Chemistry
Chemistry will provide you with an appreciation and understanding of the nature and and importance of our physical and organic world, how all the elements interact to make all the materials around is.
Qualification Information
Entry Requirements: Grade 6/6 in Science and 6 in Chemistry GCSE
Length of Course: 2 Years
Assessment: 100% Exams: 3 externally assessed exams
Components: Paper 1 (35%) Relevant physical chemistry topics (sections 3.1.1 to
3.1.4, 3.1.6 to 3.1.8 and 3.1.10 to 3.1.12), Inorganic chemistry (section 3.2).
Paper 2 (35%) Relevant physical chemistry topics (sections 3.1.2 to 3.1.6 and 3.1.9), Organic chemistry (section 3.3).
Paper 3 (30%) Any content and any practical skills.
Qualification: AQA A Level Chemistry
3.1 Physical chemistry 3.1.1 Atomic structure 3.1.2 Amount of substance 3.1.3 Bonding 3.1.4 Energetics 3.1.5 Kinetics 3.1.6 Chemical equilibria and Le Chatelier's principle 3.1.7 Oxidation, reduction and redox equations 3.1.8 Thermodynamics 3.1.9 Rate equations 3.1.10 Equilibrium constant Kc for homogeneous systems 3.1.11 Electrode potentials and electrochemical cells 3.1.12 Acids and bases 3.2 Inorganic chemistry 3.2.1 Periodicity 3.2.2 Group 2, the alkaline earth metals 3.2.3 Group 7(17), the halogens 3.2.4 Properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides 3.2.5 Transition metals 3.2.6 Reactions of ions in aqueous solution 3.3 Organic chemistry 3.3.1 Introduction to organic chemistry 3.3.2 Alkanes 3.3.3 Halogenoalkanes 3.3.4 Alkenes 3.3.5 Alcohols 3.3.6 Organic analysis 3.3.7 Optical isomerism 3.3.8 Aldehydes and ketones 3.3.9 Carboxylic acids and derivatives 3.3.10 Aromatic chemistry 3.3.11 Amines 3.3.12 Polymers 3.3.13 Amino acids, proteins and DNA 3.3.14 Organic synthesis 3.3.15 Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy 3.3.16 Chromatography
A-level Chemistry attempts to answer the big question ‘what is the world made of’ and it’s the search for this answer that makes this subject so fascinating. From investigating how one substance can be changed drastically into another, to researching a new wonder drug to save millions of lives, the opportunities that chemistry provides are endless.
Studying an A-level Chemistry related degree at university gives you all sorts of exciting career options, including: • Analytical chemist • Chemical engineer • Clinical biochemist • Pharmacologist • Doctor • Research scientist (physical sciences) • Toxicologist • Chartered certified accountant • Environmental consultant • Higher education lecturer • Patent attorney • Science writer • Secondary school teacher.
- Do I need Chemistry to be a doctor?
No it's not compulsory but 97% of medical students do have the A-level so it's highly recommended. - Is it hard?
The topics build on what you studied at GCSE and increase in complexity gradually over the 2 years. By the end of the course yes, you will understand topics you would think are very hard now but you will be amazed at how clever you can be. - Why do I need Maths?
Mathematics is a quantitative language that allows scientists to describe relationships and phenomena objectively. All areas of science make use of maths including Chemistry and you need to be comfortable with numbers to access the course.