UNIT ONE: The Big Ideas of Chemistry

The story of chemistry begins with the building of the Periodic Table from speculation, debate and experimental evidence. The Periodic Table provides a unifying framework for studying the chemistry of the elements using their chemical and physical properties to locate their position.The electron configuration of an element, its tendency to form a particular bond type and its ability to act as an oxidant or reductant can all be linked to its position in the Periodic Table.

This Unit examines a wide range of chemical reactions with emphasis on the writing of chemical equations and performance of calculations based on them. Students are introduced to the development and application of "smart" materials. Developing new materials has escalated with the use of synchrotron science that explores particle behaviour at an ever decreasing size. Some examples of new materials are alloys, fibres and compounds incorporating polymers, ceramics, biopolymers, films and coatings.

 Both areas of study in this Unit involve the design and performance of experiments, including the generation, collection and evaluation of experimental data.

 Areas of study

• The Periodic Table
• Materials

What do I need to know? 

Refer to the course description that need to be met, as listed below (on this page). This information is provided by the VCAA in the Course guidelines, and gives you a clear indication of what you will be learning in this Unit. For assessment purposes, you should refer to the outcomes link, which gives a formal statement of key knowledge and skills that the student should have acquired by the completion of the Unit. Most of these outcome statements apply across a whole semester of work, and as such are useful for exam preparation.

Practice tests / Revision sheets

At this link you will find practice tests on     Atomic Theory     Mole Concept

Atomic Theory revision                Metals and Ionic Bonding                       Covalent Bonding             

I have also included some draft chapters of a book that I was/am writing for Year 11 Chemistry. These chapters cover Atomic Structure, Ionic Bonding and Covalent Bonding (including Intermolecular bonding forces). Each Chapter also has a number of problems associated with the work that you may wish to consider for extra practice. The solutions to these questions are also available.

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ASSESSMENT: Units One and Two

The award of satisfactory completion for each Unit is based on a decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the Unit. This decision will be based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s overall performance on assessment tasks designated for the Unit. Such assessment tasks must include:

• an extended experimental investigation requiring between three and five hours practical work OR
• a summary report including annotations on three practical activites AND
• a response to stimulus material in written, oral, visual or multimedia format
• an analysis of first or second-hand data using structured questions (a test)
• a response to stimulus material related to green chemistry in written, oral, visual or multimedia format
• topic tests and a 90 minute end of Unit examination (internally assessed).

 Students will be graded from A⁺ to E and as S or N. The VCAA will only be notified as to whether or not the student has satisfactorily completed the Unit. All students must normally satisfactorily complete both Units 1 and 2 if they wish to proceed to Units 3 and 4 Chemistry.

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Course description

Area of Study 1: The Periodic Table

Outcome 1: Key knowledge

On completion of this Unit the student should be able to explain how evidence is used to develop or refine chemical ideas and knowledge.

In achieving this outcome the student should demonstrate knowledge of:

·       The Periodic Table

• historical development from Mendeleev to Seaborg
• trends and patterns of properties within the Periodic Table: atomic number, types of compounds formed, metallic/nonmetallic character, chemical reactivity of elements

·        atomic theory

• historical development of the model of atomic theory with contributions from Dalton to Chadwick
• limitations of the model of atomic theory
• mass number, isotopes, calculation of relativel atomic mass, electronic configuration including subshells

·        atomic theory: the atomic nucleus, the electron configuration of atoms (including subshell configuration) given the atomic number; isotopes;

·        the mole concept including empirical and molecular formulas, percentage composition, Avogadro's Constant

·       relationship between electron subshell configuration and the position of the element in the Periodic Table and properties such as metallic/nonmetallic character and electronegativity

·      strong bonding: ionic bonding, as in solid sodium chloride and magnesium oxide; metallic bonding, as in sodium and iron, and covalent bonding, as in the network lattice of diamond and the layer lattice of graphite

·        covalent bonding within discrete molecules such as hydrogen, oxygen, water, ethane, ethene, ethanoic (acetic) acid

·        shapes of molecules with up to four electron pairs around a central atom

·       weak forces; permanent dipole-dipole interactions, including hydrogen bonding; dispersion forces

·        interpretation of data from mass spectrometry

Outcome 1: Key skills

To achieve this outcome the student should demonstrate the ability to:

·       design and perform simple experiments which illustrate aspects of key knowledge of this outcome;

·     collect numerical data generated by experiments;

·       analyse/interpret experimental data;

·       construct models which represent the chemical structures of materials;

·     interpret and explain data relating to the physical properties of materials;

·       predict properties of materials from a knowledge of the structure and bonding of materials;

·        undertake practical investigations to collect data to categorise/classify materials;

·        illustrate the link between the uses, properties, structures and bonding for a commonly used material;

·        use print and electronic media to collect data relevant to key knowledge for this outcome;

·        establish and observe safe laboratory work practices

·        prepare clear, concise reports of laboratory work

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