Why study Chemistry?

Science is vital to everyday life and allows us to understand and shape the world in which we live and influence its future. Scientists play a key role in meeting society’s needs in areas such as medicine, energy, industry, material development, the environment and sustainability. As the importance and application of science continues to grow and develop, more trained scientists will be required. It is also important that everyone has an informed view of science.

The Course is practical and experiential and develops scientific understanding of issues relating to chemistry. The Course will develop concepts within a reverse engineering process, where learners start with a product and work backwards to develop the underlying chemistry. The Course is practical and develops learners’ skills through the study of the applications of chemistry in an everyday context. By using a skills-based approach to developing knowledge and understanding of some basic chemistry concepts, learners will become scientifically literate citizens, able to evaluate the science-based claims which they will come across in a rapidly developing society. The Course develops learners’ interest in, and enthusiasm for, chemistry through a variety of contexts relevant to chemistry’s impact on society, namely: utilising nature’s resources, chemical analysis, and the development of new and novel applications. It offers a broad, versatile and adaptable skill set which is valued in the work place and forms the basis for progress onto Chemistry (National 5) while also providing a knowledge base which is useful for the study of all of the sciences.

The main aims of this Course are to:

• develop scientific and analytical thinking skills in a chemistry context
• develop problem solving skills in a chemistry context
• develop an understanding of chemistry’s role in scientific issues acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of chemistry concepts
• develop understanding of how chemical products are formed develop understanding of relevant applications of chemistry in society