3.1.1 Atomic Structure
Fundamental particles - you should be able to...
Appreciate that the model of the atom has developed over time
State the relative mass and charge of protons, neutrons and electrons
Describe the structure of the atom, referring to the location of fundamental particles
Mass spectrometry - you should be able to...
Define the terms atomic (proton) number, Z, and relative atomic mass (mass number), A
Define the term isotope
Describe the main steps in a TOF mass spectrometer
Interpret and draw mass spectra
Use isotopic abundance to calculate relative atomic mass
Electron configuration - you should be able to...
Recognise that electrons are found in orbitals which are found in sub-shells which are found in
energy levels
Write the electron configuration for elements up to Z = 36
Write the electron configuration for given ions
Explain why chromium and copper are exceptions
Ionisation energy - you should be able to...
Define the term ionisation energy
Write half-equations to show the ionisation of elements
Explain the trend in ionisation energy across period 3 and down group 2
Explain the trend in successive ionisation energies
Use ionisation energies to make predictions
3.1.2 Amount of Substance
Moles, Mass & Mr/Ar - you should be able to...
Understand the concept of the mole and Avogadro’s number
Calculate moles and mass from given data
Empirical Formulae - you should be able to...
Define the term empirical formula
Calculate the empirical formula for a compound from given data
Convert the empirical formula to a molecular formula using a given Mr
Concentration and Volume - you should be able to...
Calculate concentration (in mol dm-3 and g dm-3) from given data
Calculate number of moles from given data
Calculate volumes from given data
Calculate concentrations from given data and equations
Describe how to carry out an accurate titration
The Ideal Gas Equation - you should be able to...
State the ideal gas equation, including the units for all constituent parts of the equation
Convert to required units i.e. to K, to Pa and to m3
Calculate unknown quantities e.g. n, from given data
Other calculations - you should be able to...
Calculate % atom economy from given data
Recognise that a high atom economy is beneficial in industry
Calculate reacting masses from equations
Calculate % yield from given data
Suggest why % yield may be less than 100 %
3.1.3 Bonding
Ionic Bonding - you should be able to...
Describe the process of ion formation and how an ionic bond is formed
Describe the structure and bonding in ionic crystals (to include sodium chloride)
Explain the properties of ionic crystals
Write the formulae of ionic compounds
Covalent Bonding - you should be able to...
Define the term covalent bond
Describe the structure and bonding in both types of covalent crystal (to include graphite,
diamond and iodine)
Explain the properties of macromolecular (giant covalent) and molecular covalent crystals
Explain how dative covalent (coordinate) bonding arises
Metallic Bonding - you should be able to...
Describe the structure and bonding in metallic crystals (to include magnesium)
Explain the properties of metallic crystals
Bonding summary - you should be able to...
Compare the three types of bonding and the properties of the crystals they form
Explain the energy changes associated with changing state
Shapes of Molecules - you should be able to...
Describe how 3D molecules are drawn
Recognise what is meant by the term charge cloud
State the meaning of the terms bonding pair and lone pair
Draw the shapes of molecules with up to 6 pairs of electrons surrounding the central atom
Deduce the shapes of given molecules
Intermolecular Forces on next page.
Intermolecular Forces - you should be able to...
Describe the terms electronegativity and polarity
Describe permanent dipole-dipole forces and how they affect the properties of a substance
Describe hydrogen bonding and how it affects the properties of a substance
Describe Van der Waals forces and how they affect the properties of a substance
Compare the 3 types of intermolecular force
3.1.4 Energetics
Enthalpy - you should be able to...
Define the term enthalpy
Explain the terms exothermic and endothermic in terms of enthalpy change
Define the term mean bond enthalpy
Calculate enthalpy changes for reactions from given bond enthalpy data
Calorimetry - you should be able to...
State the formula Q = mcΔT including units for all constituent parts
Describe how enthalpy changes can be measured
Describe why enthalpy changes calculated from experimental data may differ from data book
values
Calculate enthalpy changes from given data
Hess’ Law - you should be able to...
Define Hess’ Law
Define the terms standard enthalpy of formation and standard enthalpy of combustion
Calculate enthalpy changes for reactions using given values of enthalpy of formation
Calculate enthalpy changes for reactions using given values of enthalpy of combustion
3.1.5 Kinetics
Kinetics - you should be able to...
Describe collision theory
Explain what factors affect the rate of a reaction
Describe a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve
Describe how changing the temperature of a reaction changes the Maxwell-Boltzmann
distribution curve
Describe how adding a catalyst to a reaction changes the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution
curve
Describe how changing the concentration of reactants in a reaction changes the MaxwellBoltzmann distribution curve
3.1.6 Chemical Equilibria
Equilibria - you should be able to...
Recognise that many chemical reactions are reversible
Define the term dynamic equilibrium
State what happens to concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium
State what happens to the rate of the forward and backward reactions at equilibrium
Le Chatelier’s Principle - you should be able to...
Describe and explain qualitatively the effect of changing temperature, pressure and
concentration on the position of equilibrium
Explain why compromise temperatures and pressures are used in industry
Kc - you should be able to...
Construct an expression for Kc for a given system in equilibrium
Calculate reagent concentrations and values for Kc from given data
Predict the qualitative effects of changes in temperature on the value of Kc
3.1.7 Redox
Oxidation numbers - you should be able to...
Define the terms oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons
Define the terms oxidising agent and reducing agent
Describe what makes a substance a good oxidising or reducing agent
State the oxidation numbers for elements when uncombined and in a range of compounds
(specifically group I, group II and group VII, aluminium, hydrogen and oxygen)
Calculate the oxidation number of an element in a given compound
Equations - you should be able to...
Write half-equations to show oxidation and reduction
Combine half-equations to form full redox equations
Identify half-equations in given full redox equations
3.1.8 Thermodynamics
Enthalpies - you should be able to...
Recall Hess’ Law
Define the following enthalpies: formation, atomisation, ionisation, electron affinity, lattice
formation, hydration, solution, mean bond
Calculate enthalpy changes using Born-Haber cycles
Recognise the what differences in experimental and theoretical values of lattice enthalpy
mean and what the perfect ionic model has to do with this
Calculate the enthalpy change for a reaction from given bond dissociation enthalpies
Entropy - you should be able to...
Define the term entropy
Recognise what causes a change in entropy
State what happens to entropy when reactions occur
Calculate entropy changes for given reactions
Use ΔG = ΔH – TΔS to determine the feasibility of reactions
3.1.9 Rate Equations
Kinetics - you should be able to...
Recall the term reaction rate
State and describe the general rate equation
Understand how the term order is applied to the rate equation and the rate of a reaction
Construct a rate equation from given data
Calculate the rate constant from given data and equations
Describe how the initial rate of a reaction can be used to determine a rate equation
Define the term “rate-determining step”
Work out the RDS, rate equation and steps of a reaction from given information
Describe how to work out the order of a reaction from graphs
Arrhenius equation - you should be able to...
State the Arrhenius equation and describe the individual components
Describe how different activation energies affect the value of k
Describe how changing the temperature affects the value of k
Calculate required components in the Arrhenius equation
Draw an Arrhenius plot and use it to calculate unknown values
3.1.10 The Equilibrium Constant, Kp
Kp - you should be able to...
Understand what is meant by the term partial pressure of a gas
Calculate the partial pressure of gases from given data
Calculate the mole fraction of a gas from given data
Use mole fractions to calculate the partial pressure of a gas
Write expressions for Kp
Calculate Kp from given data
Describe how changing conditions affects the value of Kp
3.1.11 Electrode Potentials
Redox Reactions - you should be able to...
State what is meant by reduction and oxidation (inc. oxidising and reducing agents)
Work out the oxidation number of an element in a given compound
Write and combine half-equations
Electrode Potentials - you should be able to...
Recognise that oxidation and reduction can produce a voltage
Describe how the standard hydrogen electrode can be used to measure electrode potential
(inc. conditions)
Represent cells using conventional representation
Calculate the EMF of a cell using given electrode potentials
Electrochemical Series - you should be able to...
Recognise what an electrochemical series is
Describe how electrode potentials relate to reactivity of metals and non-metals
State which species in an electrochemical series are the best oxidising and reducing agents
Predict whether reactions will occur using data from an electrochemical series
Electrochemical Cells - you should be able to...
Recognise that electrochemical cells are used as sources of electrical energy
Explain why some cells can be recharged whereas others can’t (inc. equations)
Describe a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell and evaluate its use
3.1.12 Acids & Bases
Acids, Bases & pH - you should be able to...
Define acids and bases in terms of protons
Calculate pH using [H+] and vice versa
Define kw
Calculate the pH of water
Calculate pH using [OH-]
Weak Acids - you should be able to...
Write expressions for the acid dissociation constant, Ka
Calculate pH of weak acids
Understand the relation of Ka to pKa
Adding Strong Acids to Alkalis - you should be able to...
Calculate the pH of the solutions formed when strong acids and alkalis are mixed
Buffers - you should be able to...
Explain qualitatively how acidic and basic buffers work
State uses of buffers
Calculate the pH of acidic buffer solutions
Calculate the pH of buffers after acid or base has been added
Titrations & pH Curves - you should be able to...
Describe the typical shape of pH curves for acid–base titrations in all combinations of weak
and strong monoprotic acids and bases
Use pH curves to select an appropriate indicator
Understand how the half-neutralisation point can be used to calculate the pH