elective- forensic or shipwrecks (1 Viewer)

[rockets]

We have been given a choice of elective to do - FORENSIC OR SHIPWRECKS. Can you tell me what each one involves and what would be the easier option. After the half yearlies, I am in a serious need to pick up some easy scab marks!!!!
Can all you past hsc'ers give me some help.
Thx in advance.

 

[pLuvia]

Forensic science it's better if you do biology since it deals with human biology etc, shipwrecks is a very popular module basically deals with corrosion, redox reactions, electrochemistry. Forensic I heard is not an easy module to do

 

[Riviet]

I second pLuvia's opinion. Shipwrecks is the easier of the two options and part of the shipwrecks module extends on the oxidation/reduction work that we've done so far in chemistry.

 

[rockets]

Thanks for that, anyone else have some thoughts.
I hate chemical equations but don't mind biology !!??

 

[tennille]

I did Shipwrecks and I enjoyed it quite a lot, and like Riviet mentioned, the majority of the module is based on REDOX reactions. It looks like Forensics involves a lot of organic chemistry, which would be quite new to you.

 

[Dreamerish*~]

Forensics is quite short, although it is less relevant to chemistry.

I did forensics and hated it at first, but after awhile it was pretty interesting. If you're planning on doing any course in uni that requires chemistry as a unit of study, forensics is very useful because it has a lot of organic chemistry.

The other part of it is chromatography, mass spectrometry and electrophoresis. If you're into that, then you should have no problems.

I didn't find it very hard at all. You learn the very basics of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and DNA. The forensic instruments section is just some memory work.

 

[tennille]

Forensics is quite short, although it is less relevant to chemistry.

I did forensics and hated it at first, but after awhile it was pretty interesting. If you're planning on doing any course in uni that requires chemistry as a unit of study, forensics is very useful because it has a lot of organic chemistry.

The other part of it is chromatography, mass spectrometry and electrophoresis. If you're into that, then you should have no problems.

I didn't find it very hard at all. You learn the very basics of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and DNA. The forensic instruments section is just some memory work.

You're doing organic chemistry in semester 1, right? You'll do all the electrochemistry/quantum stuff in second semester.

 

[lala2]

Yeah, I'm doing first year USYD Pharmacy and forensics has been a great help to me, both in biology and chemistry. Shipwrecks is all redox crap *edit: stuff* but forensics is chemistry with a bit of biology thrown in. The analytical instruments section is helpful in organic chem because at least you know the names, and sort of know what the technique's about, even if you forget it during teh 4 month break after the HSC.

As Dreamerish said, you learn about amino acids, proteins, DNA and carbohydrates. It ties in well with the Blueprint topic in Biology, because though you learn about amino acids and proteins at the peptide level, rather than at the organelle level, it makes it easier to remember the other.

 

[Dreamerish*~]

You'll do all the electrochemistry/quantum stuff in second semester.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tennille]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's pretty much revision of year 12.

 

[stargaze]

Heyhey,

I did shipwrecks, and as people have said, its really based upon REDOX reactions. Things like how substances will behave in electrolytes etc.

Personally, I found shipwrecks pretty interesting and I would definetly recommend it.

 

[Forbidden.]

I'm a Shipwrecker and I find there is no better Chemistry option topic than Shipwrecks, Corrosion and Conservation.