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• NZQA website

Chemistry 2.5 Demonstrate understanding of the properties of selected organic compounds

Key tips

• Before beginning the level 2 standard, work through the two Level 1 standards on Bestchoice For Chemistry
. These are listed under Level 2 Organic at the top of the organic menu on the left of the page.
• The single most important skill in this standard is being able to recognize the functional group in any organic molecule. Practise this and learn to circle each functional group to show where a reaction will occur.  Drawing these groups onto flip cards with the name of the group on the reverse side can be helpful. Find pages of organic formulae and practise circling and naming the functional groups. Look on it as “learning to read” organic chemistry.
• When drawing structural formulae for molecules of each of the families be careful to count to 4 bonds round each C atom, 3 round each N atom, 2 round each O atom and 1 round each H or halogen atom.
• Do not draw sticks with no atoms on the end – if you find writing full structural formulae tiresome, learn to write condensed ones correctly.
• Systematic naming may appear confusing at first but it is very logical and the best way to master it is to practise a lot. Work through alkane naming and alkene naming sections in Bestchoice For Chemistry
.
• When drawing addition polymers, draw the monomer in this shape first.  Draw a couple of clones beside it and then remove the second link of the double bond and join up all the monomers. Show the polymer continuing at each end.
• Work through the remaining sections in Bestchoice For Chemistry
 And then make mind-maps or flow charts of your own on separate pages for chemical reactions of each of the following: alkanes and alkenes (together), alcohols, amines and carboxylic acids (together)
• You will find these much more useful if you have made them yourself rather than using one from a book.

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