THE STAGE 6 CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS

This site summarises the main features of the Domain (Knowledge and Understanding) statement for the Stage 6 Chemistry Syllabus for NSW high schools. It also contains links to some topic plans or programs developed by students in the MTeach program and by teachers.

Modules in the course
Chemistry skills
The Preliminary Course (Year 11)
The HSC Course (Year 12)
- HSC Core Modules
- HSC Options
Sample Unit plans for selected modules
- MTeach student work
- Teacher developed sample unit plans (DET, AIS, BOS, CEC, STANSW)

Modules in the course

The Preliminary Course

(Year 11)

8.1 Chemistry Skills

8.2 The Chemical Earth

8.3 Metals

8.4 Water

8.5 Energy

The HSC Core Course

(Year 12)

9.1 Chemistry Skills

92 The identification & production of materials

9.3 The acidic environment

9.4 Chemical monitoring and management

The HSC Options

(Year 12)

9.5 Industrial chemistry

9.6 Shipwrecks and salvage

9.7 The biochemistry of movement

9.8 The chemistry of art

9.9 Forensic chemistry

Chemistry Skills

Section

Domain: Skills

8.1 Chemistry skills

identify and implement improvement to plans
- identify data sources
- plan first-hand investigations
- choose equipment or resources
discuss validity and reliability of data
- perform first-hand investigations
- gather first-hand information
- gather information from secondary sources
- process information
identify appropriate terminology & reporting styles for communicating information & understanding
- present information
draw valid conclusions from data & information
- analyse information
- solve problems
- use available evidence

9.1 Chemistry skills

justify investigastion plans
- identify data sources
- plan first-hand investigations
- choose equipment or resources
evaluate improvements in accuracy and reliability in investigations
- perform first-hand investigations
- gather first-hand information
- gather information from secondary sources
- process information
use appropriate terminology & reporting styles for communicating information & understanding
- present information
assess the validity of conclusions from data & information
- analyse information
- solve problems
- use available evidence

PRELIMINARY COURSE (Year 11)

The content of the Preliminary (Year 11) course (in addition to the Chemistry Skills which are integrated into the whole course), each of 30 indicative hours is organised into the following modules:

8.2 The Chemical Earth
8.3 Metals
8.4 Water
8.5 Energy

Modules	Domain: Knowledge & understanding
8.2 The Chemical Earth	Mixtures, compounds and elements separations physical and chemical properties physical and chemical changes Atoms, ions and molecules particle theory and pure substances chemical bonding (introduction) energy and bonding (introduction) Chemical formulas and equations
8.3 Metals	Metals ores, extraction and refining reactions and activity series Periodic table history and periodicity The mole concept Gay-Lussac's law and Avogadro's law empirical and molecular formulas
8.4 Water	Chemical bonding covalent bonds bond polarity Lewis structures intermolecular forces Solutions, solubility and precipitation ionisation and acidity-alkalinity concentrations and molarity specific heat, dissolution and energy
8.5 Energy	Carbon chemistry (introduction) the carbon atom and its bonding hydrocarbons C1 - C8 properties and homologous series Energy and reactions fuels combustion reaction kinetics activation energy and catalysis

HSC COURSE (Year 12)

[Core modules] [Options modules]

The Year 12 Core Course

The content of the HSC (Year 12) Core course (in addition to the Chemistry Skills which are integrated into the whole course), each of 30 indicative hours is organised into the following modules:

9.2 The identification & production of materials
9.3 The acidic environment
9.4 Chemical monitoring and management

Core Modules	Domain: Knowledge & understanding
9.2 The Identification and production of materials	Organic chemistry hydrocarbon reactions addition polymerisation condensation polymerisation ethanol and alcohol reactions Redox reactions metal displacement reactions oxidation state and oxidation-reduction galvanic and electrolytic cells Nuclear chemistry
9.3 The Acidic environment	Acidity-alkalinity pH scale acid strength and dissociation theories of acidity proton-transfer reactions titrations and buffer systems Alkanols, alkanoic acids and esters structure and properties esterification
9.4 Chemical monitoring and management	Equilibrium and reaction kinetics role of chemists in industry reversible reactions the Haber process Le Chatelier's principle Chemical analysis qualitative ion analysis spectroscopic analysis of ions Atmospheric chemistry and pollution air pollution and sources ozone and CFCs halocarbon compounds and alkenes Water chemistry and pollution water quality and pollutants quantitative solution analysis water treatment techniques

Year 12 Options

The Options in the HSC (Year 12) course (each of 30 indicative hours) are:

9.5 Industrial chemistry
9.6 Shipwrecks and salvage
9.7 The biochemistry of movement
9.8 The chemistry of art
9.9 Forensic chemistry

Option	Domain: Knowledge & understanding
9.5 Industrial chemistry	Natural resources issues: conservation and substitution Equilibrium reactions effects of P, V, T and concentrations K - equilibrium constants Sulfuric acid and industry industrial uses of sulfuric acid ionisation and reactions of H2SO4 extraction of sulfur synthesis of H2SO4, SO2 and SO3 safety issues Sodium hydroxide and industry NaCl electrolysis to produce NaOH methods of NaCl electrolysis technical and environmental aspects Soaps and detergents the saponification process cleaning action and emulsification properties of soaps V detergents structure, composition, hard water effects anionic, cationic & nonionic detergents Sodium carbonate and industry uses of Na2CO3 Solvay process - nature, processes environmental impacts of Solvay process
9.6 Shipwrecks and salvage	Ocean chemistry chemical composition mineral composition and origins dissolved gases layering - depth, temperature, concns Redox reactions electron-transfer history - Galvani, Volta, Davy & Faraday corrosion and metal activity/passivity steel - composition and properties rusting of iron environmental factors & corrosion rates Electrochemical and electrolytic cells examples of redox cells galvanic V electrolytic cells half-equations and electrode processes effects of concentration, electrolytes and electrodes Faraday's law Corrosion and its control corrosion control technologies metal/metal interactions standard electrode potentials cathodic protection rate of corrosion and factors deep ocean corrosion processes Salvage - problems and processes dissolved salts & artifact contamination electrolytic treatments of artifacts chemistry of cleaning, stabilising & preserving artifacts
9.7 The biochemistry of movement	Metabolic processes ATP - structure, role and bonds ATP to ADP: biochemical pathways role of enzymes biological fuels and ATP production respiration and TCA cycle NADH and FADH and respiration oxidative phosphorylation Carbohydrates composition and formulas nature in humans - glycogen glucose as monomer glycolysis and energetics Fats/Lipids fatty acids - nature and formulas fatty acid interactions with water dietary fatty acids triglycerides - structure and nature oxidation of fatty acids in biochemical processes Proteins amino acids - composition and formulas peptide bond - nature and formation protein shape - influences; primary, secondary, tertiary denaturation enzyme - structure and function proteins, muscles, and muscle action Energetics in action chemical changes in mild exercise chemical changes in sprinting anaerobic respiration, pH and lactic acid
9.8 The chemistry of art	Pigments in history, art and culture historical examples chemistry of painting: solubility aspects, nature of paints & mineral pigments separation and precipitation of a pigment pigment metals and the Periodic Table Chemistry of colour flame colours & electronic structure atomic spectra - absorption & emission spectra and the Bohr model of the atom electronic structure & quantum levels UV-IR radiation and pigment analysis absorption, reflectance and effects of UV and IR light The quantum mechanical atom Pauli exclusion principle and electron orbitals orbitals, shells and sub-shells in the atom energy and electron transitions s, p, d & f orbitals and the Periodic Table electronegativity, ionisation energies and electron configurations Transition metal chemistry the d-block elements oxidation states & electron configurations transition metal colours complex ion formation transition metal oxidisers properties and atomic structures coordination species and compounds ligands - examples, structures, nature Lewis acids and bases and complex ions chelation and chelates
9.9 Forensic chemistry	Analytical chemistry techniques and contamination control distinguishing organics and inorganics analysis and technological change Organic chemicals and analysis compound types - hydrocarbons, alkanols, alkanoic acids Carbohydrates and forensic analysis the glucose monomer condensation , di and polysaccharides reducing & non-reducing sugars polysaccharides in plants and animals Lipids and forensic analysis fatty acids - functional group & formulas fatty acid interactions with water glycerol - structure and oxidation lipid structures and organisms Proteins and forensic analysis protein functions - structural or enzymes amino acid functional groups amino acids, proteins and peptide bond chromatography and electrophoresis DNA and forensic analysis DNA structure and composition DNA analysis and identification Trace analysis technologies electron & atomic-force spectroscopy, and scanning tunnelling microscopy emission spectra and atomic structure IR and UV spectroscopy

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This page was last updated 7 September 2000

Inquiries/Comments to webmaster: A.Sperring@edfac.usyd.edu.au

THE STAGE 6 CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS

CONTENTS

Modules in the course

The Preliminary Course

(Year 11)

The HSC Core Course

(Year 12)

The HSC Options

(Year 12)

Chemistry Skills

8.1

Chemistry skills

9.1

Chemistry skills

PRELIMINARY COURSE (Year 11)

8.2

The Chemical Earth

8.3

Metals

8.4

Water

8.5

Energy

HSC COURSE (Year 12)

The Year 12 Core Course

9.2

The Identification and production of materials

9.3

The Acidic environment

9.4

Chemical monitoring and management

Year 12 Options

9.5

Industrial chemistry

9.6

Shipwrecks and salvage

9.7

The biochemistry of movement

9.8

The chemistry of art

9.9

Forensic chemistry