Chemistry

Course summary

Ever wondered who was behind developing the latest shampoo or painkiller? Ever thought about the people who discovered treatments for cancer or AIDS? Well, chemists are behind these discoveries and developments and those that will shape our lives in the future. Chemistry is all around us, in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the stuff that makes our lives easier. Chemists work in almost every industry and environment you could think of, from the food industry to drug research, working in the bleak landscapes of Antarctica to state-of-the-art laboratories in renowned universities. Even if you do not want to become a Chemist, an A-level chemistry qualification gives you a set of skills that could allow you to become a vet, doctor, pharmacist, engineer, geneticist, geologist or even space scientist. Features of the Course In the first year there are three topic areas: physical chemistry, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. These topic areas include atomic structure, periodicity, bonding, kinetics, energetics, alkanes, alkenes and alcohol and analytical techniques. In the second year, the topic areas remain as physical chemistry, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. However, students move on to study areas such as thermodynamics, rate equations, equilibria, acids and bases, transition metals, optical isomerism, aromatic chemistry, polymers and organic synthesis. Key topics studied 1. Physical chemistry 2. Inorganic chemistry 3. Organic chemistry