National Curriculum KS3 Science CHEMISTRY
specification
Subject content KS3 Chemistry Pupils should be taught
about:
KS3 chemistry: The particulate
nature of matter (National
Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
the properties of the different
states of matter (solid, liquid and gas) in terms of the particle
model, including gas pressure,
changes of state in terms of the
particle model.
NC KS3 chemistry: Pure and impure substances
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
the concept
of a pure substance,
mixtures, including dissolving,
diffusion in terms
of the particle model,
simple techniques for separating mixtures:
filtration, evaporation, distillation and chromatography
the
identification of pure substances.
KS3 chemistry: Atoms, elements and compounds
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
a simple
(Dalton) atomic model,
differences between atoms, elements and
compounds,
chemical symbols and formulae for elements and compounds,
conservation of mass changes of state and chemical reactions.
KS3 chemistry: Chemical reactions
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
chemical reactions as
the rearrangement of atoms,
representing chemical reactions using
formulae and using equations,
combustion, thermal decomposition,
oxidation and displacement reactions,
defining acids and alkalis in
terms of neutralisation reactions,
the pH scale for measuring
acidity/alkalinity; and indicators,
reactions of acids with metals to
produce a salt plus hydrogen,
reactions of acids with alkalis to produce
a salt plus water,
what catalysts do.
KS3 chemistry: Energetics
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
energy changes on changes of
state (qualitative),
exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions
(qualitative).
KS3 chemistry: The Periodic Table
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
the varying physical
and chemical properties of different elements,
the principles
underpinning the Mendeleev Periodic Table,
the Periodic Table: periods
and groups; metals and non-metals,
how patterns in reactions can be
predicted with reference to the Periodic Table,
the properties of metals
and non-metals,
the chemical properties of metal and non-metal oxides
with respect to acidity.
KS3 chemistry: Materials
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
the order of metals and carbon
in the reactivity series,
the use of carbon in obtaining metals from
metal oxides,
properties of ceramics, polymers and composites
(qualitative).
KS3 chemistry: Earth and atmosphere
(National Curriculum KS3 science-chemistry)
the composition of
the Earth,
the structure of the Earth,
the rock cycle and the formation
of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks,
Earth as a source of
limited resources and the efficacy of recycling,
the carbon cycle,
the
composition of the atmosphere,
the production of carbon dioxide by human
activity and the impact on climate.
AQA KS3 Science Chemistry
Course Specification
3.5.1 Particle model
Relate the features of the
particle model to the properties of materials in different states
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
Properties of solids, liquids and gases can be
described in terms of particles in motion but with differences in the
arrangement and movement of these same particles: closely spaced and
vibrating (solid), in random motion but in contact (liquid), or in
random motion and widely spaced (gas).
Observations where substances
change temperature or state can be described in terms of particles
gaining or losing energy.
Fact A substance is a solid below its melting
point, a liquid above it, and a gas above its boiling point.
Keywords
Particle: A very tiny object such as an atom or molecule, too small to
be seen with a microscope.
Particle model: A way to think about how
substances behave in terms of small, moving particles.
Diffusion: The
process by which particles in liquids or gases spread out through random
movement from a region where there are many particles to one where there
are fewer.
Gas pressure: Caused by collisions of particles with the
walls of a container.
Density: How much matter there is in a particular
volume, or how close the particles are.
Evaporate: Change from liquid to
gas at the surface of a liquid, at any temperature.
Boil: Change from
liquid to a gas of all the liquid when the temperature reaches boiling
point.
Condense: Change of state from gas to liquid when the temperature
drops to the boiling point.
Melt: Change from solid to liquid when the
temperature rises to the melting point.
Freeze: Change from liquid to a
solid when the temperature drops to the melting point.
Sublime: Change
from a solid directly into a gas.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Explain unfamiliar observations about gas pressure in
terms of particles.
Explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases
based on the arrangement and movement of their particles.
Explain
changes in states in terms of changes to the energy of particles.
Draw
before and after diagrams of particles to explain observations about
changes of state, gas pressure and diffusion.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Argue for how to classify substances which behave
unusually as solids, liquids or gases.
Evaluate observations that
provide evidence for the existence of particles.
Make predictions about
what will happen during unfamiliar physical processes, in terms of
particles and their energy.
3.5.2 Separating mixtures Devise ways to separate
mixtures, based on their properties
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
A pure substance consists of only one type of
element or compound and has a fixed melting and boiling point.
Mixtures
may be separated due to differences in their physical properties.
The
method chosen to separate a mixture depends on which physical properties
of the individual substances are different.
Skill Use techniques to
separate mixtures.
Fact Air, fruit juice, sea water and milk are
mixtures. Liquids have different boiling points.
Keywords
Solvent: A
substance, normally a liquid, that dissolves another substance.
Solute:
A substance that can dissolve in a liquid.
Dissolve: When a solute mixes
completely with a solvent.
Solution: Mixture formed when a solvent
dissolves a solute.
Soluble (insoluble): Property of a substance that
will (will not) dissolve in a liquid.
Solubility: Maximum mass of solute
that dissolves in a certain volume of solvent.
Pure substance: Single
type of material with nothing mixed in.
Mixture: Two or more pure
substances mixed together, whose properties are different to the
individual substances.
Filtration: Separating substances using a filter
to produce a filtrate (solution) and residue.
Distillation: Separating
substances by boiling and condensing liquids.
Evaporation: A way to
separate a solid dissolved in a liquid by the liquid turning into a gas.
Chromatography: Used to separate different coloured substances.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Explain how substances dissolve using the particle
model.
Use the solubility curve of a solute to explain observations
about solutions.
Use evidence from chromatography to identify unknown
substances in mixtures.
Choose the most suitable technique to separate
out a mixture of substances
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Analyse and interpret solubility curves.
Suggest a
combination of methods to separate a complex mixture and justify the
choices.
Evaluate the evidence for identifying a unknown substance using
separating techniques.
3.5.3 Periodic table Sort elements using chemical
data and relate this to their position in the periodic table
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
The elements in a group all react in a similar way and
sometimes show a pattern in reactivity.
As you go down a group and
across a period the elements show patterns in physical properties.
Facts
Metals are generally found on the left side of the table, non-metals on
the right.
Group 1 contains reactive metals called alkali metals.
Group
7 contains non-metals called halogens.
Group 0 contains unreactive gases
called noble gases.
Keywords
Periodic table: Shows all the elements
arranged in rows and columns.
Physical properties: Features of a
substance that can be observed without changing the substance itself.
Chemical properties: Features of the way a substance reacts with other
substances.
Groups: Columns of the periodic table.
Periods: Rows of the
periodic table.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Use data to describe a trend in physical properties.
Describe the reaction of an unfamiliar Group 1 or 7 element.
Use data
showing a pattern in physical properties to estimate a missing value for
an element.
Use observations of a pattern in chemical reactions to
predict the behaviour of an element in a group.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Predict the position of an element in the periodic table
based on information about its physical and chemical properties.
Choose
elements for different uses from their position in the periodic table.
Use data about the properties of elements to find similarities, patterns
and anomalies.
3.5.4 Elements Compare the properties of elements
with the properties of a compound formed from them
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
Most substances are not pure elements, but compounds or
mixtures containing atoms of different elements.
They have different
properties to the elements they contain.
Skills
Use particle diagrams to
classify a substance as an element, mixture or compound and as molecules
or atoms.
Name simple compounds using rules: change non-metal to ide;
mono, di, tri prefixes; and symbols of hydroxide, nitrate, sulfate and
carbonate.
Fact The symbols of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon,
hydrogen, iron, zinc, copper, sulfur, aluminium, iodine, bromine,
chlorine, sodium, potassium and magnesium.
Keywords
Elements: What all
substances are made up of, and which contain only one type of atom.
Atom: The smallest particle of an element that can exist.
Molecules: Two
to thousands of atoms joined together.
Most non-metals exist either as
small or giant molecules.
Compound: Pure substances made up of two or
more elements strongly joined together.
Chemical formula: Shows the
elements present in a compound and their relative proportions.
Polymer:
A molecule made of thousands of smaller molecules in a repeating
pattern.
Plastics are man-made polymers, starch is a natural polymer.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Name compounds using their chemical formulae.
Given
chemical formulae, name the elements present and their relative
proportions.
Represent atoms, molecules and elements, mixtures and
compounds using particle diagrams.
Use observations from chemical
reactions to decide if an unknown substance is an element or a compound.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Use particle diagrams to predict physical properties of
elements and compounds.
Deduce a pattern in the formula of similar
compounds and use it to suggest formulae for unfamiliar ones.
Compare
and contrast the properties of elements and compounds and give a reason
for their differences.
Describe and explain the properties of ceramics
and composites.
3.6 Reactions
3.6.1 Metals and non-metals Use experimental results
to suggest an order of reactivity of various metals
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
Metals and non-metals react with oxygen to form oxides
which are either bases or acids.
Metals can be arranged as a reactivity
series in order of how readily they react with other substances.
Some
metals react with acids to produce salts and hydrogen.
Facts
Iron,
nickel and cobalt are magnetic elements.
Mercury is a metal that is
liquid at room temperature.
Bromine is a non-metal that is liquid at
room temperature.
Keywords
Metals: Shiny, good conductors of electricity
and heat, malleable and ductile, and usually solid at room temperature.
Non-metals: Dull, poor conductors of electricity and heat, brittle and
usually solid or gaseous at room temperature.
Displacement: Reaction
where a more reactive metal takes the place of a less reactive metal in
a compound.
Oxidation: Reaction in which a substance combines with
oxygen.
Reactivity: The tendency of a substance to undergo a chemical
reaction.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Describe an oxidation, displacement, or metal acid
reaction with a word equation.
Use particle diagrams to represent
oxidation, displacement and metal-acid reactions.
Identify an unknown
element from its physical and chemical properties.
Place an unfamiliar
metal into the reactivity series based on information about its
reactions.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Deduce the physical or chemical changes a metal has
undergone from its appearance.
Justify the use of specific metals and
non-metals for different applications, using data provided.
Deduce a
rule from data about which reactions will occur or not, based on the
reactivity series.
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.6.2 Acids and alkalis
AQA KS3 chemistry Devise an enquiry to compare how well indigestion
remedies work
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
The pH of a solution depends on the strength of the
acid: strong acids have lower pH values than weak acids.
Mixing an acid
and alkali produces a chemical reaction, neutralisation, forming a
chemical called a salt and water.
Facts
Acids have a pH below 7, neutral
solutions have a pH of 7, alkalis have a pH above 7.
Acids and alkalis
can be corrosive or irritant and require safe handling.
Hydrochloric,
sulfuric and nitric acid are strong acids.
Acetic and citric acid are
weak acids.
Keywords
pH: Scale of acidity and alkalinity from 0 to 14.
Indicators: Substances used to identify whether unknown solutions are
acidic or alkaline.
Base: A substance that neutralises an acid those
that dissolve in water are called alkalis.
Concentration: A measure of
the number of particles in a given volume.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Identify the best indicator to distinguish between
solutions of different pH, using data provided.
Use data and
observations to determine the pH of a solution and explain what this
shows.
Explain how neutralisation reactions are used in a range of
situations.
Describe a method for how to make a neutral solution from an
acid and alkali.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Given the names of an acid and an alkali, work out the
name of the salt produced when they react.
Deduce the hazards of
different alkalis and acids using data about their concentration and pH.
Estimate the pH of an acid based on information from reactions.
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.6.3 Chemical energy
AQA KS3 chemistry Investigate a phenomenon that relies on an exothermic
or endothermic reaction
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
During a chemical reaction bonds are broken (requiring
energy) and new bonds formed (releasing energy).
If the energy released
is greater than the energy required, the reaction is exothermic.
If the
reverse, it is endothermic.
Keywords
Catalysts: Substances that speed up
chemical reactions but are unchanged at the end.
Exothermic reaction:
One in which energy is given out, usually as heat or light.
Endothermic
reaction: One in which energy is taken in, usually as heat.
Chemical
bond: Force that holds atoms together in molecules.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Use experimental observations to distinguish exothermic
and endothermic reactions.
Use a diagram of relative energy levels of
particles to explain energy changes observed during a change of state.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Predict whether a chemical reaction will be exothermic
or endothermic given data on bond strengths.
Use energy data to select a
reaction for a chemical hand warmer or cool pack.
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.6.4 Types of reaction
AQA KS3 chemistry Investigate changes in mass for chemical and physical
processes
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
Combustion is a reaction with oxygen in which energy is
transferred to the surroundings as heat and light.
Thermal decomposition
is a reaction where a single reactant is broken down into simpler
products by heating.
Chemical changes can be described by a model where
atoms and molecules in reactants rearrange to make the products and the
total number of atoms is conserved.
Skill Write word equations from
information about chemical reactions.
Keywords
Fuel: Stores energy in a
chemical store which it can release as heat.
Chemical reaction: A change
in which a new substance is formed.
Physical change: One that changes
the physical properties of a substance, but no new substance is formed.
Reactants: Substances that react together, shown before the arrow in an
equation.
Products: Substances formed in a chemical reaction, shown
after the reaction arrow in an equation.
Conserved: When the quantity of
something does not change after a process takes place.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Explain why a reaction is an example of combustion or
thermal decomposition.
Predict the products of the combustion or thermal
decomposition of a given reactant and show the reaction as a word
equation.
Explain observations about mass in a chemical or physical
change. Use particle diagrams to show what happens in a reaction.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Compare the pros and cons of fuels in terms of their
products of combustion.
Use known masses of reactants or products to
calculate unknown masses of the remaining reactant or product.
Devise a
general rule for how a set of compounds reacts with oxygen or thermally
decomposes.
Balance a symbol equation.
Use mass of reactant in equation
to determine mass of product eg magnesium and oxygen.
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.7 Earth
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.7.1 Earth structure
Model the processes that are responsible for rock
formation and link these to the rock features
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks can be inter
converted over millions of years through weathering and erosion, heat
and pressure, and melting and cooling.
Fact The three rock layers inside
Earth are the crust, the mantle and the core.
Keywords
Rock cycle:
Sequence of processes where rocks change from one type to another.
Weathering: The wearing down of rock by physical, chemical or biological
processes.
Erosion: Movement of rock by water, ice or wind
(transportation).
Minerals: Chemicals that rocks are made from.
Sedimentary rocks: Formed from layers of sediment, and which can contain
fossils. Examples are limestone, chalk and sandstone.
Igneous rocks:
Formed from cooled magma, with minerals arranged in crystals. Examples
are granite, basalt and obsidian.
Metamorphic rocks: Formed from
existing rocks exposed to heat and pressure over a long time. Examples
are marble, slate and schist.
Strata: Layers of sedimentary rock.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Explain why a rock has a particular property based on
how it was formed.
Identify the causes of weathering and erosion and
describe how they occur.
Construct a labelled diagram to identify the
processes of the rock cycle.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Identify circumstances that indicate fast processes of
change on Earth and those that indicate slower processes.
Predict
planetary conditions from descriptions of rocks on other planets.
Describe similarities and differences between the rock cycle and
everyday physical and chemical processes.
Suggest how ceramics might be
similar to some types of rock.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Describe the appearance of planets or moons from
diagrams showing their position in relation to the Earth and Sun.
Explain why places on the Earth experience different daylight hours and
amounts of sunlight during the year.
Describe how space exploration and
observations of stars are affected by the scale of the universe.
Explain
the choice of particular units for measuring distance.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Predict patterns in day length, the Suns intensity or
an objects shadow at different latitudes.
Make deductions from
observation data of planets, stars and galaxies.
Compare explanations
from different periods in history about the motion of objects and
structure of the Universe.
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.7.3 Climate
Investigate the contribution that natural and human
chemical processes make to our carbon dioxide emissions
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
Carbon is recycled through natural processes in the
atmosphere, ecosystems, oceans and the Earths crust (such as
photosynthesis and respiration) as well as human activities (burning
fuels).
Greenhouse gases reduce the amount of energy lost from the Earth
through radiation and therefore the temperature has been rising as the
concentration of those gases has risen.
Scientists have evidence that
global warming caused by human activity is causing changes in climate.
Facts
Methane and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gases.
Earths
atmosphere contains around 78 % nitrogen, 21 % oxygen, <1 % carbon
dioxide, plus small amounts of other gases.
Keywords
Global warming: The
gradual increase in surface temperature of the Earth.
Fossil fuels:
Remains of dead organisms that are burned as fuels, releasing carbon
dioxide.
Carbon sink: Areas of vegetation, the ocean or the soil, which
absorb and store carbon.
Greenhouse effect: When energy from the sun is
transferred to the thermal energy store of gases in Earths atmosphere.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Use a diagram to show how carbon is recycled in the
environment and through living things.
Describe how human activities
affect the carbon cycle.
Describe how global warming can impact on
climate and local weather patterns.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Evaluate the implications of a proposal to reduce carbon
emissions.
Evaluate claims that human activity is causing global warming
or climate change.
Compare the relative effects of human-produced and
natural global warming.
AQA KS3 chemistry 3.7.4 Earth resources
Predict the method used for extracting metal based on
its position in the reactivity series
AQA KS3 chemistry Know
There is only a certain quantity of any resource on
Earth, so the faster it is extracted, the sooner it will run out.
Recycling reduces the need to extract resources.
Most metals are found
combined with other elements, as a compound, in ores.
The more reactive
a metal, the more difficult it is to separate it from its compound.
Carbon displaces less reactive metals, while electrolysis is needed for
more reactive metals.
Keywords
Natural resources: Materials from the
Earth which act as raw materials for making a variety of products.
Mineral: Naturally occurring metal or metal compound.
Ore: Naturally
occurring rock containing sufficient minerals for extraction.
Extraction: Separation of a metal from a metal compound.
Recycling:
Processing a material so that it can be used again.
Electrolysis: Using
electricity to split up a compound into its elements.
AQA KS3 chemistry Apply
Explain why recycling of some materials is particularly
important.
Describe how Earths resources are turned into useful
materials or recycled.
Justify the choice of extraction method for a
metal, given data about reactivity.
Suggest factors to take into account
when deciding whether extraction of a metal is practical.
AQA KS3 chemistry Extend
Suggest ways in which changes in behaviour and the use
of alternative materials may limit the consumption of natural resources.
Suggest ways in which waste products from industrial processes could be
reduced.
Use data to evaluate proposals for recycling materials.
OCR Twenty First Century Science knowledge and
understanding expected from KS3 science-chemistry before a GCSE Chemistry
course
Chapter C1 Air and water
What you will learn
about air and water from KS3 Chemistry before GCSE sciences
From study at Key Stages 1 to 3
you will learn:
appreciate the differences
between atoms, elements and compounds
be familiar with the use of
chemical symbols and formulae for elements and compounds
know about conservation of
mass in chemical reactions
know about exothermic and
endothermic chemical reactions (qualitative)
understand the carbon cycle
know the composition of the
Earths atmosphere today
know about the production
of carbon dioxide by human activity and its impact on climate.
Chapter C2: Chemical
patterns
What you will learn
about Chemical Patterns from KS3 Chemistry before GCSE
sciences
From study at Key Stages 1 to 3
you will learn :
be aware of a simple
(Dalton) atomic model
know differences between
atoms, elements and compounds
know chemical symbols and
formulae for elements and compounds
understand chemical
reactions as the rearrangement of atoms
be able to represent
chemical reactions using formulae and using equations
know some displacement
reactions
know what catalysts do
be aware of the principles
underpinning the Mendeleev Periodic Table
know some ideas about the
Periodic Table: periods and groups; metals and non-metals
know how some patterns in
reactions can be predicted with reference to the Periodic Table
know some properties of
metals and non-metals.
Chapter C3: Chemicals of
the natural environment
What you will learn about chemicals of
the natural environment from KS3
Chemistry before GCSE sciences
From study at Key Stages 1 to 3
you will learn
know the differences
between atoms, elements and compounds
be familiar with the use of
chemical symbols and formulae for elements and compounds
be familiar with the use of
formulae and equations to represent chemical reactions
understand chemical
reactions as the rearrangement of atoms
know about reactions of
acids with metals to produce a salt plus hydrogen
know some displacement
reactions
know the order of metals
and carbon in the reactivity series
know that carbon is used to
obtain metals from metal oxides.
C4 Material choices
What you will learn about
material choices from KS3 Chemistry
before GCSE sciences
From study at Key Stages 1 to 3
you should:
distinguish between an
object and the material from which it is made
identify and name a variety
of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal,
water, and rock
describe the simple
physical properties of a variety of everyday materials
compare and group together
a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple
physical properties.
have observed that some
materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and
measured the temperature at which this happens in degrees
Celsius (°C)
compare and group together
everyday materials on the basis of their properties, including
their hardness, solubility, transparency, conductivity
(electrical and thermal), and response to magnets
identify and compare the
suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood,
metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for
particular use
know the differences
between atoms, elements and compounds
recognise chemical symbols
and formulae for some elements and compounds
know about the properties
of ceramics, polymers and composites (qualitative)
Chapter C5 Chemical analysis
What you will learn about
chemical analysis from KS3 Chemistry before GCSE sciences
From study at Key Stages 1 to 3
you should:
use knowledge of solids,
liquids and gases to decide how mixtures might be separated,
including through filtering, sieving and evaporating
understand the concept of a
pure substance and how to identify a pure substance
know about simple
techniques for separating mixtures: filtration, evaporation,
distillation and chromatography
know about the pH scale for
measuring acidity/ alkalinity; and indicators.
Chapter C6 Making useful chemicals
What you will learn
about Making useful Chemicals from KS3 Chemistry before GCSE
sciences
From study at Key Stages 1 to 3
you should:
explain that some changes
result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of
change is not usually reversible
represent chemical
reactions using formulae and using equations
define acids and alkalis in
terms of neutralisation reactions
describe the pH scale for
measuring acidity/ alkalinity; and indicators
recall reactions of acids
with metals to produce a salt plus hydrogen and reactions of
acids with alkalis to produce a salt plus water
know what catalysts do.
know about energy changes
on changes of state (qualitative)
know about exothermic and
endothermic chemical reactions (qualitative).
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