Year 10 Science – Chemistry Learning Objectives
Understandings and Applications/Skills
Atomic Structure + Conservation of mass
Name the three sub-atomic particles and state their charge and relative sizes
General structure of an atom (location of neutrons, protons and electrons)
Know what the terms atomic number (Z) and mass number (A) refer to
Be able to calculate atomic number (Z) and mass number (A) given information on the
number of protons, neutrons and electrons and vice versa (neutral atoms, isotopes and ions)
Understand the concept of isotopes as variations that exist for an element due to the
number of neutrons it contains
Recall the Law of Conservation of Mass
Apply the conservation of mass to determine the mass of reactants/products
Apply the conservation to mass to balance chemical equations
Electron Configuration and The Periodic Table
Understand that the periodic table is organised in terms of increasing atomic number
Distinguish between and identify groups and period of the periodic table
Be able to name elements given its group and period number and vice versa
Identify the general positions of main group metals, non-metals, transition metals, alkali
earth metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens and noble gases, lanthanides and actinides on
the periodic table
Classify elements according to their position in the periodic table
Recall that elements in the same family group of the periodic table have similar
chemical/physical properties (alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens and noble gases)
Represent the relative location of the nucleus and electrons using electron shell diagrams
(Bohr atomic model)
Be able to draw the electron shell diagram for the first 20 elements
Be able to write the electron configuration for the first 20 elements
Be able to state the number of valence electrons for the first 20 elements (not required for
transition metals)
Understand how the electronic structure is related to its position in the periodic table (for the
first 20 elements) (increase by 1 valence electron as you move across a period, increase in 1
electron shell as you move down a group)
Determine the position of an element in the periodic table given its electron shell diagram
and or electron configuration and vice versa
Understand the link between properties of elements and electron configuration (and thus,
the family group they belong too)
Explain why different when different metal ions are heated, they release different EMR in the
visible light region
Covalent Bonding
Define a covalent bond
Explain why atoms of non-metal elements form covalent bonds (in terms of achieving a full
valence shell)
Recall that groups of non-metal atoms that are covalently bonded together are called
molecules
State the number of shared electrons/pairs in a single, double and triple covalent bond
Combustion, Arson and Calorimetry
Recall the personality traits of an arsonist
State the products of complete versus incomplete combustion
Balance complete and incomplete combustion reactions
Recall the structure of the three macromolecules studies (proteins, carbohydrates and
triglycerides)
Recall that the energy content of triglycerides is the highest, followed by proteins and
carbohydrates
Use calorimetry as a method to determine the energy content of different substances
Collision theory and rates of reaction
Describe the three principles of the collision theory
Explain how temperature, surface area, concentration and agitation affects the rate of
reaction.
Understand that there is an energy barrier that colliding particles need to meet or exceed in
order for a reaction to occur. This energy barrier is known as the activation energy
Understand that catalysts increase reaction rates by lowering the activation energy of a
reaction
Understand that catalysts are not altered themselves during chemical reactions and do not
change the amount of products produced
Experimental Design
Be able to; develop a research question, aim, hypothesis, write a method, conduct an
experiment to collect data, process data, write a discussion (analysing and evaluating data,
evaluating the method, explaining results using relevant scientific concepts/theory), write a
conclusion (a paragraph that links the collected data to your hypothesis and research
question) and bibliography
Toxicology + Acids and Bases
Explain what the role of toxicologists
State the difference between a drug and poison
State the common properties of acids and bases
Describe what an indicator is
Recall that acids ‘release’ H+ ions while bases ‘release’ OH- ions
Recall that a solutions with a pH of 7 is classified as neutral, a pH below 7 is classified as
acidic and a pH above 7 is classified as basic
