Exercises are short focused sets of practice questions that can be printed and used as worksheets. Each Exercise focuses on a single concept or skill. You should complete Exercises immediately after the concept or skill is discussed in class to ensure that you fully understand it so that you do not fall behind. It is intended that a single exercise should take no more than fifteen minutes to complete by a student who understands the material (and some can be done in significantly less time than that). As such, they can be done in breaks between classes or similar short breaks in your day.
Practice Test Questions are longer sets of practice questions, the majority of which have been taken from tests given at the University of Lethbridge in the last twelve years. The questions within a set of Practice Test Questions are in no particular order, just as questions on an actual test would be in no particular order.
Unless your instructor says otherwise, all material on all Exercises and Practice Test Question sets is testable. Be aware that reading the answer key to any Exercise or Practice Test Question before completing it is counterproductive and robs you of a learning opportunity. If you get stuck, ask your instructor or another student for help. Your brain does not make the same connections when you read an answer as it does when you figure it out yourself.
Tests will be accompanied by data sheets similar to the one posted below. You may wish to use it while working on practice questions to get used to the layout.
- Topic 1: Math and Stoichiometry Review
- Topic 2: Atoms, Isotopes, and Nuclear Chemistry
- Topic 3: Light and the Atom
- Topic 4: Electrons, Orbitals, and Quantum Numbers
- Topic 5: Electron Configurations and Periodic Trends
- Topic 6: Metals of Groups 1 and 2
- Topic 7: More Metals and Ionic Solids
- Topic 8: Lewis Diagrams and VSEPR Geometries
- Topic 9: Polarity, Intermolecular Forces, Kinetic Molecular Theory, and Gases
- Topic 10: Nonmetals Part 1 (Hydrogen and Acids)
- Topic 11: Nonmetals Part 2 (Groups 14-17 and Boron)
- Topic 12: Coordination Chemistry and Colour