A-level Chemistry, topic by topic
One page per spec section: the topic distilled to a screen, the marks examiners report students losing, exam-style drills with mark schemes, and the interactive tools that train it. 16 of 33 live — the rest are on the way.
Physical chemistry
Papers 1 & 2 — the calculation and theory topics.
Atomic structure
Mass spectrometry, TOF, electron configuration and ionisation energies.
Amount of substance
Moles, the ideal-gas equation, empirical formulae and titrations.
Bonding
Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, shapes and intermolecular forces.
Energetics
Enthalpy changes, calorimetry, Hess's law and mean bond enthalpies.
Kinetics
Collision theory, Maxwell–Boltzmann, catalysts and reaction rate.
Chemical equilibria & Kc
Le Chatelier, the equilibrium constant Kc and its calculations.
Oxidation, reduction & redox
Oxidation states, half-equations and balancing redox reactions.
Thermodynamics
Born–Haber cycles, lattice enthalpy, entropy and free energy.
Rate equations
Orders of reaction, the rate-determining step and the Arrhenius equation.
Equilibrium constant Kp
Partial pressures, Kp and what does (and doesn't) change it.
Electrode potentials & cells
Electrochemical cells, EMF, fuel cells and feasibility.
Acids and bases
pH, Ka, buffers and titration curves for strong and weak acids.
Inorganic chemistry
Paper 1 — periodicity, the groups and transition metals.
Periodicity
Trends across Period 3 — atomic radius, ionisation energy, melting point.
Group 2, the alkaline earth metals
Reactions with water, solubility trends and their uses.
Group 7, the halogens
Trends in oxidising/reducing power and halide-ion tests.
Properties of Period 3 elements & oxides
Reactions with water, oxide acid–base behaviour and bonding.
Transition metals
Complexes, colour, catalysis, variable oxidation states and shapes.
Reactions of ions in aqueous solution
Aqua ions, acidity, hydroxide precipitates and ligand substitution.
Organic chemistry
Paper 2 — mechanisms, functional groups and synthesis.
Alkanes
Fractional distillation, combustion, pollutants and radical substitution.
Halogenoalkanes
Nucleophilic substitution, elimination and the ozone story.
Alkenes
Electrophilic addition, carbocation stability and addition polymers.
Alcohols
Oxidation, dehydration, esterification and the required practicals.
Organic analysis
Functional-group tests, infrared and the exam-accepted observations.
Optical isomerism
Chiral centres, enantiomers, racemic mixtures and optical activity.
Aldehydes and ketones
Nucleophilic addition, reduction, the HCN mechanism and carbonyl tests.
Carboxylic acids & derivatives
Esters, acyl chlorides, acid anhydrides and their reactions.
Aromatic chemistry
Benzene bonding, electrophilic substitution — nitration and acylation.
Amines
Base strength, preparation from nitriles/nitro compounds, nucleophiles.
Polymers
Addition and condensation polymers, repeat units and biodegradability.
Amino acids, proteins & DNA
Zwitterions, peptide bonds, protein structure and enzyme action.
Organic synthesis
Planning multi-step routes and choosing reagents and conditions.
NMR spectroscopy
Carbon and proton environments, chemical shift, splitting and integration.
Chromatography
TLC, column and gas chromatography and calculating Rf values.
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