What does Unit C2 cover in CCEA Double Award Science?

Unit C2, Further Chemical Reactions, Rates and Equilibrium, Calculations and Organic Chemistry, covers the reactivity series, redox and metal extraction, electrolysis, rates of reaction and collision theory, energy changes and calorimetry, reversible reactions and the Haber process, crude oil, hydrocarbons and cracking, alcohols and addition polymers, and concentration, titration and yield calculations.

How is Unit C2 assessed in the Double Award?

C2 is one of the externally marked written units of the GCSE Science Double Award (code 1370). It is sat at either Foundation or Higher tier and uses structured short-answer questions, data and calculation questions, and longer questions. With the other five written units and the Practical Skills unit it makes up the two GCSE grades of the Double Award.

What calculations come up in Unit C2?

The main calculations are concentration in g per dm cubed and mol per dm cubed, titration calculations to find an unknown concentration, percentage yield, and interpreting rate graphs. There is also half-equation writing for electrolysis. A calculator is allowed in the written papers.

Which practicals are linked to Unit C2?

Prescribed practicals linked to C2 include investigating the factors that affect rate (such as concentration or surface area), electrolysis, calorimetry to compare fuels, the bromine water test for unsaturation, and acid-alkali titration. These feed into the Practical Skills unit.

How should I revise Unit C2?

Learn the reactivity series and how it decides extraction and displacement, master collision theory to explain every rate factor, and drill the calculations - concentration, titration and percentage yield - until they are automatic. Learn the Haber conditions and why they are a compromise, and the organic chemistry of crude oil, alcohols and polymers, then practise past papers.

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CCEA GCSE Double Award Science: C2 Further Reactions, Rates, Organic Chemistry and Calculations overview

An overview of Chemistry Unit C2 (Further Chemical Reactions, Rates and Equilibrium, Calculations and Organic Chemistry) of CCEA GCSE Double Award Science, mapping metals and redox, electrolysis, rates and energy, equilibrium, crude oil and organic chemistry, and calculations.

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What this unit covers
How it is examined
How to study it

Unit C2 of CCEA GCSE Double Award Science is the second Chemistry unit. It covers further reactions, rates and energy, organic chemistry and quantitative calculations, and is examined on the C2 written paper at Foundation or Higher tier. This page maps the topics and links to a focused answer page for each one.

What this unit covers

Reactivity series, redox and metal extraction: The reactivity series, displacement, oxidation and reduction, and how reactivity decides extraction. See Reactivity series, redox and metal extraction.
Electrolysis: Electrolysis of molten compounds and solutions, predicting the products, and half-equations. See Electrolysis.
Rates of reaction and collision theory: The factors affecting rate, measuring rate, and collision theory with activation energy. See Rates of reaction and collision theory.
Energy changes and calorimetry: Exothermic and endothermic reactions, energy level diagrams, and measuring energy by calorimetry. See Energy changes and calorimetry.
Reversible reactions and the Haber process: Dynamic equilibrium, shifting the equilibrium, and the Haber process conditions. See Reversible reactions and the Haber process.
Crude oil, hydrocarbons and cracking: Fractional distillation, alkanes and alkenes, the bromine water test, and cracking. See Crude oil, hydrocarbons and cracking.
Alcohols and addition polymers: Alcohols and the OH group, making ethanol, addition polymerisation, and plastic disposal. See Alcohols and addition polymers.
Concentration, titration and yield calculations: Concentration units, titrations, and percentage yield. See Concentration, titration and yield calculations.

How it is examined

C2 is one written unit of the Double Award, sat at the same tier as the other units. Expect structured questions on the reactivity series, electrolysis products, rate explanations using collision theory, energy diagrams, the Haber process, organic chemistry, and the calculations. A calculator is allowed.

How to study it

Learn the reactivity series first, because it explains extraction and displacement. Master collision theory to explain every rate factor, drill the concentration, titration and yield calculations, and learn the Haber conditions and the organic chemistry. Then practise CCEA past papers and finish with the module quiz.

Sources & how we know this

CCEA GCSE Science Double Award specification — CCEA (2017)