Chemistry

Course summary

A-Level Chemistry covers aspects of all the three branches of the subject and aims to enable a student to develop the essential knowledge and understanding of each and how they relate to each other. A student will be encouraged to develop a deep appreciation of the skills, knowledge and understanding of scientific methods and show competence and confidence in a variety of practical, mathematical and problem-solving skills. A student will gain an understanding of how society makes decisions about scientific issues and how the sciences contribute to the success of the economy and society. The modules that a student will study are: Organic Chemistry: Year 12 focuses on the study of common functional groups and their reactions. In Year 13, the focus is on mechanisms and synthesis. Inorganic Chemistry: Year 12 focuses on reactions of groups one and two and the halogens. In Year 13, the focus is on the study of transition metals and their complexes, their reactions and colours. Physical: Year 12 focuses on atomic structure, bonding, energetics and shapes of molecules. In Year 13 the focus is onequilibrium, reaction rates, acid-base chemistry and entropy. Modern Analytical Techniques: Discover how infrared, NMR and Mass spectroscopy can be used to analyse the chemical composition of a sample.