Honors Chemistry Learning Objectives

The specific learning objectives for each topic in the Honors course are listed here.

TOPIC 1 Matter & Measurement

ALL students should;

Recall a definition of chemistry
Understand the process and stages of scientific (logical) problem solving
Understand and be able to use scientific notation (standard form)
Recall and use some SI units
Be able to inter-convert between units using conversion factors
Understand the concept of derived units and use relationships relating to density
Recall, and be able to use the rules for determining significant figures and rounding off
Understand the differences between, and be able to apply, the concepts of accuracy and precision
Learn and be able to apply the formula for percentage error
Learn and be able to use, formula for the conversion of the three different temperature units studied in TOPIC 1
Recall the three states of matter and their general properties
Recall the methods for converting between the three different states of matter
Understand and recall definitions for physical and chemical change
Understand heating & cooling curves
Be able to recall and use the formula for calculating energy using specific heat capacity, enthalpy of fusion and enthalpy of vaporization
Know the difference between elements, mixtures and compounds

TOPIC 2 Atoms & Atomic Theory

ALL students should;

Recall a very brief history of Atomic Theory
Know and understand the five main aspects of Dalton’s Atomic Theory
Recall some of the experiments that led to the identification of sub-atomic particles
Know the three particles that make up the atom and their relative charges, masses and positions in the atom
Be able to use the Atomic # and Mass # of an isotope to calculate the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons present
Know what the term isotope means and be able to perform simple calculations relating to isotopic data

TOPIC 3 Inorganic Compounds & Nomenclature

ALL students should;

Know the apporoximate locations of metals, non-metals and metalloids on the periodic table
Understand the meaning of the terms Molecule and Ion
Learn the lists of common anions and cations (including polyatomic ions) studied in TOPIC 3
Know how to combine those anions and cations in the correct proportions to form ionic compounds with no net charge
Be able to name binary ionic compounds of a metal and a non-metal
Be able to name binary molecular compounds of two non-metals
Be able to name simple binary acids
Be able to name ionic compounds containing polyatomic anions
Be able to name oxoacids and compounds containing oxoanions
Be able to name hydrated salts

TOPIC 4 Reactions & Stoichiometry

ALL students should;

Be able to write chemical equations in words
Be able to write chemical equations using chemical formulae and chemical symbols (this requires knowledge, and correct use of, chemical nomenclature)
Understand, and be able to use, state symbols as part of chemical equation writing
Be able to balance chemical equations
Understand why balancing chemical equations is important
Understand the concept of percentage by mass
Be able to calculate empirical formulae from percentage by mass data
Be able to convert empirical formulae to molecular formulae by using RMM data
Understand and be able to apply the concept of the mole in chemical calculations (including the application of Avogadro’s number)
Be able to use combustion data to calculate empirical formulae of compounds
Understand the importance of, and be able to apply, the concept of stoichiometric coefficents relating to reacting ratios
Know how to calculate the number of moles of a solid substance present in a reaction from data
Be able to perform calculations realting to Molarity
Be able to perform calculations relating to dilution
Be able to calculate the formulae of hydrated salts from experimental data
Understand, and be able to apply, the concept of a limiting reactant
Understand, and be able to apply, the concept of percentage yield

TOPIC 5 Aqueous Solution

ALL students should;

Understand that a reaction in aqueous solution is one that is carried out in water
Understand the terms electrolyte, weak electrolyte and non-electrolyte
Understand the difference between, and be able to write, full, ionic and net ionic equations
Learn and be able to apply solubility rules
Recall that an acid can be defined as a hydrogen ion donor
Recall that a base can be defined as a hydrogen ion acceptor
Understand how the degree of ionization (dissociation) determines the strength of an acid and a base
Understand that in a neutralization reaction an acid and base react to form a salt and water
Understand that oxidation and reduction can be described in terms of loss and gain of electrons respectively
Understand and be able to apply the Oxidation Number concept
Understand the concept of disproportionation
Understand and be able to recognize the different types of REDOX reaction. Namely synthesis (combination), decomposition, combustion, single and double displacement (replacement) including metal displacement, hydrogen displacement from water and acids and halogen displacement
Learn and be able to use the reactivity series as a tool for predicting displacement reactions
Be able to perform REDOX titration calculations

TOPIC 6 Gases

ALL students should;

Understand the Kinetic Theory as applied to gases
Be able to convert between different units of pressure
Recall and be able to use Boyle’s law in calculations
Recall and be able to use Charles’s law in calculations
Recall and be able to use Avogadro’s law in calculations
Recall and be able to use the Ideal gas law in calculations
Recall and be able to use the Combined gas law and the General gas law in calculations
Recall and be able to use Dalton’s law of partial pressures in calculations
Recall the conditions that are used as standard in calculations
Be able to use molar gas volume in calculations

TOPIC 7 Electronic Configuration

ALL students should;

Understand the Bohr model of the atom
Understand the concept of electrons in shells and the use of quantum numbers
Understand the use of the terms s, p, d and f and their use in orbital notation
Recall and understand the rules for filling orbitals (Aufbau, Pauli and Hund) and determining electronic configuration including the Pauli exclusion principle, Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity and notable exceptions
Be able to construct the electronic configuration of the elements using the s, p and d and f notation
Be able to construct the electronic configuration of the elements using the noble gas core
Be able to construct the electronic configuration of simple ions (including d block ions)
Recall the shapes of the s, p and d orbitals
Recall that orbitals are electron probability maps
Be able to describe electronic configurations using the electrons in boxes notation
Recall the meanings of the terms paramagnetic, diamagnetic and isoelectronic

TOPIC 8 Periodicity

ALL students should;

Know what are meant by the terms, “group” and “period”, when applied to the periodic table
Be able to recall the group names of groups 1, 2, 17 and 18
Understand that regular, repeatable patterns occur in the periodic table
Appreciate that these patterns sometimes have notable exceptions
Recall and understand that the noble gases have full outer shells that represent stable electronic configurations
Recall the definition of ionization energy
Recall the definition of electron affinity
Recall and understand the variation in ionization energy when moving about the periodic table
Be able to predict the group an element is in from ionization energy data
Recall how and why atomic and ionic size vary when moving about the periodic table
Understand how many physical properties change gradually when moving about the periodic table
Understand and recall the change in the specific chemical properties in TOPIC 8

TOPIC 9 Bonding

ALL students should;

Understand that when forming chemical bonds atoms are attempting to form more stable electronic configurations
Understand the essential difference between intra and inter bonding
Understand the concept of ioinc bonding and the nature of the ionic bond
Understand the concept of covalent bonding and the nature of the covalent bond
Be able to draw Lewis structures
Understand the concept of resonance and formal charge as related to Lewis structures
Be able to predict the shape of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions using VSEPR theory
Understand the concept of the dative (co-ordinate) bond related to Lewis structures
Understand that ionic bonding and covalent bonding are at two ends of a sliding scale of bond type
Understand the concept of electronegativity
Understand that polarization caused by small highly charged cations leads to ionic compounds exhibiting some covalent character
Understand that differences in electronegativity in covalent molecules causes dipoles and some ionic character in covalent compounds
Understand under what circumstances molecules exhibit polarity
Be able to predict the shapes of simple molecules and ions using Lewis structures
Understand the occurrence, nature and relative strength of hydrogen bonds, dipole-dipole interactions and London dispersion forces

TOPIC 10 Thermochemistry

ALL students should;

Understand the meaning of the terms exothermic and endothermic
Understand, be able to quote a definition and write suitable equations for standard enthalpy of formation
Understand, be able to quote a definition and write suitable equations for standard enthalpy of combustion
Understand and be able and use formation and combustion data in Hess’s Law and/or algerbreic manipulation calculations
Understand and be able to use in calculations average bond energy terms
Be able to draw Born-Haber cycles and perform associated calculations

TOPIC 11 Equilibrium

ALL students should;

Understand the concept of dynamic equilibrium
Be able to write an expression in terms of concentrations for the equilibrium constant Kc given in an equation
Understand that equilibria take a finite time to be achieved
Be able to calculate values for Kc and associated data from initial concentrations
Be able to write an expression in terms of partial pressures for the equilibrium constant Kp given an equation
Be able to calculate values for Kp and associated data from pressure data
Recall and understand Le Chatelier’s Principle
Understand the application of Le Chatelier’s Principle and be able to predict the shift in position of equilibria and optimum conditions in reactions

TOPIC 12 Acids & Bases

ALL students should;

Be able to recall the Bronsted Lowry definition of an acid and a base
Be able to identify acid base conjugate pairs
Recall the difference between strong and weak acids in terms of ionization
Be able to calculate pH of strong acids AND strong bases from hydrogen AND hydroxide ion concentration
Be able to calculate pH of weak acids and weak bases using Ka and Kb
Recall a definition of Kw, the ionic product of water
Understand the principle and procedure of a titration
Be able to sketch titration curves and be able to suggest a suitable indicator for a particular titration
Understand the meaning of the term ‘equivalence point’
Understand how indicators work

TOPIC 13 Kinetics

ALL students should;

Be able to recall AND understand Collision Theory
Be able to recall AND understand how factors affect a rate of reaction
Understand and be able to interpret a Maxwell-Boltzman distribution plot
Understand and be able to interpret a reaction profile plot
Be able to deduce orders, rate equations and rate constants (including units) from initial rate data
Understand the link between the rate determining (slow step) in a reaction mechanism and the rate equation
Understand and be able to interpret graphical data relating to rates

TOPIC 14 Electrochemistry

ALL students should;

Recall the definition of oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons
Understand and recall the definition of standard electrode potential
Understand and recall how to construct a cell diagram and draw a line diagram of the apparatus needed
Understand and be able to draw the standard hydrogen electrode
Recall the conditions that standard electrode potentials are measured under
Understand the nature and purpose of a salt bridge
Be able to predict the likelihood or otherwise of chemical reactions using standard electrode potentials and understand how those predictions may not prove to be accurate
Understand the application of the Nernst equation to cells operating under non-standard conditions
Understand the REDOX nature of corrosion and know how it might be prevented
Understand, in principle, the workings of a simple battery (cell)