Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry

Book Preface

Cambridge International AS and A Level Cbemistry uses some of the content from Cbemistry for Advanced Level, but has been completely revised by the original authors to cater for those students and teachers involved with the Cambridge International Examinations syllabus 9701.

The book has been fully endorsed by Cambddge International E.xaminations, and is listed as an endorsed texubook for students studying this syllabus. The syllabus content has been covered comprehensively, and has been separated into AS material, which comptises Topics 1-19, whilst the A Level material is dealt with in Topics 20. All the Learning outcomes specified in the syllabus are included in the book. At the statt of each Topic the specific Learning outcomes relevant to that Topic are clearly slated, using the same wording as in the syllabus, so that students can clearly see the syllabus areas covered by the Topic. The chatt on the following page sununarises the syllabus coverage in each Topic.

Throughout each Topic there are worked examples, with answers, to illustrate the concepts recently introduced. These are followed by a few ‘Now try this’ questions, allowing students to test themselves. Answers to these questions are on the accompanying Students’ CD-ROM. Each Topic ends with a summaty of the key points covered, together with a list of key reactions where relevant. Finally, several past examination questions have been selected that illustrate how the subject matter of the Topic has been assessed in tl1e past. Answers to tl1ese questions will be found on the Teachers’ CD-ROM.

To allow students and teachers to locate easily the various aspects of the subject, the order of Topics is a logical one, siarting with the essential basic ptinciples of physical chemistry and then introducing tl1e application of those principles firstly to inorganic chemist1y and tl1en to organic chemistry. No teaching order is implied by this, however. It has been found that mixing principles and applications with factual content throughout the course is often the best way to achieve a deeper and broader understanding of chemistry. Teachers are recommended to consult the schemes of work published by Cambridge International Examinations on their website for some suggested methods of delivering the subject material.

A feature of tl1e new 2016 syllabus is the introduction of Key concepts. These are essential ideas, theories, principles or mental tools that help learners to develop a deep undersianding of tl1eir subject and make links between the different topics. Although teachers are likely to have these in mind at all times when they are teaching the syllabus, we have included in the text the following icons at points where the Key concepts relate to the text.