|
JvF
Fletcher Detcher


Registered: 02/13/14
Posts: 2,662
Loc: Chicago
|
Learning chemistry as an adult 2
#21693181 - 05/18/15 01:08 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Ive always had an interest in science, but beyond chem101 in high school i havent done anything with it. I read about the synthesis of drugs and the extraction techniques of various substances, and alot of it makes sense.
However i dont know anythinf about chemistry. I see pictures on the internet of molecules woth rings in different places and hear all this talk of things i cant even begin to comprehend and it upsets me.
Where do i start to learn chemistry? I want to go to the community college, but it seems like for a class like that you have to be fully enrolled as a student.
Does anyone have any pointers on how to get started toward a solid understanding of chemistry?
--------------------
|
Adolin




Registered: 06/28/11
Posts: 8,292
Loc: USA
Last seen: 1 year, 2 months
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: JvF]
#21693186 - 05/18/15 01:12 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
I see pictures on the internet of molecules woth rings in different places and hear all this talk of things i cant even begin to comprehend and it upsets me.
knowing the structure of drugs and their pharmacological effects is alot easier to learn than it seems
i know nothing about actual chemistry, i couldnt even make some dirty highschool-lab aspirin. but i can tell you the difference between aspirin and acetaminophen
it all depends on what you wanna know, and how well you want to know it. there are alot of different aspects of chemistry. ive only bothered learning about drugs really. i have some good sources for info if you wanna learn about the basic pharmacology of most psychoactive drugs
http://biopsychiatry.com/
thats a great website that will explain pretty much every class of psychoactive drug, it is riddled with legitimate references, just click the blue words
Skip to "SOME DEAD ENDS" section if you want to get to the nitty gritty
not sure if that's what you're looking for though
Edited by Adolin (05/18/15 01:16 AM)
|
Shroomopotamus
Happy Mushrooming



Registered: 09/27/09
Posts: 18,757
Loc: Funkotron
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: Adolin] 1
#21693197 - 05/18/15 01:17 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
it's literally impossible to learn anything after you become an adult
-------------------- * Live by the mushroom, die by the mushroom
    This is a trap! A trap! You are all busted! Busted! You fools!
If a time comes where I fail to appear I've been abducted and I will miss you all Please smile and pet puppies as often as possible Be happy Be nice (<3);}
|
daz01
Learning


Registered: 09/30/10
Posts: 4,652
Loc: Scotland
Last seen: 7 hours, 24 minutes
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: JvF]
#21693199 - 05/18/15 01:18 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Start with organic chemistry. I was recommended this book years ago:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Chemistry-Jonathan-Clayden/dp/0199270295/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431933406&sr=8-1&keywords=organic+chemistry
I was intending to learn chemistry but due to circumstances, I haven't got around to it yet. It's a dream of mine, just imagine being to synth substances.
-------------------- Pain is temporary. It may last for a minute or an hour or a day or even a year but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it will last forever.
|
Malcolm_Xtasy
Oh baby what Is you doin??



Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 13,851
Loc:
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: daz01]
#21693594 - 05/18/15 07:22 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
um he should probably start with general chem first. He needs to know the basics. The different kinds of bonds and valence are crucial in understanding orgo
-------------------- I'm stupid, Enlil is smart. I'm ugly, Enlil is beautiful. I'm a loser, Enlil is a winner. Someday, I hope to be like Enlil but secretly know I never will.
|
OhMrJohnson
Ashes Against The Grain

Registered: 01/12/14
Posts: 17,544
Loc: Terra Incognita
|
|
Chemistry textbooks would probably be helpful
--------------------
Diminish the sub-principle and leave its toxic trace.. Once and for all!
|
1234go
Ban Lotto Champion


Registered: 07/08/09
Posts: 53,884
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: OhMrJohnson]
#21693621 - 05/18/15 07:45 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Posting for later reference.
|
Amanita86
OTD Keymaster


Registered: 09/26/12
Posts: 89,464
Loc: hades
|
|
Quote:
Shroomopotamus said: it's literally impossible to learn anything after you become an adult
There's some depressingly poignant point to that statement. The rubber band gets brittle and breaks doesnt it.
--------------------
Orange clock, pencil "They threw me off the hay truck about noon..."
*Mark 15:34  Gam zeh ya’avor...
|
Malcolm_Xtasy
Oh baby what Is you doin??



Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 13,851
Loc:
|
|
Quote:
Shroomopotamus said: it's literally impossible to learn anything after you become an adult
I'd say harder but not impossible. You might have to put a little more effort into it since you're out of a school setting
-------------------- I'm stupid, Enlil is smart. I'm ugly, Enlil is beautiful. I'm a loser, Enlil is a winner. Someday, I hope to be like Enlil but secretly know I never will.
|
fapjack
Title



Registered: 07/26/07
Posts: 16,574
Loc: Central New Jersey
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: JvF]
#21693716 - 05/18/15 08:42 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I decided to go back to school and my major is chemistry. Go to a community college, if you are poor its pretty much free. If you are too lazy just download a textbook off pirate bay. Just read it and do all the problems, you can download tests online to apply what you are learning. Its a lot of reading though, I don't think most people have the discipline to read an entire chemistry book without going to school.
You need to know college algebra though, I would suggest learning that first.
--------------------
|
Malcolm_Xtasy
Oh baby what Is you doin??



Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 13,851
Loc:
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: fapjack]
#21693730 - 05/18/15 08:47 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Yeah if you don't have a decent math background you're definitely gonna have a hard time. And you'll need calculus for physical and analytical chemistry if you're interested in that
-------------------- I'm stupid, Enlil is smart. I'm ugly, Enlil is beautiful. I'm a loser, Enlil is a winner. Someday, I hope to be like Enlil but secretly know I never will.
|
shroomnymph
big mamma



Registered: 11/29/10
Posts: 386
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
|
|
If you already have the basic chemistry concepts down, for eg. valence electrons, types of bonding, acids/bases, molecular structures...,
I would recommend this book for learning organic chemistry: http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chemistry-Second-Language-Translating/dp/0470129298
It saved me when I had an incompetent prof for Org Chem 1. It starts off basic, it provides practice problems for every new concept, and its small and paperback.
|
Budsbunni
Healer



Registered: 03/17/15
Posts: 96
Last seen: 8 years, 3 months
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: 1234go]
#21693922 - 05/18/15 10:06 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
1234go said: Posting for later reference.

|
Malcolm_Xtasy
Oh baby what Is you doin??



Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 13,851
Loc:
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: shroomnymph]
#21693932 - 05/18/15 10:09 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
shroomnymph said: If you already have the basic chemistry concepts down, for eg. valence electrons, types of bonding, acids/bases, molecular structures...,
I would recommend this book for learning organic chemistry: http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chemistry-Second-Language-Translating/dp/0470129298
It saved me when I had an incompetent prof for Org Chem 1. It starts off basic, it provides practice problems for every new concept, and its small and paperback.
THIS.
That book is amazing and is the only reason I managed to get a B in o chem
-------------------- I'm stupid, Enlil is smart. I'm ugly, Enlil is beautiful. I'm a loser, Enlil is a winner. Someday, I hope to be like Enlil but secretly know I never will.
|
Bambi
Friendly Forrest Animal




Registered: 03/22/09
Posts: 1,668
Last seen: 6 months, 29 days
|
|
Check this site out to get online access to past courses and their material.
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/
--------------------
"I want to read, talk with my friends via the computer, and enjoy my life now that people know I'm not dead. " -Rom Houben
|
JvF
Fletcher Detcher


Registered: 02/13/14
Posts: 2,662
Loc: Chicago
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: Bambi]
#21695023 - 05/18/15 04:00 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks for the sources everyone.
Definitely dont have basic chemistry knowledge as far as valence electrons and bonds/things of that nature. Once i was into my second week of the class and i had to memorize the periodic table i pretty much zoned everything out.
As simple as it is, never thought of buying textbooks.
Luckily i already have a fantastic grasp of calculus(didnt know that came into play), so that should help me later on.
Im pretty dedicated to learning whatever i need to. Like i said in the first post, i hate not knowing something so basic
--------------------
|
BlunderSoftly
Stranger


Registered: 12/10/13
Posts: 423
Last seen: 2 years, 15 days
|
Re: Learning chemistry as an adult [Re: JvF]
#21695377 - 05/18/15 05:58 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I just got my B.S. in Chemistry, if you want to get into "practical" chemistry start by learning about units of concentration and how to do dilutions.
Then look into specific solvents, learn about Dichloromethane, acetone, toluene/xylene, isopropyl and ethyl alcohol, ether and... water. Just to make yourself more familiar with common useful chemicals.
Then start with pH stuff, figure out what the difference between Lewis, Bronstead acid/base this'll become your foundation into oxidation/reduction chemistry. Look into Muratic Acid and NaOH, read up on aqua regia and different acids too; just to get some practical knowledge. Learn about trends across the periodic table (nucleus size, electronegativity) learn what and where each block of the periodic table is (s,p,d,f).
I assume you're interested in organic extractions and synthesizes. You can get on the inter webs and try to follow a receipe and probably succeed. Personally I'd start with extracting caffeine from tea, a common College Organic Chem lab is synthesis of Tylenol you could practice that if you wanted to build up you chemical experience.
|
|