United Kingdom · National Curriculum Attainment Targets
Year 10 Chemistry
This course investigates the fundamental principles of chemistry through the lens of atomic theory and quantitative analysis. Students explore how the arrangement of subatomic particles dictates the behavior of elements and the energy changes involved in chemical transformations.
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
An exploration of the building blocks of matter and how the evolution of atomic models led to the modern periodic table.
Tracing the history of atomic models from Dalton to the modern nuclear model.
Analyzing how electronic configurations explain the arrangement of elements and their group properties.
Investigating how variations in neutrons and electrons affect atomic mass and electrical charge.
Bonding and the Properties of Matter
Investigating the forces that hold atoms together and how these bonds determine the physical characteristics of substances.
Comparing the electrostatic attractions in giant ionic lattices and molecular covalent substances.
Examining the unique properties of diamond, graphite, and metallic lattices.
Exploring the properties and applications of substances at the nanoscale.
Quantitative Chemistry
Applying mathematical principles to chemical reactions to predict yields and master the concept of the mole.
Defining the mole and using it to count atoms by weighing them.
Calculating theoretical yields and understanding why 100 percent efficiency is rarely achieved.
Measuring the concentration of solutions through precise volumetric analysis.
Chemical Changes and Extraction
Studying the reactivity series, displacement reactions, and the industrial methods used to extract metals.
Ordering metals based on their reactions with water, acids, and other metal salts.
Investigating redox reactions in terms of oxygen transfer and electron movement.
Using electricity to decompose ionic compounds into their constituent elements.
Energy Changes in Reactions
Analyzing the heat energy exchanged during chemical reactions and the mechanics of bond breaking and making.
Distinguishing between reactions that release energy and those that absorb it from the surroundings.
Using mean bond enthalpies to calculate the overall energy change of a reaction.
Exploring how chemical reactions can be used to generate a voltage.
Acids, Bases, and Salts
Examining the chemistry of hydrogen ions, pH scales, and the synthesis of soluble and insoluble salts.
Defining acidity based on hydrogen ion concentration and the degree of ionization.
Mastering the techniques used to produce pure samples of salts from acids and bases.
Using qualitative chemical tests to identify unknown cations and anions in a sample.