Chemistry (4CHO)

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) programme provides a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 1 & 2 qualification which is recognised globally by employers and universities alike, as a like-for-like equivalent to a UK GCSE.

The IGCSE Chemistry course explores the fundamental principles of chemistry and develops the understanding of its patterns and themes, highlighting:-

• The importance of safe working practices in the laboratory environment,
• The necessity for accuracy in experimental work
• The concept of Hypotheses and designing experiments
• The need for logical approaches to problem solving
• And the wider importance of the role of a chemist and the way materials are used in the world

This qualification provides a solid foundation from which to continue on to A-Levels, at NQF Level 3, and beyond.

Course Content

This IGCSE Chemistry course is delivered by distance learning and consists of 5 sections exploring different aspects of Chemistry. At the end of each section progress can be monitored both by you and your assigned tutor with the Tutor-marked Assessments (TMAs) that will serve as both progress indicators and valuable practice for the exams.

The practical nature of Chemistry is the best way to get to grips with the basic principles and this will be conveyed using full colour photographs and diagrams where appropriate.

The five sections are as follows: -

Section 1 - Principles of Chemistry

a) States of matter
b) Atoms
c) Atomic structure
d) Relative formula masses
e) Chemical formulae and chemical equations
f) Ionic compounds
g) Covalent Substances
h) Metallic crystals
i) Electrolysis

Section 2 - Chemistry of the Elements

a) The Periodic Table
b) Group 1 elements - lithium, sodium and potassium
c) Group 7 elements - chlorine, bromine and iodine
d) Oxygen and oxides
e) Hydrogen and water
f) Reactivity series
g) Tests for ions and gases

Section 3 - Organic Chemistry

a) Introduction to organic chemistry
b) Alkanes
c) Alkenes
d) Ethanol

Section 4 - Physical Chemistry

a) Acids, alkalis and salts
b) Energetics
c) Rates of reaction
d) Equilibria

Section 5 - Chemistry in Industry

a) Extraction and uses of metals
b) Crude oil
c) Synthetic polymers
d) The industrial manufacture of chemicals
 
Assessment

Assessment is by means of two external exam papers, with the five sections assessed in some part across both papers: -

Chemistry Paper 1 (66.7%)
2 hours
Set and marked by Edexcel
Available: January and June Series (from June 2013)

Chemistry Paper 2 (33.3%)
1 Hour
Set and marked by Edexcel
Available: January and June Series (from June 2013)

While the papers are available in both the January and June series, both papers must be sat in the same series. The examinations will use a range of short-answer structured questions as well as calculations, graph drawing and questions requiring longer prose answers. Some questions are designed to assess data handling skills and application of chemical understanding to unfamiliar situations.  Grades A* to G are available.

The examinations test students against pre-designated assessment objectives: -
 
AO1: Knowledge and Understanding = 45 - 50%
AO2: Application of knowledge and understanding, analysis and evaluation = 27.5 - 32.5%
AO3: Experimental skills, analysis and evaluation of data and methods = 20 - 25%

Assessment Objectives
Paper AO1                      AO2                  AO3                   Total Marks for Paper
Chemistry
Paper 1 54 - 60 marks 33 - 39 marks 24 - 30 marks 120 marks
Chemistry
Paper 2 27 - 30 marks 16 - 20 marks 12 - 15 marks 60 marks

Students will need to register to sit these exams at a suitable exam centre. There are exam centres all over the UK and many worldwide and Edexcel provide some useful advice and guidance on finding your nearest centre on the “Private Candidates” section of their website: www.edexcel.org.uk

Suggested Reading
Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry Revision Guide (Cliff Curtis) ISBN 978-0435046729
A relatively inexpensive revision guide produced by Edexcel for this course - this would make an excellent supplementary tool for your studies.

Entry Requirements
Basic English reading and writing skills, as full tutor support is given

Study Hours
Approximate study hours for this course is between 120 and 140 hours

Qualification
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in Chemistry
Specification: Edexcel 4CH0
www.edexcel.org.uk
 

Online Enrolment