Chemistry is the study of matter and energy and the interaction between them. There are many reasons to study chemistry, even if you aren’t pursuing a career in science. Chemistry is everywhere in the world around you! It’s in the food you eat, clothes you wear, water you drink, medicines, air, cleaners… you name it. Chemistry sometimes is called the “central science” because it connects other sciences to each other, such as biology, physics, geology and environmental science. Chemistry is a well respected A-Level that can open up many pathways for the future from medicine, patent law, forensic science and farming amongst others.
There are three exams at the end of the two years for A-level, all of which are two hours long. At least 15% of the marks for A-level Chemistry are based on what you learned in your practicals.
- Paper 1: Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
- Paper 2: Physical and Organic Chemistry
- Paper 3: Applied and Practical Chemistry
Physical chemistry includes work on atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, thermodynamics, kinetics, chemical equilibrium and acid base chemistry.
Inorganic chemistry includes work on redox, periodicity, Group 2 the alkaline earth metals, Group 7(17) the halogens, electrode potentials and electrochemical cells, period 3 elements and their oxides, properties and reactions of transition metals.
Organic chemistry includes work on alkanes, halogenoalkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis, optical isomerism, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives, aromatic chemistry, amines, polymers, amino acids, proteins and DNA, organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy and chromatography.
Year 12
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 |
|
Atomic Structure Amount of Substance Bonding Introduction to organic chemistry Alkanes Energetics
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Completion of Energetics Kinetics Equilibira Redox Halogenoalkanes Alkenes Alcohols
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Periodicity Group 2 + Group 7 chemistry Organic analysis Optical isomerism Aldehydes and ketone Equilibrium constant Kp |
Year 13
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 |
|
Rate equations Thermodynamics Acids and bases Carboxylic acids and derivatives Aromatic chemistry Amines, polymers, amino acids, proteins and DNA |
Transition Metals Reactions of metals in aqueous solutions Period 3 NMR Chromatography Organic synthesis Electrode potentials and Electrochemical cells
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Revision / exam preparation
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Homework:
A variety of tasks are set as homework in chemistry from research, exam questions, key word definitions, revision, extended writing, and topic worksheets amongst others.
Other Useful Information
AS/A-LEVEL specification link: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/as-and-a-level/chemistry-7404-7405
AS/A-LEVEL past papers link: http://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/exams-guidance/find-past-papers-and-mark-schemes