Another season of AMC’s standout drama Breaking Bad wound down on Sunday, so I began to wonder where I might get my chemistry fix while the waiting for the next season to begin. I’m not suggesting I want to become an evil genius and make my own blue crystal meth (and I’m guessing there’s probably not an app for that anyway), but there’s no good reason to stop learning about a subject I hadn’t seriously thought of since taking a required class in college. If you feel the same way, here are five chemistry-focused apps that probably won’t turn you into the next Heisenberg, but they might keep your brain from melting away just the same.
CLEP Cemistry 101 ($1.99)
If your knowledge of chemistry is a lot more Jesse Pinkman than Walter White, CLEP Chemistry 101 might help you get through that daunting college course for which you signed up. The app promises to cover all the concepts of chemistry from the basics like units and measurement, to more advanced topics like nuclear chemistry. If you’re already finished with college the appeal might be a little thin, but it’s never too late to grab a refresher in the building blocks of chemistry.
Chemistry Flashcard(s) ($1.99)
Younger kids have to learn chemistry too, and Chemistry Flashcard(s) is a decent place to lend some assistance to your young scholar. The app features 300 flashcards filled with questions that should get your young student thinking and pointed in the right direction in their studies. The material here deals more with the basics of atoms, so there won’t be a lot for older students to sink their teeth into, but Chemistry Flashcard(s) is an ideal study guide for younger students.
Chemistry Formulas ($0.99)
Chemistry Formulas is the kind of app I wish I had handy when I was in high school. Instead of haphazardly flipping through a large book to get help balancing chemical equations or remembering the ideal gas laws, Chemistry Formulas has all the information in one handy app. Organized like a textbook itself with specific sections for formulas, ions and equations, Chemistry Formulas is a solid reference guide to have around.
Organic Chemistry Essentials (Free)
If you like your chemistry with a bit of humor, Organic Chemistry Essentials could be the app for you. Again, the textbook-style look of the app makes it a complement to your actual textbook, though a lack of colorful pictures may turn off more visual learners. You’ll find numerous topics covered in Organic Chemistry Essentials including organic reagents and biomolecules, but the humor section holds the most hope for would-be chemistry majors when they need a study break more than another ionic compound.
Chem Pro: Chemistry Tutor in Your Pocket ($4.99)
The priciest app on this list also might be the flashiest. Chem Pro promises to be a tutor in your pocket and delivers on the strength of 31 hours of video guidance for students who are having trouble getting into their lessons. It also contains a molar mass calculator and a unit converter. About the only thing it won’t do is take the test for you.
