A Level Chemistry
What Study Chemistry?
A Level Chemistry attempts to answer the big question “what is the world made of?” and it is 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.
At the heart of Chemistry, like all sciences, are practical activities. Throughout the course pupils will carry out practical activities including: measuring energy changes in chemical reactions, tests for identifying different types of compound, different methods for measuring rates of reaction, studying electrochemical cells, preparation of organic solids and liquids and many more.
What are the Career Opportunities?
Possible degree options taken by pupils who have an A-level in Chemistry are:
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Pre-clinical medicine
- Mathematics
- Pharmacology.
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.
Course Outline
| First year of A level | Second year of A level |
| Physical Chemistry | Physical Chemistry |
| Including atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria and Le Chatelier’s principle. | Including thermodynamics, rate equations, the equilibrium constant Kp, electrode potentials and electrochemical cells. |
| Inorganic Chemistry | Inorganic Chemistry |
| Including periodicity, Group 2 the alkaline earth metals, Group 7(17) the halogens. | Including properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides, transition metals, reactions of ions in aqueous solution. |
| Organic Chemistry | Organic Chemistry |
| Including introduction to organic chemistry, alkanes, halogenoalkanes, alkenes, alcohols, organic analysis. | Including optical isomerism, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives, aromatic chemistry, amines, polymers, amino acids, proteins and DNA, organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy, chromatography. |
