UW CHEM 152: General Chemistry II
CHEM 152 is the second course in UW's general chemistry sequence, covering liquids, solids, solutions, chemical kinetics, and chemical equilibrium, with a required lab. It sits between CHEM 142 and 162 and continues the pre-health, engineering, and science pathway.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with University of Washington. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
Equilibrium is the centerpiece and the wall: ICE tables, Le Chatelier reasoning, and chained equilibrium calculations build on each other, and students who don't lock down the setup early flounder all quarter. Kinetics adds rate laws and integrated-rate equations that look deceptively formula-driven. Like 142, the curve, the fast quarter pace, and the underestimated lab load make it a weed-out.
What you'll cover
- • Intermolecular forces, liquids, and solids
- • Solutions and colligative properties
- • Chemical kinetics and rate laws
- • Chemical equilibrium and ICE tables
- • Le Chatelier's principle
- • Lab technique and data analysis
The CHEM 152 study guide
How to study for UW CHEM 152, step by step.
- 1
Master ICE tables before equilibrium piles up
Equilibrium is the heart of CHEM 152, and ICE-table setup is the skill every later problem chains onto. Drill the setup until it's mechanical. Students who fumble it early never catch up to the curve.
- 2
Do problems, not rereading
Like CHEM 142, the curve is set by students who work every problem plus extras. Rewatching lectures feels productive and barely moves your exam score.
- 3
Treat kinetics as its own technique set
Rate laws, integrated-rate equations, and half-life problems look formula-driven but require recognizing the reaction order first. Practice the recognition step, not just the plug-in.
- 4
Budget lab as a fixed cost
Pre-lab prep and reports are hours you can't compress, and they're chronically underbudgeted. Block the time so lab weeks don't cannibalize exam prep.
Today's CHEM 152 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for CHEM 152. Yours is built from your syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
- Review: Chemical kinetics and rate lawsReview · 25 min
Work back through the CHEM 152 material on chemical kinetics and rate laws. In the app, Fennie builds this from your own notes and syllabus.
- Practice: Chemical equilibrium and ICE tablesPractice · 20 min
Targeted problems on chemical equilibrium and ice tables, the kind CHEM 152 actually tests.
- Quick quiz: Le Chatelier's principleQuiz · 10 min
Five generated questions to expose weak spots on le chatelier's principle before the exam does.
- Preview: Lab technique and data analysisPreview · 10 min
A first pass over lab technique and data analysis so the next session starts from familiar ground.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is CHEM 152 harder than CHEM 142?
Many UW students say yes. Equilibrium and kinetics are conceptually deeper than the stoichiometry-heavy start of 142, and the calculations chain together. Locking down ICE tables early is the key.
How do I study for CHEM 152 exams?
Work problems relentlessly, especially equilibrium ones, and treat the weekly lab as a fixed time cost. Curved exams reward speed and accuracy built through volume, not rereading.
Is CHEM 152 required for pre-med at UW?
Yes. The CHEM 142/152/162 sequence is the standard general chemistry pathway for pre-health students and a prerequisite for organic chemistry.
More UW courses
CHEM 142: General Chemistry I
CHEM 142 is the first course in UW's general chemistry sequence, covering atomic structure, stoichiometry, gases, and thermochemistry with a required lab. It's a foundational course for pre-health, engineering, and science majors and one of the largest enrollments at UW.
CHEM 162: General Chemistry III
CHEM 162 completes UW's general chemistry sequence, covering acid-base chemistry, additional aqueous equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry, with a required lab. It's the final general chemistry prerequisite before organic chemistry for pre-health and science majors.