Notes on one page covering all the tests for cations for OCR Gateway GCSE chemistry, including the precipitation equations. I’ve also included model equations, both complete and ionic, for the precipitation reactions, with examples for a +2 and +3 ion. Versions included both in colour and in black and white for photocopying.

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

Poster showing all the most common ions students need to know about and their charges, and a reminder that negative ions have gained electrons and positive ions have lost them. Clean modern design, great for GCSE and A-level students for all courses. Most courses don’t have phosphate on the list of ions to know, so I’ve left it off the main list. But in case your course does need it, I’ve added a second version of the sheet with the phosphate ion added. If you like this resource, you might want my exercises working out formulas of ionic chemicals. Update, April 2024: added zinc and some hints about iron(II) vs. iron(III)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Colourful revision notes in checklist form of all the bond angles for the AQA course over two pages. It’s very helpful to be able to run quickly down a list of all the bond angles and check you remember them-this is very common in foreign languages where you have to learn lots of vocabulary: you cover the answers and run through them one by one. Lists of both the standard case study chemicals from the textbooks, and also others students may run into e.g. organic chemicals, which the textbook doesn’t link to this topic but exam questions may do. There’s also an explanation of the key points to make in explaining why bond angles exist based on past paper questions. There’s versions both in colour and black and white.

One-page reference giving a case study of how to answer questions on experiment design. Suitable for GCSE and A-level students. The case study is testing catalase-catalysed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at different temperatures. This set of notes is oriented towards exam technique and how to answer multi-mark questions on this kind of topic: the need to define and set up an independent variable, to measure a dependent variable, define some control variables, and maybe plot the data and mention some safety precautions. I specifically mention that you don’t need to give too many control variables-students often think they can get more marks listing dozens.

Graphic poster listing all the products of combustion and harms they cause. Suitable for all GCSE and A-level courses. Colour and black and white versions included.

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.

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.

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.

Poster naming some of the most common inorganic reactions at GCSE and A-level chemistry: metals reacting with water and acid, metal hydroxides, oxides, carbonates and ammonia reacting with acids. Clean, modern design highlighting similarities between the reactions e.g. water formed. There’s versions both in colour and in black and white. The formulas of the negative ions are given for nitrate, chloride and sulfate ions. Suitable for all major GCSE exam boards (e.g. Edexcel, AQA, Cambridge), and I find it really helpful to help A-level students recap what they learned at GCSE and forgot over the summer!

One-page reference of the most common oxidation numbers for A-level with clear layout. Lists the elements which have particularly unpredictable oxidation numbers and gives case studies of them. Also lists the most common oxidation numbers of transition metals, with half-equations for the reduction of manganate(VII) and dichromate(VI) ions. Versions in colour and in black and white for photocopying. Specification references include OCR A 2.1.5 and AQA 3.1.7.

Revision notes of the negative ions for Edexcel iGCSE 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.

Notes on one page covering all the tests for cations for Edexcel iGCSE 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. Versions included both in colour and in black and white for photocopying.

Combined lesson plan for Edexcel iGCSE chemistry: a presentation on metallic bonding, simple fill-in-the-blank questions questions and a harder sheet of written questions linked to the presentation, and a take-home set of notes on one page. Also suitable as a recap for A-level students. Covers metallic bonding, conduction of electricity and heat, the fact that metals are malleable/ductile and alloys. Starts with a mixer exercise covering uses of metals and also includes some properties and uses of the most common metals and types of steel. Need to use this lesson plan in a hurry and want to deliver a polished lesson? I’ve got you covered: each slide ends with a full stop marking that it’s the last point on the slide so you know when the slide’s going to change. Also, each exam question slide has a spare line before the answer is revealed so you don’t accidentally show the answer too early. Included is a fairly easy fill-in-the-blanks worksheet and an exam-style written questions worksheet matching questions on the presentation, and the mark schemes for both. Both worksheets have pictures and diagrams to stimulate students. The notes have diagrams and also links to two recommended videos for revision. Besides covering metallic bonding and content like specific types of steel, the presentation introduces themes for future lessons, like that metal recycling saves energy and rust prevention.

Combined lesson plan: a presentation on metallic bonding, simple fill-in-the-blank questions questions and a harder sheet of written questions linked to the presentation, and a take-home set of notes on one page. Covers metallic bonding, conduction of electricity and heat, the fact that metals are malleable/ductile and alloys. Starts with a mixer exercise covering uses of metals and also includes some properties and uses of the most common metals. Need to use this lesson plan in a hurry and want to deliver a polished lesson? I’ve got you covered: each slide ends with a full stop marking that it’s the last point on the slide so you know when the slide’s going to change. Also, each exam question slide has a spare line before the answer is revealed so you don’t accidentally show the answer too early. Included is a fairly easy fill-in-the-blanks worksheet and an exam-style written questions worksheet matching questions on the presentation, and the mark schemes for both. Both worksheets have pictures and diagrams to stimulate students. The notes have diagrams and also links to two recommended YouTube videos for revision. The pack is suitable for all specifications for GCSE and is useful for recap for students coming into A-level. It’s particularly been written for the AQA trilogy and synergy chemistry GCSEs and hits specific phrasing from their mark schemes. Doing Edexcel iGCSE? I now have a specific version for that course covering things like the types of steel. Besides covering metallic bonding, the presentation introduces themes for future lessons, like that metal recycling saves energy and rust prevention.