Leave a comment?

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