FIRST TERM

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

1 Atoms, Molecules and

Stoichiometry

1.1 Fundamental particles

of an atom

8

2

Candidates should be able to:

(a) describe the properties of protons, neutrons

and electrons in terms of their relative charges

and relative masses;

(b) predict the behaviour of beams of protons,

neutrons and electrons in both electric and

magnetic fields;

(c) describe the distribution of mass and charges

within an atom;

(d) determine the number of protons, neutrons and

electrons present in both neutral and charged

species of a given proton number and nucleon

number;

(e) describe the contribution of protons and

neutrons to atomic nuclei in terms of proton

number and nucleon number;

(f) distinguish isotopes based on the number of

neutrons present, and state examples of both

stable and unstable isotopes.

1.2 Relative atomic,

isotopic, molecular and

formula masses

3 Candidates should be able to:

(a) define the terms relative atomic mass, Ar,

relative isotopic mass, relative molecular

mass, Mr, and relative formula mass based

on 12

C;

(b) interpret mass spectra in terms of relative

abundance of isotopes and molecular

fragments;

(c) calculate relative atomic mass of an element

from the relative abundance of its isotopes or

its mass spectrum.

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

1.3 The mole and the

Avogadro constant

3 Candidates should be able to:

(a) define mole in terms of the Avogadro constant;

(b) calculate the number of moles of reactants,

volumes of gases, volumes of solutions and

concentrations of solutions;

(c) deduce stoichiometric relationships from the

calculations above.

2 Electronic Structure of

Atoms

2.1 Electronic energy

levels of atomic

hydrogen

8

2

Candidates should be able to:

(a) explain the formation of the emission line

spectrum of atomic hydrogen in the Lyman

and Balmer series using Bohr‟s Atomic Model.

2.2 Atomic orbitals:

s, p and d

2 Candidates should be able to:

(a) deduce the number and relative energies of the

s, p and d orbitals for the principal quantum

numbers 1, 2 and 3, including the 4s orbitals;

(b) describe the shape of the s and p orbitals.

2.3 Electronic

configuration

2 Candidates should be able to:

(a) predict the electronic configuration of atoms

and ions given the proton number (and

charge);

(b) define and apply Aufbau principle, Hund‟s

rule and Pauli exclusion principle.

2.4 Classification of

elements into s, p, d

and f blocks in the

Periodic Table

2 Candidates should be able to:

(a) identify the position of the elements in the

Periodic Table as

(i) block s, with valence shell

configurations s1 and s

2,

(ii) block p, with valence shell

configurations from s2p

1 to s

2p

6,

(iii) block d, with valence shell

configurations from d1s

2 to d

10s

2;

(b) identify the position of elements in block f of

the Periodic Table.

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

3 Chemical Bonding

3.1 Ionic bonding

20

1

Candidates should be able to:

(a) describe ionic (electrovalent) bonding as

exemplified by NaCl and MgCl2.

3.2 Covalent bonding

15 Candidates should be able to:

(a) draw the Lewis structure of covalent molecules

(octet rule as exemplified by NH3, CCl4, H2O,

CO2, N2O4 and exception to the octet rule as

exemplified by BF3, NO, NO2, PCl5, SF6);

(b) draw the Lewis structure of ions as

exemplified by SO42

, CO32

, NO3 and CN ;

(c) explain the concept of overlapping and

hybridisation of the s and p orbitals as

exemplified by BeCl2, BF3, CH4, N2, HCN,

NH3 and H2O molecules;

(d) predict and explain the shapes of and bond

angles in molecules and ions using the

principle of valence shell electron pair

repulsion, e.g. linear, trigonal planar,

tetrahedral, trigonal bipyramid, octahedral,

V-shaped, T-shaped, seesaw and pyramidal;

(e) explain the existence of polar and non-polar

bonds (including C C1, C N, C O, C Mg)

resulting in polar or/and non-polar molecules;

(f) relate bond lengths and bond strengths with

respect to single, double and triple bonds;

(g) explain the inertness of nitrogen molecule in

terms of its strong triple bond and non-

polarity;

(h) describe typical properties associated with

ionic and covalent bonding in terms of bond

strength, melting point and electrical

conductivity;

(i) explain the existence of covalent character in

ionic compounds such as A12O3, A1I3 and LiI;

(j) explain the existence of coordinate (dative

covalent) bonding as exemplified by H3O+,

NH4+, A12C16 and [Fe(CN)6]

3.

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

3.3 Metallic bonding

1

Candidates should be able to:

(a) explain metallic bonding in terms of electron

sea model.

3.4 Intermolecular

forces: van der

Waals forces and

hydrogen bonding

3 Candidates should be able to:

(a) describe hydrogen bonding and van der Waals

forces (permanent, temporary and induced

dipole);

(b) deduce the effect of van der Waals forces

between molecules on the physical properties

of substances;

(c) deduce the effect of hydrogen bonding

(intermolecular and intramolecular) on the

physical properties of substances.

4 States of Matter

4.1 Gases

14

6

Candidates should be able to:

(a) explain the pressure and behaviour of ideal gas

using the kinetic theory;

(b) explain qualitatively, in terms of molecular

size and intermolecular forces, the conditions

necessary for a gas approaching the ideal

behaviour;

(c) define Boyle‟s law, Charles‟ law and

Avogadro‟s law;

(d) apply the pV nRT equation in calculations,

including the determination of the relative

molecular mass, Mr;

(e) define Dalton‟s law, and use it to calculate the

partial pressure of a gas and its composition;

(f) explain the limitation of ideality at very high

pressures and very low temperatures.

4.2 Liquids 2 Candidates should be able to:

(a) describe the kinetic concept of the liquid state;

(b) describe the melting of solid to liquid,

vaporisation and vapour pressure using simple

kinetic theory;

(c) define the boiling point and freezing point of

liquids.

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

4.3 Solids 2 Candidates should be able to:

(a) describe qualitatively the lattice structure of a

crystalline solid which is:

(i) ionic, as in sodium chloride,

(ii) simple molecular, as in iodine,

(iii) giant molecular, as in graphite, diamond

and silicon(IV) oxide,

(iv) metallic, as in copper;

(b) describe the allotropes of carbon (graphite,

diamond and fullerenes), and their uses.

4.4 Phase diagrams 4

Candidates should be able to:

(a) sketch the phase diagram for water and carbon

dioxide, and explain the anomalous behaviour

of water;

(b) explain phase diagrams as graphical plots of

experimentally determined results;

(c) interpret phase diagrams as curves describing

the conditions of equilibrium between phases

and as regions representing single phases;

(d) predict how a phase may change with changes

in temperature and pressure;

(e) discuss vaporisation, boiling, sublimation,

freezing, melting, triple and critical points of

H2O and CO2;

(f) explain qualitatively the effect of a non-

volatile solute on the vapour pressure of a

solvent, and hence, on its melting point and

boiling point (colligative properties);

(g) state the uses of dry ice.

5. Reaction Kinetics

5.1 Rate of reaction

14

2

Candidates should be able to:

(a) define rate of reaction, rate equation, order of

reaction, rate constant, half-life of a first-order

reaction, rate determining step, activation

energy and catalyst;

(b) explain qualitatively, in terms of collision

theory, the effects of concentration and

temperature on the rate of a reaction.

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

5.2 Rate law

4 Candidates should be able to:

(a) calculate the rate constant from initial rates;

(b) predict an initial rate from rate equations and

experimental data;

(c) use titrimetric method to study the rate of a

given reaction.

5.3 The effect of

temperature on

reaction kinetics

1 Candidates should be able to:

(a) explain the relationship between the rate

constants with the activation energy and

temperature using Arrhenius equation

(b) use the Boltzmann distribution curve to

explain the distribution of molecular energy.

5.4 The role of catalysts in

reactions

2 Candidates should be able to:

(a) explain the effect of catalysts on the rate of a

reaction;

(b) explain how a reaction, in the presence of a

catalyst, follows an alternative path with a

lower activation energy;

(c) explain the role of atmospheric oxides of

nitrogen as catalysts in the oxidation of

atmospheric sulphur dioxide;

(d) explain the role of vanadium(V) oxide as a

catalyst in the Contact process;

(e) describe enzymes as biological catalysts.

5.5 Order of reactions and

rate constants

5 Candidates should be able to:

(a) deduce the order of a reaction (zero-, first- and

second-) and the rate constant by the initial

rates method and graphical methods;

(b) verify that a suggested reaction mechanism is

consistent with the observed kinetics;

(c) use the half-life (t½) of a first-order reaction in

calculations.

k = ;

aE

RTAe

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

6 Equilibria

6.1 Chemical equilibria

32

10

Candidates should be able to:

(a) describe a reversible reaction and dynamic

equilibrium in terms of forward and backward

reactions;

(b) state mass action law from stoichiometric

equation;

(c) deduce expressions for equilibrium constants

in terms of concentrations, Kc, and partial

pressures, Kp, for homogeneous and

heterogeneous systems;

(d) calculate the values of the equilibrium

constants in terms of concentrations or partial

pressures from given data;

(e) calculate the quantities present at equilibrium

from given data;

(f) apply the concept of dynamic chemical

equilibrium to explain how the concentration

of stratospheric ozone is affected by the

photodissociation of NO2, O2 and O3 to form

reactive oxygen radicals;

(g) state the Le Chatelier‟s principle and use it to

discuss the effect of catalysts, changes in

concentration, pressure or temperature on a

system at equilibrium in the following

examples:

(i) the synthesis of hydrogen iodide,

(ii) the dissociation of dinitrogen tetroxide,

(iii) the hydrolysis of simple esters,

(iv) the Contact process,

(v) the Haber process,

(vi) the Ostwald process;

(h) explain the effect of temperature on

equilibrium constant from the equation

ln K CRT

HΔ.

6.2 Ionic equilibria

10 Candidates should be able to:

(a) use Arrhenius, BrØnsted-Lowry and Lewis

theories to explain acids and bases;

(b) identify conjugate acids and bases;

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

(c) explain qualitatively the different properties of

strong and weak electrolytes;

(d) explain and calculate the terms pH, pOH, Ka,

pKa, Kb, pKb, Kw and pKw from given data;

(e) explain changes in pH during acid-base

titrations;

(f) explain the choice of suitable indicators for

acid-base titrations;

(g) define buffer solutions;

(h) calculate the pH of buffer solutions from given

data;

(i) explain the use of buffer solutions and their

importance in biological systems such as the

role of H2CO3 / HCO3 in controlling pH in

blood.

6.3 Solubility equilibria

5 Candidates should be able to:

(a) define solubility product, Ksp;

(b) calculate Ksp from given concentrations and

vice versa;

(c) describe the common ion effect, including

buffer solutions;

(d) predict the possibility of precipitation from

solutions of known concentrations;

(e) apply the concept of solubility equilibria to

describe industrial procedure for water

softening.

6.4 Phase equilibria 7

Candidates should be able to:

(a) state and apply Raoult‟s law for two miscible

liquids;

(b) interpret the boiling point-composition curves

for mixtures of two miscible liquids in terms

of „ideal‟ behaviour or positive or negative

deviations from Raoult‟s law;

(c) explain the principles involved in fractional

distillation of ideal and non ideal liquid

mixtures;

Topic Teaching

Period Learning Outcome

(d) explain the term azeotropic mixture;

(e) explain the limitations on the separation of two

components forming an azeotropic mixture;

(f) explain qualitatively the advantages and

disadvantages of fractional distillation under

reduced pressure.