Chemistry October News letter

This month students will learn about Particles, atomic structure, chemical bonding and the Periodic Table

The unit covers many essential fundamental topics, which will be revisited and used in later units (and in Cambridge IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (Physics). The unit begins by looking at the particle model of matter and leads onto the structure of the atom. This is then extended to include ions, leading onto ionic bonding (to link up with Group 1). The basic ideas of shared electrons pairs in covalent bonds are then covered. The layout of the Periodic Table can be introduced (opportunity for learners, in groups, to research trends within groups or across periods) and the chemistry and properties of the Group 1 metals. This unit is cross-referenced to assessment objectives A1–5, B1–6, C1–4.

These are the main topics we will cover for IGCSE combined science

• ·        Atoms, elements and compounds mixtures
• ·        Demonstrate understanding of the concepts of element, compound and mixture
• ·        Energy changes in chemical reactions
• ·        Demonstrate understanding that exothermic and endothermic changes relate to the        transformation of chemical energy to heat (thermal energy), and vice versa
• ·        Define proton number and nucleon number
•   Describe the build-up of electrons in ‘shells’ and understand the significance of the noble gas electronic structures and of valence electrons