Chemistry

Course summary

From the moment you are born, and throughout your life, you are surrounded by chemistry – the air you breathe, the food you eat and the clothes you wear – they’re all chemistry. Chemistry is the study of substances: what they are made of, how they interact with each other and the role they play in living things. Whether you want to care for penguin colonies in Antarctica or work in a dynamic business environment, Chemistry can help you achieve your goals. Chemistry is an experimental science that combines academic study with the acquisition of practical and investigational skills. It is often called the central science, as chemical principles underpin both the physical environment in which we live and all biological systems. A diverse range of activities will be carried out in lessons: practical procedures to learn new laboratory skills, the discussion of theoretical concepts and calculations to quantify our observations. You will have the opportunity to participate in a range of enrichment opportunities, including the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and Chemistry Olympiad, enabling you to develop your understanding beyond the examined material. In school, there are also clubs to get involved in, such as Science Club. The study of Chemistry through the IB enables you to make links between the theory and practical skills you are developing with applications in the wider world. The course exemplifies how scientific methodology helps us understand the Theory of Knowledge in addition to developing a greater understanding of the Nature of Science. The IB course starts with a revision of the key skills developed at GCSE. Calculations are developed to include more challenging examples and theoretical models are extended to include more detailed ideas about atomic structure and bonding. Through practical work, you will learn about the uncertainties in measurement and gain an appreciation of how confident we can be of experimental results. The foundations of organic chemistry laid at GCSE will be extended by examining functional groups, and our understanding of their chemical behaviour, through the examination of reaction mechanisms. Analytical techniques are used to identify unknown organic compounds. While the skills and activities of IB Chemistry are common to students at both SL and HL, students at HL are required to study some topics in greater depth through the additional higher-level (AHL) material. The distinction between SL and HL is one of breadth and depth.