A-level Chemistry/OCR (Salters)/The Elements of Life

Haemoglobin relies on iron atoms to bind oxygen molecules so they can be transported around the body

The Elements of Life is the first unit in the Salters Advanced Chemistry course. It reviews essential topics from GCSE-level chemistry and introduces new content, including:

the structure, properties, and behaviour of individual atoms
the interaction of atoms with electromagnetic radiation
the three main types of chemical bonding
chemical patterns in the periodic table
the shapes of molecules

Chemical Storylines sections

EL1: What are we made of?
EL2: Take two elements...
EL3: Where do the chemical elements come from?
EL4: Looking for patterns in elements
EL5: The molecules of life
EL6: Summary

Chemical Ideas sections

1.1 Amount of substance
1.2 Balanced equations
2.1 A simple model of the atom
2.2 Nuclear reactions
2.3 Electronic structure: shells
3.1 Chemical bonding
3.3 The shapes of molecules
6.1 Light and electrons
11.1 Periodicity
11.2 The s block: Groups 1 and 2

Activities

EL1 How do we know the formula of a compound?
EL2.1 How much iron is in a sample of an iron compound?
EL2.2 Making the most of your study of chemistry
EL3.1 Investigating the chemistry of Group 1 and Group 2 elements
EL3.2 How do the physical properties of elements change across a row in the Periodic Table?
EL3.3 Check your notes on The Elements of Life : Part 1
EL4.1 How do we know about atoms?
EL4.2 Isotopic abundance and relative atomic mass
EL4.3 Investigating a spectroscopic technique
EL4.4 Radon in the rocks
EL5 Balloon molecules
EL6 Check your notes on The Elements of Life : Part 2

External links