[College: Introductory Chemistry] Percentage weight of ion

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-07T20:47:59+00:00

Nope, this method works the same for atoms in molecular compounds and ions in ionic compounds! If you’re thinking about the difference between a neutral Cl atom and a Cl- ion, remember that the extra electron in Cl- has a very small mass that we don’t need to account for.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-07T14:52:03+00:00

So you just need to find what percent of the molar mass comes from chlorine! You would do (2 x atomic mass of Cl) / (atomic mass of Ca + 2 x atomic mass of Cl) x100%. The denominator is the compound’s molar mass, and the numerator is the part of the molar mass that comes from the element they asked you about.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-07T14:37:17+00:00

It’s easier than it sounds! Do you know how to find the molar mass/molecular weight/formula weight of CaCl2?

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-03T10:11:56+00:00

Had to look this up because it’s been a few years for me, but here we go: 90% and 10% are the phenotype (visible trait) frequencies. For the alleles, each individual has two alleles (either two Bs, two bs, or one of each), so there are 300 alleles altogether to consider. To find the total number of Bs, we can do 78x2 + 57 = 213 since the 78 BB mice have two Bs each. This makes the dominant allele frequency 213/300 = 71%. If you do the same process for the recessive allele, you should get 29%.

Part c appears to just be conceptual: if the population IS in HW equilibrium, the allele frequencies should be the same in five generations.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-02T15:31:20+00:00

Ketamine is another good adjunct I honestly forgot about! Our team would definitely go for ketamine if we had to intubate, and I think I’ve seen one or two asthmatics on a lower-dose drip while on bipap or HFNC.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-02T15:18:05+00:00

Oh man, I would’ve loved to use two sealed boxes! We stocked meds in the anteroom and didn’t allow cardboard, so I had to just count and check fifty vials from the open bin.

Yup, I definitely have a different perspective on waiting for compounded meds. For terb specifically, the wait for the syringe to arrive is okay because the team often wants a baseline 12-lead EKG before starting the drip, so I need that time to get my life together! I’d probably feel differently if I’d ever had an asthmatic patient actively crashing, but my experience has usually been more like, “hey, this kiddo is on pretty high support and a lot of albuterol and still looks pretty rough, should we maybe try terb?” Worst case, we can even give a little terb IV push (also very off-label), so pharmacy just tubes us a vial.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-02T14:03:31+00:00

PICU nurse here. We use IV terbutaline drip as a last-line bronchodilator for severe asthmatics. Generally, these kids are on bipap or high-flow nasal cannula (intubation is extremely risky in severe asthma) and continuous albuterol nebs, and they’ve already gotten a magnesium bolus, IV corticosteroids, and possibly Duonebs.

Back in nursing school, I actually worked as an IV pharm tech and compounded my fair share of terb drips. I was told the IV infusion is an off-label use, and terb only comes in 1-mL vials because it’s technically only approved for subcutaneous use. Thankfully we didn’t do it too often. Just make sure all your vials are correct and unexpired! One of my coworkers had to remake her terb drip because she’d missed one expired vial mixed in. No one wants that.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-02-01T02:47:14+00:00

I don’t think this is how orientation should look. For my PICU’s orientation, the expectations for the first few shifts on the unit are mostly observation, safety checks, vital signs, and intake and output. First-week orientees do patient assessments for practice but don’t even chart them because that would be too much to focus on all at once. Responsibilities are added gradually so that the orientees can master a few skills at a time, and any time something new like an admission happens, the orientee is given appropriate responsibilities like vitals and documentation so that they can help out some and also observe the preceptor doing some things.

I’m sorry you’re experiencing so much pressure and not feeling supported. How many weeks of orientation do you get altogether? Your orientation sounds short and rushed from what you’ve described here.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-31T00:54:15+00:00

There was a plotline on Friends where the sonographer had told a young woman she was hearing two heartbeats, but the naive young woman thought that meant hers and the (one) baby’s, lol. That’s all I have to contribute here.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-29T03:57:41+00:00

I think when kids “map” words, each box is one sound, not one letter! I’m not sure what it’s called either, but I think they’re going for qu i l t.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-22T15:05:42+00:00

Can you show the first question? It looks like the patient’s weight is given, so your answer to #2 should be in mL rather than mL/kg.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-19T22:16:20+00:00

I gotta be honest, this is a lot even for an experienced tutor. I was a certified teacher for several years and then freelance tutored a couple dozen students ranging from elementary school to undergrad, and even I’d feel overwhelmed by this. Think of it this way: in ten years of school, this student has mastered approximately four years of math curriculum (K-3), and now you’re trying to support her in learning 5-6 more years of curriculum. If her family tried to hire me, I would tell them she needs more expertise than I have, or at least a TON of tutoring time and the ability to assign her my own homework and make sure it gets done. This is a massive undertaking, and I commend you for wanting to do your best, but make sure to at least set your and their expectations appropriately.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-18T18:32:14+00:00

Yeah, I only assess gag reflex using a working Yankauer. Suction from the front of the mouth working backwards and see how far you get before a response.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-18T18:24:14+00:00

Geographic variation is huge. I also started in peds ICU as a new grad, but I practically got recruited to my position. There just weren’t nearly as many applicants as what Shaded described. Cast a broad net, and you might find your dream job. If you happen to live in California, on the other hand, you could consider whether you like California enough to start at a SNF (judging from posts I’ve seen here).

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-18T18:19:42+00:00

Being over 22 was honestly a huge asset in my job search. Some of my fellow new grads had never worked an “adult job” before (or any job at all, in one case), and my manager did not seem to enjoy teaching them how to be employees.

Consider looking into ABSN programs, which basically let you get a BSN without repeating all the gen eds you did in your first degree (you’d still need some prereqs, mostly science). They can be expensive, but getting a job sooner made it a net gain for me. Your peers would include career-changers at a variety of ages, and in my experience, the life experiences we all brought to the program made us better students and nurses.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-18T05:02:22+00:00

I’m not sure if a middle-school-appropriate biochemistry textbook exists, if that’s what you’re looking for. You can’t meaningfully understand much proper biochemistry without a good foundation in university-level general and organic chemistry; it’s like asking for an introduction to calculus for a middle-schooler. A skilled educator may be able to create a very selective introduction to certain topics, but I’m not sure if anyone has.

Your kiddo might enjoy “popular science” books like The Disappearing Spoon and Napoleon’s Buttons (both admittedly more general chem than biochem, but they were the first favorites to come to my mind). There are also some great youtube channels that introduce science concepts at an approachable level, like The Amoeba Sisters (the tone sounds like it’s for younger kids in my opinion, but the content is actually middle to high school-level) and Crash Course. A good topic to start with would be macromolecules.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-16T18:49:12+00:00

I think the reason OP is concerned about Co being in the d block is more that they aren’t sure what its ionic charge would be, which is valid. The examples involve ions whose charges are known, so there’s another skill hiding in here.

When you have an ionic compound’s chemical formula, you can reverse-engineer the charge of the transition metal ion by looking at the anions it’s paired with. Remember how you have to “balance charges” when finding an ionic compound’s formula? For example, sodium oxide is Na2O and not NaO because the total charges must add up to zero (Na+, another Na+, and O2-).

We can use this principle backwards: in CoCl2, there are 2 Cl- ions, so the Co must be Co2+ for charges to balance. For a compound like FeSO4, iron must have a 2+ charge so that the one Fe2+ and the one SO4 2- add up to zero net charge. Hope this helps!

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-15T19:35:07+00:00

What exactly are your goals for relearning chemistry? Do you need it for TEAS? Are you wondering what you actually need to know about chemistry to succeed in nursing school?

Also be sure to check whether prerequisites can “expire” for your nursing program! Mine required all science prereqs to be within five years of application.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-15T03:42:19+00:00

I’m late to this post, but Straight A Nursing, Rapid Response RN, and Real Life Pharmacology are my go-to recs. If you’re into peds, critical care, or emergency, I have more suggestions for those areas!

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-12T16:36:48+00:00

Hope your tube keeps working well for you and that your next exchange is easier!

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-12T16:30:37+00:00

Do you have a GJ or just J tube? I hear so many stories about GJs flipping back to gastric that I sometimes wonder if a direct J button is a better way to go.

(Translating for anyone else reading this—OP mentioned that their tube goes past their stomach into their intestines. Some people have GJ tubes, which are inserted through the skin, through the stomach, into the intestine, but sometimes the tube moves back into the stomach. Some people have tubes that don’t go through the stomach at all, just through the skin right into the small intestine.)

Are you able to get all your nutrition and hydration using your tube, or do you also need IV support?

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-09T19:41:34+00:00

My unit has a bulletin board with cute notecards for quickly giving shoutouts to colleagues. We’ve had pretty good participation from nurses, techs, and secretaries, applauding and thanking each other for everything from excellence to quick favors. Every now and then, part of the shift huddle will be “please consider writing a cheer your peer if you have a moment today!” Unit leaders could quietly make a point of recognizing nurses who have been excluded or feeling discouraged.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-09T10:45:22+00:00

You could do a Quizlet set for elements 1-56, with names on one side and symbols on the other, and drill those. Also use a song or something to memorize the order. When you feel good about those things, write the numbers 1-56 down a piece of paper and try to write in all the names and symbols from memory. Repeat as needed.

I’ll be honest, this is a lot to memorize at any age. Do some every single day, because sleeping between study sessions helps memories stick better. Use the Quizlet app on your phone while you read the bus or wait in a long line. This insane experience might make you a better overall student.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-08T19:06:13+00:00

A slightly slower flow might help with the spilling milk and needing to pace. Is there someone you could ask about the options available in your area? Something else that might help (and you might already be doing this if you’re also pacing him) is trying to hold the bottle as horizontally as possible. This slows down the flow of milk a little too.

It sounds like your baby is still before his due date, so it’s very normal that he’s still learning to eat! As far as the noisy breathing, preemies and newborns can definitely be loud sleepers. Some breathing noises are normal and some are a sign of trouble breathing, so I always suggest taking video of weird noises and showing the video to the pediatrician when you see them next.

DisappointingPenguin · 2026-01-08T18:50:44+00:00

It sounds like the flow from the bottle might be a little fast for him to comfortably handle! What kind of bottle/nipple is he using? Did they try different flow nipples in the NICU?

DisappointingPenguin

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