The world is made up of a variety of substances. Some of these occur naturally in our environment, others are made through the combination of naturally occurring substances to form new materials. The study of chemistry can lead us to a better understanding of our material world and the processes by which materials can change and be changed.
Substances can be classified in three principal categories:
- solids, liquids or gases
- elements (metals and non-metals), compounds and mixtures
- acidic, neutral or basic.
| Main Topic | Sub-topics |
| 2A1 Materials | states of matter characteristics of solids liquids and gases |
| 2A2 Mixtures | separating substances using filtration, evaporation, distillation and paper chromatography |
| 2A3 Classification of substances, elements and compounds | classification and properties of elements compounds and mixtures the Periodic Table classification of elements into metals and non-metals |
| 2A4 Metals | examples of metallic elements and their symbols: copper, zinc, aluminium, iron, silver and gold properties of metals alloys |
| 2A5 Non-metals | examples of non-metallic elements and their symbols: carbon, oxygen, sulfur, hydrogen and nitrogen |
| 2A6 Mixtures and compounds | difference between a mixture and a compound |
| 2A7 Water and solutions | water as a solvent the effect of temperature on solubility formation of crystals |
| 2A8 Acids and bases | classifying substances as acidic, basic or neutral the pH scale the pH of a variety of common substances |
SECTION 2A: CLASSIFICATION OF SUBSTANCES
On completion of this section, students should be able to
| OC1 | name three states of matter and know their characteristics |
| OC2 | separate mixtures using a variety oftechniques: filtration, evaporation,distillation and paper chromatography |
| OC3 | understand what an element is and recall that all known elements are listed in the Periodic Table; understand what a compound is and what a mixture is; recall that when elements combine to form compounds they may lose their individual properties |
| OC4 | examine a variety of substances and classify these as - elements or compounds (using the Periodic Table as a reference)
- metals or non-metals
|
| OC5 | list the physical properties (state and colour only) of two examples of metallic and two examples of non-metallic elements |
| OC6 | recall that metals conduct electricity and heat |
| OC7 | identify everyday applications of metals, for example in industry, in the making of jewellery |
| OC8 | recall the symbols of the metallic elements Cu, Zn, Al, Fe, Ag, and Au |
| OC9 | recall the symbols of the non-metallic elements C, O, S, H and N |
| OC10 | understand that metals are shiny (lustrous), can be beaten into shape (malleable) and can be stretched (ductile) |
| OC11 | understand that solder, steel, brass and bronze are alloys, and state one use of each alloy |
| OC12 | compare the properties of the simple compounds H2O, CO2, MgO and FeS to those of the constituent elements |
| OC13 | compare mixtures and compounds made from the same constituents, and understand that an alloy is a mixture |
| OC14 | use cobalt chloride paper or anhydrous copper sulfate to test for water |
| OC15 | investigate the solubility of a variety of substances in water and the effect of temperature on solubility |
| OC16 | examine the difference between a dilute, concentrated and saturated solution |
| OC17 | grow crystals using alum or copper sulfate |
| OC18 | use litmus or a universal indicator to test a variety of solutions, and classify these as acidic, basic or neutral |
| OC19 | investigate the pH of a variety of materialsusing the pH scale |
| OC20 | give examples of everyday acids and bases. |
Air, oxygen and carbon dioxide are important chemicals in our everyday lives. Knowledge of their properties helps us to develop an understanding of the role they play. Acids and bases are present in many everyday materials, including common household substances, and salts are produced when acids and bases react.
| Main Topic | Sub-topics |
| 2B1 Air and oxygen | air as a mixture of gases preparation and properties of oxygen products of combustion of carbon and magnesium |
| 2B2 Carbon dioxide | preparation and properties of carbon dioxide density of CO2(qualitative only) acidity of a solution of CO2 in water |
| 2B3 Hardness of water Water treatment | dissolved solids in water hardness in water types of water treatment |
| 2B4 Electrolysis of water | decomposition of water by electrolysis |
| 2B5 Acids and bases | names of the common strong acids and bases reactions of acids and bases production of a sample of salt |
SECTION 2B: AIR, OXYGEN, CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATER
On completion of this section, students should be able to
| OC21 | understand that air is a mixture of gases, and state the composition of air (approximately 78% N2 and 21% O2, with CO2, water vapour and other gases making up the balance) |
| OC22 | show that approximately one fifth of theair is oxygen; show that there is CO2andwater vapour in air |
| OC23 | demonstrate and describe what happens when (i) a wooden splint and (ii) a piece of magnesium are burned in air |
| OC24 | prepare a sample of oxygen bydecomposing H2O2using MnO2as acatalyst (word equation and chemicalequation) |
| OC25 | investigate the ability of oxygen to support combustion in a wooden splint and a candle, and state two uses of oxygen |
| OC26 | burn carbon and magnesium in oxygen, and test the products using moist litmus paper |
| OC27 | prepare carbon dioxide (word equation andchemical equation), and show that it doesnot support combustion |
| OC28 | carry out simple tests on carbon dioxide involving its reaction with limewater (word equation and chemical equation), and with moist litmus paper |
| OC29 | investigate the density of carbon dioxide relative to air (qualitative only), and state two uses of carbon dioxide |
| OC30 | conduct a qualitative experiment to detectthe presence of dissolved solids in watersamples, and test water for hardness (soaptest) |
| OC31 | understand that some dissolved compounds, including compounds of calcium, cause hardness in water, and that water hardness can be removed using an ion-exchanger |
| OC32 | carry out a simple distillation, and obtain a sample of water from sea-water |
| OC33 | describe the processes involved in the treatment of water supplied to domestic consumers |
| OC34 | investigate the de-composition of water by electrolysis; recall the composition of water |
| OC35 | state the names and formulae of common strong acids and bases: H2SO4, HCl, NaOH, Ca(OH)2, and understand that alkalis are soluble bases |
| OC36 | show the neutralisation of an acid with a base using an indicator |
| OC37 | understand that, when an acid reacts with a base, a salt and water are formed
i. HCl + NaOH NaCl + H2O (word equation O.L.)
ii. 2HCl + CaCO3 CaCl2 + CO2+ H2O (word equation O.L.) |
| OC38 | titrate HCl against NaOH, and prepare asample of NaCl |
All substances contain atoms. All atoms contain sub-atomic particles and different atoms contain different numbers of these particles. The principal sub-atomic particles are protons, neutrons and electrons. Why and how substances react are related to their atomic structure.
| Main Topic | Sub-topics |
| 2C1 Basic atomic structure | structure of the atom location, relative charge, and relative atomic mass of the sub-atomic particles atomic number |
| 2C2 Bonding | molecules as groups of atoms Bohr model of atom stability associated with noble gas electronic configuration as a guide for simple bonding simple understanding of ionic and covalent bonding examples of covalent compounds (methane and water) examples of ionic compounds (NaCl and MgO) properties of ionic and covalent substances |
| 2C3 Rusting and corrosion | rusting as a chemical process conditions necessary for rusting prevention of rusting |
| 2C4 Metals | properties of Group I metals reaction of Group I metals with air and water (word equation only) relative reactivities of Ca, Mg, Zn and Cu alkaline earth metals |
| 2C5 Hydrocarbons, acid rain | products of combustion of fossil fuels cause and effects of acid rain the effect of acid rain on limestone and on plants crude oil products as raw materials for plastics non-biodegradable plastics and their contribution to pollution |
SECTION 2C: ATOMIC STRUCTURE, REACTIONS AND COMPOUNDS
On completion of this section, students should be able to
| OC39 | describe the structure of the atom, state the location, relative charge, and atomic mass of the sub-atomic particles, and define atomic number and isotope |
| OC40 | draw the Bohr structure of the first 20 elements |
| OC41 | understand how atoms of elements combine to form compounds |
| OC42 | recall that ionic bonding is an attraction between positive and negative ions; describe the bonding in NaCl and MgO as examples |
| OC43 | state what a molecule is, understand that covalent bonds involve the sharing of pairs of electrons, and describe the bonding in H2, O2, H2O, CH4 as examples of covalent bonding |
| OC44 | investigate the ability of ionic and covalent substances to conduct electricity |
| OC45 | understand that rusting is a chemical process that changes iron into a new substance |
| OC46 | carry out an experiment to demonstratethat oxygen and water are necessary forrusting |
| OC47 | list three examples of methods of rust prevention: paint, oil, galvanising |
| OC48 | describe the general properties of the alkali metals and understand that alkali metals are in Group I of the Periodic Table and have similar properties |
| OC49 | describe the reactions of the alkali metals with air and water (word equations for reaction with water) |
| OC50 | understand that Group II elements are the alkaline earth metals |
| OC51 | investigate the reaction between zinc andHCl, and test for hydrogen (word equationand chemical equation) |
| OC52 | investigate the relative reactivities of Ca, Mg, Zn, and Cu based on their reactions with water and acid (equations not required) |
| OC53 | recall that fossil fuels are sources of hydrocarbons, and that they produce CO2 and H2O when burned |
| OC54 | list two examples of fossil fuels |
| OC55 | describe the role of the combustion of fuels and of SO2 in the production of acid rain, and describe the effects of acid rain |
| OC56 | describe the effect of acid rain on limestone and on plants |
| OC57 | understand that natural gas is mainly methane |
| OC58 | identify everyday applications of plastics, and understand that crude oil products are the raw material for their production |
| OC59 | relate the properties of plastics to their use |
| OC60 | describe and discuss the impact of nonbiodegradable plastics on the environment |
| OC61 | understand that chemistry has an important role in pharmacy, medicine and the food industry. |