England · WJEC EduqasSyllabus
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.
C1: The Language of Chemistry and Structure of Matter (C1.2 Basic ideas about atoms)
Module overview →- What is inside an atom, and how do mass spectra and electron arrangements explain chemical behaviour?Subatomic particles and isotopes, relative atomic mass from mass spectra, the principles of time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and electron configuration in shells, sub-shells and orbitals including ionisation energy evidence.11 min answer →
- What holds atoms together, and how does the type of bonding explain a substance's shape and properties?Ionic, covalent, dative and metallic bonding, electronegativity and bond polarity, the shapes of simple molecules and ions from electron-pair repulsion, and the intermolecular forces.11 min answer →
- How does the mole let us count particles and predict the masses, gas volumes and concentrations in a reaction?The Avogadro constant and the mole, molar mass, the ideal gas equation, empirical and molecular formulae, concentration and titration calculations, percentage yield and atom economy.12 min answer →
- How do we write the formulae of compounds and balance the equations that describe their reactions?Writing formulae from ionic charges and oxidation states, constructing balanced chemical and ionic equations with state symbols, and using the language of chemistry consistently.10 min answer →
- How does the way particles are arranged in a solid explain its melting point, hardness and conductivity?The four types of crystalline solid (ionic, simple molecular, giant covalent and metallic), their structures, and how structure and bonding explain physical properties.10 min answer →
- How do the properties of the elements repeat across the periodic table, and why?Periodicity of atomic radius, ionisation energy and melting temperature across Periods 2 and 3, the s, p and d blocks, and the trends explained by electronic structure and nuclear charge.10 min answer →
C2: Chemical Change (C2.3 Rates of reaction)
Module overview →- What controls how fast a reaction goes, and how do we explain the effect of each factor?Collision theory, the effect of concentration, pressure, surface area, temperature and catalysts on rate, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, activation energy and how catalysts work.11 min answer →
- What does it mean for a reaction to reach equilibrium, and how do acids and bases react?Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier's principle, the Bronsted-Lowry theory of acids and bases, strong and weak acids, and the reactions of acids.11 min answer →
- How is the chemistry of reactions used to make industrial processes greener and more sustainable?Green chemistry and sustainability, atom economy and percentage yield as measures of efficiency, the use of catalysts and renewable feedstocks, and reducing the environmental impact of chemical processes.10 min answer →
- How do we measure and calculate the energy changes that accompany chemical reactions?Enthalpy changes, exothermic and endothermic reactions, standard enthalpy changes of reaction, formation and combustion, calorimetry, Hess's law and mean bond enthalpies.12 min answer →
C3: Chemistry of Carbon Compounds (C3.4 Alcohols and carboxylic acids)
Module overview →- How are alcohols made and oxidised, and how do carboxylic acids and esters form?Classification of alcohols, oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, dehydration and esterification, the acidity and reactions of carboxylic acids, and ester formation and hydrolysis.12 min answer →
- How do halogenoalkanes react, and what mechanisms explain substitution and elimination?Nucleophilic substitution of halogenoalkanes, the mechanisms and the effect of the C-X bond, elimination to form alkenes, the relative rates of hydrolysis, and the environmental impact of halogenoalkanes.11 min answer →
- How do alkanes and alkenes react, and what mechanisms explain those reactions?Alkanes from crude oil, combustion and free-radical substitution, alkenes and their electrophilic addition reactions, Markownikoff's rule, and addition polymerisation.12 min answer →
- How do mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy help us identify organic molecules?Mass spectrometry of organic compounds (molecular ion and fragmentation), infrared spectroscopy and characteristic absorptions, and using spectra to deduce structures and monitor functional groups.10 min answer →
- How do chemists name, classify and represent organic molecules, and what is isomerism?Functional groups and homologous series, IUPAC nomenclature, empirical, molecular, structural, displayed and skeletal formulae, general formulae, and structural and stereoisomerism.11 min answer →
Inorganic Chemistry (PI2.2 Chemistry of the d-block transition metals)
Module overview →- What makes the transition metals distinctive, and how do their complexes and colours arise?The characteristic properties of transition metals, variable oxidation states, complex-ion formation and shapes, coloured ions and the d-d transition, ligand substitution, and catalysis.12 min answer →
- How do the properties of Group 3 to Group 7 elements vary, and what are the trends of the halogens?Periodic trends in the p-block, the chemistry of Group 7 (the halogens) including their reactions as oxidising agents, the reactions of halide ions, and qualitative tests for anions.11 min answer →
- How are redox titrations carried out and used to determine the amount of a substance?Redox titrations with manganate(VII) and thiosulfate-iodine, constructing redox equations from half-equations, disproportionation, and using titration data to calculate amounts and concentrations.11 min answer →
Organic Chemistry and Analysis (OA2.1 Alcohols and phenols)
Module overview →- How does phenol differ from an aliphatic alcohol, and why is it more acidic and more reactive in the ring?The properties and reactions of phenol, its weak acidity compared with alcohols, the activation of the aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution, and tests to distinguish phenol from an alcohol.11 min answer →
- How do the carbonyl compounds react, and how can we distinguish an aldehyde from a ketone?The carbonyl group, nucleophilic addition reactions (with HCN and with reducing agents), oxidation of aldehydes, and the tests that distinguish aldehydes from ketones.11 min answer →
- How are amines made, why are they basic, and how does aromatic amine basicity differ from aliphatic?The preparation of amines, their basicity and the comparison of aliphatic, aromatic and ammonia basicity, their reactions as bases and nucleophiles, and the formation of amides and salts.11 min answer →
- How do amino acids behave as both acids and bases, and how do they join to form proteins?The structure of amino acids, their amphoteric behaviour and zwitterions, the effect of pH and the isoelectric point, peptide bond formation and hydrolysis, and protein structure.11 min answer →
- Why is benzene so stable, and how does it react by electrophilic substitution?The structure and bonding of benzene, evidence for the delocalised model, the stability of the aromatic ring, and electrophilic substitution reactions such as nitration and halogenation.11 min answer →
- How do carboxylic acids and their derivatives interconvert, and what makes acyl chlorides so reactive?The acidity and reactions of carboxylic acids, the derivatives (esters, acyl chlorides, acid anhydrides and amides), their interconversion, esterification and hydrolysis, and the reactivity of acyl chlorides.12 min answer →
- How do chemists plan multi-step syntheses and use chromatography and NMR to identify products?Multi-step synthesis and reaction pathways, chromatography (TLC and gas chromatography), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy including chemical shift, splitting and integration.12 min answer →
- How can two molecules with the same structural formula differ in their arrangement in space?E/Z (geometric) isomerism from restricted rotation about a C=C bond, optical isomerism from a chiral centre, the meaning of enantiomers and optical activity, and the priority rules for naming.11 min answer →
Physical Chemistry (PI5.2 Acid-base equilibria)
Module overview →- How do we calculate the pH of strong and weak acids, and how do buffers resist changes in pH?The pH scale, Ka and pKa for weak acids, the ionic product of water Kw, calculating the pH of strong and weak acids and bases, buffer solutions and titration curves with indicators.13 min answer →
- How do rate equations, orders of reaction and the rate-determining step reveal a reaction mechanism?Rate equations and orders of reaction, the rate constant, determining orders from concentration-time and rate-concentration data, the rate-determining step, and the Arrhenius relationship with activation energy.12 min answer →
- How do Born-Haber cycles and enthalpies of solution let us quantify the energetics of ionic compounds?Lattice enthalpy, Born-Haber cycles, the enthalpy changes of formation, atomisation, ionisation, electron affinity and lattice formation, and enthalpies of solution and hydration.12 min answer →
- Why do some endothermic reactions happen spontaneously, and how does entropy decide feasibility?Entropy and its changes, the total entropy change, Gibbs free energy, the condition for feasibility, and the effect of temperature on the feasibility of a reaction.12 min answer →
- How do we quantify the position of an equilibrium with Kc and Kp, and what changes their value?The equilibrium constants Kc and Kp, writing their expressions, calculating their values and units, and the effect of temperature, concentration, pressure and catalysts on the constant and the position of equilibrium.12 min answer →
- How do we measure the tendency of a species to be reduced, and predict whether a redox reaction will occur?Oxidation states and half-equations, the standard hydrogen electrode, standard electrode potentials, electrochemical cells and their EMF, and using electrode potentials to predict feasibility.12 min answer →