§-Chemistry syllabus

WA · SCSA← Chemistry

Chemistry syllabus, dot point by dot point

Every dot point in the WA Chemistry syllabus, in syllabus order, with a focused answer for each. Open any dot point for the answer, exam-style questions and links to related points.

Unit 3: Equilibrium, Acids and Bases, and Redox

Unit overview →

How are acids and bases linked in conjugate pairs, and how can one species act as both an acid and a base?

Identify conjugate acid-base pairs in proton-transfer reactions and explain amphiprotic behaviour

How do acid-base indicators change colour, and how do we choose the right indicator for a titration?

Explain how acid-base indicators work as weak acid equilibria and select an appropriate indicator for a titration

Why does iron rust, and how can we use electrochemistry to prevent it?

Explain the corrosion of iron as an electrochemical process and evaluate methods of corrosion prevention

Why does pure water conduct electricity slightly, and how does the ionic product of water link pH and pOH?

Explain the self-ionisation of water, define and use the ionic product Kw, and relate pH, pOH and temperature

What is the difference between a strong and a weak acid, and how do Ka, Kb and pKa measure acid and base strength?

Distinguish strong from weak acids and bases by degree of ionisation, and define and use Ka, Kb and pKa to compare strengths

How does a reversible reaction reach a dynamic equilibrium, and how does it respond when conditions change?

Explain dynamic chemical equilibrium and predict the effect of changes in concentration, pressure and temperature using Le Chatelier's principle

How can an external power source drive a non-spontaneous redox reaction in an electrolytic cell?

Describe the operation of electrolytic cells, predict the products of electrolysis, and explain industrial applications

How do acids that can donate more than one proton ionise, and why does each successive ionisation get weaker?

Describe the stepwise ionisation of polyprotic acids and explain why successive ionisation constants decrease

How does a galvanic cell convert the energy of a spontaneous redox reaction into electrical energy?

Describe the structure and operation of galvanic (voltaic) cells, including electrode reactions, electron and ion flow, and cell notation

How can a solution resist a change in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added?

Explain how buffer solutions resist changes in pH using Le Chatelier's principle and conjugate acid-base equilibria

How do we track electron transfer and balance redox reactions using oxidation numbers and half-equations?

Assign oxidation numbers, identify oxidation and reduction, and balance redox half-equations and overall equations

How does the standard electrode potential series let us predict whether a redox reaction will occur and how much voltage it produces?

Use the standard electrode potential series to predict the spontaneity of redox reactions and calculate standard cell potentials

How can we predict which way a reaction not yet at equilibrium will shift to reach equilibrium?

Calculate the reaction quotient Q and compare it with Kc to predict the direction in which a reaction will proceed to reach equilibrium

How can we calculate the mass of substance produced at an electrode from the current and time of electrolysis?

Apply Faraday's laws to relate charge, current, time and the amount of substance produced or consumed at an electrode

What makes a substance an acid or a base, and how do we measure and calculate the pH of a solution?

Apply the Bronsted-Lowry theory, identify conjugate acid-base pairs, distinguish strong from weak acids and bases, and calculate pH using Kw

How do we use titration to find an unknown concentration, and what shape does a titration curve take?

Perform and interpret acid-base titrations, sketch titration curves, and calculate unknown concentrations from volumetric data

How is electron transfer used to generate electricity in galvanic cells and to drive reactions in electrolytic cells?

Assign oxidation numbers, write and balance half-equations, and use the standard electrode potential series to predict and calculate cell potentials for galvanic and electrolytic cells

What does the equilibrium constant tell us, and how do we calculate equilibrium concentrations?

Write equilibrium constant expressions, interpret their magnitude, and calculate equilibrium concentrations using an ICE table

How does the equilibrium between a slightly soluble salt and its ions explain dissolving and precipitation?

Write solubility product expressions, calculate Ksp and solubility, and predict precipitation by comparing the ionic product with Ksp

Unit 4: Organic Chemistry and Chemical Synthesis

Unit overview →

Why do members of a homologous series share chemical properties, and how does a functional group define a family?

Identify the functional groups that define the main organic families and explain the trends within a homologous series

How do we systematically name and represent the structures of the main families of organic compounds?

Identify functional groups and apply IUPAC rules to name and draw structural formulas for the main families of organic compounds

How are alcohols classified, and what reactions do they undergo?

Classify alcohols as primary, secondary or tertiary and describe their characteristic reactions including oxidation, dehydration and combustion

How do substitution reactions replace one atom or group with another in alkanes and haloalkanes?

Describe substitution reactions, including the halogenation of alkanes and the conversion of haloalkanes to alcohols

How do intermolecular forces explain the boiling points and solubilities of different organic families?

Relate the physical properties of organic compounds to their intermolecular forces and functional groups

How do alkenes react by addition across the double bond, and what products form?

Describe the addition reactions of alkenes including hydrogenation, halogenation, hydration and hydrogen halide addition

What products form when alcohols are oxidised, and how does this depend on the type of alcohol?

Describe the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to carbonyl compounds and carboxylic acids using oxidising agents

How does x-ray crystallography reveal the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a solid?

Describe how x-ray crystallography uses the diffraction of x-rays by a crystal to determine three-dimensional structure

How can chemical synthesis be made more sustainable and less harmful to the environment?

Describe the principles of green chemistry and evaluate syntheses against them

Why can molecules with the same molecular formula have different structures and properties?

Explain and identify structural isomerism and cis-trans (geometric) isomerism, and relate isomerism to differences in physical and chemical properties

How do carboxylic acids behave as weak acids, and how are esters formed and broken down?

Describe the properties and reactions of carboxylic acids, and explain esterification and hydrolysis of esters

How can one organic family be converted into another through characteristic reactions?

Describe the characteristic reactions of organic families, including substitution, addition, oxidation and esterification, and combine them into multi-step pathways

How do the nitrogen-containing families, amines and amides, differ in structure and behaviour?

Describe the structure, properties and formation of amines and amides, including the amide (peptide) linkage

How do the alkanes, alkenes and alkynes differ in structure, bonding and reactivity?

Compare the structure, bonding, general formulas and reactivity of alkanes, alkenes and alkynes

How are small monomer molecules joined into polymers, and how does structure determine their properties?

Describe addition and condensation polymerisation, identify monomers and repeating units, and relate polymer structure to physical properties

How does infrared spectroscopy identify the functional groups present in a molecule?

Interpret infrared spectra to identify functional groups from characteristic absorption bands

How does mass spectrometry reveal the molar mass and structural fragments of a molecule?

Interpret mass spectra to determine molar mass and identify fragments of organic molecules

How do chemists measure how efficient a synthesis is in terms of product obtained and atoms used?

Calculate percentage yield and atom economy and use them to evaluate the efficiency of a chemical synthesis

How does NMR spectroscopy reveal the carbon and hydrogen environments within a molecule?

Interpret proton and carbon-13 NMR spectra to determine the number and types of chemical environments in a molecule

How do chemists design efficient syntheses and use instrumental techniques to identify and measure substances?

Evaluate chemical synthesis using percentage yield and atom economy and green chemistry principles, and interpret instrumental analysis data to identify substances