Marlborough Boys’ College

NCEA L3 Chemistry B - Mātai Matū B

Course Description Recommended Prior Learning

Level 2 Chemistry A - Mātai matū A - Will be an advantage and allow for a wider choice if student is designing a unique personal course

Level 2 Chemistry B - Mātai matū B - Required

The Chemistry Of Organisms, Oceans, Lagoons and Rivers

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 Organisms, Oceans, Rivers and Lakes 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 for the international Chemistry Olympiad.

Topics you will learn about include

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.

Further investigations in Organic Chemistry - continue to extend IUPAC vocabulary, practical skills and understanding of reaction types while experimenting to investigate the physical and chemical properties of a more extensive range of organic molecules. Develop the practical skills to distinguish between a wider range of unknown solutions.

The 2021 Nobel prize in Chemistry for Asymmetric organocatalysis - process provided materials to write a report to show your understanding of the significance of this process.

By the end of the course you will know about the principles of

Asymmetric organocatalysis and optical isomers
Evaluating the validity of an aqueous chemical experiment
Equilibrium, pH, Ka, Kb, pKa, pKb and Ks values in the context of strong and weak acids and bases, buffers and salt solutions.
Redox, precipitation and acid - base titrations and acid -base titration curves and indicator choices
IUPAC nomenclature of a wider variety of organic molecules
Condensation polymerisation, esterification and hydrolysis of ester and amide linkages
Writing and solving organic reaction schemes
Distinguishing between a more extensive range of unknown organic solutions by experiment

Course Overview

Semester B
By processing a range of provided materials you will produce a report on the chemistry and significance of asymmetrical organocatalysis . This is assessed via a three credit internal assessment.
Then, as you continue to practice and extend your ability to use IUPAC nomenclature, via experiments you will be introduced to a wider range of practical equipment, organic reaction and molecule types. You will have the opportunity to apply your qualitative analysis skills to distinguish between a range of organic molecules and draw on the skills you mastered at the start of the course to craft concise, scientifically worded explanations to justify your answers. This is assessed via a 5 credit external assessment at the end of the year.
Lastly there is a choice to do one or both of the following:
- Develop, execute and evaluate an extended practical investigation on the changing concentration of an aqueous species. Then write a report to discuss the validity of the method, results and conclusion. This is assessed via a four credit internal assessment.
- Use your understanding of the microstructure of a variety of strong and weak acids and bases and salt solutions to predict and justify the species present when a substance is dissolved in water. 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. Predict the production of precipitates in water bodies and organisms using calculations and equilibrium principles. This part of the course is timetabled for one hour a week after school throughout the year.

Learning Areas:

Year 13 (NCEA Level 3), Science - Pūtaiao

Assessment Information

This course has four assessments - a 3 credit processing information internal on Ocean Acidification, a 4 credit Extended Practical Investigation internal, a 5 credit Organic Chemistry external and there is an option to take a year long 5 credit Level 3 Aqueous chemistry external starting from the beginning of the year (taught after school from 3:30 to 4:30 for one afternoon a week throughout the year).
This course does however provide opportunities for students to design a personal unique course according to their abilities and aspirations.
A scholarship program is also available.
These options can be negotiated with your teacher before/during during the course.