What is Chemistry?
Chemistry is the ‘central science’. It’s the study of materials, their composition, structure, properties, and how substances interact, combine, and change to form new materials. There are three branches: physical, inorganic and organic, and the course provide an excellent grounding in the basic theoretical principles of these areas. It is a practical subject, but you can also expect to develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Why study Chemistry?
Chemistry allows you to understand the materials all around us, and there are many opportunities to explore the role of Chemistry in real life: from medicines to fuels, polymers, dyes and explosives. Any employer and university will value this traditional subject for its academic rigour and the critical thinking, numerical and literacy communication skills that you will develop.
Is Chemistry right for you?
The course suits well-motivated, organised students with a curious mind who like detailed explanations, have a thirst for new knowledge, enjoy problem to solving and like to make links between topics. You will be able to assimilate lots of information and find interest in applying this to unfamiliar situations. You will also enjoy the more mathematical side of science.
What will you study?
Year 1
Atomic structure and bonding, energy changes in reactions, redox, Groups 2 and 7 of the periodic table, alkanes, alkenes and alcohols, kinetics and rates of reaction, equilibria
Year 2
Aromatic Chemistry and the study of benzene, acids, bases and buffers, amines, biochemistry (amino acids, proteins and DNA), transition metals, electrode potentials and quantitative redox, thermodynamics
What happens outside lessons?
We have strong links with Newcastle University, and you can expect guest speakers to bring into college university instruments such as IR spectrometers and NMR machines to give you hands-on experience in their use. Each year we also enter students into the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Competition, and the International Chemistry Olympiad.
“I found A level Chemistry fascinating, but at times a challenging course, and I think that is what makes it so rewarding. The level of support and teaching from the Chemistry department has been really strong. I would encourage anyone with an interest in science to do Chemistry at Prior Pursglove College.”
Where can Chemistry take you?
Medicine · Dentistry · Veterinary Medicine · Pharmacy · Chemical Engineering · Biochemistry · Metallurgy · Environmental Science · Microbiology · Physiology · Materials Science
What subjects go well with Chemistry?
Mathematics · Physics · Biology