For all the updates specially written for year 9 just click here.

The year 9 course

I think that the year 9 course is incredibly exciting and will peak everyone’s interest at some point as it is very varied. This year, the main focus will be on environmental chemistry, all pupils will produce a report on an environmental disaster this will take up most of the homework time (several months) and 2 hours of class time. Once the report is complete pupils will work together to present their finding to the rest of the class.

On top of this we will cover…

Patterns of reactivity

• Most metals react, but some react more quickly or violently than others
• Group I metals react more vigorously with water as you descend the group.
• More reactive metals are more able to form compounds and so will displace less reactive metals already in a compound
• Metals (and elements) can be placed in a reactivity series from very reactive to least reactive
• Metals can be extracted depending on their reactivity

At the end of this topic you will be able to …

• Develop your own reactivity series based on your own experimental data
• Begin your understanding of what makes elements more or less reactive
• Explain how metals are extracted and why they are used for certain applications
• Explain the reactivity of group I metals and use the periodic table to predict other reactions of metals

Reactions of metals and metal compounds

• Many metals undergo reactions with a variety of compounds (previously studied, acid + metal) Oxygen and water
• Metal compounds can have very different properties to their metals
• Metal Oxides act as insoluble bases
• Metal hydroxides act as soluble bases (alkalis)
• Metal carbonates are also bases and have specific reactions as previously studied

At the end of this topic you will be able to …

• Recognise metals and compounds from molecular formula
• Predict several reactions of metals and their compounds
• Name more metal compounds from their formula
• Explain how & why reactions take place

Environmental chemistry

• The Earth is kept at a more ambient temperature by a phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect
• Scientists have shown that additional CO₂ in the atmosphere has increased the greenhouse effect leading to global warming
• The atmosphere is divided into 4 regions the Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere and the Thermosphere. Each region has a particular characteristic and is each partly responsible for life on earth existing.
• The atmosphere is incredibly thin and therefore very easily disrupted.
• The Ozone layer can be found in the stratosphere and is a region of the atmosphere which has up to 10ppm ozone (O₃) because of this low quantity, Ozone is broken down very quickly and easily by catalysts resulting in “the hole in the ozone layer”
• Ozone is responsible for removing a large quantity of UV light from the suns radiation

At the end of this topic you will be able to …

• Explain how global warming occurs
• Understand how the structure of the atmosphere ensures life on this planet.
• Give opinions based on scientific evidence about a range of theories including, global warming and the ozone hole
• Explain how humans have affected the earth.

GCSE Preparation

Any remaining time in year 9 will be used to prepare practical work ahead of the GCSE course. Pupils will complete investigations similar to those carried out by year 10 and 11 students.