Chemistry

In the Structure and Bonding unit, pupils will build on their understanding of atomic structure to explore different types of chemical bonding and how these bonds affect the properties of substances.

In the Atoms, Elements and Compounds unit, pupils learned about the differences between atoms, elements, and compounds, as well as their chemical symbols and formulae.

This unit covers the atomic model, relative atomic mass, isotopes, and the structure of the modern periodic table. It explains how atomic structure influences element positioning, properties, and reactivity. The focus is on identifying trends and using models to develop scientific explanations.

Atomic structure and the periodic table

In the Chemistry of Carbon unit, pupils will build on their understanding of chemical bonding to explore the unique properties and bonding of carbon, leading to various natural and synthetic organic compounds.

In the Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table unit, pupils learned about the model of the atom, isotopes, and the arrangement of elements in the periodic table.

This unit explores changes of state, particle kinetics, and energy transfers in relation to chemical bonding, including ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds. It examines carbon's unique bonding properties, leading to organic compounds and materials like diamond, graphite, fullerenes, and graphene.

Structure and bonding

In the Separating Substances unit, pupils will build on their knowledge of states of matter to learn about different techniques for separating mixtures.

In the Solid, Liquid and Gas States and Changes of State unit, pupils learned about the properties of different states of matter and how particles move during changes of state.

This unit covers the particle model, states of matter, and changes between them, distinguishing physical from chemical changes. It explains the concept of purity in scientific terms, using melting point data to identify pure and impure substances, and explores the limitations of the particle model.

States of matter

In the Making Salts unit, pupils will build on their understanding of separation techniques to learn about the process of making salts and writing balanced chemical equations.

In the Separation Techniques unit, pupils learned about various methods for separating mixtures, including filtration, evaporation, distillation, and chromatography.

This unit explores purification techniques, including filtration, crystallisation, and distillation. It explains formulations, uses chromatographic methods to identify pure and impure substances, and interprets chromatograms with Rf values. The emphasis is on accurate measurements.

Separating substances

In the Making salts unit, pupils will learn about the production of pure salts, concentration and strength of acids, and what makes acids acidic and how bases can neutralise them.

In the Understanding Chemical Reactions unit, pupils learned about how atoms rearrange during chemical reactions and the conservation of mass.

This unit covers writing chemical formulae, balancing equations, and using the conservation of mass. It includes calculating moles, empirical formulae, relative formula masses, and theoretical yields. Emphasis is on stoichiometry, concentration, gas volumes, and using standard form.

Calculations involving masses

In the Electrolysis unit, pupils will build on their understanding of chemical reactions to explore the process of electrolysis and its applications.

In the Acids and Bases unit, pupils learned about the properties of acids, bases, and alkalis, and the reactions between them to form salts and water.

This unit explores empirical formulae, balanced chemical and ionic equations, gas identification, acid reactions, and pH as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration. It covers separation techniques and focuses on planning experiments, accurate measurements, safety, and communicating findings.

Making salts

In the Organic Chemistry unit, pupils will build on their knowledge of carbon chemistry to explore the vast array of natural and synthetic organic compounds and their applications.

In the Structure and Bonding unit, pupils learned about different types of chemical bonding and how these bonds affect the properties of substances.

This unit explores how material properties relate to bonding, bond strength, and structure, focusing on carbon compounds like diamond, graphite, and graphene. It covers nanoparticles, their uses and risks, surface area calculations, scale comparisons, and model representation techniques.

Chemistry of carbon

In the Rate of Reaction unit, pupils will build on their understanding of energy changes to learn about the factors that influence the rate of chemical reactions.

In the Fuels and Energetics unit, pupils learned about energy changes during chemical reactions, including exothermic and endothermic reactions.

This unit covers bulk material properties related to bonding and intermolecular forces and explores bond breaking, bond making, activation energy, and reaction profiles. It focuses on selecting appropriate techniques, translating data, and presenting observations using various models.

Energy changes in reactions

In the Industrial Chemistry unit, pupils will build on their knowledge of reaction rates to learn about the industrial processes involving chemical reactions and the factors that affect them.

In the Energy Changes in Reactions unit, pupils learned about bond breaking, bond making, and reaction profiles.

This unit explores factors influencing reaction rates, including temperature, concentration, surface area, and catalysts. It covers using models and theories to develop hypotheses, planning and conducting experiments safely, selecting appropriate techniques, and presenting and translating data.

Chemistry

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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.