Leaving Certificate Chemistry aims to provide a relevant course for students who will complete their study of Chemistry at this Level while, at the same time, providing a foundation course for those who will continue to study Chemistry or a related subjects following completion of their Leaving Certificate.
The Chemistry course aims to stimulate and sustain learners’ interest in, and enjoyment of, Chemistry while developing an understanding of the fundamental principles underlying chemical phenomena.
Learners will use their knowledge and understanding of Chemistry to pose scientific questions, define scientific problems, and use scientific arguments and ideas to illustrate how humanity has benefited from the study and practice of Chemistry.
The major topics involved include the following:
1. Atomic Structure
2. Volumetric Analysis
3. Organic Chemistry
4. Environmental Chemistry
5. Reaction Mechanisms
There also is an option to be taken as part of the course which involves the study of Atmospheric and Industrial Chemistry or the study of Materials and Electrochemistry.
Experimental investigations are an essential part of the Leaving Certificate course. Each student must complete 28 experiments over the duration of the course.
Experimental work is examined as part of the Leaving Certificate exam and forms the basis for a minimum of three questions on the exam paper.
Exam Structure
The Leaving Certificate exam is three hours in duration. The exam is marked out of 400 marks.
There are eleven questions in total on the exam paper, each carrying fifty marks. Students must answer at least eight questions. Each candidate must answer at least two questions from Section A (experimental section) and the balance of questions from Section B.
There is no element of continuous assessment but experimental copies must be available for inspection by the State Examinations Commission.
General Information
- It is recommended that a student undertaking the course has a good understanding of Higher level Junior Certificate Science.
- Each student should have an aptitude and interest for laboratory work.
- A student would be expected to have a reasonable level of Junior Certificate Maths, either at Higher or Ordinary level.
- Studying Chemistry at Leaving Certificate Level will aid the study of any third Level Science Degree.