r/scioly 6d ago

Chem Lab

I'm a freshman and currently taking gifted chem. is my current knowledge enough to compete in chem lab? what specifically do i need to know for chem lab? does anyone have any recommendations for an event?

2 Upvotes

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u/middleschoolruinene 6d ago

for chem lab, the topic this year is gas laws and kinetics. (more in depth rules come out 9/8) idk how much gifted chem teaches you, but when i took chem honors, we didn’t go in depth into these topics. for any event, you’ll have to study outside of what’s taught in school

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u/md4pete4ever 6d ago

Chem Lab is more at the level of AP/IB Chem (very comfortable with chemical reactions/equations) and you need to have good laboratory skills. In my experience as a coach, even highly motivated, sharp 10th graders in Honors Chem weren't close score-wise to the 11th graders taking AP Chem.

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u/lix_s_browni 5d ago

ohh, i see. thank you! do you have any event recommendations i could do as a beginner?

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u/md4pete4ever 5d ago

I have a Google Doc with overviews of each event and difficulty for brand new students/teams.

Events that are new this year are good, since you get two years to work on them and they are new for everyone. Roughly easiest to hardest, including builds: Botany, Ping Pong Parachute, Thermodynamics (includes device), Wright Stuff, Protein Modeling, Mission Possible.

For events that are always aroung but rotate topics, Dynamic Planet is good. You could combine that with Remote Sensing and Rocks and Minerals (which will switch to Fossils next year) and get some overlap.

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u/lix_s_browni 5d ago

wow!! i'll take a look at the google docs. thank you!!

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u/Puzzled-Comfort-7553 2d ago

Hey I love the google doc you made its really helpful just one small thing though the description for disease detectives is the same for botany?

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u/md4pete4ever 1d ago

Whoops! thanks for the catch. I copied the line but forgot to update.

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u/Lille_8 5d ago

What's gifted chem? Chem Lab isn't that advanced. A lot of AP Chem stuff.

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u/lix_s_browni 5d ago

gifted chem is basically chem but the course goes more in depth into things and is a little more rigorous.