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This A Level will give you an exciting insight into the contemporary world of Chemistry. It covers the key concepts of chemistry and practical skills are integrated throughout the course. Our range of practical work will enable you to enhance both qualitative and quantitative skills, for example:
How do pH indicators work? How could you work out the molar mass of a gas? How do you make your own pH buffer?
By the second year, you will be confident enough to research and design your own experimental method to find the % of iron in an iron tablet, for example.
Over the two years of the course, you will learn about chemistry in a range of different contexts and the impact it has on industry and many aspects of everyday life.
Five GCSEs at grade 9-4, including Maths minimum grade 6 and English minimum grade 5. It is essential that you have gained at least grade 6 in Chemistry or 6/6 in Double Science.
– Development of practical skills in chemistry: practical skills are taught and developed throughout the course. You will progress your technique in skills such as volumetric analysis (titration) and measuring rates of reaction. You will also meet new techniques in topics such as organic synthesis and the qualitative analysis of inorganic and organic substances.
– Module 2 “Foundations in Chemistry” builds on your GCSE understanding of concepts such as atomic structure, bonding, acids and moles.
– You will increase your understanding of the Periodic table in Module 3 and develop this further in Module 5, where you will also study transition elements. Physical chemistry, including energy changes, rates and equilibrium, will also be covered in
Module 3 and extended in Module 5.
– Modules 4 and 6 will cover organic chemistry and analysis. You will be studying the properties of groups such as alcohols, haloalkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, amines and proteins. You will also learn how organic compounds can be synthesised and then analysed using a range of spectroscopic techniques.
Lesson activities are varied. You will undertake practical work for all topics, and some of this will count towards yourpractical endorsement. The chemistry content is contextualised so that you can relate it to the world around you. Have youever wondered: How can chemistry impact on the environment? How do we know the formula of a molecule when we can’t see it? How can we make a plastic dissolve? If you have, then A Level Chemistry will hold some of the answers.
100% exams. The three exam papers will be ‘Periodic Table, Elements and Physical Chemistry’, ‘Synthesis and Analytical Techniques’ and ‘Unified Chemistry’.
Practical Endorsement; to achieve a Practical Endorsement you will undertake a range of experiments to display your competency in all aspects of practical chemistry. The result of this is reported separately from your A Level grade.
Optional trip costs of approximately £20.
