Can you…?
  
C1.1.1 Atoms
Define the word ‘element’ in terms of atoms
State that there are about 100 different elements which are shown in the periodic
table
Identify where metals and non-metals appear in the periodic table
State that groups (columns) contain elements with similar properties
Recognise elements from their names or symbols, using a periodic table
Describe the structure of an atom, including the nucleus, protons, neutrons and
electrons
State the relative charges of protons, neutrons and electrons
Explain why atoms have no overall electrical charge
Define the terms ‘atomic number’ and ‘mass number’ and use them to calculate
the number of protons, neutrons or electrons in any atom
Describe how electrons fill up the energy levels (or ‘shells’) around the nucleus,
starting from the lowest energy level (or innermost available shell)
Represent the
electronic structure of
the first 20 elements of
the periodic table in the
following forms:
C1.1.2 The periodic table
Relate an element’s group in the periodic table to the number of electrons in its
highest energy level (outer electrons) and state that this gives them similar
chemical properties
Describe the reactions between metals of group 1 metals with water and oxygen
Explain why the noble gases (group 0) are unreactive, in terms of their outer
electrons
C1.1.3 Chemical reactions
Describe how elements react to form compounds, and state that they can give,
take or share electrons when they form these compounds, forming ions or
molecules
State that compounds formed from metals and non-metals are made of ions
Describe how metals form positive ions and how non-metals form negative ions
State that compounds formed from only non-metals are made of molecules, and
that molecules contain atoms held together by covalent bonds
Write word equations for all the chemical reactions in the science course
Recognise symbol equations and use them to work out the numbers of atoms
involved
(HT) Balance symbol equations
Use the idea of conservation of mass: no atoms are lost or made during a chemical
reaction, so the mass of the products equals the mass of the reactants
Can you…?
  
C1.2.1 Calcium carbonate
Describe how limestone, which can be used as a building material, is extracted from the
ground, and state that it is mainly composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Describe the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate and name the products
Describe the thermal decomposition of carbonates of magnesium, copper, zinc and
sodium, and state that some group 1 carbonates won’t decompose in a Bunsen burner
Describe how calcium oxide reacts with water and name the product, its properties and
how it can be used
Describe how a solution of calcium hydroxide in water (called limewater) reacts with
carbon dioxide and name the product
Describe how limewater can be used as a test for carbon dioxide
Describe how carbonates react with acids and name the products
State that limestone is damaged by acid rain
Describe how cement is made from limestone and clay, and how cement can be mixed
with sand to make mortar or with sand and aggregate to make concrete
Consider and evaluate the environmental, social and economic benefits of exploiting
limestone and producing building materials from it
Evaluate the developments in using limestone, cement and concrete as building
materials, and their advantages and disadvantages over other materials
Can you…?
C1.3.1 Extracting metals
Describe ores as naturally occurring rocks that provide an economic starting point for the
manufacture of metals, and describe mining in terms of digging up and processing large
amounts of rock
Recognise that ores contain enough metal to make it economic to extract the metal, but
the economics of extraction may change over time
State that ores are mined and may be concentrated before the metal is extracted
Identify unreactive metals, such as gold, which may be found in the Earth as the metal
itself, but state that most metals are found in compounds that requiring chemical
reactions to extract the metal
Define ‘reduction’ as a chemical reaction in which oxygen is removed
Describe how metals less reactive than carbon can be extracted from their oxides by
reduction with carbon, for example making iron by reducing iron oxide in a blast furnace
Interpret or evaluate information about the extraction of other metals
Describe how metals that are more reactive than carbon are extracted by electrolysis of
molten compounds, for example extracting aluminium from aluminium oxide
Explain why electrolysis of molten compounds of metals is expensive, in terms of energy
Describe how copper can be extracted from copper-rich ores by heating in a furnace – a
process called ‘smelting’ – and how the products can be purified by electrolysis
State that the supply of copper-rich ores is limited and decreasing, and that traditional
mining and extraction of these ores have major environmental impacts
Consider the social, economic and environmental impacts of exploiting metal ores
Describe new ways of extrating copper from low-grade ores, including phytomining and
bioleaching
Describe how copper can be obtained from solutions of copper salts by electrolysis, or by
displacement using scrap iron
Identify which ions (positive or negative) move towards which electrode in electrolysis
Explain why aluminium and titanium cannot be extracted from their oxides by reduction
with carbon, and why current methods of extraction of aluminium and titanium are
expensive because: there are many stages involved; large amounts of energy are needed
Consider and evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of recycling
  
metals, in terms of the resources, energy and environmental impacts of extracting metals
C1.3.2 Alloys
Explain why cast iron from the blast furnace (containing about 96% iron) has limited
uses, in terms of its properties (it is brittle, but has good strength in compression)
State that most iron is converted into steels, which are alloys of iron with carbon
Describe how alloys can be designed to have properties for specific uses, such as lowcarbon steels, high-carbon steels and stainless steels
Explain why pure metals such as copper, gold, iron and aluminium are not as useful as
alloys made by mixing them with small amounts of similar metals
C1.3.3 Properties and uses of metals
Describe some properties of transition metals, including conduction of heat and
electricity, ability to be bent or hammered into shape
Outline some of the uses of transition metals
Explain why the properties of copper make it useful
Evaluate the benefits, drawbacks and risks of using metals as structural materials
Can you…?
C1.4.1 Crude oil
State that crude oil is derived from an ancient biomass found in rocks
Describe crude oil as a mixture of a very large number of compounds
Define the term ‘mixture’ in terms of elements or compounds, and state that the
chemical properties of each substance in the mixture are unchanged
Recognise that most of the compounds in crude oil consist of molecules made up of
hydrogen and carbon atoms only, called hydrocarbons
Use the term ‘saturated hydrocarbons’ to describe alkanes, which have the general
formula CnH2n+2
C1.4.2 Hydrocarbons
Identify and name methane, ethane and propane
Represent alkane molecules in the
following forms
For example, ethane:
C2H6
Explain the process of fractional distillation of crude oil in terms of evaporation and
condensation at different temperatures in a continuous process
Describe the difference between the fractions, in terms of molecules with similar
numbers of carbon atoms
Compare the properties of hydrocarbons, and explain how the size of the molecules
affect their boiling points, viscosity and flammability
C1.4.3 Hydrocarbon fuels
Relate the products of combustion of fuels to the elements present in their compounds
(e.g. all fuels contain carbon, which reacts with oxygen when the fuel burns to produce
carbon dioxide) and identify the gases released into the atmosphere when fuels burn
State that burning fuels may also produce oxides of nitrogen at very high temperatures,
and that solid particles (particulates, or ‘soot’) may also be released into the atmosphere
Evaluate the impact on the environment of burning hydrocarbon fuels
Describe combustion as a chemical reaction with oxygen that releases energy, and state
that carbon and hydrogen in fuels are oxidised during combustion
Describe the environmental impacts of sulphur dioxide (acid rain), oxides of nitrogen
(acid rain), carbon dioxide (global warming) and solid particles (global dimming)
Consider and evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of the uses of
different fuels (you may be given information about fuels to compare)
  
Compare different ways of reducing sulphur dioxide emissions (by removing sulphur from
fuels before burning, or removing sulphur dioxide from waste gases)
Define ‘biofuels’ and state two examples of biofuels made from plants
Evaluate developments in the production and uses of better fuels, for example ethanol
and hydrogen, in terms of: use of renewable resources; storage and use of the fuels; the
products of combustion of the fuels
Evaluate the benefits, drawbacks and risks of using plant materials to produce fuels
Can you…?
C1.5.1 Obtaining useful substances from crude oil
  
Describe ‘cracking’ as thermal decomposition with heat and either a catalyst or steam
Explain why hydrocarbons from crude oil are cracked in this way
Identify the products of cracking, and recognise the general formula for alkenes as C nH2n
Describe alkenes as unsaturated hydrocarbons
Represent unsaturated hydrocarbons in the following forms:
C3H6
Recognise that = represents a double bond in displayed structures
Describe the colour change seen when alkenes react with bromine water
State that some of the products of cracking are useful as fuels
State that crude oil, which is a limited resource, is used to produce fuels and chemicals
C1.5.2 Polymers
Describe how monomer molecules can join
together to form very large polymer
molecules, and recognise the molecules
involved in the following form:
Describe some of the useful applications of polymers including: packaging materials,
waterproof coatings for fabrics, dental polymers, wound dressings, hydrogels, and smart
materials such as shape memory polymers
State that many polymers are not biodegradable, and explain what this means
State that biodegradable plastics made from cornstarch have been developed, and can be
used to make plastic bags
Evaluate the social and economic advantages and disadvantages of using products from
crude oil as fuels or as raw materials for plastics and other chemicals
Evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of the uses, disposal and
recycling of polymers
C1.5.3 Ethanol
Describe how ethanol can be produced by hydration of ethene with a catalyst
Describe how ethanol can be produced by fermentation of sugar by yeast, and represent
the reaction in the following form:
sugar  carbon dioxide + ethanol
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of making ethanol from renewable and nonrenewable resources. You should be able to compare the environmental impact of
different ways of producing ethanol
Can you…?
C1.6.1 Vegetable oils
Describe how oils can be extracted from some fruits, seeds and nuts by pressing,
distillation and removal of water and impurities
  
Give examples of at least three oils extracted from plant material
Explain why vegetable oils are important foods and fuels
Explain why vegetable oils can be useful when cooking food and describe the effects on
the food of being cooked with oil
Evaluate the effects of using vegetable oils in foods and the impacts on diet and health
C1.6.2 Emulsions
Define the term ‘emulsion’
Describe the differences between emulsions and oil or water
Explain some uses of emulsions, in terms of their properties
(HT) Describe the hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of emulsions
C1.6.3 Saturated and unsaturated oils
Define ‘unsaturated’ in terms of carbon-carbon double bonds
Describe how bromine water can be used to detect these double bonds
(HT) Describe how vegetable oils can be hardened to make spreads such as margarine,
including details of the catalyst, temperature, and what happens to the carbon-carbon
double bonds
Can you…?
C1.7.1 The Earth’s crust
Recognise that the Earth’s crust, atmosphere and oceans are the only
sources of minerals and other resources that humans need
Outline the structure of the Earth and the relative sizes of the three major
parts
Describe how the crust and upper mantle are divided into tectonic plates
Explain why the tectonic plates move at a few centimetres per year
Describe some of the effects of tectonic plate movements, particularly at
plate boundaries
Describe how Wegener’s theory explained the formation of mountains
described continental drift
Explain why Wegener’s theory of continental drift was not generally
accepted for many years, and compare it to the ‘shrinking Earth’ theory
Explain why scientists cannot accurately predict when earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions will occur
C1.7.2 The Earth’s atmosphere
Outline the proportions of the main gases in the atmosphere, as they have
been for 200 million years
Describe how volcanic activity in the first billion years of the Earth’s
existence released gases that formed the early atmosphere and oceans
Outline one theory for the formation of the atmosphere, including the gases
thought to be found in the early atmosphere
Explain and evaluate theories of the changes that have occurred and are
occurring in the Earth’s atmosphere, when given information
State that there are many theories as to how life was formed millions of
years ago
(HT) Outline the theory involving the interaction between hydrocarbons,
ammonia and lightning, including Miller and Urey’s experiment
(HT) Describe why we do not know how life was first formed
  
Describe how the oxygen in the atmosphere is produced
Describe how carbon dioxide in the air has been and continues to be
removed from the atmosphere
Explain how the oceans act as reservoirs for carbon dioxide, and how
increased dissolving of carbon dioxide affects oceans
Explain and evaluate the effects of human activities on the atmosphere
Explain how burning fossil fuels affects the concentration of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere, and the major effect of this
(HT) Explain how air can be separated using fractional distillation