Inorganic and Physical Chemistry

Inorganic and Physical Chemistry is the first unit within the Advanced Higher Chemistry course. It consists of six subtopics (seven on Scholar); Electromagnetic radiation and atomic spectra, Atomic orbitals, electronic configurations and the Periodic Table, Transition metals, Chemical equilibrium, Reaction feasibility and Kinetics.

Electromagnetic Radiation and Atomic Spectra
are used to identify and quantify the elements present in a sample
 * Electromagnetic waves
 * The relationship c=fλ
 * Dual nature of electromagnetic radiation — waves and particles
 * The relationships E=hf and E=Lhf
 * Atomic emission
 * Evaluation of evidence for energy levels in atoms of elements
 * Atomic emission spectroscopy and Atomic absorption spectroscopy and how they

Atomic orbitals, electronic configurations and the Periodic Table
of the stabilities of different subshell electron configurations.
 * The four quantum numbers used to describe any electron within an atom.
 * The shapes of s, p and d orbitals
 * Electron configuration including:
 * aufbau principle
 * Hund’s rule
 * Pauli exclusion principle
 * The Periodic Table including electron configurations and Ionisation energies.
 * The relative values of first, second and subsequent ionisation energies in terms
 * Apply VSEPR rules to determine shapes of molecules and polyatomic ions

Transition metals
the model explained. oxidation or reduction has occurred.
 * Electronic configuration of transition metal atoms and ions and the anomalies of
 * Oxidation states of transition metals.
 * Oxidation numbers of transition metal ions.
 * Using changes in oxidation number of transition metal ions to determine whether
 * Classification of Ligands, co-ordination number.
 * Dative covalent bonding of ligands in transition metal complexes.
 * Naming complex ions according to IUPAC rules.
 * Explanation of colour in transition metal complexes.
 * UV and visible absorption of transition metal complexes.
 * Catalysis by transition metals.
 * Transition metals and their compounds as catalysts

Chemical equilibrium
composition of the equilibrium mixtures K = [products]/[reactants] curves.
 * Equilibrium expressions, factors affecting equilibria and calculation of the
 * Ionic product of water and calculations of pH.
 * pH = -log10[H+]
 * Kw = [H+][OH-]
 * Bronsted-Lowry acids/bases definitions.
 * pH of salt solutions.
 * Equilibria of the salt solutions.
 * Strong and weak acids and bases.
 * Properties of strong and weak acids and bases.
 * The acid dissociation constant, Ka, Ka = [H+][A-] / [HA]
 * pKa = -log10Ka
 * Calculation of pH for a weak acids pH = ½ pKa - ½ log10c [H+] = √(Kac)
 * Buffer solutions.
 * Composition of a buffer, how buffers work and calculation of the pH of buffers.
 * pH = pKa – log10 [acid/salt]
 * Indicators.
 * Weak acid indicators. Kin, KIn = [H3O+] [In–] / [HIn]
 * Selection of an appropriate indicator for a particular reaction based on titration
 * Colour change of weak acid indicators.

Reaction feasibility
conditions ΔGo = ΔHo - TΔS
 * Standard enthalpy of formation, definitions and relevant calculations.
 * ΔHo = ΣΔHof (products) - ΣΔHof (reactants).
 * Entropy and prediction of change in entropy.
 * Second and Third Laws of Thermodynamics.
 * Calculations in changes in standard entropy.
 * ΔSo = ΣΔSo (products) - ΣΔSo (reactants).
 * The concept of free energy ΔG = ΔH – TΔS
 * Calculation of Standard free energy change for a reaction.
 * ΔGº = Σ ΔGº (products) - Σ ΔGº (reactants).
 * Applications of the concept of free energy.
 * Prediction of the feasibility of a chemical reaction under standard and nonstandard

Kinetics
rate equations. Calculation of rate constants and units of k.rate = k[A] mechanism.
 * Determination of the order of a reaction (0,1, 2, 3) from experimental data and
 * Reaction mechanisms.
 * The rate determining step in a reaction.
 * From the rate equation predict the rate determining step and possible