Thank you!
Of course I know these fundamental stuff, can't learn hsc Chem without the basics right?
Just wondering if I will be tested on some details such as the electron arrangement of water, the bent structure, and explain electronegativity trend across period and stuff like that???
Not necessarily. I'll give you an example.
If you go on the
BOS 2009 HSC Chem Paper (Question 17) the question is:
'Water and ethanol are both used as solvents.
Explain the differences and similarities in their solvent behaviour in terms of their molecular structures. Include a diagram in your answer.'
The question is worth 4 marks, but they want you to describe it in terms of their molecular structure. So obviously, the assume knowledge you need from Prelim course here is that 'O' is more electronegative than 'H' and 'C' to answer:
- why the two O-H's make water polar.
- why the O-H makes ethanol polar.
- why the C2H5- group makes ethanol non polar.
- the types of forces it creates with other nonpolar/polar substances etc.
and then it asks you to draw the molecular structure as well, so you need to know the direction of the net dipole and draw the arrows from the atom with the delta+ to the atom with the delta-.
So obviously here, you can see that they slightly tested you on your knowledge from Prelim stuff and combine it with the dot point in the hsc syllabus about ethanol that you needed to get full marks on that question. Think about it this way: If BOS don't use some (not all, some) of the prelim stuff, then the whole state is just gonna rote learn the HSC syllabus and they cant separate the state with the people who can withdraw concepts from various parts of hsc+prelim course knows how to apply their knowledge.
hope this helps