Both IB Chemistry SL and HL cover the first 11 topics (a total of 95 hours), and HL additionally covers topics 12 to 21 (an additional 60 hours). For both levels, you'll also study one of the four options A-D (15 hours for SL, 25 hours for HL).
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Introduction to the particulate nature of matter and chemical change | 1.1 |
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The mole concept | 1.2 |
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Reacting masses and volumes | 1.3 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
The nuclear atom | 2.1 |
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Electron configuration | 2.2 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Periodic table | 3.1 |
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Periodic trends | 3.2 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Ionic bonding and structure | 4.1 |
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Covalent bonding | 4.2 |
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Covalent structures | 4.3 |
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Intermolecular forces | 4.4 |
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Metallic bonding | 4.5 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Measuring energy changes | 5.1 |
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Hess’s Law | 5.2 |
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Bond enthalpies | 5.3 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Collision theory and rates of reaction | 6.1 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Equilibrium | 7.1 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Theories of acids and bases | 8.1 |
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Properties of acids and bases | 8.2 |
Voltaic (Galvanic) cells
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The pH scale | 8.3 |
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Strong and weak acids and bases | 8.4 |
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Acid deposition | 8.5 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Oxidation and reduction | 9.1 |
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Electrochemical cells | 9.2 |
Voltaic (Galvanic) cells
Electrolytic cells |
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Fundamentals of organic chemistry | 10.1 |
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Functional group chemistry | 10.2 |
Alkanes:
Alkenes:
Alcohols:
Halogenoalkanes:
Polymers:
Benzene:
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Uncertainties and errors in measurement and results | 11.1 |
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Graphical techniques | 11.2 |
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Spectroscopic identification of organic compounds | 11.3 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Electrons in atoms (HL ONLY) | 12.1 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
First-row d-block elements (HL ONLY) | 13.1 |
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Coloured complexes (HL ONLY) | 13.1 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Further aspects of covalent bonding and structure (HL ONLY) | 14.1 |
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Hybridization (HL ONLY) | 14.2 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Energy cycles (HL ONLY) | 15.1 |
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Entropy and spontaneity (HL ONLY) | 15.2 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Rate expression and reaction mechanism (HL ONLY) | 16.1 |
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Activation energy (HL ONLY) | 16.2 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
The equilibrium law (HL ONLY) | 17.1 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Lewis acids and bases (HL ONLY) | 18.1 |
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Calculations involving acids and bases (HL ONLY) | 18.2 |
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pH curves (HL ONLY) | 18.3 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Electrochemical cells (HL ONLY) | 19.1 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Types of organic reactions (HL ONLY) | 20.1 |
Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions: Electrophilic Addition Reactions: Electrophilic Substitution Reactions: Reduction Reactions: |
Synthetic routes (HL ONLY) | 20.2 |
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Stereoisomerism (HL ONLY) | 20.3 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Spectroscopic identification of organic compounds (HL ONLY) | 21.1 |
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As a part of your IB Chemistry class you'll cover an additional subject from the list below (typically your teacher chooses which subject you'll cover). Whichever option is chosen, you'll cover 5-7 topics (15 hours total) for SL and an additional 3 or 4 topics (25 hours total) for HL.
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Materials science introduction | A.1 |
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Metals and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy | A.2 |
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Catalysts | A.3 |
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Liquid crystals | A.4 |
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Polymers | A.5 |
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Nanotechnology | A.6 |
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Environmental impact—plastics | A.7 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Superconducting metals and X-ray crystallography (HL ONLY) | A.8 |
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Condensation polymers(HL ONLY) | A.9 |
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Environmental impact—heavy metals(HL ONLY) | A.10 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Introduction to biochemistry | B.1 |
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Proteins and enzymes | B.2 |
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Lipids | B.3 |
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Carbohydrates | B.4 |
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Vitamins | B.5 |
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Biochemistry and the environment | B.6 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Proteins and enzymes (HL ONLY) | B.7 |
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Nucleic acids(HL ONLY) | B.8 |
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Biological pigments (HL ONLY) | B.9 |
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Stereochemistry in biomolecules(HL ONLY) | B.10 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Energy sources | C.1 |
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Fossil fuels | C.2 |
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Nuclear fusion and fission | C.3 |
Nuclear fusion Nuclear fission |
Solar energy | C.4 |
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Environmental impact—global warming | C.5 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Electrochemistry, rechargeable batteries and fuel cells (HL ONLY) | C.6 |
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Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission(HL ONLY) | C.7 |
Nuclear fusion: |
Photovoltaic cells and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC)(HL ONLY) | C.8 |
Nuclear fusion Nuclear fission |
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Pharmaceutical products and drug action | D.1 |
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Aspirin and penicillin | D.2 |
Aspirin: Penicillin: |
Opiates | D.3 |
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pH regulation of the stomach | D.4 |
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Antiviral medications | D.5 |
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Environmental impact of some medications | D.6 |
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Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
---|---|---|
Taxol—a chiral auxiliary case study (HL ONLY) | D.7 |
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Nuclear medicine (HL ONLY) | D.8 |
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Drug detection and analysis (HL ONLY) | D.9 |
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You also need to complete experiments and experimental reports as a part of any IB Science course. For SL, there is 40 hours of material. For HL, there is 60 hours of material. Here are the activities: