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CHEMISTRY

IGCSE CHEMISTRY

The IGCSE Chemistry is a two year course in which students learn most of the theoretical part in the first year. Students first learn the particulate nature of matter, kinetic theory of matter, rate of diffusion, experimental techniques, measurement of mass, volume and time, methods of purification and separation and the criteria of purity. Further on, students learn atoms, elements and compounds, atomic structure and the periodic table, ionic and covalent bonding, metallic bonding and related properties, molecular solids and their properties, macromolecular solids. In the second phase of the first year, Students learn chemical reactions, exothermic and endothermic reactions, energy from chemical reactions and the speed of chemical reactions. After that, they learn reversible reactions, effect of temperature, pressure and catalysts on reversible reactions and the concept of equilibrium in reversible reactions. They also learn oxidation and reduction reactions, use of silver salts in photography and color change in redox reactions. Finally, they learn Air and water, the composition of pure air, domestic and industrial uses of water and water purification methods.

The second year of IGCSE Chemistry starts out with the knowledge about metals and their properties, reactivity series from chemical reactions, alloys and their everyday uses. They also learn methods of extraction of industrially important metals, the extraction of aluminum, iron, copper and zinc.  In the second quarter, the students learn the properties of acids, bases and salts, neutralization reactions, methods of salt preparation, types of oxides, stoichiometry, relative atomic and molecular masses. Students also learn the mole and Avogadro number, calculations of reacting masses, calculations of volumes and gases, and concentrations of solutions.  In the second semester, students learn the non-metals and their compounds, properties and production of Ammonia by Haber process. The students also learn properties and production of Sulfuric Acid by Contact Process. Students learn organic chemistry, nomenclature of organic compounds and the homologous series. Finally, students learn organic compounds such as alkynes, alkenes, alcohols, organic acids, esters, synthetic and natural macromolecules and pollution problems caused by non-biodegradable plastics. They spend the rest of the quarter revising for the real exam.

IB Standard/Higher Level CHEMISTRY

The IB SL/HL Chemistry course is a 2 year course which is broken down into 8 quarters. In the first quarter, students learn Stoichiometry, the mole concepts and avagadro’s constant, formulae, chemical equations, mass relationships in chemical equations and solutions. Students then learn the atomic theory, nuclear atom and electron arrangement. They also learn Periodicity which includes periodic table, physical and chemical properties. Students also learn bonding, ionic, covalent, intromolecular forces, metallic bond and physics properties and the states of matter. In the second quarter, students learn energetics, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and calculations of enthalpy changes, Hess’s law and bond enthalpies. The students then learn Kinetics, rates of reaction and collision theory. They also learn equilibrium, dynamic equilibrium, the position of equilibrium, oxidation and reduction, electrolysis of a molten salt, reactivity, properties of acids and bases, strong and weak acids and the pH scale.  In the third quarter, the students learn organic chemistry, homologous series, hydrocarbons and other functional groups. Then they learn higher organic chemistry which includes, multiple bonds, shapes of molecules and ions, determination of structure, hydrocarbons, halogenoalkanes, alkanols, alkanals, alkanones and alkanoic acids. In the fourth quarter, students learn higher physical chemistry which includes entropy, spontaneity of a reaction, rate expression, reaction mechanism, calculations involving acids and bases, buffer solutions and acid-base titration.

In the fifth quarter, the students learn organic chemistry, determination of structure, hydrocarbons, halogenoalkanes, alkanols, alkanals, alkanones and alkanoic acids. Then they learn energetics, standard enthalpy changes of reaction, lattice enthalpy, entropy and spontaneity of a reaction. In the sixth quarter, students learn Kinetics, atomic theory, acids, bases, oxidation and reduction. In the seventh quarter, students learn periodicity, bonding, states of matter, equilibrium, option: environmental chemistry, smog, ozone depletion and toxic substances in water. They also learn another option: chemical industries, chlor-alkali industry, silicon, Ellingham diagrams and mechanisms in the organic chemicals industry. The detailed contents of this program are subject to revision by the IB Organization

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