What Is Chemistry Steps?
Updated
Chemistry Steps is an online organic chemistry study platform that combines topic-by-topic study guides, practice problems, multiple-choice quizzes, reaction maps, and live help in one place. It is aimed at students preparing for organic chemistry exams who want clear explanations and structured practice rather than a general reference site. The site reports a 4.9 out of 5 rating based on 190 reviews and states that thousands of students have used it to improve their grades.
What the site offers
The homepage organizes its materials into five resource types:
- Study Guides – written explanations of organic chemistry topics
- Practice – step-by-step practice problems
- Quizzes – multiple-choice quizzes, typically placed at the end of a topic section
- Reaction Maps – visual summaries of reactions
- Live Help – real-time assistance
These formats are meant to be used together: you read a guide, work through practice problems, then check your understanding with a quiz.
Topics covered
The topic list shown on the site starts with foundational material and builds outward. The sections visible on the homepage include:
| Section | Example topics |
|---|---|
| Structure and Bonding | Lewis structures, formal charges, lone pairs, sp³/sp²/sp hybridization, VSEPR geometry, intermolecular forces, boiling/melting points, solubility |
| Molecular Representations | Bond-line (skeletal) structures, functional groups, condensed structures, curved arrows, resonance structures, localized vs. delocalized lone pairs |
| Acids and Bases | Organic acids and bases, acid-base mechanisms, pKa and acid strength, inductive and resonance effects, choosing a base for deprotonation, Lewis acids and bases, amine basicity |
| Alkanes and Cycloalkanes | IUPAC naming rules, naming bicyclic compounds, and associated practice problems |
Each section ends with a quiz (for example, a "Molecular Representations Quiz" or "Organic Acids and Bases Quiz"), so the structure is consistent across topics.
Who it is for
The site positions itself around exam preparation — the homepage headline is "Make Your Next Organic Chemistry Exam Count." It fits students who:
- Are taking a first- or second-semester organic chemistry course
- Want practice problems with worked reasoning, not just answers
- Need to review a specific weak topic (naming, resonance, acidity, and so on) before a test
- Prefer a single site for explanations, drills, and self-testing
Because the visible topic list begins with structure, bonding, and acid-base fundamentals, it is most useful to students early in the organic chemistry sequence or those rebuilding foundations.
What to check before relying on it
The site's own description and headings confirm the resource types and topic coverage above. Pricing, account requirements, and access limits are not specified in the available site information, so check the site directly if cost or login matters to you. If you mainly need a full textbook or mechanism-heavy advanced material, compare the topic list against your syllabus first to confirm the coverage matches your course.