Year 12 AS Chemistry Curriculum Plan

Overview

Although Chemistry at Advanced Level for the most part builds upon existing GCSE knowledge, we are aware that Chemistry at this level is demanding.

However, we endeavour to make the transition to Advanced level as painless as possible! You will find that for the first few weeks much of the work is concerned with the fundamental principles that were met at GCSE. This is a time when you need to be sure you have completely understood all of the work. The remainder of the course relies upon your acquiring firm foundations in the basic concepts.

At the start of each topic you will be provided with a complete set of syllabus statements to enable you to fully understand the requirements of each unit. At this time the member of staff concerned will explain each part of the unit in detail so that you are fully conversant with the examination requirements.

Throughout the course you will also develop your examination technique so that you feel comfortable and confident in the examination environment.

The examination details, duration of papers, question types, knowledge and understanding will be addressed during lesson time.

Outline of the Course

The course we will be following is the AQA Specification Advanced GCE in Chemistry.

You may find it useful to use the student message board for answering AS questions and you can check your GCSE knowledge by doing an online GCSE test before starting the AS course.

The specification is divided into six modules; three in the first year of the course will prepare you for the AS examination. Units four to six are taught in the second year of the course and lead to the Advanced Level qualification. Modules are examined as shown in the table below:

Past papers and mark schemes may be found at www.aqa.org.uk

Practical Assessment

Practical is an integral part of the course. The internal assessment units 3T and 6T carry a practical assessment mark (4.8% of AS mark) and you will be given many opportunities to develop your skills.

Mathematical Skills Required

The mathematical skills required at Advanced Level Chemistry are such that students with a pass at GCSE will be able to cope with the mathematics required. A confident use of number is the best grounding a student can have if he or she is to cope with the mathematical demands of this subject.

The following summarises the mathematical requirements in Advanced Level Chemistry:

• General use of a calculator.
• Simple averages for titration values.
• Writing numbers to three significant figures.
• Ability to re-arrange and use formulae.
• Understanding of powers of 10.
• General graph plotting skills.
• Use of logs in the calculation of pH.

A significant number of students DO NOT study Advanced Level Mathematics yet are confident in the numerical aspects of the subject at this level. Should you continue with the study of Chemistry at university, mathematics becomes a desirable and sometimes necessary requirement but university departments offer a course of study to allow students to acquire these additional mathematical skills.

CHEM 1: Foundation Chemistry

Beginning September 2009: Taught by CMJ and PAL

Each section will be tested with a 60 mark paper using past exam questions and results and grades emailed home to parents.

Atomic Structure: CMJ to be completed by 30/9/09

• Fundamental particles.
• Protons, neutrons and electrons.
• Mass number and isotopes.
• Electron arrangement.
• A simple view of atomic structure.

Amount of Substance: PAL to be completed by 30/12/09

During this section PAL will begin to train students in the coursework Unit 3T.

• Relative atomic mass and relative molecular mass.
• The mole and the Avogadro constant.
• The ideal gas equation.
• Empirical and molecular formulae.
• Balanced equations and associated calculations.
• Atoms, moles and equations.

Bonding: CMJ to be completed by 30/10/09

• Nature of ionic, covalent and metallic bonds.
• Bond polarity and the polarisation of ions.
• Forces acting between molecules.
• States of matter.
• Shapes of simple molecules and ions in terms of electron pair repulsion.
• Shapes of molecules.

Periodicity: CMJ to be completed by 30/11/09

• Classification of elements in s, p and d blocks.
• Properties of the elements of Period 3 (Na - Ar) to illustrate periodic trends.
• Group II.

General Organic Principles: CMJ to be completed by 20/12/09

Nomenclature and Isomerism

• Nomenclature.
• Isomerism.

Petroleum and Alkanes

• Petroleum: fractional distillation.
• Petroleum: cracking.
• Petroleum: combustion.
• Crude oil and Petroleum.

CHEM 2: Chemistry in Action

Beginning January 2010: Taught by CMJ, HW and PAL

This module introduces chemical energetics and kinetics. An understanding of the factors affecting the rate of reaction is essential in order to control rates to advantage. The position of equilibrium can have major economic disadvantages by limiting the yield of a given reaction. This module considers the way in which adjustment of conditions may be used to favour a particular, desired, chemical outcome. The methods used for the extraction of metals from natural sources involve an understanding of the social and economic aspects of the processes as well as an appreciation of the underlying chemistry. This aspect of chemistry is even more significant with the new specification testing ‘How Science Works'

Kinetics: HW to be completed by 30/1/10

• Kinetics.
• Collision theory.
• Factors affecting reaction rate.
• Concentration and physical state.
• Temperature.
• Catalysts.

Equilibria: HW to be completed by 30/2/10

• The dynamic nature of equilibria.
• Qualitative effects of changes of pressure, temperature and concentration on a system in equilibrium.
• Importance of equilibria in industrial processes.

Enthalpy change: HW to be completed by 30/4/10

• Energetics.
• Calorimetry.
• Simple applications of Hess's Law.
• Bond enthalpies.

Redox Reactions: PAL to be completed by 30/2/10

• Oxidation and reduction.
• Oxidation states.
• Redox equations.

Group VII, the Halogens: PAL to be completed by 15/5/10

• Group VII.
• Trends in physical properties.
• Trends in chemical properties.
• Trends in properties of the halides.
• Uses of chlorine and estimation of chlorate(I).

Extraction of Metals: PAL supervising: ongoing throughout the course as a private study topic

• Reduction of metal oxides with carbon.
• Reduction of metal oxides by electrolysis of melts.
• Reduction of metal halides with metal.
• Economic factors and recycling.

General Organic Principles: CMJ to be completed by 30/1/10

During this section of work, revision on all of the topics is ongoing as the ability to be able to link the topics together is vital to future success in AS and A2 Chemistry
Nomenclature and Isomerism

• Nomenclature.
• Isomerism.
• Chloronation of alkanes

Alkenes: CMJ to be completed by 30/2/10

• Alkenes: structure and bonding.
• Alkene reactions.
• Alkenes. 

Haloalkanes: CMJ to be completed by 30/3/10

• Nucleophilic substitution.
• Elimination.
• Haloalkanes.

Alcohols: CMJ to be completed by 30/4/10

• Ethanol production.
• Classification and reactions.
• Elimination.
• Alcohols.

All teachers will deliver the Chemistry revision program between 30/4/10 and the June exams.