Big believer in the power of beautiful lesson plans to make learning easier. My resources cover the sciences and geography. My biochemistry degree and tuition work I do mean I create resources for a lot of courses as and when I need a resource-always feel free to comment and request something if you want something else or an adaptation. Oxford biochemistry graduate.
Big believer in the power of beautiful lesson plans to make learning easier. My resources cover the sciences and geography. My biochemistry degree and tuition work I do mean I create resources for a lot of courses as and when I need a resource-always feel free to comment and request something if you want something else or an adaptation. Oxford biochemistry graduate.
Revision notes on the Arrhenius equation for the AQA A-level chemistry specification on two pages. Includes a lot of model calculations, recap of straight line graphs and explanation of the confusing units, including a detailed explanation of the 2018 paper with T and t and how 1/t is proportional to k.
A lot of students by the second year of A-level have forgotten how to do GCSE maths problems like understanding a straight line graph, so this set of notes has a lot of recap of straight line graphs. There’s also a lot of detailed breakdown of the log equation and how it’s a straight line graph. Model calculations are given for log and power of e so students can check they’re using their calculator right.
Helping students understand chemistry, I’ve realised you have to hold a lot of things in your head to even know what a chemistry textbook is talking about. A lot of students find they just can’t hold together all the things they have to know at once.
Back in 2015, I realised what students can benefit from is a concentrated set of notes, like a dictionary or a glossary but in full sentences, that fits as much of chemistry as you can on a single page that you can keep referring back to to decode what’s going on.
My students liked it, and I’ve worked to create definitions that are concise and clear to fit as much as possible on one page.
It’s helpful for giving students just starting the course to have to refer to every now and then, and for students who need remedial help because the concepts are slipping out of reach.
The notes include quick basic definitions of:
structure of an atom
how to read the periodic table
ionic, covalent and metallic bonding
properties of ionic chemicals
oxidation and reduction
properties of ionic chemicals
acids, bases and alkalis
the idea that in neutralisation the salt name depends on the acid
Revision notes for A-level chemistry on cracking for the AQA A-level specification in comparison table format, and the same table but empty for students to fill in themselves.
An example cracking equation is given for students to fill in and suggest names for the products and there is an emphasis on practicing the unit conversions and working out the formulas and names of products.
Update for 2023: expanded resource based on student feedback, with a link to a video demonstration and bullet-point list of products.
Notes on one page covering all the tests for cations for Edexcel GCSE chemistry, including the precipitation equations, and links to videos of them being done. I’ve also included model equations, both complete and ionic, for the precipitation reactions, with examples for a +2 and +3 ion, and the equation for the ammonium ion test.
Versions included both in colour and in black and white for photocopying.
Update: a missing 2 in a formula has been added. My apologies for the mistake.
Notes on one page each covering all the tests for anions and cations for Edexcel GCSE chemistry, including the precipitation equations. Versions both in colour and in black and white for photocopying.
With the positive ion tests, I’ve included model equations, both complete and ionic, for the precipitation reactions, with examples for a +2 and +3 ion.
With the negative ion tests, there’s both a full and ionic equation for carbonate, sulfate and halide ion reactions to give students good models. To show the differences in formulas between compounds of metals that form +2 and +1 ions, there’s equations for both sodium and calcium carbonate too, and details of what happens if you use different acids.
Notes on the tests for anions for AQA GCSE chemistry courses on a single page. A lot of work went to squeezing everything in! There’s both a full and ionic equation for carbonate, sulfate and halide ion reactions to give students good models. To show the differences in formulas between compounds of metals that form +2 and +1 ions, there’s equations for both sodium and calcium carbonate too. There’s versions of the resource for colour and black and white printing.
This set of notes was particular written targeting the AQA GCSE chemistry course, but it’s suitable for most GCSE courses as well as recap for students coming in to A-level.
Revision notes of the negative ions for Edexcel GCSE chemistry on one page, including both complete and ionic equations for the reactions. Versions both in colour and for black and white printing.
There’s both a full and ionic equation for carbonate, sulfate and halide ion reactions to give students good models. To show the differences in formulas between compounds of metals that form +2 and +1 ions, there’s equations for both sodium and calcium carbonate too.
Diagram of Born-Haber hydration, solution and lattice enthalpy laid out at a large size with a lot of space for notes and comments. Two versions, one for AQA which uses the term lattice dissociation enthalpy, the other for OCR and Edexcel which just call it the reverse of the lattice enthalpy.
Specification targets include: AQA 3.1.8.1, OCR A 5.2.1, Edexcel 13.1
Changelog, September 2023: more detail on the calculations.
Notes on gas chromatography for the OCR A-level chemistry A specification on a single page. It particularly emphasises knowing how separation is achieved, a common topic for tough questions where getting the phrasing right is absolutely essential. There’s pictures and diagrams, explanation of a calibration curve and links to three top recommended videos.
Questions looked at to prepare these notes (and recommended for revision) included:
October 2020 paper 1, question 13 (MCQ)
June 2015 paper 4, question 1
June 2012 paper 4, question 5
June 2018 unit 2, question 21 c i)
Worksheet as a reminder of how the ideal gas law works, showing all the unit conversions and with a model calculation. Also includes a diagram of why a cubic metre = 1 million cubic centimetres, something students often have trouble with. Suitable for all A-level chemistry and 16+ exam boards e.g. AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Cambridge. The assumptions the ideal gas law makes are also explained.
Some of the hardest questions for many GCSE chemistry students are the long answer written questions, explaining things like why the rate of reaction increases when you increase the temperature, and how the position of equilibrium shifts. So I’ve written a one-page set of notes for the Edexcel iGCSE chemistry course that covers all these questions, fitting them onto a single page.
These notes cover:
how temperature and concentration affect rate of reaction
melting point of ionic, molecular and giant covalent chemicals
equilibrium position
conductivity
It makes chemistry so much easier for students having everything on a single page.
Particularly intended for iGCSE chemistry but I think it’s also pretty helpful for A-level students just starting the course who need to recap what they did last year, many will have forgotten these topics.
This set of notes was written consulting current Edexcel iGCSE chemistry papers and mark schemes. Questions consulted included:
rate: 1CR June 2019, question 5d
bonding: 1CR June 2019 9a and 9b
equilibrium: June 2019, 2C 7b and 2CR 7b
conductivity: 2CR June 2019 and Paper 1CR June 2019 9c
diffusion: 1C Jan 2018, 3c ii)
Versions with colour pictures and without pictures for photocopying.
I also have a version for the AQA GCSEs and a combined set for a range of courses.
Some of the hardest questions for many GCSE chemistry students are the written questions, explaining things like why the rate of reaction increases when you increase the temperature, and how the position of equilibrium shifts. So I’ve written a one-page set of notes that covers all these questions, fitting them onto a single page.
These notes cover:
how temperature and concentration affect rate of reaction
melting point of ionic, molecular and giant covalent chemicals
equilibrium position
conductivity
It makes chemistry so much easier for students having everything on a single page.
Particularly intended for GCSE chemistry but I think it’s also pretty helpful for A-level students just starting the course who need to recap what they did last year, many will have forgotten these topics.
Purchase includes a “general” set of notes not written for any particular exam board, and specific versions for students taking Edexcel iGCSE and the AQA 9-1 GCSEs.
Changelog: a missing ‘no’ has been added in conduction. My apologies for the glitch.
Some of the hardest questions for many GCSE chemistry students are the long answer written questions, explaining things like why the rate of reaction increases when you increase the temperature, and how the position of equilibrium shifts. So I’ve written a one-page set of notes for AQA that covers all these questions, fitting them onto a single page.
These notes cover:
how temperature and concentration affect rate of reaction
melting point of ionic, molecular and giant covalent chemicals
equilibrium position
conductivity
It makes chemistry so much easier for students having everything on a single page. A version with colour pictures is included.
Particularly intended for GCSE chemistry but I think it’s also pretty helpful for A-level students just starting the course who need to recap what they did last year, many will have forgotten these topics.
This set of notes was written against the current AQA GCSE science specifications. Past paper mark schemes consulted include:
ionic bonding:
4.3 from 8464/C/2H, 2018, specification reference 5.2.2.3.
giant covalent bonding:
5.1 from 8464C1H 2018, specification reference 5.2.3.1
3.4 from 8465/3H 2019, specification 4.8.1.1
simple molecular bonding and intermolecular forces:
4.4 from 8464/C/1H 2019, 5.1.2.6 and 5.2.2.4
7.1 from 84644C2H specimen, 5.2.2.4
concentration and rate:
5.5 from 8464/C/2H 2019, specification reference 5.6.1.3
temperature and rate:
6.4 from 8465/3H 2019, reference 4.7.4.3
metallic conductivity:
2.6 from 84643C1H specimen paper, reference 5.2.1.5/5.2.2.8
equilibrium:
4.3 from 8465/3H 2019, 4.7.4.8 4.7.4.10
7.2 from 84644C2H specimen, 5.6.2.4
Five page revision notes on Gibbs free energy, for the OCR A specification. Covers the standard trick questions, graphs against temperature, and includes a range of worked examples, diagrams of the graphs, types of reactions where ΔH and ΔS have different signs and unit conversion examples.
One-page resource on electronegativity, covering a bullet point definition of electronegativity, polar bonds, the effect of dipoles cancelling, and which elements are most electronegative. Links to other areas of the course are made by explaining that although electronegativity is what you see in covalent bonded molecules, it correlates with higher first ionisation energy. Suitable for all A-level specifications, but particularly ties into the AQA and OCR content. An extract of a table of electronegativity is included covering all the common non-metals.
Two-page revision checklist of all the transition metal colours on the OCR A A-level chemistry specification. Also includes list of notable catalysts, half-equations with dichromate(VI) and manganate(VII) ions, lists of the types of stereoisomerism, and links to videos of most of the reactions. There’s versions both in colour and black and white.
These notes are inspired by vocab lists you use when you learn a foreign language-you cover the answers and read through. Getting the points to learn into an order you repeat over and over is really helpful for learning everything.
Changelog, 12/3/23: a broken link has been fixed.
Diagrams showing conjugate acid-base pairs with a bold, vibrant, eye-catching design that would look good for revision notes. Suitable for courses such as the Edexcel A-level chemistry specification, section 12.1, AQA, OCR and others.
Covers dissociation of strong and weak acids, and a strong acid protonating a weaker acid.
Versions of the resource in colour and in black and white for better photocopying are included.
One-page sets of notes on some of the most important written questions in GCSE chemistry and biology.
In chemistry, covers rate of reaction, temperature, equilibrium, types of bonding (ionic, covalent, metallic) and conducting electricity. There’s also my one-page introduction to chemistry that tries to put on one page as many definitions as possible so students can use it to decode the course’s content if they’re having problems holding everything in their head.
The GCSE biology notes cover respiration, with aerobic, anaerobic and what happens when you exercise. There’s versions of the biology and chemistry notes for general use, and specific versions of the chemistry notes for AQA and Edexcel iGCSE.
The two main types of Hess cycles shown on a poster: cycles with combustion enthalpy data and formation enthalpy data. There’s versions both in colour and black and white.
The diagram focuses on teaching them using a vector method which shows which arrow needs to be reversed. The answers of what to do are on the side of the poster.