QuestionQuestionConceptConceptDocumentDocument

1 Principles of chemistry

Start with Concept to understand a topic, then use Question Bank to check what you know.

9 topics · 60 learning objectives

Your progress

Sign in to see your mastery and mistakes.

  1. (a) States of matter

    1. 1.1States of matter

      Understand the three states of matter in terms of the arrangement, movement and energy of the particles

    2. 1.2State changes

      Understand the interconversions between the three states of matter in terms of: • the names of the interconversions • how they are achieved • the changes in arrangement, movement and energy of the particles.

    3. 1.3Diffusion and dilution

      Understand how the results of experiments involving the dilution of coloured solutions and diffusion of gases can be explained

    4. 1.4Solutions terminology

      Know what is meant by the terms: • solvent • solute • solution • saturated solution.

    5. 1.5CSolubility

      Know what is meant by the term solubility in the units g per 100 g of solvent

    6. 1.6CSolubility curves

      Understand how to plot and interpret solubility curves

    7. 1.7CSolubility practical

      Practical: investigate the solubility of a solid in water at a specific temperature

  2. (b) Elements, compounds and mixtures

    1. 1.8Elements, compounds and mixtures

      Understand how to classify a substance as an element, compound or mixture

    2. 1.9Pure substances and mixtures

      Understand that a pure substance has a fixed melting and boiling point, but that a mixture may melt or boil over a range of temperatures

    3. 1.10Separation techniques

      Describe these experimental techniques for the separation of mixtures: • simple distillation • fractional distillation • filtration • crystallisation • paper chromatography.

    4. 1.11Chromatograms

      Understand how a chromatogram provides information about the composition of a mixture

    5. 1.12Rf values

      Understand how to use the calculation of Rf values to identify the components of a mixture

    6. 1.13Paper chromatography practical

      Practical: investigate paper chromatography using inks/food colourings

  3. (c) Atomic structure

    1. 1.14Atoms and molecules

      Know what is meant by the terms atom and molecule

    2. 1.15Atomic structure

      Know the structure of an atom in terms of the positions, relative masses and relative charges of sub-atomic particles

    3. 1.16Atomic number and isotopes

      Know what is meant by the terms atomic number, mass number, isotopes and relative atomic mass (Ar)

    4. 1.17Relative atomic mass

      Be able to calculate the relative atomic mass of an element (Ar) from isotopic abundances

  4. (d) The Periodic Table

    1. 1.18Periodic Table arrangement

      Understand how elements are arranged in the Periodic Table: • in order of atomic number • in groups and periods.

    2. 1.19Electronic configurations

      Understand how to deduce the electronic configurations of the first 20 elements from their positions in the Periodic Table

    3. 1.20Metals and non-metals

      Understand how to use electrical conductivity and the acid-base character of oxides to classify elements as metals or non-metals

    4. 1.21Element position and type

      Identify an element as a metal or a non-metal according to its position in the Periodic Table

    5. 1.22Group position and electron configuration

      Understand how the electronic configuration of a main group element is related to its position in the Periodic Table

    6. 1.23Group properties

      Understand why elements in the same group of the Periodic Table have similar chemical properties

    7. 1.24Noble gases

      Understand why the noble gases (Group 0) do not readily react

  5. (e) Chemical formulae, equations and calculations

    1. 1.25Chemical equations

      Write word equations and balanced chemical equations (including state symbols): • for reactions studied in this specification • for unfamiliar reactions where suitable information is provided.

    2. 1.26Relative formula mass

      Calculate relative formula masses (including relative molecular masses) (Mr) from relative atomic masses (Ar)

    3. 1.27The mole

      Know that the mole (mol) is the unit for the amount of a substance

    4. 1.28Amount of substance calculations

      Understand how to carry out calculations involving amount of substance, relative atomic mass (Ar) and relative formula mass (Mr)

    5. 1.29Reacting masses

      Calculate reacting masses using experimental data and chemical equations

    6. 1.30Percentage yield

      Calculate percentage yield

    7. 1.31Experimental formulae

      Understand how the formulae of simple compounds can be obtained experimentally, including metal oxides, water and salts containing water of crystallisation

    8. 1.32Empirical and molecular formulae

      Know what is meant by the terms empirical formula and molecular formula

    9. 1.33Formula calculations

      Calculate empirical and molecular formulae from experimental data

    10. 1.34CSolution concentration calculations

      Carry out calculations involving amount of substance, solution volume and concentration in mol/dm³.

    11. 1.35CGas volume calculations

      Carry out gas-volume calculations using a molar gas volume of 24 dm³ mol⁻¹ (24 000 cm³ mol⁻¹) at room temperature and pressure.

    12. 1.36Metal oxide formula practical

      Practical: know how to determine the formula of a metal oxide by combustion (e.g. magnesium oxide) or by reduction (e.g. copper(II) oxide)

  6. (f) Ionic bonding

    1. 1.37Ion formation

      Understand how ions are formed by electron loss or gain

    2. 1.38Common ion charges

      Know the charges of Group 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 ions and Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, H⁺, OH⁻, NH₄⁺, CO₃²⁻, NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻.

    3. 1.39Ionic compound formulae

      Write formulae for compounds formed between the ions listed above

    4. 1.40Ionic dot-and-cross diagrams

      Draw dot-and-cross diagrams to show the formation of ionic compounds by electron transfer, limited to combinations of elements from Groups 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, 7 only outer electrons need be shown

    5. 1.41Ionic bonding

      Understand ionic bonding in terms of electrostatic attractions

    6. 1.42Giant ionic lattices

      Understand why compounds with giant ionic lattices have high melting and boiling points

    7. 1.43Ionic conductivity

      Know that ionic compounds do not conduct electricity when solid, but do conduct electricity when molten and in aqueous solution

  7. (g) Covalent bonding

    1. 1.44Covalent bonds

      Know that a covalent bond is formed between atoms by the sharing of a pair of electrons

    2. 1.45Covalent electrostatic attractions

      Understand covalent bonds in terms of electrostatic attractions

    3. 1.46Covalent dot-and-cross diagrams

      Understand how to use dot-and-cross diagrams to represent covalent bonds in: • diatomic molecules, including hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, halogens and hydrogen halides • inorganic molecules including water, ammonia and carbon dioxide • organic molecules containing up to two carbon atoms, including methane, ethane, ethene and those containing halogen atoms.

    4. 1.47Simple molecular structures

      Explain why simple molecular substances are gases, liquids or low-melting solids in terms of intermolecular forces of attraction.

    5. 1.48Molecular mass and boiling point

      Explain why the melting and boiling points of substances with simple molecular structures increase, in general, with increasing relative molecular mass

    6. 1.49Giant covalent structures

      Explain why substances with giant covalent structures are solids with high melting and boiling points

    7. 1.50Diamond, graphite and fullerene

      Explain how the structures of diamond, graphite and C60 fullerene influence their physical properties, including electrical conductivity and hardness

    8. 1.51Covalent conductivity

      Know that covalent compounds do not usually conduct electricity

  8. (h) Metallic bonding

    1. 1.52CMetallic lattice diagrams

      Know how to represent a metallic lattice by a 2-D diagram

    2. 1.53CMetallic bonding

      Understand metallic bonding in terms of electrostatic attractions

    3. 1.54CMetal properties

      Explain typical physical properties of metals, including electrical conductivity and malleability

  9. (i) Electrolysis

    1. 1.55CCovalent compounds and conductivity

      Understand why covalent compounds do not conduct electricity

    2. 1.56CIonic compounds and conductivity

      Understand why ionic compounds conduct electricity only when molten or in aqueous solution

    3. 1.57CAnions and cations

      Know that anion and cation are terms used to refer to negative and positive ions respectively

    4. 1.58CElectrolysis experiments

      Describe experiments to investigate electrolysis, using inert electrodes, of molten compounds (including lead(II) bromide) and aqueous solutions (including sodium chloride, dilute sulfuric acid and copper(II) sulfate) and to predict the products

    5. 1.59CElectrolysis half-equations

      Write ionic half-equations representing the reactions at the electrodes during electrolysis and understand why these reactions are classified as oxidation or reduction

    6. 1.60CElectrolysis practical

      Practical: investigate the electrolysis of aqueous solutions