Firstly congratulations on picking a fantastic, yes highly challenging, but hopefully enjoyable course at Beauchamp City Sixth form. The aim of the document is to give you all the key information you might need throughout the year and to allow you to plan and organise yourself for the two years ahead.
Chemistry is very much at the heart of all science. During the course we will touch on topics very much associated with physics such as: how batteries work and how much energy is required to make reactions happen, but we also cover a wide range of biochemistry topics including the structure of DNA and various reactions of amino acids along with a wide range of topics in between.
At A level (and beyond) chemistry is split into 3 broad sections:
Physical chemistry
3.1
Inorganic chemistry 3.2
Organic chemistry
3.3
Closest to physics in terms of content topics like, energy, enthalpy, entropy, interactions with light and current are all touched on in some way and those of you studying physics will feel more at home.
Very much the middle ground in chemistry, it is the study of metals and different elements, looking at reactions of groups like the halogens and the massive variety of properties and reactions within transition metals.
Basically the study of carbon containing compounds. We massively expand on your understanding from GCSE, introducing you to a wide range of different functional groups and reactions converting one into another. This is closest to biology in terms of content and those of you studying the subject may feel more comfortable here. (Organic chemistry is often a love or hate relationship for most students!)
At Beauchamp City we follow the AQA A level chemistry course and the full specification can be found in the links section at the end of this booklet. AQA is the most commonly studied course at A level and we feel that it gives our students the best chance to show what they are capable of. The exam structure is fair and has been shown to be very consistent since the new specification came out in 2016.
Practical
There is also a very specific practical requirement of the course true for all A level science subjects but we will go into more detail on that later in this document.
Below is a brief description of which topics are covered in each of the papers, the length of the exam, the marks and the % of the course it counts towards.
Paper 1
Paper 2
• Relevant Physical chemistry topics (sections 3.1.1 to 3.1.4, 3.1.6 to 3.1.8 and 3.1.10 to 3.1.12) Inorganic chemistry (Section 3.2)
• Relevant practical skills
• Relevant Physical chemistry topics (sections 3.1.2 to 3.1.6 and 3.1.9)
• Organic chemistry (Section 3.3)
Relevant practical skills
Paper 3
marks of short and long answer questions
of A-level
marks of short and long answer questions
• Any content
• Any practical skills 2
marks 30% of A-level
• 40 marks of questions on practical techniques and data analysis
• 20 marks of questions testing across the specification 30 marks of multiple choice Questions
Paper 1 and 2 are exactly the same format with different content. Each is effectively 1 mark per minute with 15 mins extra.
There are 4 topics that appear in both paper 1 and 2:
• Amounts of substance
• Bonding
• Energetics
• Equilibria
Paper 3 is very different in style and has a much bigger emphasis on the practical element of the course. It also includes the large section of multiple choice questions, (These are not easy!). Paper 3 is effectively 1 mark per minute with 30 mins extra.
All three exams are usually within a 3 week window in June. Exact dates vary each year.
Chemistry lessons are broken down as follows:
3 double periods a week (One may be a split double either side of lunch)
You will have 2 different chemistry teachers
Teacher 1 will teach you for 2 double lessons
One of them will always be your practical lesson if there is a practical that week
Teacher 2 will teach 1 double lesson
You will generally cover different topics with each teacher
One of your teachers will be your chemistry tutor they will: (usually teacher 1)
Mark all your tests
See you on parents evenings
Write any reports / data snapshots or subject comments that could make up part of your UCAS application
Meet the team
Here are the fantastic members of staff that make up the best department in the school:
Resources
Each topic you will be given a booklet that covers all lessons in that topic. Some booklets are single topics and can take a couple of months to complete, whilst other booklets will contain 2 or 3 small topics that may only take a couple of weeks to teach.
Each booklet will include:
• Overview documents of that topic (Knowledge organisers etc)
• Glossary of terms for that topic
• Questions for each lesson
• Past exam questions for each lesson
• Some also include extensive revision tasks at the back of the booklet.
There are separate practical resources that will be covered later
Lessons
Each lesson is a double lesson approx. 100 mins long. Staff will use a variety of techniques to help students understand the topic being covered.
• Speaking from the front, generally used to introduce new topics and go through answers and examples.
• Lots of consolidation time, time to practice and embed the topic that has been taught so far. During this time staff will be constantly moving around assisting with understanding
• Lots of opportunity for staff to question students and vice versa.
• Class discussion of new topics
• Practical work
• Practical demonstrations
HW
Homework is set most weeks and is set independently by each teacher. Some classes will get some tasks and other classes will get others based on what the teacher deems is needed for that particular group of students.
• Homework nearly always involves the use of past exam questions.
• Some teachers will also ask for completion of class work
• Students will be asked to mark specific work using our online resources from time to time as well.
Intervention
Throughout the year we will be offering different forms of help to students. Some will be optional and some will be mandatory. What is set will vary each year depending on the needs of the students. Most mandatory sessions are based on the results of tests and student would be required to attend additional chemistry lessons. In the past the following sessions have been offered and could be offered again:
• Mandatory sessions for students achieving D, E or U grades in early assessments
• Revision sessions for students with B and C grades
• Revision sessions on challenging questions for students on A and A* grades
• Chemistry Olympiad club for students wanting to stretch themselves.
• Revision sessions on year 12 content for year 13 students
• Mini mocks for year 13 students in preparation for exams
• A general drop in session for students to come along with any question
• Breakfast revision sessions on the day of exams
Open door policy
As a department we want you to ask questions. Our best and brightest students will always be challenging us with questions from past papers and revision they have been doing. Please knock or come into our classrooms and office if we are around and you need some help.
Student expectations
The following are what we would expect of all students during chemistry lessons.
• Listen attentively
• Contribute to class discussion
• Ask questions
• Discuss the content with those around you
• Respect everyone’s opinions
• Complete work set
• Mark work when going through it in class
Specifically in practical lessons:
• Pay close attention to safety instructions
• Always wear goggles
• Have appropriate attire for completion of a practical, including long hair tied back
• Follow any written instructions
Below is a plan of which topics and when you will cover them throughout the A level chemistry course. Please bear in mind that this is a rough plan and is open to change.
Year 12
Period 3
pH
Optical isomerism
Aldehydes and ketones
Carboxylic acids and their derivatives
Aromatic compounds
Amines
Organic synthesis
NMR
Chromatography
(Pink in paper 1 only, green in paper 2 only, blue in any paper)
Atomic structure 3.1.1
Amounts of substance 3.1.2
Bonding 3.1.3
Intro to organic chemistry 3.3.1
REDOX 3.1.7
Alkanes 3.3.2
Haloalkanes 3.3.3
Alkenes 3.3.4
Alcohols 3.3.5
Periodicity 3.2.1
Group 2 3.2.2
Group 7 3.2.3
Energetics 3.1.4
History and structure of the atom
Mass spectrometry
Ionisation energy and electron arrangement
Moles, concentration, mass and volume calculations
Empirical and molecular formulae
Gas laws
Yields and atom economy
Titration calculations
Ionic
Metallic
Molecular covalent
Giant Covalent
Polarisation
Shapes of molecules
Intermolecular forces.
Drawing and naming molecules
Isomerism
Oxidation numbers
Writing and combining half equations
Structure and properties
Reactions
Free radical substitution (Mechanism)
Structure and properties
Reactions
Nucleophilic substitution (Mechanism)
Elimination (Mechanism)
Structure and properties
Reactions
Electrophilic addition (Mechanism)
Structure and properties
Reactions
Different ways of producing alcohols
Reflux and distillation practical’s
Trends across period
Structure and properties
Reactions
Testing for group 1 and 2 metals
Structure and properties
Reactions of halogens
Halides as Reducing agents
Testing for halides and halogens
Definitions
MCT calculations
Different practical methods
Hess’ Law
Kinetics 3.1.5
Chemical equilibria 3.1.6
Chemical analysis 3.3.6
Kp 3.1.10
Thermodynamics 3.1.8
Electrochemical cells 3.1.11
Period 3 3.2.4
Transition metals 3.2.5
Transition metal aqua ions 3.2.6
pH 3.1.12
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution
Le Chatelier
Kc equations and calculations
Mass spec
Infra-red
Kp Calculations
Energetics recap
Definitions
Born-Haber cycles
Perfect ionic model
Enthalpy of solution
Entropy
Gibbs Free energy
Standard half cells
Electrochemical cells
Fuel Cells
Reactions of period 3 elements
Reactions of period 3 oxides
Definitions
Complexes, shapes and types of ligand
Ligand substitution reactions
Catalysts
Redox titrations
Reactions and observations
Definitions
Strong acids and bases
Weak acid calculations
Titration curves
Buffer calculations
Rate equation 3.1.9
Optical isomerism 3.3.7
Aldehydes and ketones 3.3.8
Carboxylic acids and their derivatives 3.3.9
Aromatic compounds 3.3.10
Amines 3.3.11
Polymers 3.3.12
Amino acids, proteins and DNA 3.3.13
Organic synthesis 3.3.14
The rate equation
Orders of reaction
Arrhenius equation
Definition and chiral carbons
Aldehydes and ketones
Nucleophilic addition (Mechanism)
Carboxylic acids
Esters
Acyl chlorides
Nucleophilic addition-Elimination (Mechanism)
Acid anhydrides
Preparation of aspirin
Structure and properties Reactions
Electrophilic substitution (Mechanism)
Structure and properties Reactions
Types and examples
Amino acid structure
Amino acid pH
Protein structure
DNA structure
Organic synthesis
NMR 3.3.15 H1 NMR C13 NMR
Chromatography 3.3.16
What follows are the different sorts of assessment we use throughout the course and what the purpose of each one is. There is also a rough plan of when each assessment will be.
Type of assessment How often and when?
Trial exams 1 in Jan of year 12
1 Apr of year 12
1 end of Nov / Dec in year 13
‘Big’ tests 4 in year 12
3 in year 13
(Roughly one each half term you do not have a trial exam)
Multiple choice tests
1 every half term. We DO NOT tell you exactly when
Classroom assessment What we do during each lesson to understand how you are doing
What it includes Purpose
This will consist of past exam questions covering all topics covered up until the trial
90 mins
80 marks
This will consist of past exam questions covering all topics covered up until the trial
90 mins
80 marks
This will be a paper 1 exam (No organic chemistry)
105 marks 2 hours
This will be sat formally after school and under exam conditions.
50 marks
1 hour
3-4 different topics covered in lessons recently
You will know in advance when they are going to be and on what topics.
This will be sat formally but in classes under exam conditions.
25 Multiple choice questions
35 minutes
Marked by machine
Individual feedback sheets
5 questions on 5 different topics (Apart from the first one)
Lots of questions both individually and to the class
Discussion as we move round the classroom with students
Homework tasks
Quick 10 marks ‘quizzes’ Live marking
The purpose of all of these is to assess formally how you are doing in chemistry and what we as staff could be doing to help with any gaps
Both year 12 trials will be a major part in putting your UCAS prediction together
They give good example of formal A level exams They will inform parents of where you are currently at
These are to allow you to see how you are doing on particular topics
They allow your teachers to see how classes and year groups are doing with particular topics They allow your parents to see how you are doing through data snapshots upon which these will be based.
These tests and trials will also help inform us of who may benefit from extra chemistry in the form of intervention classes.
The aim with these is not the score but the areas for development.
You cannot revise for these specifically as we do not tell you when they are or what they are on. This is about base knowledge and identifying what areas of the course you need to work on.
Time will be given in a subsequent lesson to work on tasks that have similar questions or topics.
We want to make sure that students have understood different topics and that they have the opportunity to ask questions when stuck All marking is done in green pen and students expected to mark all work as we go through it
Lots of questions both individually and to the class
What we do during each lesson to understand how you are doing
Discussion as we move round the classroom with students
Homework tasks
Quick 10 marks ‘quizzes’ Live marking
We want to make sure that students have understood different topics and that they have the opportunity to ask questions when stuck
All marking is done in green pen and students expected to mark all work as we go through it
Below an outline of which forms of assessment will be covered and roughly when. Also included are the final exam dates for year 13 A level chemistry exams.
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Early assessment Test 1 MC 1
Test 2
MC 2
TRIAL 1 (Everything)
MC 3
Wb 9th Sept Wb 7th Oct Unannounced
Wb 18th Nov Unannounced
Christmas Holidays
Wb 6th Jan Unannounced
Baseline Test 5 MC 7 Wb 2nd Sept Wb 23rd Sept Unannounced
Test 6
TRIAL (Paper 1)
MC 8 Wb 4th Nov
WB 2nd Dec Unannounced
MC 9 Unannounced
Spring 2 Test 3
Wb 3rd Mar Unannounced
MC 4
Test 7
MC 10
Easter Holidays
Summer 1 TRIAL 2(Everything) MC 5 Wb 28th Apr Unannounced
Summer 2
Test 4 MC6 16th Jun Unannounced
‘TRIAL’ (paper 3) MC 11
Chemistry Paper 1 (Provisional!)
Chemistry Paper 2 (Provisional!)
Chemistry Paper 3 (Provisional!)
Wb 24th Feb Unannounced
All wk Wb 28th Apr (Paper 3 Jun 24) Unannounced
Monday 10th June
Monday 16th June
Friday 20th June (Final exam on the list!)
What follows is a list of recommended methods for revision from both staff and students.
Note: Different topics may require different forms of revision You will need to revise different topics different amounts depending on how you find a particular topic.
Absolutely the best way to revise the course. Lots available on our VLE and on sites like Physics and maths tutor. Marking them just as important as completing them. Understanding mark schemes is massive.
Past exam papers
1. Attempt once.
2. Change colour and go through with textbook / notes available and correct or amend
3. Mark the exam
YouTube videos
Flash cards
New notes / spider diagrams
Very useful for getting your head around a particular topic. Some are better than others.
Simple cards with key information in on specific topics.
The act of making them definitely one of the most useful as condensing information is a big deal.
Good for small amounts of time or testing friends on particular knowledge.
Good for all topics, particularly useful for any mathematical based topics as difficult to just learn.
Exam style Q’s by topic
Making sure you have good notes on topics you are struggling with is a good idea but don’t spend ages making them pretty again. The act of making them is the most useful, reading through them is a bad idea. Use them to look up key information when you can’t remember them and keep them organised!
If there is a particular topic you are struggling with then this is the best way to test that. Again, Q’s available on the VLE and on sites like physics and maths tutor where you can select by topic or style.
Very good for memory topics.
E.g Shapes of molecules, reactions of group 2 and 7, Transition metals, practical qualitative tests and learning mathematical equations
Good for all topics and will vary depending on student need.
Good for any topic once you have identified which topic you need to look through
Practical skills are an essential part of the chemistry course. There are two ways in which practical is assessed. The first is in paper 3 of the exams where 40 marks are explicitly on the practicals that you will have covered over the course of the 2 years. The second is in the form of assessed practical criteria.
During both year 12 and year 13 you will do a selection of practicals:
7a Continuous Monitoring Rate Of Reaction
1a Titration 1
1b Titration 2
6a Organic Functional Group Tests 1
4a Testing For Cations
4b Testing For Anions
2a Enthalpy Of Combustion
4b Enthalpy Change Using Hess’ Law
5a Preparation Of Carboxylic Acid
5b Purification Of A Carboxylic Acid
6b Organic Functional Group Tests 2
8 Measuring Emf Of A Cell
9 Measuring Ph During A Titration
11 Testing Transition Metal Aqua Ions
13a Redox Titration 1
13b Redox Titration 2
7a Rates Of Reaction Clock Reaction
3 How Temperature Effects The Rate Of Reaction
10a Making Aspirin
10b Purifying Aspirin
10b Making And Purifying An Ester
12 Thin Layer Chromatography
Most practicals will hit between 3 and 5 of the CPAC statements.
CPAC statements (Common Practical Assessment Criteria)
The assessment of practical skills is a compulsory requirement of the course of study for A-level qualifications in chemistry. It will appear on all students’ certificates as a separately reported result, alongside the overall grade for the qualification and is reported as a pass / fail.
Students will be assessed on their ability to meet the required CPAC statements across a minimum of 12 practical’s and their ability to complete the required AT’s (use of Apparatus and Technique’s). Some AT’s can be attained in multiple practical’s and some are far less common.
‘In order to be awarded a pass, a student must, by the end of the practical science assessment, consistently and routinely meet the criteria in respect of each competency listed below. A student may demonstrate the competencies in any practical activity undertaken as part of that assessment throughout the course of study.
Students may undertake practical activities in groups. However, the evidence generated by each student must demonstrate that the individual student
independently meets the criteria outlined below in respect of each competency. Such evidence:
a. will comprise both the student’s performance during each practical activity and his or her contemporaneous record of the work that he or she has undertaken during that activity, and b. must include evidence of independent application of investigative approaches and methods to practical work. ‘
The following is a list of the CPAC statements from the exam board.
1 Follows written procedures
a. Correctly follows written instructions to carry out experimental techniques or procedures.
2 Applies investigative approaches and methods when using instruments and equipment
a. Correctly uses appropriate instrumentation, apparatus and materials (including ICT) to carry out investigative activities, experimental techniques and procedures with minimal assistance or prompting.
b. Carries out techniques or procedures methodically, in sequence and in combination, identifying practical issues and making adjustments when necessary.
c. Identifies and controls significant quantitative variables where applicable, and plans approaches to take account of variables that cannot readily be controlled.
d. Selects appropriate equipment and measurement strategies in order to ensure suitably accurate results.
3 Safely uses a range of practical equipment and materials
4 Makes and records observations
5 Researches, references and reports
a. Identifies hazards and assesses risks associated with these hazards, making safety adjustments as necessary, when carrying out experimental techniques and procedures in the lab or field.
b. Uses appropriate safety equipment and approaches to minimise risks with minimal prompting.
a. Makes accurate observations relevant to the experimental or investigative procedure.
b. Obtains accurate, precise and sufficient data for experimental and investigative procedures and records this methodically using appropriate units and conventions.
a. Uses appropriate software and/or tools to process data, carry out research and report findings.
b. Cites sources of information demonstrating that research has taken place, supporting planning and conclusions.
Every practical comes with a prep quiz. An online quiz that must be completed and passed before the practical lesson itself. The quiz will be set a week before the practical and students will have to show that they have both attempted, understood and responded to any mistakes through the online feedback. The aim of the quiz is to get students familiar with: Any new techniques or equipment, the hazards involved in the particular practical and with the theory the practical is intrinsically linked to. Failure to complete the practical by the start of the lesson will result in an after school detention.
Every practical also comes with a Homework task. This is simply a past exam question that links directly to the practical completed. As stated above this will link into students understanding of paper 3 questions. These homework tasks are to be completed by the student by the start of the subsequent practical and marked by the student using the online mark scheme. Staff will then collect results accordingly.
The following are expectations of all students in any practical:
Students have completed the prep quiz.
Only enter a lab when instructed to do so by a teacher
Never rush about or throw things in a lab
Keep your bench and floor area clear, with bags and coats well out of the way
• Eating and drinking in laboratories is not allowed to prevent accidental contamination of food
• Wear eye protection when told to do so and keep it on from the very start until all practical work is finished and cleared away
• Lab coats must always be worn, loose clothing can be hazardous in laboratories. Lab coats should always be fastened and ties, scarves etc. should be prevented from hanging loose.
• Sandals or open toed shoes are inappropriate for work with corrosive chemicals.
• Follow instructions precisely; check bottle labels carefully.
• Keep tops on bottles except when pouring liquids from them
• Only touch or use equipment and materials when told to do so by a teacher.
• Never remove anything from a lab without permission
• When using naked flames (Bunsen or spirit burners), make sure that ties, hair, baggy clothing etc are tied back or tucked away.
• Always stand up when working with hazardous substances or when heating things so you can quickly move out of the way if you need to.
• No messing about that could result in someone being knocked or bumped, pushing or running.
• Never taste anything or put anything in your mouth in a laboratory. If you get something in your mouth spit it out at once and wash your mouth out with lots of water. Tell you teacher.
• Always wash your hands carefully after handling chemicals
• If you are burnt or a chemical splashes your skin, wash the affected part at once with lots of water. Tell your teacher
• Wipe up small spills and report bigger ones to your teacher
• Report any accident or breakage to your teacher.
• Switch off and put back safely any electrical equipment.
• Any used glassware should be put back in trays or bowls provided.
• Students must make every effort to follow written instructions to complete the practical on their own / in their groups of two or three. Skill 1 is about following written instructions and remember staff are there to help, so ask questions if needed.
• All students must complete each practical and the relevant write up by the end of the practical lesson
• Practical worksheets never go home and are kept in school practical folders. They are required by the exam board as evidence of completion of the CPAC statements. Student may work on practical work in school but must leave the work in the classroom at the end of the day.
VLE - Virtual learning environment (The online platform we use in chemistry)
We are incredibly proud of the resources we have available to students on the VLE and have the most resources available to any student in any subject in the school. We do not use Teams as some other departments do but instead put large amounts of resources available on the VLE.
Resources available include:
• Past exam papers (Current and past specification)
• Resources for each lesson (PowerPoint and worksheets)
• Mark schemes for everything we hand out
• Follow up questions for tests
• Digital versions of booklets for students to use with tablets.
• Revision resources
• Videos
• Questions by topic
• Help sheets and knowledge organisers
• Revision notes on topics
As the subject is so big we have split the online provision into different courses. Each student will be enrolled on the following courses at the start of year 12:
A level chemistry AQA – Inorganic chemistry
A level chemistry AQA – Organic chemistry
A level chemistry AQA – Physical chemistry
A level chemistry AQA – Revision materials
A level chemistry AQA – Practical skills
Each course has a specific function and students will quickly need to explore their way around these areas to locate what they need.
Other optional courses are available and these include the chemistry Olympiad course for students interested in taking these and others may become available to students as required.
We have many different ways to get students involved in chemistry in a wider way and to hopefully inspire you to want to study the subject further.
Chemistry Olympiad club. Nearly all subjects run effectively a challenging exam that is also a national / international competition. For chemistry this is the Olympiad. There are two you can take part in: June of year 12 written by Cambridge university and called the lower sixth chemistry Olympiad and then in Jan of year 13 the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Olympiad. Both are big competitions and are incredibly challenging. Dr CarpenterWarrant runs an Olympiad club that aims to prepare students for further study of chemistry and these very intense exams. Both are open to all students and are a great way to really challenge your understanding of the topic. The club is after school each week.
As a department we have quite close to ties to Leicester University Chemistry department with 4 staff having studied there at some point. We have used these ties to try and get various opportunities for our students.
We have a visit from the department in the autumn for our year 13’s where they bring some of their more portable kit and is open to all year 13 students to be off timetable for the day looking at spectroscopy in a more detailed way.
We also run a trip in the summer of year 12 for a large group of students to be able to visit the chemistry department, get a tour and get their hands on new and hopefully exciting practical kit.
We will be continuing to look for other opportunities that our student can benefit from with further education providers.
Our connections with Leicester University have also allowed us to source a very limited work experience places for a couple of students in the chemistry department that we hope to continue to help student make the most of.
We have added various texts to the school library to allow students to read around and beyond what is taught in school as well as provide the opportunity to keep up to date with scientific articles with access to Chem Review among other publications.
Employability skills
Chemistry gives you the right skills to work in any sector. Studying chemistry provides you with a whole range of useful skills and knowledge that are highly valued by employers in all sectors and in lots of different jobs. Let’s examine the additional skills you might gain through studying chemistry:
Scientific and technical knowledge
Obviously you will have specialised scientific and technical knowledge and this can be used in many jobs within science such as a research assistant or nanotoxicologist, or outside of the lab such as a patent attorney combining scientific knowledge with the specialist area of law. Having a technical or science background can be extremely attractive to employers, who may then wish to train you in another skill or discipline.
Science also teaches you how and why things happen or don’t happen, and how things interacts with each other through practical experiments. Being able to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, to understand what is happening, is a really useful skill that is used in problem solving, developing logical thought processes, knowing how to pitch your ideas, time and project management as well as managing relationships and expectations. These skills are valued by lots of different employers both within and outside of science.
Communication
This is an incredibly valuable skill in just about any type of work both in and out of science. From teaching to publishing to science communication to science policy where you can be talking to members of the public, young adults, politicians or people who fund research, being able to communicate with different types of people is a vital skill in any type of work.
Your studies will have enabled you to communicate through written and spoken word when writing reports or technical papers or giving presentations (where you’ll also have learnt presentation skills when discussing your research). If you have been involved in group work, extracurricular activities, supervising the work of others, teaching or outreach then you will have learnt how to talk about and break down technical concepts into language that non-scientists can understand. Being able to clearly explain and adapt how and what you say with audiences and teams of different abilities and knowledge is an important skill in business as individuals and companies tackle increasing complex issues including sustainability managers, researchers, policy researcher, chief chemist and many more.
Working with others
Teamwork is another valuable skill gained through undertaking group project work and
collaborating with others both in-person and virtually. Science aims to solve big, complex problems and needs diverse groups of people who can quickly build productive work relationships and work together well, negotiate responsibilities or duties, persuade or influence others to see their point of view, or the value of their idea through pitching. In a team, you’ll also have had to discuss and decide what order tasks need to be completed which is prioritisation. You will also have needed to manage your own and the team’s time and resources to deliver against a deadline which is project management. By working through and completing your course, you will have started to develop management skills which could be developed further in a career. Working in a team shows lots of different skills and abilities to an employer.
You will have developed analytical thinking and problem solving skills through examining and interpreting results and making evaluations or recommendations based on limited information or data. Problem solving is an essential skill, required at some level in almost all jobs including analytical chemist, discovering new medicines and in management consultancy.
Time management and organisation are shown by planning and executing experiments, undertaking individual and team project work, and completing a project or your dissertation, or working part-time during your studies. Through your studies, you will have managed your own workload so self-management is another skill you will have developed. You will also display logical thinking, the ability to learn new concepts and terminology quickly and attention to detail through monitoring and systematically recording chemical properties, data and findings, following health and safety processes and guidelines, or arranging events.
You will have planned experiments and assignments, seen them through and made conclusions. You will have managed your time through producing work to deadlines as well as working with delays or unexpected surprises. You will also have developed datahandling skills and the ability to undertake research.
Resilience could well be another skill learned from when you had to try again and rethink a task or experiment, or received challenging feedback or faced a difficult situation.
You will have proved you are an independent thinker through conducting your own investigations and although you might not think it, you will have shown creativity and innovation in your work, as that is what chemistry is all about. Chemists have done things from founding their own skincare company to working with flavours and becoming a research innovation manager. There are so many options with the skills you gain through chemistry.
Essential in chemistry, this skill is valued by many employers for many careers including accountancy, sales and marketing, retail and IT, to name just a few.
You will have learned to understand and use computer software/models (including AI), handling, collating and analysising large amounts of data, using spreadsheets, word processing, electronic communication and maybe even coding. All these skills can be used effectively in many jobs, from management to finance and marketing, through to IT or data science.
This all goes to show that a chemistry degree doesn’t teach you just chemistry; the skills you will gain whilst studying are far broader and can provide a starting point for a whole range of careers.
Useful links
AQA A level exam spec on the VLE https://vle.lionhearttrust.org.uk/course/view.php?id=231¬ifyeditingon=1
AQA A level specification at a glance on AQA website and links to exam breakdown https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/as-and-a-level/chemistry-7404-7405/ specification-at-a-glance
Revision and resource websites
VLE dashboard https://vle.lionhearttrust.org.uk/my
Up learn
https://uplearn.co.uk
Physics and maths tutor AQA A level chemistry
https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/chemistry-revision/a-level-aqa
Maths made easy: https://mmerevise.co.uk/a-level-chemistry-revision
Chemrevise
https://chemrevise.org
Access tuition
https://www.accesstuition.com
A level chemistry https://www.a-levelchemistry.co.uk/aqa-a-level-chemistry.html
Youtube channels
Allery chemistry YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/AlleryChemistry
Eliot Rintoul YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCps4gUjfZsu6-b-7mwK41lg
Give / State
Write a concise answer, from fact recall or from information that you’ve been given in the question
Name Give the correct technical term for a chemical or a process
Identify Say what something is.
Describe Write about what something is like or how it happens.
Explain Give reasons for.
Suggest / Predict
Outline
Use your scientific knowledge to work out what the answer might be.
Give a brief description of the main characteristics of a process or an issue.
Calculate Work out a solution to a mathematical problem.
Estimate
Give an approximate answer
Determine Use the information given in the question to work something out.
Compare Give similarities and differences between two things.
Draw Produce a diagram or graph
Sketch
Draw something approximately – for example, draw a rough line graph to show a trend in some data.
Justify Give the case for or against, supported by evidence.
Equations you should LEARN
n =
n = c × V
No. of Particles = n × L
pV = nRT
% yield = × 100
atom economy = × 100
What terms mean Units
m = Mass
Mr = Relative mass n = Number of moles
c = Concentration
V = Volume
n = No. of moles L = Avagadro’s number
p = Pressure
V = Volume
n = Number of moles
= The Gas Constant (8.31)
yield
atom economy
= Relative mass
A r (from MS data) = -For MS KE problems: Absolute mass =
Rf value = Rf = Retention factor
q = Energy
q = m c ΔT
m = Mass of liquid
c = Specific heat capacity (4.18)
T = Temperature change
or mm (as long as they are the same)
J g-1 K-1
or K ΔH = ±
H = Enthalpy change
± = EXO / ENDO
q = Energy n = Number of moles reacted
S = Sproducts – S reactants
mol-1 J mol
S = Entropy
mol-1 ΔG = ΔH – TΔS ΔG = Gibbs Free Energy ΔH = Enthalpy change T = Temperature
S = Entropy change
mol-1
mol-1
K-1 mol-1
General form of a rate equation where A and B are reactants (or catalysts):
Rate = k [A]m[B]n
General form of an equilibrium constant for a reaction: aA(aq) +bB(aq) ⇌ cC(aq) + dD(aq)
KC =
p(A) = XA × pTotal
XA = nA x nTotal
General form of an equilibrium constant for a reaction: aA(g) +bB(g) ⇌ cC(g) + dD(g)
K p =
= - log [H+]
[H+] = 10-pH
Ionic product of water: KW = [H+] [OH-]
General form of an acid dissociation constant for a weak acid: HA(aq) ⇌ H+(aq) + A-(aq)
KA =
Rate = Rate of reaction
k = Rate constant
[X] = Concentration of X m or n = Order wrt reactant
K c = Equilibrium constant
[X] = Concentration of X
a/b/c/d = Coefficients from equation
p(A) = Partial pressure of A
XA = Mole fraction of A
pTotal = Total pressure of system
XA = Mole fraction of A
nA = Moles of A at equilibrium
mol dm-3 s-1 Varies mol dm-3
Varies mol dm-3 -
Varies (normally kPa) mol Varies (normally kPa)
nTotal = Total moles at equilibriummol mol
K p = Equilibrium constant
p(X) = Partial pressure of X
a/b/c/d = Coefficients from equation
Varies (same as pTotal) Varies (same as pTotal) -
dm-6 mol dm-3 mol dm-3
dm-3
[H+] [A-] [HA]
emf = E⦵ RHE – E⦵ LHE emf = electrochemical potential E⦵ RHE = Standard potential (right) E⦵ LHE = Standard potential (left) V V V
dm-3
dm-3
dm-3
Notes:
Remember ALWAYS check your units, and know how to convert depending on a given prefix:
Prefix Written as Meaning
nano__ n_ __ × 10-9 (or ÷ by 1 000 000 000)
micro___ µ __ × 10-6 (or ÷ by 1 000 000)
milli___ m_ __ × 10-3 (or ÷ by 1 000)
kilo___ k_ __ × 103 (or × by 1 000)
mega___ M_ __ × 106 (or × by 1 000 000)
giga___ G_ __ × 109 (or × by 1 000 000 000)
Common Issues:
Volume: Given most often as cm3:
÷ by 1000 (or ×10-3) = dm3 (used most often in chemistry)
÷ by 1 000 000 (or ×10-6) = m3 (used in pV = nRT calculations)
Temperature: To convert from °C to Kelvin: ____ °C + 273 = ___ K
These are all inorganic chemical reactions you will just need to know by the end of the course. * = only needed for year 13.
Halogen (X 2 ) uv light KCN (ethanol) heat acyl chloride / acid ahyhydride
Carboxylic acid, conc H 2 SO 4 or acyl chloride or acid anhydride
NaOH(aq), warm KOH (ethanol) hot HX (e.g. HBr) Alcohol conc H 2 SO 4
,
O
Cr
4 , heat or Tollen’s reagent or Fehling’s solution
The longest written question in chemistry is 6 marks. Typically there is one in every exam and they all follow the same initial mark scheme
This question is marked using levels of response. Refer to the Mark Scheme Instructions for Examiners for guidance on how to mark this question.
All stages are covered and the explanation of each stage is generally correct and virtually complete.
Level 3
5-6 Marks
Level 2
3-4 Marks
Level 1
1-2 Marks
Answer is well structured with no repetition or irrelevant points.
Accurate and clear expression of ideas with no errors in use of technical terms.
All stages are covered but the explanation of each stage may be incomplete or may contain inaccuracies OR two stages are covered and the explanations are generally correct and virtually complete.
Answer shows some attempt at structure. Ideas are expressed with reasonable clarity with, perhaps, some repetition or some irrelevant points.
Some minor errors in use of technical terms.
Two stages are covered but the explanation of each stage may be incomplete or may contain inaccuracies, OR only one stage is covered but the explanation is generally correct and virtually complete.
Answer includes isolated statements but these are not presented in a logical order or show some confusion.
Answer may contain valid points which are not clearly linked to an argument structure. Errors in the use of technical terms.
Level 0 Insufficient correct chemistry to gain a mark.
When marking it you have to decide on the level of the answer by looking at the question specific stages that will be different for each question.
