CHEMISTRY

Chemistry is the study of substances, what they are made of, how they interact and what role they play in living things. In fact, it is the study of all materials and it is vital to all aspects of our lives.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Chemistry Department consists of four chemists with a wide variety of experience and interests. The laboratories, all on the ground floor, are well equipped to teach the courses offered. The Department is highly innovative with Dollar being the first school in the UK to replace Standard Grade with Intermediate 2 in Forms III/IV.

COURSE INFORMATION

Throughout all our courses we aim to increase literacy, numeracy, problem solving ability and the capacity for independent study. By sixth year, pupils are well prepared for further study in tertiary education.

Chemistry is offered at four levels in Dollar Academy: - in Form II, Intermediate II, Higher and Advanced Higher.

Form II: The new course seeks to provide an enjoyable and stimulating overview of the subject whilst also giving students the best possible preparation for Intermediate II. A stimulating variety of teaching methods are used within weekly, hour-long lessons to develop practical and problem solving skills in addition to building up a sound knowledge base for future study.

Intermediate II: This course provides students with a more rigorous introduction to Chemistry than the older Standard Grade qualification. Valued more highly by Universities, this recently introduced course seeks to give pupils a solid grounding in chemical principles and to illustrate the way Chemistry underpins our everyday lives. A wide range of teaching techniques is used to create a varied and stimulating learning experience.

The course is divided into three units that are individually certified by successful completion of a written paper and three laboratory exercises.

• Building Blocks: Elements, Compounds and Mixtures, Reaction Rates, Structure of the Atom, Bonding Structure and Properties, Chemical Symbolism, the Mole.
• Carbon Compounds: Fuels, Nomenclature, Reactions of Carbon Compounds, Plastics, Natural Products.
• Acids, Bases and Metals: Acids and Bases, Salts, Metals.

Compressed Intermediate II Course: Recognising the large number of Dollar students who carry on to study science or medicine at university, a strictly limited number of places are available on a compressed science course. This leads to the certification of all three Sciences after 320 hours of study compared to the more usual 480 hours allocated.

Higher Level: This course provides a coherent extension to Standard Grade or Intermediate II Chemistry; developing concrete and abstract thinking, scientific method, cross-curricular core skills and practical expertise.

The 120-hour Higher course incorporates recent developments in Chemistry and is divided into three units.

• Energy Matters : Reaction Rates, Enthalpy, Patterns in the Periodic Table, Bonding, The Mole.
• The World of Carbon: Fuels, Nomenclature and Structural Formulae, Reactions of Carbon Compounds, Uses of Carbon Compounds, Polymers, Natural Products.
• Chemical Reactions: The Chemical Industry, Hess's Law, Equilibrium, Acids and Bases, Redox Reactions, Nuclear Chemistry.

Advanced Higher: The Advanced Higher course was developed in collaboration with Universities to provide students with an introduction to 21st Century Chemistry. The course builds upon the Higher and includes much work traditionally associated with First Year University courses.

The theory content of the course is divided into three sections.

• Electronic Structure and the Periodic Table: Electronic Structure, Chemical Bonding, Chemistry of the Periodic Table
• Principles of Chemical Reactions: Stoichiometry, Chemical Equilibrium, Thermochemistry, Reaction Feasibility, Electrochemistry, Kinetics
• Organic Chemistry: Permeating Aspects of Organic Chemistry, Systematic Organic Chemistry, Stereoisomerism, Structural Analysis, Medicines

The course includes a 20-hour research project undertaken in a specially commissioned laboratory. This gives students the chance to experience at first hand the excitement of scientific research.

Form VI Course for Scientists and Medics: Many Dollar students are destined to pursue careers in Science and Medicine. Recent reports from the Scottish Universities have been quick to criticise the lack of practical skills of many undergraduate entrants. A SQA Unit in Experimental Procedures is offered which equips our pupils with the main skills required by a first year undergraduate chemistry or course.

Short Video - Death of a Jelly Baby
Short Video - Unfortunate Death of a Chemistry Student
Short Video - Thermit Reaction