Solving General Chemistry Problems -

In 90% of chemistry problems, the first step is converting your given mass or volume into moles . Moles are the universal currency of chemistry; once you have them, you can go anywhere.

Chemistry is essentially a series of conversions. Most problems follow a "A →right arrow →right arrow

If you are moving from one substance to another (e.g., from Reactant A to Product B), use the coefficients from the balanced equation. 3. Setup and Execution Solving General Chemistry Problems

If you’re calculating the mass of a single atom and get 45 kilograms, something went wrong.

What is the specific unit or value the question is asking for? (e.g., "Molarity of NaOH"). In 90% of chemistry problems, the first step

Multiply across the top and divide by everything on the bottom. 4. The Sanity Check Once you have a number, ask yourself: Does this make sense?

Write down every number given, including its unit. Units are your best friends—they tell you what the number actually represents. Most problems follow a "A →right arrow →right

Here is a straightforward approach to tackling almost any problem in the course. 1. The "Inventory" Phase Before you touch a calculator, read the problem twice.