UW 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.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with University of Washington. This is an unofficial study guide.
Build my CHEM 142 study planWhat makes it hard
CHEM 142 is a classic weed-out: curved exams, a huge lecture, and quantitative problem-solving that punishes plug-and-chug habits. Stoichiometry and limiting-reagent problems compound — if your mole math is shaky, everything downstream collapses. The lab component adds weekly reports that students chronically underbudget time for.
What you'll cover
- • Atomic structure and periodicity
- • Stoichiometry and limiting reagents
- • Gas laws
- • Thermochemistry
- • Quantum theory basics
- • Lab technique and data analysis
The CHEM 142 study guide
How to study for UW CHEM 142, step by step.
- 1
Lock down mole math before anything else
Stoichiometry and limiting-reagent problems compound through the whole quarter — if conversions are shaky in week two, everything downstream collapses. Drill until mole-to-mole and mole-to-mass steps are automatic.
- 2
Do problems, never just reread notes
CHEM 142's curve is set by students who work every assigned problem plus extras. Rewatching lecture feels productive and moves your exam score almost nothing.
- 3
Budget lab as a fixed weekly cost
Pre-lab prep and the report are hours you can't compress, and students chronically underbudget them. Block the time in advance so lab weeks don't cannibalize exam prep.
- 4
Work old exams against the clock
Curved exams reward speed as much as accuracy. From week four on, take past CHEM 142 exams timed and triage the problem types you miss for targeted drilling.
- 5
Let Fennie balance lecture, problems, and lab
Upload the CHEM 142 syllabus and lab schedule and Fennie's Daily Plan paces problem sets, lab prep, and review around your exam dates, with flashcards for units and constants generated from your actual materials. Free to start.
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How Fennie helps with CHEM 142
Upload the CHEM 142 syllabus and Fennie's Daily Plans pace lecture review, problem sets, and lab prep across each week so exam weeks don't become triage. Chat through a stoichiometry problem when the steps blur together, and drill flashcards on units, constants, and periodic trends.
FAQ
Is CHEM 142 hard at UW?
It has a weed-out reputation — large curved exams and fast pacing. Students with strong high school chemistry still need consistent weekly problem practice to stay above the curve.
How do I pass CHEM 142?
Do problems, not re-reading. Work every assigned problem plus old exams, and treat the weekly lab as a fixed time cost rather than something to squeeze in.
Do I need CHEM 142 for pre-med at UW?
Yes — the CHEM 142/152/162 general chemistry sequence is the standard pre-health pathway and a prerequisite for organic chemistry.
Pass CHEM 142 with a plan, not a cram
Upload your CHEM 142 materials and Fennie generates a Daily Plan paced to your deadline — plus chat, flashcards, and quizzes built from the actual course content.
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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.
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.