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IB Chemistry - Everything you should know

The Chemistry course at the International Baccalaureate level covers a range of different topics. Both IB Chemistry SL and HL share the same eleven core subjects. All these subjects have subtopics, some of which are covered only at HL.

IB Chemistry Syllabus 2022-2023

International Baccalaureate Chemistry standard level (SL) and higher level (HL) shared subjects are:

1. Stoichiometric Relationships

2. Atomic Structure

3. Periodicity

4. Chemical Bonding and Structure

5. Energetics / Thermochemistry

6. Chemical Kinetics

7. Equilibrium

8. Acids and Bases

9. Redox Processes

10. Organic Chemistry

11. Measurement and Data Processing

Additionally one of the four options has to be chosen to study:

Option A. Materials

Option B. Biochemistry

Option C. Energy

Option D. Medicinal Chemistry

If any of the IB Chemistry syllabus topics are causing you a headache, we’re here to help.

Our tutors have over 8 years of exceptional experience in teaching IB Chemistry both at the Standard and Higher Levels.

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What's the difference between IB Chemistry HL and SL ?

In the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma students have the option to study Chemistry at a higher level (HL) or standard level (SL). The key difference between these two levels is the breadth and depth of the material covered during the course.

Higher Level (HL) (240 teaching hours)

HL Chemistry covers the same core material as SL Chemistry as well as additional topics which allow students to explore certain subjects in greater depth. In addition to theoretical content HL students perform 40 hours of practical work.

HL Chemistry requires students to be able to take qualitative concepts and apply quantitive techniques on them. For example, taking the concepts of the pH scale and acids and basis further to performming calculations associated with acids and basis.

Thus, HL Chemistry requires students to have a strong understanding of the concepts taught as well as to think analytically and be able to apply the content to different contexts.

Standard Level (SL) (150 teaching hours)

SL Chemistry covers the same core subjects at a slightly less challenging level compared to HL chemistry. This provides students with an insight to a range of key topics in chemistry. In addition to theoretical content SL students complete 20 hours of practical work.

In SL chemistry students learn chemistry at a more qualitative than quantitative level compared to HL chemistry. Thus, SL chemistry is aimed at students who strive to obtain a well rounded education but who do not aspire to specialize in chemistry in their future career.

In general, HL Chemistry is more time consuming and challenging than SL Chemistry as it requires students to have a strong understanding in a wider range of materials and to be able to apply it to different situations.

Therefore, HL Chemistry is designed for students who have a strong interest in chemistry. It is vital that students carefully consider their interests and strenghts, potential future endeavours and goals before deciding at which level to pursue Chemistry.

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IB Chemistry Exam - How is the IB Chemistry exam structured?

For IB Chemistry students get assessed both externally and internally. The external assessment accounts for 80% of the final grade and consists of three papers:

Paper 1: An exam which consists of 30 (for SL) or 40 (for HL) multiple choice questions. The time given for this exam is 45 min for SL and 1 hour for HL. Moreover, this exam is sat without a calculator but a periodic table is provided. This exam contributes to 20% of the students final grade.
Paper 2: An exam which contains both short answers and extended response questions that cover the core (and additional HL topics for HL) of the chemistry syllabus. SL students get 75min whilst HL students get 135 min. For this exam a calculator is permitted and a data booklet is also provided. This exam accounts for 40% of the students final grade.
Paper 3: this exam is divided into two sections. Section A consists of data based questions as well as short answer questions related to the experimental work performed during the course of the International Baccalaureate. Section B contains both short answer and extended response questions which cover one of the four options. The exam lasts 1 hours for SL students and 75 min for HL students. For this exam a calculator is permitted and a data booklet is also provided. This exam accounts for 20% of the students final grade.

The remaining 20% of the final grade is determined internally by the internal assessment (IA). This component requires students to write a laboratory report which is based on a practical investigation performed by the student. The laboratory report is assessed based on the personal engagement, exploration, analysis, and evaluation of the investigation.

Lastly, all students are required to complete a group 4 project in which students are part of a multidisciplinary team of students which all study a particular science topic that shares a common theme. This collaborative group work emphasises the importance of coopereation, team work and communication.

Our Chemistry Exam Tip:
The chemistry exam is heavily based on your stoichiometry knowledge. Make sure to take extra time to do the first chapter questions very thoroughly as many balancing questions do come back to haunt you in stressful situations.

At Think Smart we emphasize this section and as a result many of our students end up with excellent results. There are multiple other exam tips that are important to cover in order to get the best in depth knowledge we recommend signing up for a trial lesson with us in order to find out more!

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IB Chemistry Internal Assessments (IA)

The internal assessment is something that many students struggle with.

The struggle can range from getting a topic, through structuring ideas to finding a solution.

At Think Smart Tutoring we ensure that our tutees have support in every stage to ensure optimal results.

Every tutee requires different approaches and focuses, so we focus on finding the ideal path.

Want to find out more?

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Our IB Chemistry Tutors

All Think Smart tutors have once been in your shoes - they are IB alumni.

They have struggled with the same problems that you have had and as a result are able to adjust quicker than an average IB teacher. Hence we grant you a personalized IB exam journey.

We put great weight on helping students understand concepts as opposed to simply memorizing formulae.

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