Chemistry

Studying Chemistry prepares students for the outside world by developing reasoning, analytical and practical skills. We introduce the elements, the building blocks of life, and give them the tools to describe and explain how they fit into their everyday world. 

The chemistry course at both GCSE and A Level is designed with practical skills at the heart of the subject. As a department, we strive to nurture a curiosity of the world and what it is made of. Our students build confidence in their ability to answer questions through thought and application to practical investigation. During KS3 our students are exposed to the world of science and are encouraged to plan investigations using simple scaffolds and ideas. This gives us a foundation to build on as we move from KS3 to KS4 where ideas become more specialised. At KS4 students are encouraged to extend their knowledge and curiosity through their GCSE's and into A Level.

KS3-4 Pathways (Southfield) AQA GCSE Chemistry and AQA GCSE Combined Science
KS4-5 Pathways (Southfield) AQA A Level Chemistry
KS5- Higher & Further Education
Pathways		 BSc. Chemistry, BSc. Biochemistry, BSc. Pharmacology, BA. Mathmatics
Careers  Research Chemist, Pharmacology, Chemical Engineer, Medicine, Nursing, Toxicology, Environmental Scientist, Patent Attorney, Science Writer, 
KS4 Specification links  https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/chemistry-8462
KS5 Specification links

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/as-and-a-level/chemistry-7404-7405/specification-at-a-glance
Year 10

Unit 1 - Mixtures, Atoms, and the Periodic Table

Key questions/concepts

  • Atomic Structure

  • Development of the Atomic Model

  • Development of the Periodic Table

  • Elements, mixtures and compounds

  • Groups of the Periodic Table

Timeframe

  • June - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Element A substance made of only one type of atom
Compounds Substance made up of two or more atoms chemically bonded together
Mixtures Substance made up of two or more atoms not chemically joined
Property A characteristic of a substance or material
Chromatography Seperation of a substance based on solubility or colour

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA GCSE Chemistry pages 4 - 33
  • The Periodic Table by Primo Levi
  • The Periodic Table by Paul Parsons and Gail Dixon
  • What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
  • CGP AQA GCSE Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 2 - Bonding and Properties

Key questions/concepts

  • States of matter

  • Ionic Formulae and Ionic Bonding

  • Covalent Bonding

  • Giant Structures

  • Metallic Bonding

  • Nanoparticles

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Ions Atoms that have lost or gained electrons
Electrostatic attraction Attraction between oppositely charged species
Intermolecular Forces Weak interactions between covalently bonded molecules or compounds
Malleable Can be bent into shape
Dutile Can be pulled into wires
Delocalised electrons The outer electrons of an atom that are free to move and carry charge

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 3 - Equations and calculations

Key questions/concepts

  • Relative Atomic Mass

  • Mole calculations

  • Percentage Yield 

  • Atom Economy (H)

  • Titration Calculations (H)

  • Volume of Gas (H)

Timeframe

  • November - January

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Isotope Versions of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
Mole An amount of substance containing 6.022 x 10^23 atoms
Yield The amount of product resulting from a reaction
Titration A process where an acid and alkali are neutralised to determine the unknown concentration of one of the solutions
End point The point at which the acid and alkali are fully reacted
Concordant Results that are precise. In titration, the results are within 0.10 cm3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 4 - Chemical Changes

Key questions/concepts

  • The Reactivity Series

  • Displacement Reactions

  • Metals and Reactivity

  • Making Salts

  • Strong and Weak Acids

Timeframe

  • February - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Displacement Where a more reactive replaces a less reactive metal in a reaction
Corrosion The wearing away of a substance by oxidation or by reaction with acid
Salt A substance formed when a metal takes the place of hydrogen in an acid
Strong acid Where hydrogen ions dissociate fully
Weak acid Where hydrogen ions dissociate partially

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 5 - Electrolysis

Key questions/concepts

  • Introduction to Electrolysis

  • Electrolysis of Molten compounds

  • Extraction of Aluminium

  • Electrolysis of Aqueous Solutions

Timeframe

  • May - June

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Molten A melted compound
Aqueous A solution containing a dissolved compound
Anode The positive electrode to which negative ions are attracted
Cathode The negative electrode to which positive ions are attracted
Electrolyte The solution or melted compound being electrolysed

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

Year 11

Unit 1 - Rates of Reaction

Key questions/concepts

  • Rate of Reaction

  • Collision Theory and Surface Area

  • The Effect of Temperature on Rate

  • The Effect of Concentration and Pressure

  • The Effect of Catalysts

Timeframe

  • September - November

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Collision Theory Theory that reacting particles collide with enough energy for a reaction to take place
Activation Energy The minimum amount of energy required for a reaction to take place
Precision Where the data collected has very little spread away from the mean value
Accuracy Where measurements are close to the true value
Catalyst A substance that speeds up the rate of a reaction by providing a lower activation energy

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA GCSE Chemistry pages 128 - 137
  • CGP AQA GCSE Chemistry -Revision and Practice
  • Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine by Hannah Fry
  • The Time Machine by H G Wells
  • Elegant Solutions: Ten beautiful experiments in chemistry by Philip Ball

 

Unit 2 - Organic Chemistry

Key questions/concepts

  • Hydrocarbons

  • Fractional Distillation and Crude Oil

  • Cracking Hydrocarbons

  • Reactions of Alkenes

  • Carboxylic Acids, Alcohol and Esters

Timeframe

  • December - January

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Hydrocarbon A compound containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms
Crude oil A fossil fuel formed from ancient decayed plants and animals
Alkane A saturated hydrocarbon
Alkene An unsaturated hydrocarbon
Fractional Distillation A method of separation where a substance is heated and vaporised until it splits based upon boiling point

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 3 - Energy and Equilibrium

Key questions/concepts

  • Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions

  • Chemical Cells and Batteries

  • Reversible Reactions

  • Dynamic Equilibrium and the Haber Process

  • Industrial processes

Timeframe

  • February - March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Exothermic A reaction where heat energy is released to the surroundings
Endothermic A reaction where heat energy is taken in from the surroundings
Reversible Reaction Reaction which can proceed in both a forward direction and the reverse reaction
Dynamic Equilibrium Where the forward reaction and reverse reaction is proceeding at the same rate
Precipitate When a insoluble solid forms in solution

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 4 - Chemical Analysis

Key questions/concepts

  • Pure and Impure Substances

  • Chromatography

  • Testing for Gases

  • Testing for Ions

  • Instrumental Analysis

Timeframe

  • March - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Pure A substance containing only one type of atom or compound
Impure  A substance containing more than one type of atom or compound
Positive Ion An atom that has lost electrons
Negative Ion An atom that has gained electrons
Formulation A mixture designed to be a useful product

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 5 - The Earth's Atmosphere

Key questions/concepts

  • History and evolution of the Atmosphere

  • Combustion

  • Atmospheric Pollutants

  • Greenhouse Gases

  • Carbon Footprint

Timeframe

  • April - May

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Renewable Resource A resource that can be replaced as it is used up
Combustion Burning a fuel in oxygen
Finite Resource A resource that is being used up faster than it can be replaced
Greenhouse Gas A gas that is responsible for the Greenhouse Effect such as CO2 and methane
Atmosphere A thin layer of gases that surrounds the Earth

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 6 - Using Resources

Key questions/concepts

  • Testing and treating water

  • Extracting Metals from Ores

  • Alternative Methods of Extraction

  • Life cycle assessments

  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Timeframe

  • March - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Potable Term used to describe water that is safe to drink
Desalination The process of removing salt from water
Bioleaching Using bacteria to extract copper
Life Cycle Assessment A technique used to identify the impact of a product on the environment
Recycle Process where waste materials are processed to be used again

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

Year 12

Unit 1 - Atomic Structure

Key questions/concepts

  • Mass number, Atomic number and Isotopes

  • Atomic Orbitals

  • Electron Arrangement

  • Mass Spectrometry

  • Ionisation Energies

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Atomic orbital A region of space around an atomic nucleus where there is a high probability of finding an electron
Ionisation Energy The energy required to remove one mole of electrons from a mole of gaseous atoms or ions
Isotope Versions of the same atom with different numbers of neutrons
Proton Number The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Relative Atomic Mass The average mass of an atom compared to 1/12th the mass of Carbon-12

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 2 - 19
  • The Periodic Table by Primo Levi
  • The Periodic Table by Paul Parsons and Gail Dixon
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08wn9mb
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 2 - Amount of Substance

Key questions/concepts

  • Moles and Avogadro Constant

  • Ideal Gas Equation

  • Empirical and Molecular Formulae

  • Balanced Equations and calculations

  • Atom Economies and Percentage Yields

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Avogadro Constant The number of atoms in 12g of carbon-12. Known as 6.022 x 10^23
Empirical Formula The simplest whole number ratio of atoms in a compound
Molecular Formula The actual number of atoms of each element in a compound
Stoiciometry The ratio in which the reactants react and the products are produced
Spectator Ions Ions that are part of the original formulae but do not take part in the reaction

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 22 - 41
  • Calculations in Chemistry by Jim clark
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide
  • The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

 

Unit 3 - Bonding

Key questions/concepts

  • Ionic Bonding

  • Covalent Bonding

  • Metallic Bonding

  • Intermolecular Forces

  • Shapes of Molecules

Timeframe

  • November - December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Ionic Bond Chemical bond in which electrons are transferred from one atom to another
Covalent Bond Chemical bond in which a pair of electrons are shared between two atoms
Metallic Bond Chemical bond in which the outer electrons are delocalised within the lattice of metal ions
Dative Bond Covalent bond in which both of the electrons come from one atom
Electronegativity The power of an atom to attract electrons towards it

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 4 - Energetics

Key questions/concepts

  • Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions

  • Measuring Enthalp changes

  • Hess's Law

  • Enthalpy Changes of Combustion

  • Bond Enthalpies

Timeframe

  • January - March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
exothermic A reaction where energy is released to the surroundings
endothermic A reaction where energy is absorbed from the surroundings
Enthalpy Change When a heat change is measured at constant pressurre
Specific Heat Capacity The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1K
Bond Dissociation enthalpy The energy required to break a covalent bond with all species in gaseous state

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 72 - 93
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide
  • Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher by by Matthew Sands , Richard Feynman and Robert Leighton
  • Elegant Solutions: Ten beautiful experiments in chemistry by Philip Ball

 

Unit 5 - Kinetics

Key questions/concepts

  • Collision theory

  • Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution

  • Catalysts

Timeframe

  • March - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Activation Energy The energy needed for a reaction to start
Catalyst A substance that speeds up a reaction by lowering the activation energy for a reaction

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 96 - 103
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 6 - Equilibria

Key questions/concepts

  • Changing Conditions of an Equilibrium Reaction

  • Equilibrium in Industry

  • Equilibrium Constant Kc

  • Calculations involving equilibrium

  • The effect of Changing Conditions on equilibria

Timeframe

  • April - May

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Closed System System where reactants and products cannot escape
Le Chateliers Principle States that if a system at equuilibrium is disturbed the equilibrium will shift in a way that reduces that disturbance
Dynamic Equilibrium A reaction where the forwards and reverse reactions are happening at the same rate
Chemical Feedstock A starting material for making other chemicals

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 106 - 121
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide
  • Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
  • Little Miss Geek by Belinda Parmar

 

Unit 7 - Oxidation, Reduction and redox Reactions

Key questions/concepts

  • Oxidation and Reduction

  • Oxidation States

  • Redox Equations

Timeframe

  • June - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Oxidation Type of reaction resulting in a species losing electrons (or gaining oxygen)
Reduction Type of reaction resulting in a species gaining electrons (or losing oxygen)
Oxidation States Numbers assigned to a species to identify what has been oxidised and what has been reduced in a reaction

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 124 - 133
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • Oxygen: The molecule that made the world by Nick Lane

 

Unit 8 - Introduction to organic Chemistry

Key questions/concepts

  • Carbon Compounds

  • Nomenclature

  • Isomerism

Timeframe

  • November - December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
IUPAC International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
Functional Group The reactive part of a carbon compound
Homologous Series A family of organic compounds with same functional group

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 176 - 187
  • The Carbon Diaries: 2015 by Saci Lloyd
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 9 - Alkanes

Key questions/concepts

  • Alkanes - Nomenclature and Structure

  • Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil

  • Industrial Cracking

  • Combustion of Alkanes

  • Formation of Haloalkanes

Timeframe

  • December - January

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Alkane A hydrocarbon with only single carbon-carbon bonds
Fractions A mixture of hydrocarbons with a similar chain length
Catalytic Cracking Breaking large hydrocarbon molecules into more useful products using a zeolite catalyst
Incomplete Combustion Burning a fuel in a limited supply of oxygen
Free Radicals A species formed from the splitting of a molecule leaving each atom with an unpaired electron

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 190 - 203
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide
  • The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
  • Podcast: https://edu.rsc.org/download?ac=13121

 

Unit 10 - Halogenoalkanes

Key questions/concepts

  • Halogenoalkanes

  • Nucelophilic Substitution reactions

  • Elimination reactions

Timeframe

  • January - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Nucleophiles An electron pair donor. Either negatively charged ion or an atom with partial negative charge
Elimination A reaction involving a halogenoalkane where a hydrogen halide is lost
Leaving Group The species that has been substituted in a nucleophilic substitution reaction

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 11 - Alkenes

Key questions/concepts

  • Alkenes - Nomenclature and Structure

  • Reactions of Alkenes

  • Addition Polymers

Timeframe

  • March - April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Unsaturated Hydrocarbons with one or more double carbon-carbon bonds
Electrophiles An electron pair acceptor. Either a positively charged ion or partial positive atom
Monomers Small molecules that form long polymers

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 216 - 227
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 12 - Alcohols

Key questions/concepts

  • Alcohols - Nomenclature and structure

  • Ethanol Production

  • Reactions of Alcohols

Timeframe

  • May - June

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Fermentation Process where carbohydrates are broken down and converted to ethanol
Dehydration Reaction where a water molecule is removed
Oxidation Reactions where alcohols are oxidised to form aldehydes and ketones

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 230 - 239
  • Elegant Solutions: Ten beautiful experiments in chemistry by Philip Ball
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 13 - Organic Analysis

Key questions/concepts

  • Test tube reactions

  • Mass Spectrometry

  • Infrared Spectroscopy

Timeframe

  • June - July

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Molecular Ion Ion formed when the molecule being tested is ionised in a mass spectrometer
Fingerprint Region A region on an infrared spectrum around 1500 cm-1 with lots of peaks. Often used to identify a chemical
m/z Mass to charge ratio

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

Year 13

Unit 1 - Thermodynamics

Key questions/concepts

  • Enthalpy Changes

  • Born-Haber Cycles

  • Enthalpy of Solution and Lattice Enthalpy

  • Entropy and Gibbs Free Energy

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Enthalpy of Formation The enthalpy chance when one mole of a compound is formed from its elements under standard states and conditions
Enthalpy of Combustion The enthalpy change when one mole of substance is completely burnt in oxygen
Born-Haber Cycle A thermochemical cycle that includes all the enthalpy changes involved in the formation of an ionic compound
Feasible A reaction that can take place of its own accord
Entropy The randomness of a system

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 2 - Kinetics

Key questions/concepts

  • The Rate of Chemical Reactions

  • Rate expressions and Orders

  • Determining the Rate Equation

  • Arrhenius Equation

  • Rate Determining Steps

Timeframe

  • October - November

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Rate Expression An equation that describes how the rate of reaction at a particular temperature depends on the concentration of the species involved
Order of Reaction The power to which the concentration of that species is raised in the rate expression
Rate-Determining Step The slowest step in a multi-step reaction
Arrhenius Equation An equation that links Activation Energy to collisions and rate constant

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 278 - 295
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • Arrhenius: From Ionic Theory to the Greenhouse Effect by Elisabeth Crawford

 

Unit 3 - Equilibrium Constant Kp

Key questions/concepts

  • Equilibrium Kp for Homogeneous systems

Timeframe

  • December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Partial Pressure The pressure that each individual gas contributes in a reaction

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 298 - 300

 

Unit 4 - Electrode Potentials and Electrochemical Cells

Key questions/concepts

  • The Electrochemical Series

  • Predicting the direction of redox reactions

  • Electrochemical Cells

Timeframe

  • January - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Salt Bridge A piece of filter paper soaked in salt solution that provides a bridge between the two parts of the cell
Half Equations Equations that show the species involved in oxidation and in reduction. Can be combined to create a full equation
Daniell Cell Simple cell that works on the principle that electrons are passed from a more reactive metal to a less reactive one

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 302 -313
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice

 

Unit 5 - Acids, Bases and Buffers

Key questions/concepts

  • Defining an Acid

  • The pH Scale

  • Weak Acids and Bases

  • Acid-Base titrations and indicators.

  • Buffer Solutions

Timeframe

  • February - March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Bronsted-Lowry Acid An acid is a substance that can donate a proton 
Bronsted-Lowry Base A base is a substance that can accept a proton
Strong Acids Acids that dissociate completely
Weak Acids Acids that dissociate partially
Buffers  Solutions that resist changes in pH

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 316 - 335
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • Acids and Bases by Kristi Lew
  • Buffer Solutions by Beynon and Easterby

 

Unit 6 - Periodicity

Key questions/concepts

  • Reactions of Period 3 Elements

  • The Oxides of Elements in Period 3

  • The Acidic/Basic nature of Period 3 Oxides

Timeframe

  • March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Allotrope Same element with different arrangement of atoms
Amphoteric A substance that reacts with both acids and alkalis
Oxidation numbers Numbers assigned to individual species or atoms to help identify where oxidation and reduction has occurred

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 344 - 354
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • The Periodic Table by Paul Parsons and Gail Dixon

 

Unit 7 - The Transition Metals

Key questions/concepts

  • General Properties of Transition Metals

  • Complex Formation and shapes of Complex Ions

  • Coloured Ions

  • Variable Oxidation States

  • Catalysis

Timeframe

  • April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Ligand An ion or molecule that shares a lone pair of electrons with a transition metal
Co-ordination number The number of coordinate bonds that surround the d-block metal ion in a complex
Chelates Substances that remove d-block metal ions from solution
Isomers Compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangement in space
Calorimeter Uses a light source and detector to measure the amount of light of a particular wavelength 

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 8 - Reactions of Inorganic Compounds in Aqueous Solutions

Key questions/concepts

  • Acid-base chemistry of aqueous transition metal ions

  • Ligand Substitution Reactions

  • Acid-base and substitution reactions

Timeframe

  • April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Aqua Ions complex ions containing water molecules
Hydrolysis reactions where water molecules are added
Chelation replacement of water molecules in a complex with other ligands

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 344 - 354
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice

 

Unit 9 - Nomenclature and Isomerism

Key questions/concepts

  • Naming Organic Compounds

  • Optical isomerism

  • Synthesis of Optically Active Compounds

Timeframe

  • September - October

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Optical Isomers Isomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other
Chiral When the central carbon atom is bonded to 4 different groups
Thalidomide A drug prescribed to pregnant women for morning sickness in the 1950's

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 10 - Compounds containing the Carbonyl Group

Key questions/concepts

  • Aldehydes and Ketones

  • Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones

  • Carboxylic Acids and Esters

  • Reactions of Carboxylic Acids and Esters

  • Acylation

Timeframe

  • October - November

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Aldehyde An organic compound containing the carbonyl group and a hydrogen attached to the carbon
Ketone An organic compound containing the carbonyl group on a central carbon
Racemic Mixture A mixture containing both versions of the optical isomers
Silver Mirror Test A solution of ammonia and silver nitrate is added to aldehydes and ketones. Aldehydes are oxidised by it and create a 'silver mirror' effect
Fatty Acids Long chain carboxylic acids that are found in fats and oils

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 410 - 426
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - The Revision Guide

 

Unit 11 - Aromatic Chemistry

Key questions/concepts

  • Introduction to Arenes

  • Physical properties, naming and reactivity

  • Reactions of Arenes

Timeframe

  • November - December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Kekule Model A model of Benzene proposed by Freidrich August von Kekule
Delocalised Model A more modren model of the structure of Benzene
Electrophilic Substitution Reactions Where a positive species substitutes one of the hydrogens on a Benzene ring

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 428 - 436
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice
  • Aromatic Chemistry by Malcolm Sainsbury

 

Unit 12 - Amines

Key questions/concepts

  • Introduction to Amines

  • Properties of Amines as Bases

  • Amines as Nucleophiles and synthesis

Timeframe

  • December

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Amine Carbon compound containing a derivative of ammonia
Nucleophile An electron-deficient species
Inductive Effect Central alkyl group releases electrons towards the nitrogen of the amine group making it more attractive to protons

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 440 - 447
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice

 

Unit 13 - Polymerisation

Key questions/concepts

  • Condensation Polymers

Timeframe

  • January

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Condensation Where a water molecule is lost during a reaction

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 450 - 455

 

Unit 14 - Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA

Key questions/concepts

  • Introduction to Amino Acids

  • Peptides, Polypeptides and Proteins

  • Enzymes

  • DNA

  • Anti-cancer drugs

Timeframe

  • January - February

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Zwitterions Amino acids as ions with permanent positive charge and permanent negative charge
Peptides Compounds formed by the linkage of amino acids
Amide linkage Link between the amine group of one amino acid and the carboxylic acid group of another
Stereospecific Enzymes that will only fit a particular stereoisomer in its active site
Nucleotide Monomers of DNA made up of a phosphate, a sugar and a base

 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 15 - Organic Synthesis and Analysis

Key questions/concepts

  • Synthetic Routes

  • Organic Analysis

Timeframe

  • February - March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Oxidising Agents Examples include acidified potassium dichromate. Oxidises primary alcohols to aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acid 
Precipitate An insoluble solid formed in a solution

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

  • OUP AQA A-Level Chemistry textbook pages 474 - 479
  • CGP AQA A Level Chemistry - Revision and Practice

 

Unit 16 - Structure Determination

Key questions/concepts

  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

  • Proton NMR

  • Interpreting H NMR Spectra

Timeframe

  • March

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Chemical Shift The difference in frequency between a resonating nucleus and a standard like tetramethylsilane
Spin-spin coupling The splitting of an NMR peak due to the magnetic field of any neighbouring Hydrogen atoms
Deuterium An isotope of hydrogen used as a solvent for H NMR 

 

 

 

 

Wider reading

 

Unit 17 - Chromatography

Key questions/concepts

  • Thin-Layer Chromatography

  • Gas-Liquid Chromatography

Timeframe

  • April

Key vocabulary

Word/phrase Definition
Mobile phase Carries soluble components of the mixture
Stationary Phase Holds the components of the mixture that are attracted to it

 

 

 

Wider reading

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