Which Should I Take First: Analytical Chemistry or Physical Chemistry?

  • Thread starter Thread starter chanv1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Analytical Pchem
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 4K views
chanv1
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
I will be picking my Spring courses on Monday and I just want to know which class you would recommend me taking first: analytical chem or physical chemistry? does it matter which I take first? I will have to take physical chemistry 2, so should I take physical chemistry first because of that? I'd really appreciate your opinion! Thanks.
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
chanv1 said:
I will be picking my Spring courses on Monday and I just want to know which class you would recommend me taking first: analytical chem or physical chemistry? does it matter which I take first? I will have to take physical chemistry 2, so should I take physical chemistry first because of that? I'd really appreciate your opinion! Thanks.

I took Analytical Chemistry , however it really did not help with Physical Chemistry , the latter takes more time however the lab of the former is going to be more demanding. It may be better to take Analytical Chemistry since it involves a lot of review of General Chemistry.
 
I would say that Analytical Chemistry will not help in Physical Chemistry, while Physical Chemistry _may_ help in Analytical - depending on the syllabus.
 
If your school was like mine, PChem 2 was only offered in the spring so that the cohort could move smoothly through. If you didn't grab PChem 2 when you could, you had to wait a year for another chance. Analytical chemistry was offered more often. I would take PChem 2 as soon as you can after PChem 1. You can always get around to Analytical Chemistry...
 
I don't think it matters which one you pick first; these are two very different courses. In A.Chem, laboratory technique is very important and theory takes a back seat (or it should anyways...). P. Chem on the other hand is mostly theory and the lab (if one is even offered) takes a back seat. Apples and oranges, success in one probably has little to do with success in the other.