Year 9 Chemistry Curriculum Plan

Overview

During Year 9 students follow the EXPLORING SCIENCE SCHEME (Units C9 and C10). The C11 Unit is incorporated as part of the 'in-house' revision programme and the C12 Unit forms the basis of the practical and research projects in the final term.

  • C09 Reactions of Acids
  • C10 Reactions of Metals
  • C11 SATs Revision
  • C12 Post SATs investigations and research projects

The Curriculum Plan is linked to the 'Exploring Science 3' textbook (pages 46 to 89 inclusive) - this is provided for all students. Details of the contents of the Exploring Science scheme are available here.

All worksheets used in lessons and for homework, can be accessed through the school extranet.

The work is organised in topics. The time allocation for each topic is approximately seven weeks. Students are assessed through a formal test at the end of each topic.

UNIT C9 REACTIONS OF ACIDS

OVERVIEW

In the first weeks of Year 9, students prepare for a joint Geography Chemistry curriculum project about Malham Cove - a limestone area. Students will concentrate upon the chemistry of limestone. This will build upon work the students covered at the end of Year 8 on ‘Rocks' so will be a suitable transition into the Year 9 work. The visit to Malham takes place at the end of September. During the visit, students will perform some associated chemical fieldwork. This also links into the first unit in the ‘Exploring Science' scheme ‘Reactions of acids'.
'Reactions of Acids' initially concentrates on the neutralisation reactions of acids. These reactions have a wide range of uses in the laboratory and in everyday life. Students investigate how soil pH affects plant growth and will compare the abilities of popular indigestion tablets to control excess stomach acid. Acids also affect some rocks and the natural acidity of rainwater causes chemical weathering - the resultant water passing into reservoirs is called 'hard water'. Students will investigate different types of hard water (an extension of the work met first in Year 7) and the advantages and disadvantages of living in an affected area. Acid rain is a major environmental pollutant and students will use the Internet to investigate measures that are currently being taken to limit the production of the chemicals that contribute to this problem.

ROCKS AND ACID

NEUTRALISATION
Key ideas:

• Neutralisation reactions have a wide range of uses in the laboratory and in everyday life. One example is the neutralisation of different soil types. Students investigate a variety of soil types and plan experiments to change the pH of the soils. They research the types of crops and flowers grown in each soil and how the pH of the soil can affect things like the flower colours.

PREPARATION OF A SALT BY NEUTRALISATION
Key ideas:
• Neutralisation takes place when an acid reacts with an alkali or a base. A salt is also produced in this reaction. The identity of the salt depends upon the acid and alkali used in the reaction.
• Consideration of the chemical reaction that takes place during neutralisation, and the formation of salts. Word equations are used.
Students prepare salts in the laboratory using different methods. They also investigate the uses of different salts.
ACIDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Key ideas:
• The production of excessive quantities of acidic gases leading to acidic rain is revised.
• There are ways to reduce acidic emissions.
ACIDS AND METALS
Key ideas:
• Acids react with metals to produce a salt and hydrogen.
• There are a number of safety issues involved with hydrogen gas but it also has some uses.

 

UNIT C10 REACTIONS OF ACIDS

OVERVIEW

'Metals' is the focus of the second unit and students perform a range of experiments to place metals in a Reactivity Series. In these experiments metals are allocated points according to whether or not they react with oxygen, water and acids. For metals that come out equally in the ranking, we decide the goal difference by have fast they react. Knowledge of the Reactivity Series enables students to make predictions about the behaviour of other metals.

REACTIONS OF METALS WITH OXYGEN IN THE AIR

Key ideas:

• Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides.
• Metal oxides are basic so react with acids to form salts.

REACTIONS OF METALS WITH WATER

Key ideas:

• Reactive metals react with water.
• Some less reactive metals react with steam.
• Some metals do not react with steam or water.
• Metals can be arranged in a Reactivity Series depending on their reactivity.

REACTIONS OF METALS WITH ACIDS

Key ideas:

• Some metals react with acids to form a salt plus hydrogen.
• The speed of the reaction of a metal with acid depends upon the metal's position in the Reactivity Series.

Link:

REACTIVITY SERIES

Key ideas:

• Metals react with solutions of compounds containing less reactive metals. This is called 'displacement'.
• When metals of different reactivities are set up in a circuit the voltage produced depends upon the difference in the reactivity of the metals. This can be seen using a 'lemon cell'.

Links:

• The Thermite reaction including video demonstrations
• Welding railway tracks with Thermite
• Falklands War including Aluminium problems

In January of Year 9 students start work on the GCSE Science 1(a) modules which are described in the GCSE Science Curriculum Plans.