St Brendan’s Sixth Form College – Pre-enrolment Task
In order to give you a brief introduction to Level 3 Chemistry and an indication of what it will be like to study this course for the next two years we would like you to complete a pre-enrolment task. The details are as shown below:
The first few weeks of your A Level Chemistry course builds upon some basic principles and skills studied at GSCE.
To make the transition from GCSE to A Level as smooth as possible, you need to re-visit a number of topics and complete some related exercises before the start of the course. You can do this looking back in your notes or revision guide, or by accessing familiar websites in addition to those given below.
Our expectations are that you will come to your first lesson confident and competent in the following topics:
A. ATOMIC STRUCTURE
1. Website: www.absorblearning.com/chemistry/contents.html
– locate and work through ‘Inside the Atom’ and ‘Atomic Shorthand’
2. Construct a table which shows the relative mass, relative charge and location for each of the following particles in the atom: proton, electron and neutron.
3. Give a definition for the following terms:
(i) atomic (proton) number (ii) mass number (iii) isotopes.
4. Work out the number of protons, electrons and neutrons in the following particles.
(i) 4 He (ii) 31 P (iii) 37Cl (iv) 16 O 2 – (iv) 23 Na + (you will need to refer to a Periodic Table)
B. IONIC FORMULAE and BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
1. Website: www.knockhardy.org.uk/ppoints.htm
– locate and work through ‘Formulae and Equations’ Powerpoint (under physical chem)
2. Use a Periodic Table to work out the formulae of the following ions:
(i) aluminium, (ii) oxide (iii) potassium, (iv) chloride, (v) calcium.
3. Write formulae for the following compounds:
(i) potassium chloride, (ii) calcium chloride, (iii) potassium oxide, (iv) aluminium oxide.
4. Given the formulae for the sulfate (SO42 –), carbonate (CO32 –), ammonium (NH4+) and
hydroxide (OH –) ions, write formulae for the following compounds:
(i) calcium sulfate, (ii) potassium carbonate,
(iii) aluminium hydroxide, (iv) ammonium sulfate.
5. Balance the following equations:
(i) Mg + HCl → MgCl2 + H2
(ii) Na + O2 → Na2O
(iii) N2 + H2 → NH3
(iv) Pb(NO3)2 + KCl → PbCl2 + KNO3
(v) H2SO4 + Ca(OH)2 → CaSO4 + H2O
C. BASIC MATHS – significant figures, standard form, rearranging equations and unit conversion.
1. Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/number/roundestimaterev3.shtml
Work through the significant figure examples given in the website above.
Write the following numbers to the quoted number of significant figures.
a) 672400 3 sig figs ………………… c) 0.04 4 sig figs ………………….
b) 7 3 sig figs ………………… d) 936174 2 sig figs ………………….
2. Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/ztg987h/revision
Work through the standard index form pages given in the website above.
Write the following numbers in standard form.
a) 53900 ………………….. c) 0.0872 ……………………
b) 0.71 ………………...... d) 69000000 ……………………
3. Write the following numbers in ordinary form.
a) 8.341 x 105 ………………….. c) 6.7 x 10–3 ……………………
b) 5.29 x 10–3 ………………...... d) 17.2 x 105 ……………………
4. Website: http://www.mathsmadeeasy.co.uk/maths-powerpoints.htm
Locate and work through the ‘Rearrange a Formula’ power point.
Website : http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/algebra/formulaehirev1.shtml
Work through the questions on the web page above and complete a test bite.
Answer the following by rearranging the equations below:
a) What does R equal if PV = nRT ? ……………………
b) What does DT equal if q = mcDT ? ……………………
c) What does c equal if n = c x V ? ……………………
1000
d) What does H equal if G = H – TS ? ……………………
5. Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/geometry/measuresrev1.shtml
Work through the unit conversion examples given in the above website.
Answer the following by converting the units below:
a) Convert 100 kPa (kilo Pascals) of pressure to Pa (Pascals).
b) Convert a 25 L (Litre) volume to mL (Millilitres).
c) Convert a heat of reaction value 1200 J (Joules) to kJ (kilo Joules).
Keep your answers to the questions above in a safe place. You will need to hand them in to your chemistry tutor in your first chemistry lesson. We look forward to seeing you then.