CHEMISTRY (PEARSON)

IGCSE Course Outline

What is Chemistry and who should study the course?

Chemistry is the study of the composition and reactions of all substances. Chemists explain their observations of the nature and behaviour of substances in terms of the structure and arrangement of their particles: atoms, molecules or ions.

Chemistry is essential for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy, Forensic Science, Biomedical Sciences and Chemistry degrees and therefore students wishing to study such courses at University are advised to take the subject.

What does the course aim to do?

The IGCSE syllabus is a course that helps to bridge the gap with A-level.

The course teaches the fundamental principles of Chemistry to allow further study at A-level. It enables students to understand concepts that are observed throughout the natural and the industrial world. For example, why can lightning cause atmospheric pollution and why are certain compounds better at making large scale explosives than others?

Chemistry provides a means for students to develop intellectual skills alongside manipulative, observational, evaluative and general problem-solving skills.

What skills do I require for the course?

A good level of mathematical skills is required to undertake the IGCSE Chemistry course as well as an interest in the subject.

Students must be willing to put in a substantial amount of work outside the classroom.

CHEMISTRY (PEARSON) Specification
	Exam duration and percentage of overall mark	Description of the paper	Available in May or June
Unit One	2hr 61.1%	Paper one consists of the basic principles of chemistry including atomic structure, ionic and covalent bonding and acids and bases. It is a mixture of short and longer questions.	Available in May or June
Unit Two	1hr 15min 38.9%	Paper two consists of a mixture of higher level questions and lower level questions. All topics are covered including salt preparation, mole calculations and the Industrial manufacturing of chemicals. It is a mixture of short and longer questions.	Available in May or June

Structure of the Course

The course will be taught for 3 x 1 hour lessons per week.

2 hours every fortnight will be set aside for practical work, and practical skills. Homework is set after each class and is an essential part of the course. Mock exams take place each month.

	Core Textbook Jim Clark Edexcel IGSCE Chemistry Pearson Education ISBN: 0435185160
	Further Reading CGP books Edexcel International GCSE Chemistry ISBN: 9781782946762