The new revised Leaving Certificate Chemistry syllabus has been introduced since 2000. The syllabus consists of core subjects (70%) and options which incorporate the social and applied aspects of life (30%) where all material is examinable. Students of both higher and ordinary level will choose from two options, Option 1 and Option 2.
The Ordinary level syllabus gives an overview of chemistry and the applications to everyday life while the higher level syllabus a deeper treatment is needed.
Some Core titles which students will study will include:
Periodic table, Chemical bonding, Stoichiometry, Volumetric analysis, Fuels and heats of reactions, Organic chemistry, Chemical equilibrium and Environmental chemistry of water.
The options include:
Option 1: additional industrial chemistry and atmospheric
chemistry.
Option 2: Materials and additional electrochemistry.
Ordinary level students will study one option from 1A, 1B, 2A or 2B. Higher level students must study in their entirety, either Option 1 or Option 2.
The syllabus also has a deep emphasis on practical work with 28 mandatory experiments for higher level and 21 for ordinary level students.
Books:
Textbooks in use throughout the course include Understanding Chemistry by Jim Mc Carthy and Terence White and also Chemistry Live by Declan Kennedy.