What does the Organic and industrial chemistry module cover?

This module gathers the organic and industrial content of Chemistry 2 in WJEC GCSE Science Double Award. It covers crude oil as a mixture of hydrocarbons and fractional distillation, alkanes and alkenes with the bromine-water test, combustion and cracking, polymers, reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium, and the Haber process for making ammonia with its conditions as a compromise.

Which unit and paper assess this module?

These topics are part of Unit 5 (Chemistry 2), a written paper of 1 hour 15 minutes worth 15 percent of the Double Award qualification, sat at Foundation or Higher tier. Questions mix recall, the bromine-water test and explanation, including evaluating the Haber conditions.

What skills are needed here?

You need to describe fractional distillation and the trend in fraction properties, carry out and interpret the bromine-water test, explain cracking and combustion, describe a dynamic equilibrium, and explain why the Haber process conditions are chosen as a compromise between yield, rate and cost.

What kinds of question come up?

Expect questions on fractional distillation and the fraction trends, the difference between alkanes and alkenes and the bromine-water test, why cracking is done and what it produces, polymers and their environmental impact, reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium, and the Haber process conditions.

How should I revise this module?

Learn fractional distillation and the property trends, and the alkane/alkene difference with the bromine-water test. Understand cracking, combustion and polymers. Learn what a dynamic equilibrium is, and the Haber process with the reasons for its conditions. Use WJEC Double Award past papers and watch the command words.

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WJEC GCSE Science Double Award: Organic and industrial chemistry (Unit 5, Chemistry 2) overview

An overview of the Organic and industrial chemistry module in WJEC GCSE Science Double Award (Unit 5, Chemistry 2), mapping crude oil and fractional distillation, alkanes, alkenes and cracking, reversible reactions and equilibrium, and the Haber process.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.86 min readDouble Award Unit 5 (Chemistry 2)Updated 2026-06-15

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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The topics in this module
How this module fits the exam
How to study this module

The Organic and industrial chemistry module gathers the organic and industrial content of Chemistry 2 in WJEC GCSE Science Double Award. It covers where fuels and plastics come from, and two important reaction ideas: reversible reactions and the Haber process. This page maps the module and links to a focused answer page for each part.

The topics in this module

Crude oil and fractional distillation: Crude oil as a mixture, fractional distillation, and the fractions. See Crude oil and fractional distillation.
Alkanes, alkenes and cracking: Alkanes and alkenes, the bromine-water test, combustion, cracking and polymers. See Alkanes, alkenes and cracking.
Reversible reactions and equilibrium: Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium. See Reversible reactions and equilibrium.
The Haber process and industry: Making ammonia and why the conditions are a compromise. See The Haber process and industry.

How this module fits the exam

These topics sit in Unit 5 (Chemistry 2), a written paper of 1 hour 15 minutes worth 15%. Questions mix recall (distillation, alkanes/alkenes), the bromine-water test and explanation (equilibrium, the Haber conditions).

How to study this module

Learn fractional distillation. The method and the trend in fraction properties.
Know alkanes and alkenes. The bromine-water test, combustion, cracking and polymers.
Understand reversible reactions. Dynamic equilibrium in a closed system.
Master the Haber process. The raw materials, conditions and why they are a compromise.
Link to the environment. Crude oil is finite; plastics cause pollution.

Then test yourself with the module quiz.

Sources & how we know this

WJEC GCSE Science (Double Award) specification (from 2016) — WJEC (2016)