Chemistry

Course summary

Studying A-level chemistry at George Dixon Academy will enable you to develop: • An enthusiasm for chemistry, an understanding of how atoms and molecules interact and how chemistry is crucial to our lives and real world experiences. • Practical skills alongside an understanding of chemical concepts and principles. • An appropriate and relevant foundation of knowledge that can be used as a stepping stone to the future study of chemistry in higher education and skills that lay the groundwork for careers in science or engineering. The subject content consists of three main sections: physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry. Each section is then divided into units that will be studied as detailed below: Year 12 chemistry students will study units 1 - 16: Physical chemistry • Unit 1: Atomic structure • Unit 2: Amount of substance • Unit 3: Bonding • Unit 4: Energetics • Unit 5: Kinetics • Unit 6: Equilibria • Unit 7: Oxidation, reduction and redox Inorganic chemistry • Unit 8: Periodicity • Unit 9: Group 2, the alkaline earth metals • Unit 10: Group 7, the halogens Organic chemistry • Unit 11: Introduction to organic chemistry • Unit 12: Alkanes • Unit 13: Halogenoalkanes • Unit 14: Alkenes • Unit 15: Alcohols • Unit 16: Organic analysis Year 13 chemistry students will study units 17 - 33: Physical chemistry • Unit 17: Thermodynamics • Unit 18: Kinetics • Unit 19: Equilibrium constant • Unit 20: Electrode potentials and electrochemical cells • Unit 21: Acids, bases and buffers Inorganic chemistry • Unit 22: Periodicity • Unit 23: The transition metals • Unit 24: Reactions of inorganic compounds in aqueous solutions Organic chemistry • Unit 25: Nomenclature and isomerism • Unit 26: Compounds containing the carbonyl group • Unit 27: Aromatic chemistry • Unit 28: Amines • Unit 29: Polymerization • Unit 30: Amino acids, proteins and DNA • Unit 31: Organic synthesis and analysis • Unit 32: Structure determination • Unit 33: Chromatography