AS/A Level Chemistry Study Group 2023/2024
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I am in year 13 on the OCR A exam board, I mostly struggle to retain knowledge and things like equations
anyone have any tips?
anyone have any tips?
Original post by confuseddork
I am in year 13 on the OCR A exam board, I mostly struggle to retain knowledge and things like equations
anyone have any tips?
anyone have any tips?
Hiya!
I would suggest using any form of active recall (e.g sporcle quizzes, creating mindmaps, flashcards, blurting etc) for highly memorization-dependent parts of the course. Equations I tended to work out rather than memorise, as I found it much easier to memorise the formulae of common compounds and ions than full equations.
Once you have attempted these forms of active recall, you can check your answers or recap topics you feel less confident with by watching videos by MaChemGuy or Allery Chemistry to ensure you have got every detail.
Original post by TypicalNerd
Welcome to the AS/A-Level Chemistry Study Group.
Use this thread to chat to other students taking chemistry as you prepare for your AS/A-level exams this summer.
Perhaps, start off by answering a few icebreaker questions:
Wishing you all the best with AS/A-Level chemistry!
Use this thread to chat to other students taking chemistry as you prepare for your AS/A-level exams this summer.
Perhaps, start off by answering a few icebreaker questions:
•
Which exam board are you with?
•
Are you in Year 12 or Year 13?
•
What part(s) of the course are you most confident with?
•
What part(s) of the course are you struggling with?
Wishing you all the best with AS/A-Level chemistry!
> Edexcel
> 12
> none bro maybe topic 1
> havent started it properly so
Original post by hibyehereforasec
> Edexcel
> 12
> none bro maybe topic 1
> havent started it properly so
> 12
> none bro maybe topic 1
> havent started it properly so
Hiya! Hope A level chemistry is starting off well.
Edexcel has relatively little in the way of dedicated resources, but you should be able to find useful materials on Physics and Maths tutor, Davies A level chemistry and Allery chemistry when you need them.
Having done Edexcel A level chemistry, I remember the spec well enough and am happy to answer any questions you may have.
(edited 7 months ago)
Original post by TypicalNerd
Hiya! Hope A level chemistry is starting off well.
Edexcel has relatively little in the way of dedicated resources, but you should be able to find useful materials on Physics and Maths tutor, Davies A level chemistry and Allery chemistry when you need them.
Having done Edexcel A level chemistry, I remember the spec well enough and am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Edexcel has relatively little in the way of dedicated resources, but you should be able to find useful materials on Physics and Maths tutor, Davies A level chemistry and Allery chemistry when you need them.
Having done Edexcel A level chemistry, I remember the spec well enough and am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Ikr edexcel has lesser resources </3 but i find the spec waaaay more specific n understandable than others so its a win some loose some typa choice.
Anyways, THANKS BRO! much appreciated, will be sure to ask if anything pops up.
Original post by TypicalNerd
Welcome to the AS/A-Level Chemistry Study Group.
Use this thread to chat to other students taking chemistry as you prepare for your AS/A-level exams this summer.
Perhaps, start off by answering a few icebreaker questions:
Wishing you all the best with AS/A-Level chemistry!
Use this thread to chat to other students taking chemistry as you prepare for your AS/A-level exams this summer.
Perhaps, start off by answering a few icebreaker questions:
•
Which exam board are you with?
•
Are you in Year 12 or Year 13?
•
What part(s) of the course are you most confident with?
•
What part(s) of the course are you struggling with?
Wishing you all the best with AS/A-Level chemistry!
Cambridge
12
Organic
Chemical bonding
Thanks
Original post by TypicalNerd
Hiya! Hope A level chemistry is starting off well.
Edexcel has relatively little in the way of dedicated resources, but you should be able to find useful materials on Physics and Maths tutor, Davies A level chemistry and Allery chemistry when you need them.
Having done Edexcel A level chemistry, I remember the spec well enough and am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Edexcel has relatively little in the way of dedicated resources, but you should be able to find useful materials on Physics and Maths tutor, Davies A level chemistry and Allery chemistry when you need them.
Having done Edexcel A level chemistry, I remember the spec well enough and am happy to answer any questions you may have.
hi
ok im confused on what i need to know and what i dont need to know for mass spectrometery for edexcel, the spec seems to merely point to interpreting & predicting spectra, calculating atomic mass thjrough abundance n vice versa n finding relative molecular mass with the M+ ion. But in revision notes of edexcel over many sites they seem to go through other things like the process that happens in mass spectrometry, something called fragmentation, M+1 n M+2 peaks? Could you give a pointer bullet list of what i exactly need to know for mass spectrometery for edexcel pls
Original post by hibyehereforasec
hi
ok im confused on what i need to know and what i dont need to know for mass spectrometery for edexcel, the spec seems to merely point to interpreting & predicting spectra, calculating atomic mass thjrough abundance n vice versa n finding relative molecular mass with the M+ ion. But in revision notes of edexcel over many sites they seem to go through other things like the process that happens in mass spectrometry, something called fragmentation, M+1 n M+2 peaks? Could you give a pointer bullet list of what i exactly need to know for mass spectrometery for edexcel pls
ok im confused on what i need to know and what i dont need to know for mass spectrometery for edexcel, the spec seems to merely point to interpreting & predicting spectra, calculating atomic mass thjrough abundance n vice versa n finding relative molecular mass with the M+ ion. But in revision notes of edexcel over many sites they seem to go through other things like the process that happens in mass spectrometry, something called fragmentation, M+1 n M+2 peaks? Could you give a pointer bullet list of what i exactly need to know for mass spectrometery for edexcel pls
Ok, here’s everything you are expected to know/be able to do:
Elements:
-Describe to processes that occur within a mass spectrometer and know the parts of the mass spectrometer.
-Calculate relative atomic masses from both percentage abundances and from intensities/peak heights on a mass spectrum.
-Be familiar with mass spectra of diatomic elements such as Cl2 - with chlorine, you know that the peak heights at m/z = 35 and m/z = 37 are in the ratio 3:1 and that the peak heights at m/z = 70, m/z = 72 and m/z = 74 are in the ratio 9:6:1 (which is something you need to be able to prove mathematically using probability calculations).
Molecules:
-How to predict the relative mass of a molecule (i.e look for the M+ peak and read the m/z).
-To be able to predict the structure of a fragment ion (i.e use the structure of the whole molecule and find a part of it that has a relative mass equal to the m/z of the fragment ion, then assign a +1 charge to the atom that has had one of its bonds broken in fragmentation).
-You need to assume that all ions produced have a +1 charge for the purposes of A level.
Hello!! I am in year 12 doing OCR A Chemistry and I am really enjoying it so far, but I am really excited for organic chemistry because I know it is hard but I found it really interesting at GCSE. I really like quantitative chemistry too. I am kind of worried for the PAGs because I was never great at experiments at GCSE but my school has only ever failed two people and those were people who literally didn't do them so I probably have nothing to worry about!
Hi! I'm in year 13 and doing OCR B (Salters) A-Level Chemistry 
I'm really struggling with revision resources as my school seems to be one of the only places that still does this specification 
Very annoying. I am confident with the Polymers of Life unit and the What's in a Medicine? unit but can't stand Hess's Law and things like nucleophilic addition...
I'm really struggling with revision resources as my school seems to be one of the only places that still does this specification Very annoying. I am confident with the Polymers of Life unit and the What's in a Medicine? unit but can't stand Hess's Law and things like nucleophilic addition...Original post by mai0may
Hi! I'm in year 13 and doing OCR B (Salters) A-Level Chemistry I'm really struggling with revision resources as my school seems to be one of the only places that still does this specification Very annoying. I am confident with the Polymers of Life unit and the What's in a Medicine? unit but can't stand Hess's Law and things like nucleophilic addition...
I'm really struggling with revision resources as my school seems to be one of the only places that still does this specification Very annoying. I am confident with the Polymers of Life unit and the What's in a Medicine? unit but can't stand Hess's Law and things like nucleophilic addition...Sorry to hear accessing resources has proven difficult. I do believe I found one more previously and had some recommendations I gave another user on this thread:
Original post by TypicalNerd
Just found another resource for OCR B.
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQnv6Wu6LkBS7qC3icyDOyAGhO17SfnWn
It appears a lot of it was made for the previous spec, but given it has been updated in 2020, I imagine it is at least broadly relevant to the current specification
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQnv6Wu6LkBS7qC3icyDOyAGhO17SfnWn
It appears a lot of it was made for the previous spec, but given it has been updated in 2020, I imagine it is at least broadly relevant to the current specification
Original post by raindropxox
Hello!! I am in year 12 doing OCR A Chemistry and I am really enjoying it so far, but I am really excited for organic chemistry because I know it is hard but I found it really interesting at GCSE. I really like quantitative chemistry too. I am kind of worried for the PAGs because I was never great at experiments at GCSE but my school has only ever failed two people and those were people who literally didn't do them so I probably have nothing to worry about!
Indeed, you likely have nothing to worry about. With the practical endorsement, you have to either be consistently unable to produce any results, absent for most (or all) of all your practicals or actively trying to fail to be failed.
It’s great to hear you are looking forward to organic chemistry and that you are good with quantitative chemistry, too. Keep up the brilliant work and I imagine you’ll finish year 13 with an A or A*.
(edited 6 months ago)
Original post by TypicalNerd
Sorry to hear accessing resources has proven difficult. I do believe I found one more previously and had some recommendations I gave another user on this thread:
Thank you, I'll take a look
Original post by Nemo7
Cambridge
12
Organic
Chemical bonding
Thanks
12
Organic
Chemical bonding
Thanks
Hiya! Sorry for the slow response.
I’m not especially well acquainted with the CIE specification, though I believe physics and maths tutor is your best bet. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for other resources.
It’s great you are confident with organic chemistry as that is often a part of chemistry that is considered very challenging at this level. Bonding is tough, but I found that you often have to answer the same questions over and over again, so memorising a few answers may be useful.
Does anyone have any good recommendations for websites that have practise questions for every topic? 
Original post by tasha_1306
Does anyone have any good recommendations for websites that have practise questions for every topic?
Which exam board?
Try StudyMind and Physics and Maths tutor
HI, in edexcel in topic 2, for shapes of molecules theres this specification point.
11. understand reasons for the shapes of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions with up to six outer pairs of electrons (any combination of bonding pairs and lone pairs)
Examples should include BeCl2, BCl3, CH4, NH3, NH4+, H2O, CO2, PCl5(g) and SF6(g) and related molecules and ions; as well as simple organic molecules in this specification.
Could someone list the compounds they mean by 'related molecules' and 'simple organic molecules' they are referring to? Ions are fine dw ab them, just those im confused about?
11. understand reasons for the shapes of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions with up to six outer pairs of electrons (any combination of bonding pairs and lone pairs)
Examples should include BeCl2, BCl3, CH4, NH3, NH4+, H2O, CO2, PCl5(g) and SF6(g) and related molecules and ions; as well as simple organic molecules in this specification.
Could someone list the compounds they mean by 'related molecules' and 'simple organic molecules' they are referring to? Ions are fine dw ab them, just those im confused about?
Original post by hibyehereforasec
HI, in edexcel in topic 2, for shapes of molecules theres this specification point.
11. understand reasons for the shapes of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions with up to six outer pairs of electrons (any combination of bonding pairs and lone pairs)
Examples should include BeCl2, BCl3, CH4, NH3, NH4+, H2O, CO2, PCl5(g) and SF6(g) and related molecules and ions; as well as simple organic molecules in this specification.
Could someone list the compounds they mean by 'related molecules' and 'simple organic molecules' they are referring to? Ions are fine dw ab them, just those im confused about?
11. understand reasons for the shapes of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions with up to six outer pairs of electrons (any combination of bonding pairs and lone pairs)
Examples should include BeCl2, BCl3, CH4, NH3, NH4+, H2O, CO2, PCl5(g) and SF6(g) and related molecules and ions; as well as simple organic molecules in this specification.
Could someone list the compounds they mean by 'related molecules' and 'simple organic molecules' they are referring to? Ions are fine dw ab them, just those im confused about?
What they mean is they want you to know how to predict the shapes and bond angles in various molecules, with the listed ones being examples that are worth memorising.
Note that if a molecule contains lone pairs, it is worth stating lone pairs are more repulsive than bonding pairs, so they lead to the contraction of the bond angle.
BeCl2 is linear with a 180° bond angle, since there are 2 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
BCl3 is trigonal planar with a 120° bond angle, since there are 3 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
CH4 and NH4^+ are tetrahedral with 109.5° bond angles, since they both have 4 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
NH3 is trigonal pyramidal with a 107° bond angle, since it has 3 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair.
H2O is V-shaped with a 104.5° bond angle, since it has 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs.
CO2 is linear - in this instance, you treat each C=O as like an ordinary bonding pair (though you refer to it as a bonding region) and the explanation for the shape and 180° bond angle is essentially the same as with BeCl2.
PCl5 (in the gas phase) is trigonal bipyramidal with 120° and 90° bond angles, since there are 5 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs
SF6 (in the gas phase) is octahedral with 90° bond angles, since there are 6 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
The similar molecules simply refers to molecules with similar structures to the above examples, but with different elements (or groups of atoms such as -OH) taking the places of others (i.e if you were to predict the shape of CCl4 instead of CH4, you would use the same logic as with CH4 to explain the tetrahedral shape and bond angle).
Simple organic molecules typically just refer to things like ethanol, benzene etc that you will see on the course - you treat these as similar molecules to the examples above.
(edited 6 months ago)
Original post by TypicalNerd
What they mean is they want you to know how to predict the shapes and bond angles in various molecules, with the listed ones being examples that are worth memorising.
Note that if a molecule contains lone pairs, it is worth stating lone pairs are more repulsive than bonding pairs, so they lead to the contraction of the bond angle.
BeCl2 is linear with a 180° bond angle, since there are 2 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
BCl3 is trigonal planar with a 120° bond angle, since there are 3 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
CH4 and NH4^+ are tetrahedral with 109.5° bond angles, since they both have 4 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
NH3 is trigonal pyramidal with a 107° bond angle, since it has 3 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair.
H2O is V-shaped with a 104.5° bond angle, since it has 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs.
CO2 is linear - in this instance, you treat each C=O as like an ordinary bonding pair (though you refer to it as a bonding region) and the explanation for the shape and 180° bond angle is essentially the same as with BeCl2.
PCl5 (in the gas phase) is trigonal bipyramidal with 120° and 90° bond angles, since there are 5 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs
SF6 (in the gas phase) is octahedral with 90° bond angles, since there are 6 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
The similar molecules simply refers to molecules with similar structures to the above examples, but with different elements (or groups of atoms such as -OH) taking the places of others (i.e if you were to predict the shape of CCl4 instead of CH4, you would use the same logic as with CH4 to explain the tetrahedral shape and bond angle).
Simple organic molecules typically just refer to things like ethanol, benzene etc that you will see on the course - you treat these as similar molecules to the examples above.
Note that if a molecule contains lone pairs, it is worth stating lone pairs are more repulsive than bonding pairs, so they lead to the contraction of the bond angle.
BeCl2 is linear with a 180° bond angle, since there are 2 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
BCl3 is trigonal planar with a 120° bond angle, since there are 3 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
CH4 and NH4^+ are tetrahedral with 109.5° bond angles, since they both have 4 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
NH3 is trigonal pyramidal with a 107° bond angle, since it has 3 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair.
H2O is V-shaped with a 104.5° bond angle, since it has 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs.
CO2 is linear - in this instance, you treat each C=O as like an ordinary bonding pair (though you refer to it as a bonding region) and the explanation for the shape and 180° bond angle is essentially the same as with BeCl2.
PCl5 (in the gas phase) is trigonal bipyramidal with 120° and 90° bond angles, since there are 5 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs
SF6 (in the gas phase) is octahedral with 90° bond angles, since there are 6 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
The similar molecules simply refers to molecules with similar structures to the above examples, but with different elements (or groups of atoms such as -OH) taking the places of others (i.e if you were to predict the shape of CCl4 instead of CH4, you would use the same logic as with CH4 to explain the tetrahedral shape and bond angle).
Simple organic molecules typically just refer to things like ethanol, benzene etc that you will see on the course - you treat these as similar molecules to the examples above.
Thank you so very much man, I understand what its asking nowww <33
Original post by TypicalNerd
What they mean is they want you to know how to predict the shapes and bond angles in various molecules, with the listed ones being examples that are worth memorising.
Note that if a molecule contains lone pairs, it is worth stating lone pairs are more repulsive than bonding pairs, so they lead to the contraction of the bond angle.
BeCl2 is linear with a 180° bond angle, since there are 2 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
BCl3 is trigonal planar with a 120° bond angle, since there are 3 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
CH4 and NH4^+ are tetrahedral with 109.5° bond angles, since they both have 4 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
NH3 is trigonal pyramidal with a 107° bond angle, since it has 3 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair.
H2O is V-shaped with a 104.5° bond angle, since it has 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs.
CO2 is linear - in this instance, you treat each C=O as like an ordinary bonding pair (though you refer to it as a bonding region) and the explanation for the shape and 180° bond angle is essentially the same as with BeCl2.
PCl5 (in the gas phase) is trigonal bipyramidal with 120° and 90° bond angles, since there are 5 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs
SF6 (in the gas phase) is octahedral with 90° bond angles, since there are 6 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
The similar molecules simply refers to molecules with similar structures to the above examples, but with different elements (or groups of atoms such as -OH) taking the places of others (i.e if you were to predict the shape of CCl4 instead of CH4, you would use the same logic as with CH4 to explain the tetrahedral shape and bond angle).
Simple organic molecules typically just refer to things like ethanol, benzene etc that you will see on the course - you treat these as similar molecules to the examples above.
Note that if a molecule contains lone pairs, it is worth stating lone pairs are more repulsive than bonding pairs, so they lead to the contraction of the bond angle.
BeCl2 is linear with a 180° bond angle, since there are 2 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
BCl3 is trigonal planar with a 120° bond angle, since there are 3 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
CH4 and NH4^+ are tetrahedral with 109.5° bond angles, since they both have 4 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
NH3 is trigonal pyramidal with a 107° bond angle, since it has 3 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair.
H2O is V-shaped with a 104.5° bond angle, since it has 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs.
CO2 is linear - in this instance, you treat each C=O as like an ordinary bonding pair (though you refer to it as a bonding region) and the explanation for the shape and 180° bond angle is essentially the same as with BeCl2.
PCl5 (in the gas phase) is trigonal bipyramidal with 120° and 90° bond angles, since there are 5 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs
SF6 (in the gas phase) is octahedral with 90° bond angles, since there are 6 bonding pairs and 0 lone pairs.
The similar molecules simply refers to molecules with similar structures to the above examples, but with different elements (or groups of atoms such as -OH) taking the places of others (i.e if you were to predict the shape of CCl4 instead of CH4, you would use the same logic as with CH4 to explain the tetrahedral shape and bond angle).
Simple organic molecules typically just refer to things like ethanol, benzene etc that you will see on the course - you treat these as similar molecules to the examples above.
Another detail always worth mentioning is stating that all electron pairs repel as far apart as possible with bonding pairs repelling each other equally.
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