CHEMISTRY

Have you ever wondered…

What is in a medicine?

What new fuels do we need to develop? 

Why do onions make you cry?

How is chemistry linked to art? 

Can you turn lead into gold?

Study A Level Chemistry B (Salters) to find out the answers.

A Level Chemistry B will give you an exciting insight into the contemporary world of chemistry. It covers a range of different contexts, conveying the excitement of contemporary chemistry. This combination of academic challenge, relevant context and practical focus makes the prospect of studying A level Chemistry B highly appealing. You will learn about chemistry in a range of different contexts and the impact it has on industry and many aspects of everyday life. You will learn to investigate and solve problems in a range of contexts. 

Key features

• Simple straightforward assessment through examinations.
•  Based on key contexts relevant to chemistry.
•  Opportunities to build practical skills through a range of experiments and investigations.

Chemistry B (Salters) takes students on a journey through ten storylines, while introducing chemical concepts in a spiral approach. These storylines engage students through learning in a contemporary context and range from concerns about the ozone layer to the development of new medicines. Development of the practical skills (the first section) underpins the whole of the specification, and covers the practical skills that students should gradually develop with the hands-on work throughout the course. 

A-Level Chemistry is a 2 year course which consists of 3 core units of study and internally assessed practical write-ups. The units of study form the basis of 3 examinations worth 100% of the final grade. 

• Topic 1 – Physical Chemistry – The understanding of atoms, their ability to bond and factors affecting Chemical reactions.
• Topic 2 – Inorganic Chemistry – The understanding of the periodic table and elements.
• Topic 3 – Organic Chemistry – Organic chemistry is the study of the millions of covalent compounds of the element carbon.

A-level grades will be based only on marks from written exams, however a separate endorsement of practical skills will be taken alongside the A-level. This will be assessed by teachers and will be based on direct observation of students’ competency in a range of skills that are not assessable in written exams.

There are four components that students must complete: 

• Fundamentals of chemistry (01) – 2 hour 15 minute paper 
• Scientific literacy in chemistry (02) – 2 hour 15 minute paper 
• Practical skills in chemistry (03) – 1 hour 30 minute paper 
• Practical endorsement in chemistry (04) – a non-exam assessment