Applied Sciences (Level 5)

The Applied Sciences course is slightly more complex in tht there is an element of choice of units.

For the Chemistry aspect of the course, learners must do one of:

• Chemical Changes and Structure
• Chemistry Fundamentals 1
• Chemistry Fundamentals 2

AND one of

• Forensic Science: Applications 
• Laboratory Science: Practical Skills

Chemical Changes and Structure

This is the same as the Chemical Change and Structure unit in National 5 chemistry. Resources to support that can be found here.

Chemistry Fundamentals 1

The details here are fairly vague but some possible activities are listed below.

Outcome 1 Identify chemical and physical changes and predict the effects of changes to reaction conditions on rates of reaction.

Iron - Sulphur Reaction / Iron-sulphur – microscale This reaction can be used to denonstrate the reaction of elements to create a compound that has different properties.

Reaction rate - Effect of Concentration - One of the old Int 2 PPAs looking at reaction rates using the Iodine Clock reaction.

Reaction Rate - Effect of Temperature - Another of the old Int 2 PPAs, this time using the classic acid/thiosulphate reaction to investigate the effect of temperature

Rhubarb Rhubarb - An alternative rate experiment looking at the reduction of potassium manganate VII by ethanedioic (oxalic) acid in rhubarb.

Outcome 2 Describe the structure of atoms and relate atomic structure to position in periodic table and properties of elements.

There is less practical work in this section but

Sodium (and other alkali metals) in water is a good demonstration to show the change in reactivity as you go down a group.

Outcome 3 Apply the concepts of structure and bonding to a variety of substances.

Again, not much practical work specifically mentioned but:

Formula of magnesium oxide – microscale and Water in a hydrated salt – microscale  are good experiments to enable calculation of formulae.

Unsaturation Testing - an experiment using bromine water to investigate the presence of double bonds in organic compounds.

Chemistry Fundamentals -2

Outcome 1 - Apply the mole concept in a variety of simple chemical processes.

There is little here that involves specific experiments. 

Outcome 2 - Balance chemical reaction equations and calculate chemical quantities from reaction stoichiometry.

Again, there is little that is specific. It suggests "Carrying out a series of experiments with limiting and excess reagents".

Outcome 3 - Relate the nature and use of metals to their properties and apply the concepts of oxidation and reduction to various electrochemical processes.

Reduction of copper oxide with carbon – microscale & Reduction of copper oxide with hydrogen can both be used to show the extraction of metals from their ores.

Rocks and Minerals - is another activity about extraction of metals which also introduces the concept of electrowinning.

Metal reactions with acid is a simple experiment (and old Int 1 PPA) that can be used to investigate reactivity of metals.

Reactivity Series of Metals – microscale is a simple experiment to investigate the realtive reactivity of some metals.

Electrolysis in drops and Electrolysis of Copper II Chloride can both be used to look at the products produced at the electrodes during electrolysis. The copper chlorice version also allows for investigation of the reactivity series of non-metals.

Outcome 4 - Apply the concepts of acidity and alkalinity with relation to neutralisation reactions.

pH testing of solutions is one of the old Int 1 PPAs that looks at the pH of commonly encountered materials.

Strong and Weak Acids is a simple activity to look at some of the differences between strong and weak acids.

Neutralisation of Strong and Weak Acids a short investigation into the neutralisation of hydrochloric and ethanoic acids.

Preparing Copper Sulphate Crystals - is a small-scale preparation of a salt by neutralisation.

Forensic Science: Applications

Outcome 1 - Explain and use scientific techniques in relation to their application in forensics.

A possible list of suitable contexts and activities is provided in the course documentation and in a chemistry context it includes:

Flame tests (to identify metals)

Flame Colours gives a variety of ways you can do these.

Chromatography (eg of ink or lipstick) 

Chromatography of dyes

Black Magic Experiment - another simple experiment involving chromatography.

Melting points (eg to identify a white powder) 

The activity Melting Point of Benzoic Acid can be used. A range of possible substances is given which can be used as unknowns.

Gel electrophoresis (eg of a mix of food dyes) 

A method is given in a Bulletin article here Food Dyes And Electrophoresis.

Reactions of metals (to cover corrosion with oxygen and removal of serial numbers by acid) 

pH measurements (eg of soil, of ‘unknown’ liquids)

Outcome 2 Investigate forensic evidence in a documented case(s).

No significant practical work here.

Outcome 3 Describe current developments in forensic science technology.

Again, probably no significant amount of practical work here.

Laboratory Science: Practical Skills

This unit is the same as that for the National 5 laboratory Science Course. Details of activities to supposrt the chemistry aspects of this can be found here - Chemistry for N5 Laboratory Science