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IGCSE | Chemistry
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IGCSE | Chemistry

€5100
IGCSE Chemistry

About this course

IGCSE stands for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is a special educational programme of preparation for IGCSE examinations and getting a qualification that is globally-recognised. This qualification fits into the latest educational developments and trends all over the world and can be an ideal foundation for A Level and the International Baccalaureate Diploma programs. Students normally sit five to seven subjects in the last years of their school.

FAQs

Why do students need IGCSE?

IGCSE program not only gives students a chance to go to the best colleges and universities, but also helps to develop their critical and creative thinking, independence, cultural and social awareness and thus building the foundation for further academic success. Good IGCSE exam results (points 4-9) is the best way to enter the best educational institutions all over the world.

How to choose subjects for study on the IGCSE program?

Traditionally, IGCSEs are taken in 5-6 subjects, depending on which path the students choose for their future profession. The range of IGCSE subjects is really wide but the students usually choose Mathematics, Business, ICT, English, Science (Biology, Physics or Chemistry) or humanities (Literature, Geography or History). When choosing the IGCSE subjects you should also consider your own interests and preferences. As a rule, IGCSE subjects are chosen “in excess”, so that it is possible to abandon disciplines which are more difficult to cope with.

In 2013 our British Online School Knowledge Space was accredited by Edexcel to run the programs in accordance with British educational standards. Since then, our students have studied various subjects at our British School and each year most of them pass IGCSE exams.

IGCSE Chemistry. The course gives students the opportunity to experience chemistry within the context of their general education.


The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to:

  • acquire knowledge and understanding of chemical facts, terminology, concepts, principles and practical techniques,
  • apply the principles and concepts of chemistry to different contexts,
  • evaluate chemical information, making judgements on the basis of this information,
  • appreciate the practical nature of chemistry, develop experimental and investigative skills,
  • analyse, interpret and evaluate data and experimental methods, draw conclusions,
  • recognise the importance of accurate experimental work and reporting scientific methods in chemistry,
  • select, organise and present relevant information clearly and logically using appropriate vocabulary, definitions and conventions,
  • develop a logical approach to problem solving in a wider context,
  • prepare for more advanced courses in chemistry and for other courses that require knowledge of Chemistry.
Principles of Chemistry

Topic Principles of Chemistry :

  • States of matter
  • Elements, compounds and mixtures
  • Atomic structure
  • The Periodic Table
  • Chemical formulae, equations and calculations
  • Ionic bonding
  • Covalent bonding
  • Metallic bonding
  • Electrolysis

Skills:

  • Understand the three states of matter in terms of the arrangement, movement and energy of the particles, understand the interconversions and explain the results of experiments, get the idea of solvent, solute, solution, saturated solution.
  • Classify a substance as an element, compound or mixture, differentiate between the melting and boiling point of a pure substance and a mixture, describe simple distillation, fractional distillation, filtration, crystallization, paper chromatography.
  • Know the terms atom and molecule, structure of an atom, atomic number, mass number, isotopes and relative atomic mass, be able to calculate the relative atomic mass of an element.
  • Understand how elements are arranged in the Periodic Table, identify an element as a metal or a non-metal according to its position in the Periodic Table.
    write word equations and balanced chemical equations, calculate relative formula masses, calculate reacting masses and percentage yield, know what is meant by the terms empirical and molecular formula.
  • Understand how ions are formed, know the charges of these ions, write formulae for compounds, draw dot-and-cross diagrams, understand ionic bonding.
  • Understand covalent bonds, explain how the melting and boiling points of substances change.
  • Understand metallic bonding and know how to represent a metallic lattice by a 2-D diagram, explain typical physical properties of metals.
  • Understand why different compounds do not conduct/conduct electricity, describe experiments to investigate electrolysis, write ionic half-equations representing the reactions at the electrodes during electrolysis.
Inorganic Chemistry

Topic Inorganic Chemistry:

  • Group 1 (alkali metals) – lithium, sodium and potassium
  • Group 7 (halogens) – chlorine, bromine and iodine
  • Gases in the atmosphere d) Reactivity series
  • Extraction and uses of metals
  • Acids, alkalis and titrations
  • Acids, bases and salt preparations
  • Chemical tests

Skills:

  • Understand the differences and similarities between the reactions of the elements, use knowledge of trends in Group 1 to predict the properties of other alkali metals.
  • Know the colours, physical states and trends in physical properties of elements of group 7, predict the properties of other halogens.
  • Know the approximate percentages by volume of the four most abundant gases, understand how to determine the percentage by volume of oxygen in air using experiments involving the reactions of metals and non-metals, describe the combustion of elements, describe the formation of carbon dioxide.
  • Understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series, know the order of reactivity, understand how the rusting of iron may be prevented.
  • Know that most metals are extracted from ores found in the Earth’s crust, explain how the method of extraction of a metal is related to its position in the reactivity series, be able to comment on a metal extraction process.
  • Describe the use of litmus, phenolphthalein and methyl orange to distinguish between acidic and alkaline solutions, understand how to use the pH scale, describe the use of universal indicator to measure the approximate pH value of an aqueous solution.
  • Know the general rules for predicting the solubility of ionic compounds in water, understand acids and bases in terms of proton transfer.
  • Describe tests for some gases, describe how to carry out a flame test, know the colours formed in flame tests for these cations.
Physical Chemistry

Topic Physical Chemistry:

  • Energetics
  • Rates of reaction
  • Reversible reactions and equilibria

Skills:

  • Get the idea of exothermic reactions, describe simple calorimetry experiments, calculate the heat energy change and the molar enthalpy change, draw and explain energy level diagrams to represent exothermic and endothermic reactions.
  • Investigate the effects of changes in surface area of a solid, concentration of a solution, temperature and the use of a catalyst on the rate of a reaction, explain the effects of changes in surface area of a solid, concentration of a solution, pressure of a gas and temperature on the rate of a reaction in terms of particle collision theory.
  • Know that some reactions are reversible and that a reversible reaction can reach dynamic equilibrium.
Organic Chemistry

Topic Organic Chemistry:

  • Introduction
  • Crude oil
  • Alkanes
  • Alkenes
  • Alcohols
  • Carboxylic acids
  • Esters
  • Synthetic polymers

Skills:

  • Represent organic molecules using different formulas, define homologous series, functional group and isomerism, name compounds, classify reactions of organic compounds.
  • Know that crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, describe the industrial process of crude oil separation, know the names and uses of the main fractions obtained from crude oil, know the trend in colour, boiling point and viscosity of the main fractions.
  • Know the general formula for alkanes, explain why alkanes are classified as saturated hydrocarbons, draw the structural and displayed formulae for alkanes, describe the reactions of alkanes with halogens in the presence of ultraviolet radiation.
  • Know the general formula for alkenes, explain why alkenes are classified as unsaturated hydrocarbons, draw the structural and displayed formulae for alkenes.
  • Draw structural and displayed formulae for methanol, ethanol, propane, butanol, know the ways ethanol can be oxidized.
  • Draw structural and displayed formulae for unbranched-chain carboxylic acids and name each compound, describe the reactions of aqueous solutions of carboxylic acids with metals and metal carbonates.
  • Write the structural and displayed formulae of ethyl ethanoate and ester.
  • Know that an addition polymer is formed by joining up many small molecules called monomers, draw the repeat unit of an addition polymer, deduce the structure of a monomer from the repeat unit of an addition polymer and vice versa.
 IGCSE  14-16 y.o.
IGCSE preparation, 3 or more subjects from the list (English SL, English1, Math, Physics, Chemistry, ICT, Geography, Economics, Business)
72 lessons on each subject, every lesson lasts 60 minutes
Price of the course (3 subjects) 5100 €
Registration fee 250 €

At the End of IGCSE Programme the students can take exams and get IGCSE certificates which allow them to apply to A-level, IB and other programmes of further education.

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