Scottish Higher Higher Chemistry Syllabus

Higher Chemistry syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Higher Chemistry in Scottish Higher, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Chemical Changes and Structure

   4 topics

   • Controlling the Rate of Reaction
     • Collision theory and activation energy
     • Reaction profiles and catalysts
   • Periodicity
     • Covalent, metallic and ionic bonding
     • Trends in electronegativity and atomic size
   • Intermolecular Forces
     • London dispersion forces and dipole interactions
     • Hydrogen bonding and its effect on properties
   • Oxidising and Reducing Agents
2. 2

   Nature's Chemistry

   5 topics

   • Esters, Fats and Oils
     • Esterification and hydrolysis
     • Saturated and unsaturated structures
   • Proteins
     • Amino acids and peptide links
     • Enzymes and denaturing
   • Oxidation of Food and Antioxidants
   • Soaps, Detergents and Emulsions
   • Fragrances and Skincare
     • Terpenes and essential oils
     • UV radiation and free radicals
3. 3

   Chemistry in Society

   4 topics

   • Calculating Quantities: The Mole
     • Balanced equations and molar calculations
     • Percentage yield and atom economy
   • Energy from Fuels
     • Enthalpy of combustion
     • Hess's law
   • Equilibria
     • Dynamic equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle
     • Effect of changes in concentration, pressure and temperature
   • Chemical Analysis
     • Volumetric titrations
     • Chromatography
4. 4

   Researching Chemistry

   4 topics

   • Common Laboratory Apparatus and Techniques
   • Practical Skills
     • Filtration, distillation and titration procedures
     • Gravimetric and volumetric analysis
   • Reporting and Evaluating Experiments
   • Risk Assessment and Safe Working

Higher Chemistry flashcards for Scottish Higher

25 of 62 cards from the Higher Chemistry deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What four factors affect the rate of a chemical reaction?

   Concentration (or pressure for gases), particle size/surface area, temperature, and the presence of a catalyst.

2. Define activation energy ($E_a$).

   The minimum kinetic energy that colliding reactant particles must possess for a successful collision that leads to a reaction (forming the activated complex).

3. What is an activated complex?

   An unstable, high-energy intermediate species formed at the maximum of the potential energy diagram when reactants collide with sufficient energy; it can break down to form products or revert to reactants.

4. How does a catalyst increase reaction rate?

   It provides an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy, so a greater proportion of colliding particles have enough energy to react.

5. What does the area under a Maxwell–Boltzmann energy distribution curve to the right of $E_a$ represent?

   The number (proportion) of particles with kinetic energy greater than or equal to the activation energy, i.e. those able to react successfully.

6. How is the relative rate of a reaction calculated from the time taken?

   $$\text{relative rate} = \frac{1}{t}$$ where $t$ is the reaction time (with units such as $\text{s}^{-1}$).

7. Define the first ionisation energy of an element.

   The energy required to remove one mole of electrons from one mole of gaseous atoms: $$\ce{E(g) -> E^+(g) + e^-}$$

8. Describe the trend in covalent (atomic) radius across a period and down a group.

   It decreases across a period (increasing nuclear charge pulls electrons closer) and increases down a group (additional electron shells and increased screening).

9. Why does first ionisation energy generally increase across a period?

   The nuclear charge increases while electrons are added to the same shell, so the increased attraction holds electrons more tightly, requiring more energy to remove one.

10. Which three elements in period 3 form covalent network (giant covalent) structures, and which is metallic vs covalent molecular?

    Covalent network: silicon, and carbon (boron) — for period 3, silicon is the network solid. Na, Mg, Al are metallic; P, S, Cl, Ar exist as covalent molecular/monatomic. Silicon has the giant covalent lattice.

11. What type of bonding and structure does carbon (diamond), silicon and boron have, and what property results?

    Covalent network (giant covalent) — strong covalent bonds throughout, giving very high melting and boiling points.

12. Define electronegativity.

    A measure of the attraction an atom involved in a bond has for the shared pair of electrons in the bond.

13. What are London dispersion forces and how does their strength vary?

    Weak forces of attraction caused by temporary (instantaneous) dipoles from the movement of electrons; their strength increases as the number of electrons in the molecule increases.

14. Under what condition does a permanent dipole–permanent dipole interaction arise?

    When a molecule is polar — it contains polar bonds (electronegativity difference) arranged asymmetrically so the dipoles do not cancel, giving a permanent dipole.

15. What is hydrogen bonding and between which atoms does it occur?

    A strong type of permanent dipole interaction occurring when hydrogen is bonded to the highly electronegative atoms nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine ($\ce{N}$, $\ce{O}$, $\ce{F}$).

16. Why does water have a higher boiling point than expected for its molecular mass?

    Water molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds, which are stronger than ordinary London/dipole forces, so more energy is needed to separate them.

17. Why is ice less dense than liquid water?

    In ice, hydrogen bonds hold the molecules in an open, ordered lattice with larger spaces between molecules, so the same mass occupies a greater volume.

18. Define an oxidising agent and a reducing agent.

    An oxidising agent accepts electrons (is itself reduced); a reducing agent donates electrons (is itself oxidised).

19. Where in the electrochemical series are the strongest reducing agents and strongest oxidising agents found?

    The strongest reducing agents are at the top right (e.g. Group 1 metals, easily lose electrons); the strongest oxidising agents are at the bottom left (e.g. $\ce{F2}$, easily gain electrons).

20. Write the ion-electron equation for the reduction of dichromate ions in acid solution.

    $$\ce{Cr2O7^2- + 14H+ + 6e- -> 2Cr^3+ + 7H2O}$$

21. How are oxidation and reduction half-equations combined to give a redox equation?

    Balance the electrons lost and gained (multiply equations as needed) then add the half-equations together, cancelling the electrons and any species common to both sides.

22. What is the functional group of an ester and how is it formed?

    The ester linkage $\ce{-COO-}$ (carboxyl–oxygen), formed by a condensation reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol with the elimination of water.

23. Name the type of reaction that breaks an ester back into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol.

    Hydrolysis — the ester reacts with water (the reverse of the condensation/esterification reaction).

24. What is the structural difference between a fat and an oil?

    Oils contain more carbon–carbon double bonds (more unsaturated), so their molecules pack less closely, giving lower melting points (liquid at room temperature); fats are more saturated and solid at room temperature.

25. What are fats and oils chemically (in terms of building blocks)?

    They are esters (triglycerides) formed from the condensation of glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) with three fatty acid (long-chain carboxylic acid) molecules.

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