Chemistry AS and A Level

Examination Board: OCR B (Salters) This course is a context based approach to studying Chemistry. Students will meet chemical concepts in real-life contexts ranging from industrial processes to DNA and protein synthesis. Topics include: AS Level Assessment: Two examinations taken in the summer of Year 12

A Level assessment: Three examinations taken in the summer of Year 13

Careers and Study Progression: Global change is creating enormous challenges relating to human health, energy and scarce natural resources. These challenges offer excellent future opportunities to people who study Chemistry. Chemists work in almost any field you can think of, including: pharmaceuticals – developing and testing medicines; food technology – creating foods and food additives; manufacturing – developing and producing all types of materials; petrochemicals – oil, gas and their products; journalism and publishing – scientific books and journals, the popular press, textbooks and general science books; forensics – examining evidence after a crime; teaching or research – in academia or industry. The possibilities are enormous.

Marks Length Weighting

Paper 1 Foundations of chemistry 150 1 hr 30mins 50% of the AS Level

Paper 2 Chemistry in depth 150 1 hr 30mins 50% of the AS Level

Marks Length Weighting

Paper 1 Fundamentals of chemistry 110 2 hrs 15 mins 41% of the A Level

Paper 2 Scientific literacy in chemistry 100 2 hrs 15 mins 37% of the A Level

Paper 3 Practical skills in chemistry 60 1 hr 30mins 22% of the A Level

Non-exam assessment

Practical endorsement for chemistry

Pass/fail Separate qualification

1. Elements of life 2. Developing fuels

The elements and compounds in the universe, the human body and in salt deposits

Fuels, what they consist of, how energy involved in their combustion is measured and the contributions that chemists make to the development of better fuels

3. Elements from the sea 4. The ozone story

The extraction of halogens from minerals in the sea, together with a study of the properties and uses of these elements and their compounds

Important processes occurring in the ozone layer of the atmosphere

5. What’s in a medicine? 6. The chemical industry

Medicines such as aspirin, leading to much functional group chemistry and methods of analysis

How chemists use industrial processes to benefit society

7. Polymers and life 8. Oceans

Condensation polymers, proteins and enzymes. DNA and its use in synthesising proteins

The role of the oceans in dissolving substances and maintaining pH

9. Developing metals 10. Colour by design

The reactions and properties of the transition metals Dyes and the use of chemistry to provide colour to order