United States · Common Core State Standards
10th Grade Chemistry
This course investigates the fundamental nature of matter and the energy changes that drive the physical world. Students develop models at the subatomic level to explain macroscopic phenomena and use mathematical reasoning to predict the outcomes of chemical reactions.
Atomic Architecture and the Periodic Table
Students explore the evolution of atomic theory and how subatomic arrangements dictate the organization and predictive power of the periodic table.
Examination of protons, neutrons, and electrons and how their ratios define elemental identity and stability.
Linking the behavior of electrons in energy levels to the emission spectra of elements.
Analyzing patterns in electronegativity, ionization energy, and atomic radius across the periodic table.
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry
A study of how atoms achieve stability through the sharing or transfer of electrons and how resulting shapes influence material properties.
Differentiating between the electrostatic forces in salts and the electron sharing in molecules.
Using valence shell electron pair repulsion to predict the 3D geometry of molecules.
Investigating the attractions between molecules that explain boiling points and surface tension.
The Language of Chemical Reactions
Focusing on the conservation of mass and the classification of chemical transformations.
Categorizing reactions into synthesis, decomposition, combustion, and replacement patterns.
Applying the Law of Conservation of Mass to ensure matter is neither created nor destroyed.
Identifying spectator ions and focusing on the species actually participating in aqueous reactions.
Stoichiometry: The Mathematics of Chemistry
Using the mole concept to quantify chemical relationships and predict yield in reactions.
Bridging the gap between the microscopic world of atoms and the macroscopic world of grams.
Calculating theoretical yields using stoichiometric ratios from balanced equations.
Analyzing why reactions often produce less than the theoretical maximum in real-world settings.
Thermodynamics and Kinetics
Investigating the energy flow in reactions and the factors that control the speed of chemical changes.
Distinguishing between exothermic and endothermic processes through heat exchange.
Exploring how temperature, concentration, and catalysts affect the frequency of effective collisions.
Introduction to the second law of thermodynamics and the drive toward disorder.
Solutions and Acid-Base Chemistry
Examining the behavior of solutes in solvents and the unique properties of acidic and basic systems.
Quantifying the amount of solute in a solution using molarity and saturation curves.
Exploring the pH scale and the Arrhenius and Bronsted-Lowry definitions of acids and bases.
Using volumetric analysis to determine the concentration of an unknown acid or base.