CHEM 14B
General Chemistry for Life Scientists II
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Enforced requisite: one course from 14A, 14AE, 20A, or 20AH with grade of C- or better. Enforced requisite or corequisite: Life Sciences 30B or Mathematics 3B or 31B with grade of C- or better. Not open to students with credit for course 14BE, 20B, or 20BH. Chemical equilibria in gases and liquids, acid-base equilibrium; phase changes; thermochemistry; first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics; free energy changes; electrochemistry and its role as energy source; chemical kinetics, including catalysis, and reaction mechanisms. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2026 - This class can either be very hard or very work intensive. You get from this class what you put in. I had already taken AP Chem, so I knew a lot of these topics. Most of Lavelle's lectures were very concept based, so you need to put in work doing the "optional" (you need to do these if you want to do well) textbook practices. It is hard to get an A, you can only get 6ish questions wrong total on everything to get an A, but if you study enough that shouldn't be an issue. Everything is multiple choice, which can be good or bad for you. He provides so many resources for you to do well, so if you are struggling, USE THEM!!! P.S. Chem community sucks, I know, but do it. You might be helping someone with a real question that could help them down the line.
Winter 2026 - This class can either be very hard or very work intensive. You get from this class what you put in. I had already taken AP Chem, so I knew a lot of these topics. Most of Lavelle's lectures were very concept based, so you need to put in work doing the "optional" (you need to do these if you want to do well) textbook practices. It is hard to get an A, you can only get 6ish questions wrong total on everything to get an A, but if you study enough that shouldn't be an issue. Everything is multiple choice, which can be good or bad for you. He provides so many resources for you to do well, so if you are struggling, USE THEM!!! P.S. Chem community sucks, I know, but do it. You might be helping someone with a real question that could help them down the line.
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2025 - Professor Scerri is a funny person, but that does not make him a good professor. Overall, lectures were not well organized, and a lot of points he would try to make were either not elaborated on or just explained badly. Scerri is also kinda rude, and he did not make me feel welcome in class. However, he's not the worst; if you put in the time, you can definitely do well. Exams were terrible. The average for the only midterm was a 65%. I managed to get a 80%, but only because I had spent the week beforehand studying around 5-6 hours a day. He did end up heavily curving though, so I believe a 65% was around a 80%. Lectures and discussion don't have participation credit, so no attendance taken. Lectures are recorded, and some TAs record and upload their notes. Homework is given all at the start, and is due at the end of week 10.
Fall 2025 - Professor Scerri is a funny person, but that does not make him a good professor. Overall, lectures were not well organized, and a lot of points he would try to make were either not elaborated on or just explained badly. Scerri is also kinda rude, and he did not make me feel welcome in class. However, he's not the worst; if you put in the time, you can definitely do well. Exams were terrible. The average for the only midterm was a 65%. I managed to get a 80%, but only because I had spent the week beforehand studying around 5-6 hours a day. He did end up heavily curving though, so I believe a 65% was around a 80%. Lectures and discussion don't have participation credit, so no attendance taken. Lectures are recorded, and some TAs record and upload their notes. Homework is given all at the start, and is due at the end of week 10.
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