About this section | A brief description of what this section is aimed at, and how it is organised. |
Solids, liquids and gases | A particle view of solids, liquids and gases, changes of state and diffusion. |
Separating mixtures | An introduction to the various ways of separating mixtures in the lab. |
Atomic structure and bonding | Protons, neutrons and electrons and their arrangement. Covalent, ionic, metallic and intermolecular bonding. |
The properties of various types of chemical structures | Giant ionic and covalent structures, metallic structures and simple molecular structures. |
Formulae and equations | How to work out simple formulae and equations. |
Oxygen and the air | Proportions of gases in the air. Making and testing oxygen in the lab. Burning a selection of elements, and the environmental problems that creates. |
The Reactivity Series | An exploration of the Reactivity Series, including essential ideas about oxidation and reduction. |
Acids, bases and salts | Reactions of acids with metals, metal oxides and hydroxides, carbonates and ammonia. A summary of the theory about what an acid and a base are. Solubility and preparation of salts. |
The Periodic Table | An introduction to the Periodic Table, including a look at Groups 0, 1 and 7 (17) and the transition metals. |
Electrolysis | An introduction to the electrolysis of ionic compounds, molten or in solution. |
Analysis | How to test for a number of gases and ionic compounds. |
Energy changes during reactions | An introduction to exothermic and endothermic reactions with examples of each. |
Rates of reaction | The effect of surface area, concentration, temperature, pressure and catalysts on the rates of chemical reactions. |
Reversible reactions and equilibria | Reversible reactions and how they can lead to equilibria. Changing the position of equilibrium by changing conditions. |
Large scale chemistry | Manufacture of ammonia and sulfuric acid. Limestone, quicklime and slaked lime. Extraction and rusting of iron. Extraction of aluminium. |
Organic chemistry | An introduction to organic formulae and names, the oil industry, and some properties of alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters. |
Chemistry calculations | An introduction to essential chemistry calculations. |