One-page poster of the transition metal formulas and colours of aqua ions and reactions with hydroxide ions, ammonia, carbonate ions and HCl. Covers Fe2+, Fe3+, Al3+, Cu2+ and Co2+ ions. Versions in full colour and black and white. For AQA A-level chemistry. These notes are inspired by vocab check 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. UPDATE, October 2023: based on feedback from students, more details on the cobalt complexes and the problem of what you are and aren’t asked to know, the half-equation for oxidation by dissolved oxygen in alkaline solution has been added, the equation of ammonia acting as an alkali in water, and an explanation that on non-course materials you may see the hydroxide formulas without showing that they’re hydrated.

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.

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.

Notes on gas chromatography and GC-MS for the current AQA A-level specification. There’s pictures and diagrams, explanation of a calibration curve and links to three top recommended videos in this one-page resource. In preparing this set of notes, I found question 6 from the specimen paper 2 (set 2) especially useful for knowing what the current examiners are looking for, so I really recommend this for exam practice of this topic.

Notes on one page each covering all the tests for anions and cations for AQA 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.

Notes on one page each covering all the tests for anions and cations for Edexcel iGCSE 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.

Revision notes on the Arrhenius equation for the OCR A A-level chemistry specification on two pages. A lot of students by the second year of A-level have forgotten how to do things like find the equation and intercept of a straight line graph, so this set of notes has a lot of recap. There’s also a lot of detailed breakdown of the log equation and how it’s a straight line graph. I explain what ln(A) is and how to calculate it. Includes a lot of model calculations, recap of straight line graphs and explanation of the confusing units of the H432/01 2018 paper’s graph. Update, 13/05/24: a missing 0 in the explanation of the 2018 paper’s units has been corrected, my apologies for the glitch.

Notes and diagrams on epigenetics for the AQA course, starting from some simple analogies to the real world. I also give the core definition AQA have asked for of epigenetics, which isn’t clearly stated in the textbook but came up on a specimen paper. There’s links to tons of YouTube videos explaining how epigenetics works, and a mnemonic for remembering euchromatin and heterochromatin. Length is two very well-filled pages: you could print it double-sided as a resource for students to keep. Could also be useful for students taking OCR as extension material.

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 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)

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular forces, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: van der Waals, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of van der Waals forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls van der Waals forces/London forces/instantaneous-induced dipole forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Cambridge. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to advertise at teachers teaching different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack. 2024 updates: clearer diagrams of the hydrogen bonds and dipole-dipole forces and new explanations based on student feedback.

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular forces, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: instantaneous dipole-induced dipole forces, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of instantaneous dipole-induced dipole forces forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls instantaneous-induced dipole forces/van der Waals forces/London forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: Cambridge/CIE, OCR, Edexcel, AQA. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to show up on searches for teachers teaching different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack.

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular forces, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: London forces, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of London forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls London forces/van der Waals forces/instantaneous-induced dipole forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: OCR, Edexcel, AQA, Cambridge. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to advertise at teachers searching for different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack.

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.

One of the hardest questions the examiners can ask at A-level is how to predict the second and third ionisation energy. It’s not clearly labelled in the textbooks how to do this. So here’s a three-page set of notes on how to do this, working through some exam-style questions. Specification references include: OCR A 3.1.1, AQA 3.1.1.3

This two-page resource lists pathogens, transmission routes, disease effects, treatment methods and other facts for the human diseases on the Cambridge International A-level biology course. The large number of disease case studies on the course is something students need a lot of help with. A blank worksheet version is also included for students to fill in themselves. To help students build up a common sense knowledge of the kind of issues surrounding these diseases that could be important in future and likely topics of exam questions, there’s a section on “other things to know” explaining issues like malaria potentially being spread by global warming. That should make this set of notes particularly useful for students aiming high and looking to study medicine, nursing and biosciences degrees in future or getting ready for interviews. Although flu is not one of the “official” case studies on the course, because it’s covered in the vaccination topic notes on it are also included. I’ve had positive feedback from students who found it interesting and felt that it gave them a sense of issues in modern medicine-one student studying history A-level said it really helped put studying AIDS in history in context.