2 Inorganic chemistry
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(a) Group 1 (alkali metals) – lithium, sodium and potassium
2.1Group 1 reactions with water
Understand how the similarities in the reactions of these elements with water provide evidence for their recognition as a family of elements
2.2Group 1 reactivity trend
Understand how the differences between the reactions of these elements with air and water provide evidence for the trend in reactivity in Group 1
2.3Predicting alkali metal properties
Use knowledge of trends in Group 1 to predict the properties of other alkali metals
2.4CGroup 1 electronic configurations
Explain the trend in reactivity in Group 1 in terms of electronic configurations
(b) Group 7 (halogens) – chlorine, bromine and iodine
2.5Halogen colours and states
Know the colours, physical states (at room temperature) and trends in physical properties of these elements
2.6Predicting halogen properties
Use knowledge of trends in Group 7 to predict the properties of other halogens
2.7Halogen displacement reactions
Understand how displacement reactions involving halogens and halides provide evidence for the trend in reactivity in Group 7
2.8CGroup 7 electronic configurations
Explain the trend in reactivity in Group 7 in terms of electronic configurations
(c) Gases in the atmosphere
2.9Gas composition of air
Know the approximate percentages by volume of the four most abundant gases in dry air
2.10Testing oxygen percentage
Understand how to determine the percentage by volume of oxygen in air using experiments involving the reactions of metals (e.g. iron) and non-metals (e.g. phosphorus) with air
2.11Combustion products
Describe the combustion of elements in oxygen, including magnesium, hydrogen and sulfur
2.12Hydrocarbon combustion practical
Describe the formation of carbon dioxide from the thermal decomposition of metal carbonates, including copper(II) carbonate
2.13Carbon dioxide increase
Know that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and that increasing amounts in the atmosphere may contribute to climate change
2.14Oxygen percentage practical
Practical: determine the approximate percentage by volume of oxygen in air using a metal or a non-metal
(d) Reactivity series
2.15Metal reactivity with water and acids
Understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their reactions with: • water • dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.
2.16Metal displacement reactions
Understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their displacement reactions between: • metals and metal oxides • metals and aqueous solutions of metal salts.
2.17Metal reactivity order
Know the order of reactivity of these metals: potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold
2.18Conditions for rusting
Know the conditions under which iron rusts
2.19Preventing rusting
Understand how the rusting of iron may be prevented by: • barrier methods • galvanising • sacrificial protection.
2.20Oxidation and reduction
Understand the terms: • oxidation • reduction • redox • oxidising agent • reducing agent in terms of gain or loss of oxygen and loss or gain of electrons.
2.21Acid–metal reaction practical
Practical: investigate reactions between dilute hydrochloric and sulfuric acids and metals (e.g. magnesium, zinc and iron)
(e) Extraction and uses of metals
2.22CMetal ores and native metals
Know that most metals are extracted from ores found in the Earth’s crust and that unreactive metals are often found as the uncombined element
2.23CExtraction method and reactivity
Explain how the method of extraction of a metal is related to its position in the reactivity series, illustrated by carbon extraction for iron and electrolysis for aluminium
2.24CEvaluating metal extraction processes
Be able to comment on a metal extraction process, given appropriate information detailed knowledge of the processes used in the extraction of a specific metal is not required
2.25CUses of aluminium, copper, iron and steel
Explain the uses of aluminium, copper, iron and steel in terms of their properties the types of steel will be limited to low-carbon (mild), high-carbon and stainless
2.26CAlloys
Know that an alloy is a mixture of a metal and one or more elements, usually other metals or carbon
2.27CWhy alloys are harder
Explain why alloys are harder than pure metals
(f) Acids, alkalis and titrations
2.28Acid–base indicators
Describe the use of litmus, phenolphthalein and methyl orange to distinguish between acidic and alkaline solutions
2.29The pH scale
Understand how to use the pH scale, from 0-14, can be used to classify solutions as strongly acidic (0-3), weakly acidic (4-6), neutral (7), weakly alkaline (8-10) and strongly alkaline (11-14)
2.30Universal indicator
Describe the use of universal indicator to measure the approximate pH value of an aqueous solution
2.31Acids and alkalis in water
Know that acids in aqueous solution are a source of hydrogen ions and alkalis in a aqueous solution are a source of hydroxide ions
2.32Neutralisation
Know that alkalis can neutralise acids
2.33CCarry out an acid-alkali titration
Describe how to carry out an acid-alkali titration
(g) Acids, bases and salt preparations
2.34Solubility rules
Know the general rules for predicting the solubility of ionic compounds in water: • common sodium, potassium and ammonium compounds are soluble • all nitrates are soluble • common chlorides are soluble, except those of silver and lead(II) • common sulfates are soluble, except for those of barium, calcium and lead(II) • common carbonates are insoluble, except for those of sodium, potassium and ammonium • common hydroxides are insoluble except for those of sodium, potassium and calcium (calcium hydroxide is slightly soluble).
2.35Acids and bases as proton transfer
Understand acids and bases in terms of proton transfer
2.36Proton donors and acceptors
Understand that an acid is a proton donor and a base is a proton acceptor
2.37Acid reactions
Describe the reactions of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and nitric acid with metals, bases and metal carbonates (excluding the reactions between nitric acid and metals) to form salts
2.38Bases and alkalis
Know that metal oxides, metal hydroxides and ammonia can act as bases, and that alkalis are bases that are soluble in water
2.39Preparing soluble salts from insoluble reactants
Describe an experiment to prepare a pure, dry sample of a soluble salt, starting from an insoluble reactant
2.40CPreparing soluble salts by titration
Describe an experiment to prepare a pure, dry sample of a soluble salt, starting from an acid and alkali
2.41CPreparing insoluble salts
Describe an experiment to prepare a pure, dry sample of an insoluble salt, starting from two soluble reactants
2.42Soluble salt practical
Practical: prepare a sample of pure, dry hydrated copper(II) sulfate crystals starting from copper(II) oxide
2.43CPrepare a sample of pure, dry lead(II) sulfate
Practical: prepare a sample of pure, dry lead(II) sulfate
(h) Chemical tests
2.44Gas tests
Describe tests for these gases: • hydrogen • oxygen • carbon dioxide • ammonia • chlorine.
2.45Flame-test method
Describe how to carry out a flame test
2.46Flame-test colours
Know the colours formed in flame tests for these cations: • Li+ is red • Na+ is yellow • K+ is lilac • Ca2+ is orange-red • Cu2+ is blue-green.
2.47Cation tests
Describe tests for these cations: • NH4+ using sodium hydroxide solution and identifying the gas evolved • Cu2+, Fe2+ and Fe3+ using sodium hydroxide solution.
2.48Anion tests
Describe tests for Cl⁻, Br⁻ and I⁻ using acidified silver nitrate; SO₄²⁻ using acidified barium chloride; and CO₃²⁻ using hydrochloric acid and identification of the evolved gas.
2.49Test for water
Describe a test for the presence of water using anhydrous copper(II) sulfate
2.50Water purity test
Describe a physical test to show whether a sample of water is pure