Class 12 Chemistry is a vast subject with tons of formulas, reactions, definitions, properties, etc to memorize. You will need to employ smart strategies to learn the entire syllabus.
The NCERT Class 12 Chemistry textbooks contain 16 extensive chapters in total. It will prove beneficial to have a copy of these textbooks downloaded for easy reference. If you are a student of Hindi medium, you can also download the NCERT Books Class 12 Chemistry in Hindi PDF. These textbooks are available to be downloaded in English, Hindi, and Urdu. You can use the pdf files for a quick search of keywords and jump to the definitions that you are looking for swiftly.
To effectively memorize the important information of Chemistry, you can use the following tips and techniques that many students swear by:
- Make revision notes:
As you know there is a lot to cover in Chemistry. It would not be possible for you to remember every line from the Chemistry textbooks. Therefore develop a habit of making crisp and clear revision notes. When you make these notes, remember to keep them concise. Begin with the aim that these notes will act as your revision tool for exams. To make handwritten notes, you will need to survey the material well, highlight the important points and summarize the material. This is a great practice that will help you memorize the text as well.
- Use study aids:
You can use flashcards to memorize chemical reactions and formulae. Mind maps and flow charts are another great way to jot down important information concisely and accurately. Allocate a corner in your room and stick the flow charts, mind maps, and tables so you will be able to look at them often. The more you look at them the more you memorize them. Use large-sized cards or colorful chart paper to write reactions and chemical formulas. If you color code the reactions, you will remember them better. Make tables for writing down properties. Break up the chapters into definition, characteristics, reactions, formulas, etc, and use different types of study aids for different pieces of information.
- Understand the concepts:
Rote learning is the most ineffective way to memorize anything. No matter how much you try to mug up the information you will not be able to retain it in the brain and recall it later during examinations. Class 12 chemistry is anyways an elaborate and complex subject. Hence you will only be able to remember the information that you understand. So you will need to make efforts to understand the concept. You can ask your teachers for clarification. You may also lookup different ways to help you understand the topic better. You can refer to conceptual or animated videos on a topic, visit multiple websites or books. Having the same piece of information from different sources helps you to get a profound understanding of the specific concept.
- Use memory devices:
Memory devices help you remember complicated information through means of acronyms, associations, shortcuts, etc. You can use different memory or mnemonic devices to help the information you learn easily retain. Different types of mnemonic devices to aid in Chemistry are as follows:
- Methods of Loci: These are more popularly known as memory places. To use this method for Class 12 Chemistry you can associate complicated concepts or molecules to a familiar setting and imagine them like that. For a simplified example, look at CH4. You can image the molecule of methane as a boy named Charlie who is surrounded by four friends whose names start with H. You can name each of these friends as per your choice. You can then add the properties of CH4 to this image. So these five friends bathe daily and are clean (CH4 is odorless). Their relationship is very fierce (CH4 is flammable). So any information can be memorized easily using memory places.
- Acronyms: These are the most popular memory devices to memorize easily forgettable information. For instance use PANIC for Positive Anode Negative Is Cathode. Another example may be that of remembering Group 13 elements. So the series Boron, Aluminium, Gallium, Indium, Thallium can be remembered as Bowling Alley Game In Thailand. Make up your own acronyms or mnemonics instead of looking them up.
- Visual Imagery: You can visualize different pieces of information as you learn to help in the retention of the material. A good piece of advice would be to look up animated videos on complicated topics. These images stay with you longer and you can memorize the concepts better.
- Repeat at regular intervals:
When you learn a particular topic do not let it go without revising at a close interval. So if you have learned about Group 15 elements on Monday, come back to this topic on Sunday and revise to see how much of it have you retained after a week. Do this every week. You will soon realize that you have expertly memorized the topic. Repeatedly revising text material is a scientifically proven way to enhance memory of any content.
- Study together:
If you have the discipline to study in a group setting i.e. without being distracted from studies, then group studies can be very beneficial for Class 12 Chemistry. Take turns to teach one topic to others like you are the teacher and they are the students. This way you get to teach the information that you learned. When you teach others you, in turn, improve and evolve your own understanding, confidence, and retention of the subject matter. Also, you get to learn from your friend’s perspective which will give you a different viewpoint on the same topic that you had learned differently.
- Teach yourself:
If you can’t learn with friends, then sit in front of the mirror and teach yourself. Teach yourself like you are a kid and the teacher is explaining complicated information in as simple terms as possible. Try to simplify overcomplicated information for yourself and then teach. You will find this method to be really fruitful in learning Chemistry
- Revise before bedtime:
Studies have shown that revising what you have learned the entire day 15 minutes before bedtime will help your brain retain the information better. So as you lie in bed, try to actively recall each topic that you revised during the day. Do not open the book first. Just jog your memory to see if you remember all the key points of that day’s study session. Then open the book to see if you forgot to recall anything.
Class 12 Chemistry is crucial not just for board exams but also if you are planning to appear for any of the competitive exams. So memorizing the topics well will help you for both. Experiment with each of the tips mentioned above and see which one works best for you. Good luck!
