GTLE Subject Specialism Chemistry study plan

Build a one-page periodic-trend reference covering atomic radius, ionization energy, electron affinity, and electronegativity, then explain each trend from effective nuclear charge and shielding without notes.

Write full electron configurations and abbreviated noble-gas configurations for the first 36 elements plus the 3d transition series, and derive the four quantum numbers for any specified electron.

Solve 25 mixed stoichiometry problems covering limiting reagent, percent yield, empirical and molecular formula, and solution dilution, showing unit-cancellation work for each.

Convert fluently among moles, mass, particles, and gas volume at STP, and calculate molarity and molality from given laboratory data.

Identify and correct the five most common stoichiometry errors (unbalanced equations, wrong molar mass, mole-ratio inversion, limiting-reagent misidentification, sig-fig drift) in a self-made error log.

Draw Lewis structures, assign formal charges, and predict molecular geometry and hybridization for 20 species using VSEPR, including cases with lone pairs and expanded octets.

Rank a set of substances by boiling point and justify each ranking using London dispersion, dipole-dipole, and hydrogen-bonding arguments.

Apply the ideal gas law, Dalton's law of partial pressures, Graham's law, and the van der Waals equation to 15 calculation problems.

Interpret heating curves and phase diagrams, and calculate enthalpy of phase change from given heat-of-fusion and heat-of-vaporization data.

Explain deviations from ideal gas behavior at high pressure and low temperature in terms of molecular volume and intermolecular attractions.

Calculate enthalpy changes using Hess's law, standard enthalpies of formation, and calorimetry data, and state the sign conventions correctly in every case.

Apply Gibbs free energy to predict spontaneity at given temperatures, and determine the crossover temperature where a reaction switches from nonspontaneous to spontaneous.

Write equilibrium constant expressions for heterogeneous and homogeneous systems and solve for equilibrium concentrations using ICE tables, including the small-x approximation and its validity check.

Use Le Chatelier's principle to predict the direction of shift for changes in concentration, pressure, volume, and temperature, distinguishing temperature effects from all others.

Derive rate laws from initial-rate data and identify reaction order, then calculate half-life for first- and second-order reactions.

Explain collision theory and the Arrhenius equation, and calculate activation energy from two rate constants at different temperatures.

Contrast kinetic and thermodynamic control and describe how a catalyst changes rate without changing equilibrium position.

Calculate pH, pOH, and species concentrations for strong and weak acids and bases, including polyprotic cases and the percent-ionization check.

Construct and interpret titration curves for strong-strong and weak-strong systems, identifying the equivalence point, half-equivalence point, and buffer region.

Design a buffer of specified pH using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and predict pH after adding strong acid or base.

Determine oxidation states for every atom in 20 species, including peroxides, superoxides, and metal complexes.

Balance redox equations in acidic and basic media using the half-reaction method, showing electron and charge balance explicitly.

Assign oxidation and reduction half-reactions, identify the anode and cathode, and write cell notation for galvanic cells.

Calculate standard cell potential, Gibbs free energy change, and the equilibrium constant from electrochemical data, and apply the Nernst equation to nonstandard concentrations.

Interpret solubility product constants and common-ion effects, and connect Ksp to precipitation predictions.

Identify functional groups and apply IUPAC nomenclature to alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, and amides.

Predict relative acidity and basicity of organic functional groups and explain the effect of inductive and resonance effects on each.

Draw arrow-pushing mechanisms for nucleophilic substitution (SN1 and SN2), elimination (E1 and E2), electrophilic aromatic substitution, and nucleophilic addition to carbonyls.

Predict major products and stereochemistry for substitution and elimination reactions given substrate, nucleophile or base, solvent, and temperature.

Distinguish constitutional isomers, stereoisomers, enantiomers, and diastereomers, and assign R/S configuration at specified stereocenters.

Describe periodic trends in the d-block, including atomic radius contraction, variable oxidation states, and the stability of high oxidation states across a period.

Name and draw coordination complexes, determine coordination number and geometry, and predict isomerism (geometric, optical, and linkage) for given formulas.

Apply crystal field theory to explain color and magnetic properties, calculating spin-only magnetic moments for high-spin and low-spin octahedral complexes.

Summarize descriptive chemistry of representative groups: alkali and alkaline earth reactivity, halogens, and the key oxides and hydrides of period 3.

Explain diagonal relationships and inert-pair effects with specific examples and reasons.

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions, recording time spent per question and flagging every item answered with low confidence.

Re-solve every missed question from weeks 1-7 without notes, then verify against worked solutions.

Build a one-page formula and constants sheet for calculations (gas laws, thermodynamics, equilibrium, pH and buffers, electrochemistry) and use it in a timed drill.

Diagnose remaining weak subtopics by error category (conceptual, calculation, misread question, time pressure) and rank them by exam weight.

Run a final 30-question rapid-fire drill on high-frequency calculation types to confirm speed and accuracy targets.