Advanced Higher Chemistry

Line spectra as evidence for quantised energy levels, atomic orbital shapes, and building up electron configurations correctly.

Why transition metals show variable oxidation states and coloured ions, and how ligands bond to a central metal ion to form a complex.

Writing the Kc expression for a homogeneous equilibrium, and calculating Kc from equilibrium concentrations.

Predicting the sign of an entropy change, and using ΔG = ΔH − TΔS to decide whether a reaction is thermodynamically feasible.

Determining orders of reaction from initial-rate data, and calculating a rate constant and its units.

Choosing the principal characteristic group in a molecule with several functional groups, and naming aromatic compounds.

Cis/trans geometric isomers arising from restricted rotation, and how a chiral centre gives rise to optically active enantiomers.

Planning a multi-step synthesis route between two organic compounds, and thinking backward from the target molecule.

Using characteristic absorption wavenumbers in an infrared spectrum to identify which functional groups are present in a molecule.

Reading a molecular ion peak for relative molecular mass, and interpreting fragmentation peaks to identify structural features.

Using chemical shift, integration and splitting patterns in a proton NMR spectrum to work out a molecule's structure.

Designing a fair, controlled experiment, distinguishing systematic from random error, and calculating percentage uncertainty.