This is the subject that I took through to PhD and post-doctoral research, and I really enjoy demystifying it for students.
Chemistry is applied physics. It’s broadly divided into three areas: organic (the chemistry of carbon-based compounds), inorganic (the chemistry of non-carbon-based compounds) and physical (the physics that underpins all of chemistry).
Much of chemistry is about the theory and practice of how we make different arrangements of elements in the periodic table, predicting what’s going to happen and then seeing if your prediction was accurate.
Time spent in the school lab will focus on clearly defined tasks to demonstrate a basic theory. Beyond the schoolroom, chemistry can get even more exciting but you need to have a clear understanding of the basic principles first.
One-to-one coaching can unblock your studies
Of course, we’re not going to be working in a lab together during our coaching sessions! But because the sessions are one-to one, we can focus on the areas of the syllabus that you’re finding hard, and find new ways in to help your understanding and learning.
Just one example: a topic that people often find difficult is thermodynamics (enthalpy), the study of how energy moves through a system as reactions happen. We can unpack what’s going on, start to recognise patterns and work out how to predict the outcome.
Exam prep
Chemistry coaching helps you tackle exams and know what’s required. We build on the content you’ve been taught in school, and broaden your understanding of the subject. We look at techniques that you can use to answer exam questions, work out what you need to show and how to apply your knowledge.
Joe Higham 