CHEMISTRY

Head of Department: Emilia Hicks emiliahicks@leightonpark.com

Exam Board: OCR

Will the course suit me?

Some of you will need to study Chemistry in order to fulfil entrance requirements for your chosen university courses. Otherwise, if you like practical work, have a curiosity about the world around you or just enjoy Chemistry, then this course is worth considering.

Benefits of the course

This course will not only develop your practical and manipulative skills, but also encourages imaginative and critical thinking. It combines well not only with Physics, Biology, Maths and Geography, but with subjects such as History or English.

Students will be advised of relevant external events that will support their studies and visits may be arranged on appropriate occasions.

Outside the classroom

• Visits to Reading University

• Day study courses

• Chemistry Olympiad

Future opportunities

Chemistry is an obvious choice for those of you wanting to study Medicine or Veterinary courses. Other possible careers, courses or areas of interest include Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Material Engineering, Environmental Research, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Solid State electronics, Nanotechnology, Polymers, Drug design and Genetic research.

A Chemistry degree is good training for a variety of careers, not just in science and engineering. The skills learnt at university are highly transferable and Chemistry graduates often make successful accountants, lawyers, politicians and business entrepreneurs

Module 1 Development of Practical Skills

Module 2 Foundations in Chemistry

Module 3 Periodic table and Energy

Module 4 Core Organic Chemistry

Module 5 Physical Chemistry and transition elements

Module 6 Organic Chemistry and analysis

This module underpins the whole of the specification, and covers the practical skills that students should develop throughout the course

Atoms, compounds, molecules and equations; amount of substance; acid–base and redox reactions; electrons, bonding and structure

The Periodic Table and periodicity; group 2 and the halogens; qualitative analysis; enthalpy changes; reaction rates and equilibrium

Basic concepts; hydrocarbons; alcohols and haloalkanes; organic synthesis; analytical techniques (IR, MS)

Reaction rates and equilibrium; pH and buffers; enthalpy, entropy and free energy; redox and electrode potentials; transition elements

Aromatic compounds; carbonyl compounds; carboxylic acids and esters; nitrogen compounds; polymers; organic synthesis; chromatography and spectroscopy (NMR)

How is this qualification assessed?