- Home
- Sixth Form
- Sixth Form Subjects
Chemistry
BackIs this course for me?
This course requires you to be competent at mathematics in areas such as standard form, rearranging equations and problem solving. It is a challenging course but if you work hard from the start by reading through notes, reading around the subject and practising questions then you will be successful.
Specific Entry Requirements: Higher tier GCSE chemistry grade 6+ or higher tier combined (trilogy) science grades 6+, 6+
The Basics…..
- Develop practical skills
- Gain deeper understanding of the concepts of Chemistry
- Be able to solve problems
- Advised to study another science and/or mathematics as well
What will I learn?
Content is in six modules, each divided into key topics:
1. Development of practical skills in chemistry
- Practical skills assessed in a written examination
- Practical skills assessed in the practical endorsement
2. Foundations in chemistry
- Atoms, compounds, molecules and equations
- Amount of substance
- Acid–base and redox reactions
- Electrons, bonding and structure
3. Periodic table & energy
- The periodic table and periodicity
- Group 2 and the halogens
- Qualitative analysis
- Enthalpy changes
- Reaction rates and equilibrium (qualitative)
4: Core organic chemistry
- Basic concepts
- Hydrocarbons
- Alcohols and haloalkanes
- Organic synthesis
- Analytical techniques (IR and MS)
5. Physical chemistry & transition elements
- Reaction rates and equilibrium (quantitative)
- pH and buffers
- Enthalpy, entropy and free energy
- Redox and electrode potentials
- Transition elements
6. Organic chemistry & analysis
- Aromatic compounds
- Carbonyl compounds
- Carboxylic acids and esters
- Nitrogen compounds
- Polymers
- Organic synthesis
- Chromatography and spectroscopy (NMR)
Anything else I need to know?
The exam paper questions range in style from multiple choice to essay style questions. Questions involving mathematics and questions involving practical work will each make up 20% of the assessment total.
Students gain practical skills throughout the course. These are assessed in the written examinations and in the practical endorsement (component 04).
Future careers:
- Chemistry
- Chemical engineering
- Medicine
- Dentistry
- Veterinary Science
- Biochemistry