Content Focus

Chemical systems may be open or closed. They include physical changes and chemical reactions that can result in observable changes to a system. Students study the effects of changes in temperature, concentration of chemicals and pressure on equilibrium systems, and consider that these can be predicted by applying Le Chatelier’s principle. Students also analyse the quantitative relationship between products and reactants in equilibrium reactions to determine an equilibrium constant. From this calculation, they predict the equilibrium position, either favouring the formation of products or reactants in a chemical reaction.

This module also allows students to understand that scientific knowledge enables scientists to offer valid explanations and make reliable predictions. Students make reliable predictions by comparing equilibrium calculations and equilibrium constants to determine whether a combination of two solutions will result in the formation of a precipitate.

Working Scientifically

In this module, students focus on processing data to determine patterns and trends that enable them to solve problems and communicate scientific understanding of ideas about equilibrium reactions. Students should be provided with opportunities to engage with all the Working Scientifically skills throughout the course.

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) (2017, updated January 2018), Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus, p. 49.

Biblical Perspective

We read in the Bible, “O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.”  From this we know that God does many wonderful things, including how chemical reactions that can result in observable changes to a system. (Psalm 40:5, NLT)

Students of Chemistry have an opportunity to explore how chemical reactions may reach an equilibrium.  In doing so, they use their God-given gifts to analyse the factors that affect equilibrium systems and explain the quantitative relationship between products and reactants in equilibrium reactions.  Such analysis is vital to the application of chemistry in the medical and biological areas, so that humanity may be protected from diseases, develop in their health and improve the quality of society.  As such, chemistry is vital for our deeper purpose that God has called us to, and so we should each give glory and praise to the Lord who enabled all chemical reactions for a purpose.