Chemistry

Course summary

Chemistry underlies many aspects of life today. An A Level chemist will be able to understand the principles behind many evolving processes, such as the manufacture of new medicinal drugs and the development of battery-powered vehicles. The theories and principles that make up the course will be illustrated, wherever possible, in contexts relevant to real life. A Level Chemistry is divided into four main areas: Physical, Organic, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry. Physical Chemistry defines the underlying principles of much of Chemistry and involves the study of atomic structure, bonding, kinetics and thermodynamics. Inorganic Chemistry examines trends in parts of the periodic table, such as group two and period three and involves a detailed study of the transition metals. Organic Chemistry is all about the chemistry of families of compounds containing carbon. Analytical Chemistry involves the study of methods used for both quantitative and qualitative analysis of elements and compounds and has plenty of problem-solving opportunities. Many of the unanswered questions in GCSE Chemistry will now be tackled – like what ‘pH’ actually stands for and why some reactions happen spontaneously at room temperature whereas others do not. The mystery of electron shells and their connection with the shape of the periodic table will be solved once and for all.