How do I solve AP chemical equations without memorization?

[JKLM]

I am reviewing AP chemical equations in class and we have to figure out the products given the reactants. I don't want to post every single question so could someone explain how to these types of questions in general:

potassuium permanganate solution is added to oxalic acid and acidified with a few drops of sulfuric acid

magnesim turnings are added to aqueous ferric chloride

solid zinc hyrdoxide is treated with concentrated sodium solution.

Note;
The products in each question are very different so I can't just memorize every single chemical reaction. Maybe there is a website with rules for stuff like this, but I can't find any.

 

[Bystander]

Originally posted by JKLM
I am reviewing AP chemical equations in class and we have to figure out the products given the reactants. I don't want to post every single question so could someone explain how to these types of questions in general:

potassuium permanganate solution is added to oxalic acid and acidified with a few drops of sulfuric acid

magnesim turnings are added to aqueous ferric chloride

solid zinc hyrdoxide is treated with concentrated sodium solution.

Note;
The products in each question are very different so I can't just memorize every single chemical reaction.

There might be a better way --- t'ain't been found yet, to my knowledge --- if you haven't the time to "memorize" a few basics, you're going to go through hell learning chemistry.

Maybe there is a website with rules for stuff like this, but I can't find any.

There are only seven (6? or 8?) reactions you have to know as a chemist, substitutions, eliminations, and free radicals --- see Jerry March, Advanced Organic Chemistry for the details --- these reactions are not restricted to organic chemistry, but cover anything you'll ever run into. There's a hitch --- you've got to know some chemistry before any of it will make any sense to you --- you have to have been handed a "recommended" reading list at the beginning of your course --- use it. Failing the reading list, hit the school library and pick one or two of the general chem texts from the pre-AP days and start digging.

 

[Beren]

And to add to that, on the AP exam you'll get a big list of chemical equations, and you'll have to pick out several of them (a dozen, I think) and complete them.

It's not fun. =P