Rated 3 out of
5
by
W J S from
Too much arithmetic
This is the only Great Course I have taken that is mostly problems to be solved. Perhaps great for struggling high school chemistry students, but not very interesting for the typical adult. The lecturer is, however, very communicative.
Date published: 2020-08-05
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Jim Lews from
Great for starting from zero.
I've never took a chemistry class or even graduated from highschool. I used the GC to study math for my GED and it helped a lot. I got this course on sale and it is worth it. The teacher is very funny and makes chemistry enjoyable. He is very clear as well. Again, this is a very good course if you are starting from zero.
Date published: 2020-03-24
Rated 5 out of
5
by
RT Colorado from
Brilliant coverage of Chemistry at the Entry Level
I purchased this with a couple of objectives in mind. I wanted a solid review of the basic subject, having completed Chemistry "back in the day" because it has become interesting again. Secondly, I wanted to be able to convey to the young people I get to care for, how interesting the subject is. Knowing Chemistry well enough to complete college is a very different thing from being able to explain it someone else. Professor Cardulla is a master at educating as well as a master of Chemistry.
Date published: 2020-03-18
Rated 5 out of
5
by
doloop from
Very pleased
I bought this (and the Davis) course so I would be in a position to offer reasonably intelligent assistance to my daughter in her chemistry class. It has enabled me to do exactly that. I’m very pleased and recommend this course to anyone who wants/needs to learn the basics.
Date published: 2020-02-17
Rated 4 out of
5
by
cran from
Very Good Coverage of Basic Chemistry Problems
Mr. Cardulla does a very good job explaining basic chemistry problems. This course is best taken in conjunction with an actual class as it is more about problem solving.
While he does a good job for the most part in explaining the problem and solution, he tends to throw in irrelevant and in a few occasions confusing and misleading explanations. He also strays from chemistry to make irrelevant pedantic remarks which are best suited for juveniles.
Date published: 2019-11-19
Rated 5 out of
5
by
wbobesiuk from
It Should Have Been Called High School Chem
I bought it expecting to get a college level course. However, the instructor is awsome and the material is great for a high school level.
Date published: 2019-07-17
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Johnny apple seed from
Good first time introduction to Chemistry!
Although I am taking AP(or Advanced Placement) Chemistry at the moment, I have not taken a beginner level Chemistry class. These videos really helped me to learn the basics of Chemistry so that learning the difficult material was easier.
Date published: 2019-04-28
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Kevin 1 from
If you Study Chemistry YOU NEED THIS
Professor Cardulla put his heart into these lectures. I owe him everything because he really helped me get ready for test, and YOU owe this to yourself. Also see Dr. Ron B Davis' lectures with "Chemistry and Our Universe."
Date published: 2018-09-16
Rated 3 out of
5
by
StudentatPreserve from
Chemistry
The professor teaches well. He speaks clearly. However, most of the contents are about how to solve Chemistry homework or test problems. It should be helpful for high school students especially for those without good arithmetic training. The title of the course probably should be adjusted to reflect better the contents.
Date published: 2018-06-07
Rated 3 out of
5
by
NanbytheLake from
No wonder STEM courses aren't popular with kids
When I ordered this I failed to notice that it was intended for high school students. This course would probably help a high school student "pass a test" of one sort or another, but does not communicate the awe and wonder of the topic. It does a good job showing how to solve particular problems, step by step. Would probably be good in tutoring a high school student having difficulty with chemistry, but it would not inspire anyone. E.g., it explains how to solve equilibrium problems but does not communicate how important a concept "equilibrium" is in chemistry (and physics and thermodynamics.) It does not emphasize broad conceptual thinking that makes STEM subjects exciting. The course is very good at doing what it sets out to do--helping high school students solve chemistry problems.
Date published: 2018-01-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Kat64 from
High School Chemistry
I sure wish that I had Professor Cardulla when I was in high school. I'm way past those years and never had chemistry but I feel like I could have done it quite successfully! Thank you Frank Cardulla! You are a wonderful teacher!
Date published: 2017-08-14
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TheEd from
I never took chemistry in high school. Decided, why not? This course and the instructor are well worth the time and effort.
Date published: 2017-08-07
Rated 4 out of
5
by
PlanetaryMom from
Strong focus on problem solving
I bought this for my son, who is almost 11, because he loved "The Nature of Earth: An Introduction to Geology" and wanted to understand the chemistry aspect of mineralogy better. He specifically asked for a "Great Courses" Chemistry class. Because he is not yet 11, he doesn't really have the mathematical background to manage all the problems without lots of help from me, but he is understanding a lot, and he's determined to keep working through the course even when he finds the math frustrating. The professor's fun examples help keep him engaged, and although the course isn't chiefly "eye candy", there is enough to excite him. The strong focus on problem solving is really stretching his math skills, and I imagine he'll go through the series more than once and get more out of it each time. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 because, for my son, a more conceptual approach would have been better, but if you're in a high school class, the general problem solving concepts given would be helpful.
Date published: 2017-03-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Eric the red from
Gift
I bought it as a gift for my granddaughter in Anchorage, AK.
Date published: 2017-02-23
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Fred Reitman from
Chemistry, 2nd Edition
I sat in Frank Cardulla's chemistry class and his advanced placement chemistry classes my sophomore and senior years at Niles North High School in the 1970s. He was far and away the best teacher I had in any topic, all the way through undergraduate and predoctoral training courses.
I decided take this chemistry class to see what I remember, and also to see how he would go about teaching this topic all these years later. He does not disappoint.
I strongly recommend you take this class. Mr. Cardulla teaches not just chemistry but more important teaches you how to learn. His class will lay the foundation for learning and help you learn not just chemistry but any science our engineering courses you may take in the future.
Date published: 2016-12-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
reductio from
Perspective from an adult learner
I have a background in mathematics and physics but recently caught the chemistry bug. Purely for the fun of it, I purchased a more advanced chemistry course from TGC but realized I needed a more basic introduction to fully appreciate it. This course seemed ideal. However, the first 12 lectures or so seemed very easy and I wondered if the course was TOO basic, but by the end I had been fully stretched and only managed to answer one of the three final challenge questions completely correctly. The course instructor was fantastic. Professor Cardulla is a born educator and I was very touched by his heartfelt comments right at the end of lesson 36. Lucky indeed the students who had him as a teacher. My procedure was to listen to a lecture, pause at the questions, try to solve them on my own first and only then look at the solutions. By the time I'd done the accompanying handbook problems I felt I had a decent grasp of concepts and techniques. The course could have covered more material: there's very little on bonding, for example, but realize that many high school students need lectures on more fundamental material that an adult learner might already know. Overall, I have been very satisfied by this course and I am happy I purchased it.
Date published: 2016-11-06
Rated 5 out of
5
by
stillastudent from
More Than I Expected
I took this course to refresh my basic chemistry from decades ago in preparation for the course on organic chemistry. I found much more than I expected!
If you are in high school and taking or planning to take chemistry, this course is the clearest presentation of the basics that I think one could find. If you do well in arithmetic and early algebra but "word problems" blow you away, this is the course that will help to clarify the way to handle such problems.
Professor Frank Cardulla has obviously taught more than a sufficient number of students to understand where their thinking and approach to problem solving are inadequate. And he has the patience to explain what needs to be done to understand the problem and then choose a proper route to the solution.
So for the student or the parents of a student, this is a good choice to make in preparation for taking chemistry - and really preparation for handling those awful "word problems".
And the course gave me what I needed to continue my "studies". Win - win.
Date published: 2016-10-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
marioacuario from
I liked very much chemical-equilibrium lectures
I originally purchased this course for my daughter. However, being a chemist myself, I decided to take this course as refreshment.
I was greatly surprised of the clarity of the explanations of difficult concepts in chemistry, such as chemical equilibrium, including Le Chatelier’s principles.
This course is not only excellent for high-school students, it is also great for understanding advanced courses on chemistry (analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, among others).
Date published: 2016-06-30
Rated 5 out of
5
by
BizPhyZ from
Okay Frank, Let's Have Part 2!
I enjoyed this class very much in spite of it being geared to the high school level. Cardulla has a way of making each and every chemistry problem easy to understand and solve. Excellent. I remember being taught many of these concepts when I was in school and being completely baffled by many of the problems. It seems we were taught the hard way to do everything.
This course is a step-by-step course that will make many other science courses easier because Cardulla so clearly explains every concept in real terms. I love that aspect of his teaching. If I can 'see' a problem, I can work it out. When he holds up the box to show molar volume of gas, it gives a very good picture that can be mentally referenced for thinking about future problems.
I can't look at a nickel without thinking about...(take the course)
This is a high school level course designed to help students with chemistry problems. It serves that function brilliantly. When I went a bit deeper in the course on thermodynamics, the volumes of gas and molar volume concepts were a snap. In other words, the material is highly transferable even if you don't solve chemistry problems.
There is a problem. I want more. I hereby ask that Frank be recruited to produce a Chemistry Part 2 which focuses on chemistry sans the math---chemical properties, reactions, interactions, energy, etc. Wouldn't that be great? I'd love to understand more about the chemicals I encounter every day, how those chemicals were discovered and how they are made. There are chemical processes that occur in cooking. I'd love to know more about those processes.
This is a great course. Keep in mind that it's designed for high school and the focus is on problem solving. That assumed, it's a great course indeed. I highly recommend this course even if you don't want to get involved in problem solving. There is application in most of the other science courses offered here. Build your foundation.
Date published: 2016-03-31
Rated 1 out of
5
by
OrangeBanana from
Don't buy this course
I was optimistic when I bought this course. I've had great experiences with many other courses the Great Courses offers and give 5/5 star reviews on... but this one reeeeeally falls short.
1. The professor talks too fast.
2. The problems are not explained very well and the process to solve the practice problems are confusing.
3. I've had to seek out tutoring on Youtube just to figure out how to solve the practice problems in the accompanying workbook.
4. The answer keys at the back of the book do a very poor job at explaining how answers were figured out.
Don't buy this course. Spend the money on a chemistry tutor at your local school instead.
Date published: 2016-01-16
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Calum from
Excellent
This is quite easily the best learning experience I have ever had, and that includes a BSc in Electrical Engineering. Thank you Frank, you are an inspiration!
Chemistry is easy, well I think it is now at least!
Buy it, you won't regret it
Date published: 2016-01-15
Rated 5 out of
5
by
ZenSeeds from
Worth every penny!
Without question, the best teaching experience I have ever had. Science or otherwise. Professor Cardulla breaks down General Chemistry in a way that is fun, understandable and engaging. If you have a high school student who is going into chemistry, or just want to brush up on your fundamentals - this is a must-have!
Thank-you for helping me to fall in love with both chemistry and the necessity of intuitive understanding.
I'll be sure to put "Force Koran" on a whiteboard and to strand as many people as I can on a desert island with various fruits.
Date published: 2016-01-05
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Tecers from
Chemistry Revisited and Rivised.
A most enjoyable course superbly taught and presented. Stunning graphics, animations and video clips. Strongly recommended.
Date published: 2015-10-12
Rated 5 out of
5
by
algete01 from
thank you Prof Cardulla!
I bought this course for my older son like two three years ago. He never found the time to watch it. This past summer, I tried my daughter (now a junior High). As I expected, she accepted to watch it. Yet, for more fun, she suggested to watch it together with me. I said "ok, lets watch and review some chemistry together".
Amazing! what a great decision! My daughter and I, not only reviewed the basics of chemistry, but bonded together over a wonderful, organized and well-constructed course. I would like to congratulate Prof Cardulla and the GC team for the fine job they did by putting together this course, and reducing chemistry to a such a lovable and doable subject.
Back in time, in my days as a student, I don't recall an instructor as engaging and clear as Prof Cardulla. His long years of study, practice and teaching really paid up.
Only one caveat: the first DVD, the first 6 lessons are not really chemistry and you can start the course on lesson 7.
Date published: 2015-09-14
Rated 5 out of
5
by
iso1600tx from
A must for H.S. students taking any science class.
I watched this course as a refresher on chemistry since I haven’t used this material in over 20 years. The professor is very animated and I’m sure he will keep my kids engaged when I have them watch this course. For me, the beauty of this course is how well the math is presented. The first half of the course really focuses on problem solving and the necessary critical thinking involved when setting up a science problem. I believe that any student taking physics for the first time would also benefit from the information in the first half of the course. As for the chemistry concepts, I think the course is a great introduction for high school students, but will probably fall short for adult learners. There are other courses like the fabulous “The Nature of Matter: Understanding the Physical World” that adult learners should take with this course to really round out a modern overview of chemistry. Please, do your child a favor and buy this course for them if they haven’t done much applied math or high school level science. And please encourage them to work the problems while watching. The extra effort will pay off for them.
Date published: 2015-07-07
Rated 5 out of
5
by
LifeLongStudent from
As advertised: A high school chemistry course
I had inorganic chemistry many years ago, and I bought this course to prepare as a tutor for high school students. I was delighted with the course as it comes to the heart of difficulty some students have with chemistry: solving mole and equilibrium problems. The first 10 lectures are basic. They present the fundamentals of SI notation, unit conversions, the Periodic Table of Elements, and calculating atomic and molecular weights. The subsequent 26 lectures present a progressive approach to problem solving with increasingly complex problems. The course is concluded with solving problems of partial ionization of competing ions given only such data as pH, solubility constants, or concentrations of compounds.
In the final lecture, Professor Cardulla finishes the course with the same advice he would give his classroom high school students at the completion of his course. It was easy to tell that once he has invested his time with a student, and the student has worked with him, there is an emotion of separation, but a sense of accomplishment on the part of both. Professor Cardulla teaches thinking. He does not teach rote memorization of formulae or equations.
For whom is this course suited? High school chemistry students who need further explanation for calculating chemical processes. High school students who are self-motivated to prepare for the SAT exam or an AP chemistry course. Parents who want to help their students. People such as I who want to review chemistry, or who want to help younger students. Finally, I think current high school teachers could learn from his energetic, knowledgeable, clear approach to the subject.
Date published: 2015-03-31
Rated 3 out of
5
by
whiskey4nzc from
Not for adults or bright school kids
I am really not sure how many stars to give this course because it was so utterly inappropriate for me or anyone I know. I wanted a good review of the chemistry I learned in high school 50 years ago, but found this course far too basic. I would say that if the course has any value, it would be for high school chemistry students who struggle with the most basic arithmetic and are hopelessly lost in their chemistry class. I listened to the first four lectures, all of which seemed to cover little more than the basic idea behind basic division; like 30 students per classroom, or 60 miles per hour, or so many grams per liter. Next were two lectures dedicated to SI units. There was nothing here that I had not fully mastered by the 5th grade. By this point, a 36 lecture course on chemistry was down to just 30 lectures to deal with the actual subject matter, and the professor had already mentioned that "obviously" a complete high school course could not be covered in 36 lectures.
I skipped about 10 lectures ahead to one of the substantive lectures to see if there was going to be something of value for me after all. In the first 5 minutes, nothing was mentioned that I had not learned by the time I completed the 6th grade, so I gave up and exchanged this course for something else.
On the other hand, this is an award winning high school chemistry teacher with many years experience, and I have no doubt that there are many remedial students at his high school and elsewhere who need this level of treatment. For those students, no doubt his approach is excellent.
Date published: 2015-01-26
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Chemist from
Excellent high school chemistry source
Mr. Frank Cardulla did an excellent job with the chemistry, 2nd edition. He explained each concept in chemistry very clearly.
Date published: 2014-10-28
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Matt M 0716 from
What a wonderful course and instructor
Being an environmental professional in the field I often buy courses from this company for refresher and update courses. Its much cheaper than going to a local college and auditing courses. I really thought this course was awesome. It was presented so well and the teaching style and the way it was all brought together was wonderful! I really enjoyed the way this course and the style of the teacher that brought no pressure and no one fails mentality to the course. I know I am going to have my son who is in high school and a daughter who is in college chance to each take this course!
To the teacher I say: thank you thank you a thousand time for this wonderful course!
Date published: 2014-09-04
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TonyJ from
Touchdown Chemistry
Wow chemistry is one of those courses my girls dreaded. They did very well and this course sure helped them out a lot. Each of my girls took 2 years of high school chemistry and this video sure helped them. Any parent with a high school student facing chemistry should spend a few dollars and run a video each evening before the chemistry term begins. Your child will walk in class with more confidence. My girls did.
Date published: 2014-08-06
