England · Pearson EdexcelSyllabus
Chemistry syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Chemistrysyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Topic 7: Energetics I
Module overview →- How do we measure and calculate the energy released or absorbed in a reaction?Enthalpy change, exothermic and endothermic reactions, standard enthalpy changes, calorimetry, Hess's law and enthalpy cycles, and mean bond enthalpy calculations.11 min answer →
- Where does a reversible reaction settle, and how can we shift it?Dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier's principle, the effects of concentration, pressure, temperature and catalysts on the position of equilibrium, and the meaning of the equilibrium constant Kc.11 min answer →
- Why do molecular substances have the physical properties they do?London (dispersion) forces, permanent dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonding, how they arise, and how they explain boiling points, solubility and the anomalous properties of water.10 min answer →
- What controls how fast a chemical reaction goes?Collision theory, activation energy, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, and the effects of temperature, concentration, surface area and catalysts on the rate of reaction.10 min answer →
- How do alcohols and haloalkanes react, and how do we begin to identify organic compounds?The reactions of alcohols (oxidation, dehydration, ester formation) and haloalkanes (nucleophilic substitution and elimination), and an introduction to mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy.11 min answer →
Topic 19: Modern Analytical Techniques - NMR and Chromatography
Module overview →- How do spectroscopy and chromatography let us determine the structure of an unknown compound?Proton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy, chemical shift and splitting, combining spectroscopic data to determine structures, and chromatography (TLC, gas and HPLC) for separation and analysis.10 min answer →
- How do benzene, carbonyl compounds and carboxylic acids react?The structure and electrophilic substitution reactions of benzene, the reactions of aldehydes and ketones, and the reactions of carboxylic acids and their derivatives.10 min answer →
- How do nitrogen-containing compounds react, and how are polymers built and broken down?The preparation and reactions of amines, amino acids and proteins, and the formation and properties of addition and condensation polymers including their disposal.9 min answer →
- How do we plan multi-step syntheses and account for the handedness of molecules?Optical isomerism and chirality, the synthesis of organic compounds through multi-step routes, choosing reagents and conditions, and the importance of single enantiomers in the pharmaceutical industry.9 min answer →
Topic 17: Acid-Base Equilibria
Module overview →- How do we measure and control the acidity of a solution?The Bronsted-Lowry theory, the pH scale, strong and weak acids, Ka and Kw, titration curves, indicator choice and the action of buffer solutions.10 min answer →
- How do we calculate equilibrium constants and use them quantitatively?The equilibrium constants Kc and Kp, calculating them from equilibrium amounts and partial pressures, mole fractions, and the effect of changing conditions on their values.9 min answer →
- How do we turn observations about rate into a mathematical rate equation?Rate equations and orders of reaction, the rate constant, finding orders from initial-rate and concentration-time data, the rate-determining step, and the Arrhenius equation.10 min answer →
- How can we predict and quantify the direction of electron transfer?Standard electrode potentials, the standard hydrogen electrode, electrochemical cells and cell EMF, using electrode potentials to predict feasibility, and redox titrations.9 min answer →
- Why do some reactions happen spontaneously while others do not?Born-Haber cycles and lattice energy, enthalpies of solution, hydration and atomisation, entropy, and Gibbs free energy as the criterion for feasibility.10 min answer →
- What gives the d-block elements their characteristic chemistry?The properties of transition metals, variable oxidation states, complex ions and ligands, the origin of colour, catalysis, and ligand substitution reactions.10 min answer →
Topic 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
Module overview →- How does the arrangement of sub-atomic particles and electrons explain the structure of the periodic table?Sub-atomic particles, isotopes and mass spectrometry, electronic configuration in sub-shells, ionisation energies and the evidence they provide for shell and sub-shell structure.9 min answer →
- How do the types of bonding and structure explain the physical properties of substances?Ionic, covalent (including dative) and metallic bonding, electronegativity and bond polarity, the shapes of simple molecules and ions, and the four types of crystal structure.9 min answer →
- How do we count and measure the particles taking part in chemical reactions?The mole and the Avogadro constant, empirical and molecular formulae, balanced equations, the ideal gas equation, concentration and titration calculations, percentage yield and atom economy.9 min answer →
- What trends and patterns appear as we move across periods and down groups of the periodic table?Periodicity in ionisation energy and physical properties, the reactions and trends of Group 2 (the alkaline earth metals) and Group 7 (the halogens), and the chemical tests that identify them.9 min answer →
- How do we name, classify and predict the reactions of the simplest hydrocarbons?Nomenclature and isomerism, the reactions of alkanes (combustion and free-radical substitution), and the reactions of alkenes (electrophilic addition and addition polymerisation) including Markownikoff's rule.9 min answer →
- How do we track and balance the transfer of electrons in chemical reactions?Oxidation numbers, oxidation and reduction as electron transfer, oxidising and reducing agents, ionic half-equations and the construction of balanced redox equations including disproportionation.8 min answer →