Chemistry under INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) is a very demanding subject that requires a lot of your attention, time as well as knowledge. It is an applied science that combines research work with the growth of investigational and practical abilities. IB demands a good amount of commitment, time, and knowledge to help pass the subject. 

The first thing one should do is go over the syllabus. Questions will only be asked from the syllabus hence, you should never be learning more than the syllabus. Also, you should never be leaving out any part of the syllabus unlearned. At times they end up asking the most trivial of questions. Reaching a 7 on 7 means not leaving out any of it. 

The second thing you should do is go over the basic concepts and gain clarity, hence setting your foundation right. The basic concepts are important not just for solving our problems but also to understand the more advanced concepts easily and quickly. Once the basics are clear to you such as atoms, electrons, and others you will find out that chemistry is just the application of commonsense. 

The third important thing to remember is to make consistency your key to success. It is beneficial and also recommended to go through the concepts each day in one way or the other, be it using notes or a test. In this way, you will be prepared for a test or a quiz all time and will not have to cram the notes the night before the exam. 

Practice solving problems and inculcate a habit so that you are able to solve problems actively. 

There are various ways of learning Chemistry. In this blog, we will discuss the one which covers most of the methods. 

Understanding the course content

1. Note down all the relevant content in one place and frame it in language which is easy to understand. You can make two sets of notes, one detailed and the second brief.  
2. Try learning the concepts in class. If you are not able to understand something do ask questions for clarification.
3. You can learn concepts from the youtube channel of Richard Thornley.
4.   Understanding the concept is more important than memorizing it. Avoid learning unnecessary stuff by first checking through the syllabus book.
5. After understanding every concept let yourself answer the whys and hows.
6. Attend the lab sessions seriously as this will help you learn quickly. 

Core topics

Topic 1: The Stoichiometric Relationships

1.1 Introduction to the particulate nature of matter and chemical change

1.2 The mole concept

 Mole Concept and Avogadro’s Constant, on Formulas, Chemical Equations

1.3 Reacting masses and volumes

Mass and Gaseous Volume Relationships in Chemical Reactions, Solutions, Stoichiometry

Topic 2: Atomic structure

2.1 The nuclear atom  

Atom, Atomic Theory

2.2 Electron configuration

Mass Spectrometer, Electron Arrangement

Topic 3: Periodicity

3.1 Periodic table

3.2 Periodic trends

Topic 4: Chemical Bonding and Structure

Ionic bonding and structure

4.2 Covalent bonding

Covalent Bonding and Structures

4.3 Covalent structures

4.4 Intermolecular forces

4.5 Metallic bonding

Topic 5: Energetics/Thermochemistry

5.1 Measuring energy changes 

5.2 Hess’s Law

5.3 Bond enthalpies

Topic 6: Chemical Kinetics

6.1 Collision theory and rates of reaction

Topic 7: Equilibrium

7.1 Equilibrium

Dynamic Equilibrium, Position of Equilibrium, Equilibrium Study Guide

Topic 8: Acids and Bases

8.1 Theories of acids and bases

8.2 Properties of acids and bases

8.3 The pH scale

8.4 Strong and weak acids and bases

8.5 Acid deposition

Topic 9: Redox Processes

9.1 Oxidation and Reduction

9.2 Electrochemical cells

Topic 10: Organic Chemistry

10.1 Fundamentals of organic chemistry

10.2 Functional group chemistry

Topic 11: Measurement and Data Processing

11.1 Uncertainties and errors in measurement and results

11.2 Graphical techniques

11.3 Spectroscopic identification of organic compound

Revision Techniques

1. Try and practice as much as possible so that you will be able to answer all types of questions. Do take up past year’s question papers; it will help you understand the question pattern. In case you are not able to understand something, learn the concepts better. 
2. Take the study guide in use. Do not leave out any topic, use the time between IB1 and IB2 to revise the syllabus.

Exam Tips

1. Be prepared for paper 3 and don’t leave it out to be completed at the last minute. It can really bring a boost to your score or on the other hand lower your scores.
2. One should never get stuck on complex questions. First, try solving the easy ones and then come back to the difficult ones later towards the end. There is a possibility of remembering the previous questions. 
3. If you struggle with time and have unanswered questions, please divide your time span with the number of questions and try answering all the questions in time. 

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