Do you have to memorise the metal activity series for the hsc? (1 Viewer)

MysteryMoon

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
138
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2015
My teacher said that you don't have to memorise them but some of my friends have told me that you have to remember them.
Is it required that I have to memorise them?
 

InteGrand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
6,109
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
My teacher said that you don't have to memorise them but some of my friends have told me that you have to remember them.
Is it required that I have to memorise them?
You don't really need to memorise them, since the important metals are on the HSC Chemistry data page (http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/chemistry-data-sheet.pdf ) in the standard reduction potentials list; the higher up on that list a metal is, the more reactive it is.
 

funnytomato

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
837
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
You don't really need to memorise them, since the important metals are on the HSC Chemistry data page (http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/chemistry-data-sheet.pdf ) in the standard reduction potentials list; the higher up on that list a metal is, the more reactive it is.
+1

In the HSC, they wouldn't give a question like this(from a textbook exercise) :




Instead, in the HSC you can always work it out from the standard potentials table, as InteGrand said

actually you do get HSC questions like this (2011HSC):

 

Kaido

be.
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
823
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Remember:
Teacher>Friends
And if the teacher happens to be wrong, you can blame them. (Doesn't work out with friends doe)
 

Kaido

be.
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
823
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Remember:
Teacher>Friends
And if the teacher happens to be wrong, you can blame them. (Doesn't work out with friends doe)
 

funnytomato

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
837
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
My teacher said that you don't have to memorise them but some of my friends have told me that you have to remember them.
Is it required that I have to memorise them?
(I haven't done chem in years, so don't quote me on this.)
You don't have to memorise them.
But it's good to know a few frequently used ones. As in you shouldn't 'memorise' them like memorising English essays(although many people are against this as well), instead you should get to know them as you come across more examples / exercises.

The HSC mathematics analogy, would be something like the table of standard integrals.
Most people who perform well in their HSC do NOT really go and check for the integrals of functions such as "sin (ax)"
 

curiouscat98

New Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2015
Messages
21
Gender
Female
HSC
N/A
My teacher said that you don't have to memorise them but some of my friends have told me that you have to remember them.
Is it required that I have to memorise them?
I'm doing my HSC this year also and I've never been told to memorise it. I just know the first two, the last two, and the middle two (just in case, it's not a memorisation thing it's just that these are the ones that stick in my head), but yeah you'll never be asked a specific question like "list these metals in order according to the metal activity series". If they do ask a question it will be with enough information provided to work it out without knowing the series off by heart. :)

Good luck in your studies! :)
- CC.
 

MysteryMoon

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
138
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2015
I'm doing my HSC this year also and I've never been told to memorise it. I just know the first two, the last two, and the middle two (just in case, it's not a memorisation thing it's just that these are the ones that stick in my head), but yeah you'll never be asked a specific question like "list these metals in order according to the metal activity series". If they do ask a question it will be with enough information provided to work it out without knowing the series off by heart.

Good luck in your studies!
- CC.
Thanks! You too! ^_^
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top