Chemistry — Year 13

The content within this module assumes knowledge and understanding of the chemical concepts developed in Module 2: Foundations in chemistry and Module 3: Periodic table and energy.

This module extends the study of energy, reaction rates and equilibria, and the periodic table.

The main areas of physical chemistry studied include:

• rate equations, orders of reaction, the rate determining step

• equilibrium constants, Kc and Kp

• acid–base equilibria including pH, Ka and buffersolutions

• lattice enthalpy and Born–Haber cycles

• entropy and free energy

• electrochemical cells.

The main areas of inorganic chemistry studied include:

• redox chemistry

• transition elements.

The content within this module assumes knowledge and understanding of the chemical concepts developed in Module 2: Foundations in chemistry and Module 4: Core organic chemistry.

This module introduces several new functional groups and emphasises the importance of organic synthesis. Study also adds NMR spectroscopy to the instrumentation techniques used in organic and forensic analysis.

The main areas of organic chemistry studied include:

• aromatic compounds

• carboxylic acids and esters

• organic nitrogen compounds: amines and amino acids

• polymerisation: addition polymers and condensation polymers

• synthetic organic chemistry and further development of practical skills

• the importance of modern analytical techniques in organic analysis.