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Physical Chemistry
Sections 3.1.1–3.1.12. 14 courses.
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
Build the AQA foundation with atomic structure, isotopes, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, electron configuration, ionisation energy and Period 3 periodicity.
Amount of Substance
This calculation course will cover moles, Avogadro constant, ideal gas equation, empirical formulae, balanced equations, yield, atom economy and titration calculations.
Covalent Bonding and Shapes of Molecules
Pool covalent and dative covalent bonding with crystal structures, VSEPR shapes, bond polarity and intermolecular forces.
Ionic and Metallic Bonding
Understand metallic bonding, delocalised electrons, metallic crystal structure, conductivity and melting-point reasoning.
Intermolecular Forces
This course will cover permanent dipole-dipole forces, van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding, and how they set melting and boiling points.
Energetics
This course will support enthalpy change, calorimetry, Hess’s law, bond enthalpies and energy-cycle calculations.
Kinetics
This course will introduce collision theory, activation energy, Maxwell–Boltzmann distributions, temperature, concentration, pressure and catalysts.
Chemical Equilibria, Le Chatelier’s Principle and Kc
This course will support reversible reactions, dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier’s principle, industrial compromises and Kc calculations.
Oxidation, Reduction and Redox Equations
This course will support oxidation states, oxidising and reducing agents, half-equations and combined redox equations.
Thermodynamics
This A-level-only course will support Born–Haber cycles, lattice enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy and feasibility calculations.
Rate Equations
This A-level-only course will cover rate equations, reaction orders, rate constants, Arrhenius plots and rate-determining steps.
Equilibrium Constant Kp for Homogeneous Systems
This A-level-only course will support partial pressures, Kp expressions, Kp calculations and equilibrium predictions.
Electrode Potentials and Electrochemical Cells
This course will cover standard electrode potentials, EMF, electrochemical series, fuel cells and commercial cell applications.
Acids and Bases
This A-level-only course will support pH, Kw, Ka, pKa, titration curves, indicators and buffer calculations.
Inorganic Chemistry
Sections 3.2.1–3.2.6. 6 courses.
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
Build the AQA foundation with atomic structure, isotopes, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, electron configuration, ionisation energy and Period 3 periodicity.
Group 2, the Alkaline Earth Metals
This course will cover Group 2 trends, reactions with water, hydroxide and sulfate solubility, medical uses and environmental applications.
Group 7 (17), the Halogens
This course will support halogen trends, displacement reactions, halide reducing ability, silver nitrate tests and chlorine in water treatment.
Properties of Period 3 Elements and their Oxides
This course will cover reactions with oxygen, melting-point trends, oxide reactions with water and acid-base behaviour of oxides.
Transition Metals
This A-level-only course will cover transition metal properties, complex ions and their shapes, colour, ligand substitution, redox titrations and catalysis.
Reactions of Ions in Aqueous Solution
This A-level-only course will cover metal-aqua ions, their acidity, and their reactions with hydroxide ions, ammonia and carbonate ions.
Organic Chemistry
Sections 3.3.1–3.3.16. 15 courses.
Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Alkanes
Start AQA organic chemistry with nomenclature, mechanisms, isomerism, crude oil, cracking, combustion and free-radical substitution.
Halogenoalkanes
This course will cover nucleophilic substitution, elimination, carbon–halogen bond enthalpy and ozone depletion.
Alkenes
Learn alkene bonding, electrophilic addition with HBr, H2SO4 and Br2, bromine-water testing, major and minor products, E/Z isomerism and addition polymers.
Alcohols
This course will cover alcohol production, fermentation, hydration of alkenes, oxidation, elimination and practical distillation.
Organic Analysis
This course will support functional-group tests, organic mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and structure identification.
Optical Isomerism
This A-level-only course will cover chiral centres, enantiomers, optical activity and racemic mixtures.
Aldehydes and Ketones
This A-level-only course will cover aldehydes and ketones, their oxidation and tests, reduction, and nucleophilic addition of cyanide.
Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives
This A-level-only course will cover carboxylic acids, esters, fats and biodiesel, and acylation with acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides.
Aromatic Chemistry
This A-level-only course will cover the bonding and stability of benzene, electrophilic substitution, nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation.
Amines
This A-level-only course will cover amines: preparation, base strength, nucleophilic properties and quaternary ammonium salts.
Polymers
This A-level-only course will cover condensation polymers, polyesters and polyamides, their biodegradability and disposal.
Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA
This A-level-only course will cover amino acids and zwitterions, peptides and proteins, enzymes, DNA and the action of anticancer drugs.
Organic Synthesis
This A-level-only course will cover multi-step synthetic routes, the reagents and conditions for each step, and designing a synthesis.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
This A-level-only course will cover carbon-13 and proton NMR: chemical shift, integration, splitting patterns and structure determination.
Chromatography
This A-level-only course will cover thin-layer, column and gas chromatography, Rf values and retention times.
Required Practicals 1 to 12
These practical courses will support the AQA A Level Chemistry required practicals, apparatus and techniques, data analysis, uncertainty, evaluation and Paper 3 practical preparation. 12 courses.
Making a Volumetric Solution and Acid–Base Titration
This required practical course will support making a volumetric solution, titration method, titre selection, concentration calculations and uncertainty.
Measurement of an Enthalpy Change
This required practical course will cover calorimetry, q = mcΔT, molar enthalpy calculations, heat loss and evaluation.
Effect of Temperature on the Rate of Reaction
This required practical course will support initial-rate methods, timing technique, temperature control, graphs and collision-theory interpretation.
Test-tube Reactions to Identify Ions
This required practical course will cover cation and anion tests, including Group 2, ammonium, halides, hydroxide, carbonate and sulfate ions.
Distillation of a Product from a Reaction
This required practical course will support distillation apparatus, product separation, heating control, organic practical safety and evaluation.
Tests for Alcohol, Aldehyde, Alkene and Carboxylic Acid
This required practical course will support functional-group tests, observations, deductions and organic analysis conclusions.
Measuring Rate by Initial Rate and Continuous Monitoring
This required practical course will support rate data collection, concentration-time graphs, tangents, gradients and rate-equation interpretation.
Measuring the EMF of an Electrochemical Cell
This required practical course will support cell construction, salt bridges, standard conditions, EMF measurement and practical limitations.
pH Changes in Acid–Base Titrations
This required practical course will support pH curves for weak/strong acid-base combinations, data plotting and indicator selection.
Preparation of a Pure Organic Solid and Liquid
This required practical course will cover organic synthesis, purification, recrystallisation, distillation, melting point and purity testing.
Identifying Transition Metal Ions in Aqueous Solution
This required practical course will support test-tube reactions of metal-aqua ions with bases and evidence-based identification.
Separation of Species by Thin-layer Chromatography
This required practical course will cover TLC method, solvent front, Rf values, standards, identification and chromatographic evaluation.
Paper 3 skills
Synoptic Chemistry Skills
This course will support multi-topic exam questions that combine physical, inorganic and organic chemistry with practical and analytical reasoning.
Practical Principles and Required Practicals
This course will support experimental methods, practical planning, apparatus, uncertainty, analysis, evaluation and application of required practical knowledge.
Calculations and Extended Responses
This course will focus on calculation strategy, mathematical skills, data interpretation, practical evaluation and high-mark response structure.