Why Study Chemistry?
Chemistry is a challenging and practical subject with clear links to real life jobs, including medicine, veterinary science, engineering, forensic science, laboratory work and many more.
Chemistry is an excellent subject for developing the transferable skills that can be applied to further study in other subjects. What will this involve? The course builds on many of the concepts studied at GCSE.
Students will study inorganic, physical and organic chemistry and chemical calculations in greater depth. Students will also carry out a series of 12 compulsory practicals to lead to a practical skills endorsement. Students will have the opportunity to carry out some of these practicals in a University environment.
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| Learning Journey |
A Level Chemistry Presentation
Course Content
Practical Students will undertake 12 practical activities. Exam questions will be based on these practicals. There will also be further opportunities for practical skill development throughout the 2 year course.
The specification is taught as the traditional three branches of physical, inorganic and organic chemistry.
Component 1 (Year 12):
Physical Chemistry – Including atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria and Le Chatelier’s principle.
Inorganic Chemistry – Including periodicity, Group 2 the alkaline earth metals, Group 7(17) the halogens.
Organic Chemistry – Including introduction to organic chemistry, alkanes, halogenoalkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis.
Component 2 (Year 13):
Physical Chemistry – Including thermodynamics, rate equations, equilibrium constant (Kc) for homogeneous systems, electrode potentials and electrochemical cells.
Inorganic Chemistry – Including properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides, transition metals, reactions of ions in aqueous solution.
Organic Chemistry – Including optical isomerism, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives, aromatic chemistry, amines, polymers, amino acids, proteins and DNA, organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy, chromatography.
Careers/Higher Education Pathways
We have great links with Newcastle and Sunderland Universities. Our students have attended revision seminars in the University prior to their exams to support their learning. In the Summer term we have a ‘student experience day’ where Chemistry students experience the life of an undergraduate. This includes completing a first year undergraduate practical in the teaching laboratories.