Level 3 Chemistry
L3CHEM Course DescriptionHead of Faculty/Teacher in Charge: Mr T. Hill.
Recommended Prior LearningTo be accepted for this course students must have earned 14 or more credits in Level 2 Chemistry, or HOF/TIC (Head of Faculty/Teacher in Charge) approval.
This course builds on Level 2 work to the extent that it is difficult to make good progress at Level 3 if you have not taken Level 2 Chemistry.
Any student taking two or more courses that require significant time away from school (such as Outdoor Education, Dual Enrolment, or Gateway) may find it difficult to cope with the demands of this course. In this case, entry will be subject to an interview with the HOF Science.
Topics already covered at Level 2 are extended during this course, with an emphasis on energy changes, aqueous (water) solution chemistry, types of reactions, atomic structure and bonding, and organic and inorganic substances.
Overall, Year 13 Chemistry provides a valuable foundation for higher education and careers in science and technology, while also fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of the material world.
- University Preparation: Year 13 Chemistry is essential for many university courses, including medicine, pharmacy, chemical engineering, biochemistry, and environmental science.
- Pre-requisites: Many higher education programs in the sciences and health fields require or strongly recommend Year 13 Chemistry as a prerequisite.
Course Overview
What is taught in courses varies from year to year. This course could include:
The standards covered across the year are;
3.2 Spectroscopy - this looks at a range of analytical techniques and how they are used to identify unknown molecules in the real world. This sort of chemistry is widely used in forensics, customs and research chemistry.
3.4 Thermochemical principles and properties of particles - this standard covers the atomic world and the ways in which energy and the forces of chaos combine to create the real-world phenomena around us.
3.5 Organic chemistry - this topic examines the wide range of molecules produced by nature, and our best attempt to organise and understand them.
3.6 Equilibrium Principles and aqueous systems - looks at chemical reactions that do not proceed to completion and how water mediates many reactions.
3.7 Oxidation-reduction - describes the way in which electrochemistry is used to produce a huge amount of the worlds resources, and to run anything battery powered.
Assessment Information
3.2 Spectroscopy and 3.7 Redox are assessed internally and are worth 3 credits each.
Internal assessments include practical investigations, experiments, and research projects. These assessments may require students to design and conduct experiments, analyse data, and present their findings.
3.4 Thermochemistry, 3.5 Organic, and 3.6 Equilibrium are 5 credits each and are all assessed externally.
External Assessments are written examinations that test students' understanding of chemical concepts and their ability to apply this knowledge to solve problems and explain phenomena.
There is likely to be some expense involved in the purchase of a write-on workbook, which covers the topics taught.
Stationery for note-taking.
Computer.