Grad school quality person - Chemistry

[symbolipoint]

One of the most difficult topics several years ago was weak acid and weak base equilibria and associated mathematical determinations about them in quantitative chemistry. Our class spent a month and a half just studying equilibria of weak acids and weak bases and their buffers, pH's, titration curves, and all their calculations. This was so difficult that I could not master it. Since graduating, I restudied that stuff a few times and it became much more learnable. Still I have not mastered it.

I wonder; if I could not master equilibria of weak acids and weak bases, does this mean that I would not be graduate school quality for studying Chemistry? Or is this relatively unimportant?

 

[chemisttree]

Take the GRE in chemistry and find out...

 

[RHenderson]

I'm going to graduate school for chemistry without ever taking a chemistry class (physics/math major)...but I did an REU at that university in the the chem dept.

Probably not typical, but it's possible. Probably going to be doing theoretical chemistry/physical chem, fwiw

 

[gravenewworld]

You should definitely know the concepts of acid base chemistry if you want to go to grad school. As for dissociation constants, equilibrium constants, etc. I know plenty of Organic Phds who don't remember any of that stuff. It all depends on what field you want to specialize in. In my 4 years of industry, I have yet to see 1 phd organic chemist actually care about equilibrium constants etc. beyond lechatlier's principle.

 

[a9211l]

Acid/Base equilibrium is basic analytical chemistry and very important in the lab, you might want to master it. Its very intuitive and requires very basic algebra.

 

[chemisttree]

You should definitely know the concepts of acid base chemistry if you want to go to grad school. As for dissociation constants, equilibrium constants, etc. I know plenty of Organic Phds who don't remember any of that stuff. It all depends on what field you want to specialize in. In my 4 years of industry, I have yet to see 1 phd organic chemist actually care about equilibrium constants etc. beyond lechatlier's principle.

I second that...