Chemistry - National 5

SCQF Framework

SCQF Level: 5

SCQF Credit Points: 24

Skills Framework

Delivering Centre

Vale of Leven Academy

Purpose and Aims

  • The purpose of the course is to develop candidates’ curiosity, interest and enthusiasm for chemistry in a range of contexts.
  • The skills of scientific inquiry are integrated and developed throughout the course. The relevance of chemistry is highlighted by the study of the applications of chemistry in everyday contexts. This enables candidates to become scientifically literate citizens, able to review the science-based claims they will meet.
  • The course offers opportunities for candidates to develop the ability to think analytically and to make reasoned evaluations.
  • The course covers a variety of relevant contexts including the chemistry of the Earth’s resources, the chemistry of everyday products and chemical analysis.
  • The course allows flexibility and personalisation by offering candidates the choice of topic for their assignment. It develops a broad, versatile and adaptable skill set which is valued in the workplace, forms the basis for progression to the study of chemistry at a higher level, and provides knowledge useful in the study of all of the sciences.
  • The aims of the course are for candidates to:
  • develop and apply knowledge and understanding of chemistry
  • develop an understanding of the impact of chemistry on everyday life
  • develop an understanding of chemistry’s role in scientific issues and relevant applications of chemistry, including the impact these could make on society and the environment
  • develop scientific inquiry and investigative skills
  • develop scientific analytical thinking skills in a chemistry context
  • develop the skills to use technology, equipment and materials, safely, in practical scientific activities
  • develop planning skills
  • develop problem-solving skills in a chemistry context
  • use and understand scientific literacy, in everyday contexts, to communicate ideas and issues and to make scientifically informed choices
  • develop the knowledge and skills for more advanced learning in chemistry
  • develop skills of independent working The course enables candidates to make their own decisions on issues within a modern society, where the body of scientific knowledge and its applications and implications are ever developing.

Recommended Entry

  • Candidates should have achieved the fourth curriculum level or the National 4 Chemistry course or equivalent qualifications and/or experience prior to starting this course.
  • Candidates may also progress from relevant biology, environmental science, physics or science courses.

Progression

  • Other qualifications in chemistry or related areas
  • Further study, employment or training

Career Options

Further Information

National 5 Chemistry Course Specification

National 5 BBC Bitesize

National 5 scholar.hw.ac.uk/

Course Content

Candidates gain an understanding of chemistry and develop this through a variety of approaches, including practical activities, investigations and problem solving.

Candidates research topics, apply scientific skills and communicate information related to their findings, which develops skills of scientific literacy.

The course content includes the following areas of chemistry:

Chemical changes and structure

In this area, topics covered are: rates of reaction; atomic structure and bonding related to properties of materials; formulae and reacting quantities; acids and bases.

Nature’s chemistry

In this area, topics covered are: homologous series; everyday consumer products; energy from fuels.

Chemistry in society

In this area, topics covered are: metals; plastics; fertilisers; nuclear chemistry; chemical analysis.

Course Assessment Structure

Question paper 100 marks

The purpose of the question paper is to assess breadth, challenge and application of skills, knowledge and understanding from across the course. The question paper also assesses scientific inquiry skills and analytical thinking skills.

The question paper gives candidates an opportunity to demonstrate skills, knowledge and understanding by:

  • making accurate statements providing descriptions and explanations
  • applying knowledge of chemistry to new situations, interpreting information and solving problems
  • planning or designing experiments to test given hypotheses or to illustrate particular effects, including safety measures
  • selecting information
  • presenting information appropriately in a variety of forms
  • processing information (using calculations and units, where appropriate)
  • making predictions and generalisations based on evidence/information
  • drawing valid conclusions and giving explanations supported by evidence/justification
  • evaluating experimental procedures

The question paper has a total of 100 marks and is worth 80% of the overall marks for external assessment.

The question paper has two sections.

Section 1 (objective test) has 25 marks.

Section 2 contains restricted and extended response questions and has 75 marks.

The majority of marks are awarded for demonstrating and applying knowledge and understanding. The other marks are awarded for applying scientific inquiry and analytical thinking skills.

A data booklet containing relevant data and formulae is provided.

Assignment 20 marks

The purpose of the assignment is to assess the application of skills of scientific inquiry and related chemistry knowledge and understanding. This component allows assessment of skills which cannot be assessed through the question paper, for example the handling and processing of data gathered as a result of experimental work and research skills.

Assignment overview

The assignment gives candidates an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and understanding:

  • applying knowledge of chemistry to new situations, interpreting information and solving problems, planning, designing and safely carrying out experiments/practical investigations to test given hypotheses or to illustrate particular effects
  • selecting information from a variety of sources
  • presenting information appropriately in a variety of forms
  • processing the information (using calculations and units, where appropriate)
  • making predictions and generalisations based on evidence/information
  • drawing valid conclusions and giving explanations supported by evidence/justification
  • suggesting improvements to experiments/practical investigations
  • communicating findings/information

The assignment offers challenge by requiring skills, knowledge and understanding to be applied in a context that is one or more of the following: unfamiliar, familiar but investigated in greater depth ot familiar but integrates a number of concepts.

Candidates will research and report on a topic that allows them to apply skills and knowledge in chemistry at a level appropriate to National 5.

The topic should be chosen with guidance from the teacher/lecturer and must involve experimental work.

The assignment has two stages:

  • research
  • report

The research stage must involve an experiment that allows measurements to be made. Candidates must also gather data from the internet, books or journals to compare against their experimental results. The candidate’s research may also involve gathering extracts from internet/literature sources to support their descriptions and/or explanations of the underlying chemistry. Candidates must produce a report on their research.