Chemistry Unit 1: How Can the Diversity of Materials be Explained?

Prerequisites

Students are advised to complete the Year 10 Chemistry course before undertaking Chemistry Unit 1. Mathematical Methods is strongly recommended.

Course Description

The development and use of materials for specific purposes is an important human endeavour. In this unit students investigate the chemical structures and properties of a range of materials, including covalent compounds, metals, ionic compounds and polymers. They are introduced to ways that chemical quantities are measured. They consider how manufacturing innovations lead to more sustainable products being produced for society through the use of renewable raw materials and a transition from a linear economy towards a circular economy.

Students conduct practical investigations involving the reactivity series of metals, separation of mixtures by chromatography, use of precipitation reactions to identify ionic compounds, determination of empirical formulas, and synthesis of polymers.

Throughout this unit students use chemistry terminology including symbols, formulas, chemical nomenclature and equations to represent and explain observations and data from their own investigations and to evaluate the chemistry-based claims of others.

A student-directed research investigation into the sustainable production or use of a selected material is to be undertaken in Area of Study 3. The investigation explores how sustainability factors such as green chemistry principles and the transition to a circular economy are considered in the production of materials to ensure minimum toxicity and impacts on human health and the environment. The investigation draws on key knowledge and key science skills from Area of Study 1 and/or Area of Study 2.

Areas of Study

How do the chemical structures of materials explain their properties and reactions?

In this area of study students focus on elements as the building blocks of useful materials. They investigate the structures, properties and reactions of carbon compounds, metals and ionic compounds, and use chromatography to separate the components of mixtures. They use metal recycling as a context to explore the transition in manufacturing processes from a linear economy to a circular economy.

The selection of learning contexts should allow students to develop practical techniques to investigate the properties and reactions of various materials. Students develop their skills in the use of scientific equipment and apparatus. Students may conduct flame tests to identify elements in the periodic table. They may model covalent, metallic and ionic structures using simple ball-and-stick models and may use computer simulations of the three-dimensional representations of molecules and lattices to better understand structures. They use solubility tables to experimentally identify unknown ions in solution. They respond to challenges such as developing their own reactivity series by reacting samples of metals with acids, oxygen and water.

Key Knowledge:

Elements and the Periodic Table
Covalent Substances
Reactions of Metals
Reactions of Ionic Compounds
Separation and identification of the components of mixtures

How are materials quantified and classified?

In this area of study students focus on the measurement of quantities in chemistry and the structures and properties of organic compounds, including polymers.

The selection of learning contexts should allow students to develop practical techniques to quantify amounts of substances and to investigate the chemistry of organic compounds. Students develop their skills in the use of scientific equipment and apparatus. They perform calculations based on the generation of primary data, such as determining the empirical formula of an ionic compound or hydrated salt, and consider how the quality of data generated in experiments can be improved. They may construct models to visualise the similarities and differences between families of organic compounds. Students may use common substances in their experiments such as making glue from milk. They may investigate the environmental impact of the production of polymers: for example, the recycling of biodegradable polymers derived from natural resources such as biopolyethene (Bio-PE). Students respond to challenges such as investigating how changing formulations for polymers affects their structure and properties: for example, by creating slime. Key Knowledge

Quantifying atoms and compounds
Families of organic compounds
Polymers and society

How can chemical principles be applied to create a more sustainable future?

Knowledge of the structure and properties of matter has developed over time through scientific and technological research, leading to the production of a range of useful chemicals, materials and products for society. Chemists today, through sustainable practices, seek to improve the efficiency with which natural resources are used to meet human needs for chemical products and services. Chemists also learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about the ways that they sustainably modify and process raw materials using techniques developed over millennia. Sustainability requires innovation in designing and discovering new chemicals, production processes and product management systems that will provide increased yield or performance at a lower cost while meeting the goals of protecting and enhancing human health and the environment.

In this area of study students undertake an investigation involving the selection and evaluation of a recent discovery, innovation, advance, case study, issue or challenge linked to the knowledge and skills developed in Unit 1 Area of Study 1 and/or Area of Study 2, including consideration of sustainability concepts (green chemistry principles, sustainable development and the transition towards a circular economy). Examples of investigation topics and possible research questions are provided below.

Assessment

Outcomes	Assessment Tasks
Outcomes	(school-assessed coursework)
How do the chemical structures of materials explain their properties and reactions?	Tasks are selected by the teacher from the following: a report of a laboratory or fieldwork activity, including the generation of primary data comparison and evaluation of chemical concepts, methodologies and methods, and findings from at least two student practical activities reflective annotations of one or more practical activities from a logbook a summary report of selected practical investigations critique of an experimental design, chemical process or apparatus analysis and evaluation of generated primary and/or collated secondary data a modelling or simulation activity a media analysis/response problem-solving involving chemical concepts, skills and/or issues a report of an application of chemical concepts to a real-life context analysis and evaluation of a chemical innovation, research study, case study, socio-scientific issue, secondary data or a media communication, with reference to sustainability (green chemistry principles, sustainable development and/or the transition to a circular economy) an infographic a scientific poster.
How are materials quantified and classified?
How can chemical principles be applied to create a more sustainable future?	a response to a question involving the production or use of a selected material, including reference to sustainability

Overall Final Assessment

End of Semester Examination – 1.5 hours.