Each topic page follows the 9701 syllabus in order: what the syllabus asks you to do, the explanations, worked examples and interactive models, then misconceptions, a self-test, definitions and a summary.
- Topic 23
Chemical energetics
Enthalpy change of atomisation, lattice energy, electron affinity and its trends, Born-Haber cycles, enthalpies of solution and hydration, entropy and its sign, standard entropy calculations, the…
- Topic 24
Electrochemistry
Predicting electrolysis products, F = Le, Q = It, masses and volumes liberated, the Avogadro constant by electrolysis, standard electrode potentials, the standard hydrogen electrode, cell potentials,…
- Topic 25
Equilibria
Conjugate acid-base pairs, pH, Kw, Ka and pKa, pH of strong acids, strong alkalis and weak acids, buffer solutions and their pH, the HCO3- buffer in blood, solubility product and the common ion effect, and…
- Topic 26
Reaction kinetics
Rate equations, orders of reaction and rate constants, initial rates and graphs, first-order half-life and k = 0.693/t½, mechanisms and the rate-determining step, the effect of temperature on k, and…
- Topic 27
Group 2
The trend in thermal stability of the nitrates and carbonates explained by cation radius and polarisation of the large anion, and the solubility and enthalpy change of solution of the hydroxides and sulfates…
- Topic 28
Chemistry of transition elements
Definition, 3d orbital shapes, variable oxidation states, catalysis and complex formation; ligands, coordination number, geometry and ligand exchange of copper(II) and cobalt(II)…
- Topic 29
An introduction to A Level organic chemistry
The new functional groups and their formulas, systematic names for aliphatic and aromatic compounds, electrophilic substitution and addition-elimination, the shape of…
- Topic 30
Hydrocarbons (A Level)
Arenes - halogenation, nitration and Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation of benzene and methylbenzene, side-chain oxidation, hydrogenation, the electrophilic substitution mechanism and why substitution…
- Topic 31
Halogen compounds (A Level)
Making halogenoarenes from benzene and methylbenzene with a halogen carrier, and the difference in reactivity between chloroethane and chlorobenzene, with the relative ease of hydrolysis of acyl,…
- Topic 32
Hydroxy compounds (A Level)
Esters from alcohols and acyl chlorides, making phenol from phenylamine, the acidity of phenol compared with water and ethanol, and the reactions of phenol with bases, sodium, bromine, nitric acid…
- Topic 33
Carboxylic acids and derivatives (A Level)
And derivatives - making benzoic acid and acyl chlorides, the oxidation of methanoic and ethanedioic acids, the relative acidities of carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols and chlorine-substituted acids,…
- Topic 34
Nitrogen compounds (A Level)
Making amines and explaining their basicity, phenylamine, diazonium salts and azo dyes, the hydrolysis, reduction and neutrality of amides, and amino acids, zwitterions, peptides and…
- Topic 35
Polymerisation (A Level)
Polyesters and polyamides, repeat units and monomers, predicting addition or condensation polymerisation, and why polyalkenes persist while polyesters and polyamides biodegrade, with embedded…
- Topic 36
Organic synthesis (A Level)
Identifying functional groups and predicting the reactions of molecules with several groups, aliphatic and aromatic reaction maps, planning multi-step routes, and analysing routes for reaction types…
- Topic 37
Analytical techniques (A Level)
Thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography, carbon-13 NMR and proton NMR spectroscopy, with live models and examination practice.