Marlborough Boys’ College
NCEA L3 Chemistry - Mātai Matū
Course Description
Teacher in Charge: Mrs S. Withers.
The Chemistry of Vehicles and Waterways
Chemistry is a fascinating subject because of its history, the beauty of its logic and its multitude of applications.
Chemistry is the study of the composition of matter and the changes in composition that this matter undergoes. We do experiments to describe what matter looks like and does and then we learn how to use chemical principles to explain and discuss why matter behaves in this way.
This Chemistry of Vehicles and Waterways course is for students keen to extend the development of their thinking skills, ability to engage in logical argument, laboratory skills and their understanding of chemistry and for those who plan to study science or any form of applied science at tertiary level.
This course provides opportunities for students to design their own unique course according to their abilities and aspirations and, if you are doing the course as a Year 12 student, the opportunity to compete for a place on the New Zealand team for the international Chemistry Olympiad.
Topics you will learn about include:
- Redox processes in batteries - you will set up electrochemical and electrolytic cells to observe them working and you will dismantle a range of rechargeable cells to observe and understand the chemical reactions that occur in them.
- Thermochemistry of fuels - you will observe temperature changes when fuels are burnt and chemical reactions occur and use these to compare the heat content of fuels.
- Physical properties of materials - you will experiment to find the properties of different types of materials and then relate these to the materials' microstructure
- Spectroscopy of vehicle emissions - you will learn to use analysis graphs to identify unknown chemicals
- The chemistry of acids, bases, soluble and insoluble salts and buffers in water bodies - carry out experiments on aqueous solutions and discover the links between the observations, the microstructure of the solutions, ocean acidification, ocean and coastal ecosystems and man.
- Measuring the salt content of a fresh water body - complete an extended practical investigation and write a scientific report that considers the validity of the method, results and conclusion.
By the end of the course you will be able to
- use the principles of Aufbau and lone electron pair repulsion to draw electron configurations of atoms and structures of molecules and predict and justify their physical properties
- predict and justify whether a reaction is spontaneous and non spontaneous
- understand the implications of a material's structure on its chemical and physical properties
- calculate the enthalpy change of a reaction from book and experimental values
- use 12C NMR, Infrared and mass spectroscopy to identify unknown organic molecules
- predict chemical reactions that occur in a cell from Redox Potential values
- evaluate the validity of an aqueous chemical experiment
- use equilibrium, pH, Ka, Kb, pka, pK and Ks values in the context of strong and weak acids and bases, buffers and salt solutions
- carry out Redox, precipitation and acid - base titrations, draw acid -base titration curves and justify indicator choices
Course Overview
Term 1
Having set up electrolytic and electrochemical cells and dismantled rechargeable batteries you will develop the skills to use Redox Potential values to predict the chemical reactions that occur in these cells. Then, using these skills together with the knowledge you built in the Redox section of the Level 2 course you, you will apply your knowledge to predict, describe and justify the chemical reactions that occur in the Lead Acid Accumulator, the NICAD, Vanadium and the mercury- zinc button batteries.
While learning to read 12C NMR, Infrared and mass spectrographs you will practise identifying and eliminating a variety of unknown organic molecules and then justifying your predictions using concise scientifically worded discussions.
These two units will be assessed via two internal assessments for three credits each.
Your will then work individually or in a small or large group to develop and execute an extended practical investigation on the changing concentration of an aqueous species in a waterway of your choice.
Term 2
You will continue to execute and evaluate an extended practical investigation on the changing concentration of an aqueous species in a waterway of your choice. The report that you write to discuss the validity of the method, results and conclusion of this investigation is assessed via a four credit internal assessment.
The rest of Term 2 is dedicated to building knowledge about Aqueous solutions. By using your understanding of the microstructure of a variety of strong and weak acids and bases and salt solutions you will learn to predict and justify the species present when a substance is dissolved in water. This will support you as you develop the skills to calculate the pH of a variety of strong and weak acids and bases, buffers and salt aqueous solutions, calculate, make use of and show understanding of Ka, Kb, pKa, pKb, Ks values, draw and make sense of acid - base titration curves and justify your choice of an acid-base indicator. In the last weeks of the term you will practise predicting the production of precipitates in water bodies and organisms using calculations and equilibrium principles. This will be assessed in an five credit external assessment at the end of the year.
Term 3
You will build the knowledge to be able to predict the physical properties of atomic, molecular, ionic and metallic substances. Molecular substances are the main focus of this section and, to arrive at a point where you can justify their physical behaviour, you will have opportunities to use the principles of Aufbau and lone electron pair repulsion to draw electron configurations of atoms and structures of molecules. Using these will support you in understanding the implications of atomic and molecular structure on a molecule's polarity and thus a material's boiling point, melting point and solubility.
The last step in completing the course involves carrying out experiments and calculations to classify a selection of chemical and physical reactions as exothermic or endothermic. Using this information you will be able to discover and justify if a reaction is spontaneous or not. This will be assessed in an five credit external assessment at the end of the year.
Term 4
We follow a revision program to prepare for the two external examinations.
Recommended Prior Learning
NCEA L2 Chemistry - Mātai Matū
Contributions and Equipment/Stationery
All curriculum costs will be covered by the school.
Pathway
Choose Chemistry if.….
You want to keep your career options open or if you are considering a career in any science or in law, writing , politics, farming or a trade or if you are just interested in the world around you and want to be able to make informed decisions about consumer products and your effect on the environment.
Chemistry develops habits of thinking logically and clearly that can be applied to almost any sort of work
A knowledge of chemistry is useful, no matter what career you follow
Chemistry is part of all natural sciences and a person cannot go very far in any science without a knowledge of chemistry
Chemistry is an essential prerequisite for many university and technical courses.
Assessment Information
This course has five documented assessments - two 3 credit internals on Batteries and Spectroscopy, one 4 credit internal that is an extended practical assessment and two 5 credit externals on Aqueous Solutions and on Particles and Thermochemistry.This course does however provide opportunities for students to design a personal unique course according to their abilities and aspirations.
A scholarship examination is also available.
These options can be negotiated with your teacher before/during during the course.
Credit Information
You will be assessed in this course through all or a selection of the standards listed below.
This course is eligible for subject endorsement.
This course is approved for University Entrance.
External
NZQA Info
Chemistry 3.1 - Carry out an investigation in chemistry involving quantitative analysis
NZQA Info
Chemistry 3.2 - Demonstrate understanding of spectroscopic data in chemistry
NZQA Info
Chemistry 3.4 - Demonstrate understanding of thermochemical principles and the properties of particles and substances
NZQA Info
Chemistry 3.6 - Demonstrate understanding of equilibrium principles in aqueous systems
NZQA Info
Chemistry 3.7 - Demonstrate understanding of oxidation-reduction processes
Approved subject for University Entrance
Number of credits that can be used for overall endorsement: 20
Only students engaged in learning and achievement derived from Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are eligible to be awarded these subjects as part of the requirement for 14 credits in each of three subjects.
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