Chemistry can be a very exciting experience. You can mix substances to create new things that change color, produce odors and go BANG! Chemistry is the backbone of pharmaceutical research, CSI investigative work and food development. Thus, chemistry is very appealing to many students until they realize they must have some math skills.
But don't panic, the math skills needed for fundamental chemistry are very basic and can be mastered by just about any one. So, here is a list of the most commonly used math skills in chemistry.
Scientific Notation
Scientific notation is a very useful tool. It allows chemists to write very large and very small numbers easier. It involves using powers of ten to reduce the number of digits you will have to write.
10, 000 becomes 1 x 10^4.0001 becomes 1 x 10^-4
Significant figures (sig figs)
Significant figures (sig figs) help chemists maintain the integrity of their data. Calculations are only as good as the data collected. The data is only as good as the tool being used and the tool is only as good as the person using it. If your measuring device only measures to a tenth of a unit, your precision cannot be better than that of the tool. Understanding how significant figures work maintains the integrity of your data.
Fractions
Many calculations in chemistry require the ability to manipulate fractions. You need to understand how to clear fractions, reduce fractions and find a common denominator.
Decimals
Being able to work with decimals is very important because most measurements in chemistry are not exact. Many of your measurements will be parts of things (fractions) and it is better to use decimals rather than fractions in describing your data. You need to know place values and how to convert fractions to decimals.
Percents
It is important that you understand percents in chemistry because many times your data will be converted to a percent for comparisons. Percents are not very difficult to understand. Percents are just another way to write fractions and decimals. Example: 1/2 =.50 = 50%
Pre-algebra
Most chemistry problems only require simple pre-algebra skills. If you can solve simple equations and create a basic coordinate graph, then your algebra skills will be sufficient. There is no need for calculus or even pre-calculus.
Calculator
In order to make chemistry even simpler, you should invest in a TI-84 graphing calculator. The time and headaches that will be solved by learning to use a calculator will be well worth the investment. A TI-84 not only can do the usual arithmetic, but it can help sort and graph your data.
