Chemistry

Course summary

YEAR 12 COURSE SPECIFICATION The course conveys the purpose and drama of chemistry by presenting it in the context of its practical applications, its history and its present research frontiers. Physical chemistry * Atomic structure * Amount of substance * Bonding * Energetics * Kinetics * Chemical equilibria, Le Chatelier’s principle and Kc * Oxidation, reduction and redox equations Inorganic chemistry * Periodicity * Group 2, the alkaline earth metals * Group 7(17), the halogens Organic chemistry * Introduction to organic chemistry * Alkanes * Halogenoalkanes * Alkenes * Alcohols * Organic analysis YEAR 13 COURSE SPECIFICATION Topics covered in year 13 are: * Optical isomerism * Aldehydes and ketones * Carboxylic acids and derivatives * Aromatic chemistry * Amines * Polymers * Amino acids, proteins and DNA * Organic synthesis * Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy * Chromatography * Thermodynamics * Rate equations * Equilibrium constant Kp for homogeneous systems * Electrode potentials and electrochemical cells * Acids and bases * Properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides * Transition metals * Reactions of ions in aqueous solution