Have you ever considered how important chemistry is to your life? Have you ever marvelled at the countless chemical reactions taking place around you all the time? Whatever your answers are to these questions, Chemistry is indisputably a vital science that everyone should know something about.

Chemistry deals with the study of matter. As such, Chemistry is a science that directly affects our daily life because we live in a chemical world. We are surrounded by chemicals; we eat, drink and breathe chemicals; we are literally made of chemicals! An understanding of Chemistry is basic to maintaining our standard of living.

Our lives are transformed by discoveries made in Chemistry; polymers such as Teflon and nylon, pharmaceuticals such as penicillin and aspirin, insecticides, ceramics, computer chips, sunscreens, adhesives and transport fuels, to name but a few.

A qualification in Chemistry is essential for anyone intending to study medicine, dentistry, pharmacy or veterinary science and other medical courses, and desirable for many other Higher Education courses.

Examination: 75%

Pupils will complete three 45 minute papers of short structures questions. The first two papers are the same papers completed by students on the Science and Additional Science Course. The first paper will be taken in June 2008 and the other two in June 2009.

Centre-Assessed Unit: 25% As for Science and Additional Science, students will probably complete several ISAs and PSAs and must submit one of them for the Chemistry qualification.

Unit One

• How do rocks provide building materials?
• How do rocks provide metals, and how are metals used?
• How do we get fuels from crude oil?
• How are polymers and ethanol made from oil?
• How can plant oils be used?
• What are the changes in the Earth and its atmosphere?

Unit two

• How do sub-atomic particles help us to understand the structure of substances?
• How do structures influence the properties and uses of substances?
• How much can we make and how much do we need to use?
• How can we control the rates of chemical reactions?
• Do chemical reactions always release energy?
• How can we use ions in solutions?

Unit three

• How was the periodic table developed, and how can it help us understand the reactions of elements?
• What are weak and strong acids and alkalis?
• How can we find the amounts of acids and alkalis in solution?
• What is in the water we drink?
• How much energy is involved in chemical reactions?
• How do we identify and analyse substances?