New A-level 2015
The revision guides are split into physical, inorganic and organic chemistry. There are no modules. The AS only topics are labelled AS.
Physical Chemistry
1.1 revision guide Atomic Structure AQA (AS) (updated February 2021 )
1.2 revision guide Calculations AQA (AS) (updated October 2023 )
1.3 revision guide Bonding AQA(AS) (updated January 2022 )
1.4 revision guide Energetics AQA(AS) (updated April 2020)
1.5 revision guide Reaction Kinetics AQA (AS) (updated February 2023)
1.6 revision guide Equilibria AQA(AS) (updated January 2022 )
1.7 revision guide Redox(AS) (updated November 2018)
1.8 revision guide Thermodynamics AQA (updated February 2023)
1.9 revision guide Rate Equations AQA (updated October 2023 )
1.10 revision guide Equilibrium Constant Kp AQA (updated October 2023 )
1.11 revision guide Electrode Potentials AQA (updated January 2022 )
1.12 revision guide acid base equilibria AQA (updated January 2022 )
Inorganic Chemistry
2.1 revision guide periodicity (AS)(updated December 2019)
2.2 revision guide Group 2 AQA(AS) (updated February 2024 )
2.3 revision guide Halogens AQA (AS) (updated January 2022 )
2.4 revision guide Period 3 AQA (updated February 2023)
2.5 revision guide Transition metals AQA (updated October 2023 )
2.6 revision guide Reactions of Aqueous Ions AQAA (updated October 2023 )
Organic Chemistry
3.1 revision guide introduction organic AQA(AS) (updated February 2021 )
3.2 revision guide Alkanes AQA (AS) (updated October 2023 )
3.3 revision guide Halogenoalkanes AQA(AS) (updated February 2021)
3.4 revision guide Alkenes AQA(AS) (updated February 2023)
3.5 revision guide Alcohols AQA(AS)(updated February 2021)
3.6 revision guide Organic Analysis AQA(AS) (updated May 2024)
3.7 revision guide naming and isomerism (updated February 2021)
3.8 revision guide Aldehydes and Ketones AQA(updated January 2022 )
3.9 revision guide Carboxylic acids and derivatives AQA (updated February 2024)
3.10 revision guide Arene Chemistry AQA (updated October 2023 )
3.11 revision guide Amines AQA(updated January 2022 )
3.12 revision guide polymers AQA (updated April 2020)
3.13 revision guide amino acids proteins and DNA AQA (updated May 2023)
3.14 revision guide Organic Synthesis AQA (updated February 2023)
3.15 revision guide NMRR (updated October 2023 )
3.16 revision guide chromatography(updated December 2019)
AQA mechanisms summary AS (AS) (updated February 2021 )
AQA mechanisms A level summary (updated February 2023 )
Practical Guide AQA (updated October 2023 )
chemrevise 
For deducing rate equations, what do you do when there is an acid catalyst so H+. Do you include that in the rate equation?
The acid catalyst can sometimes appear in the rate equation and have an order.
legendary
Thanks for great job .am happy coz your learning matrials have simplified my time in as a student
Hi
Firstly I would like to thank you for your contributions they have helped countless students. I am currently in a bit of tricky situation and would like your input and advise. I have sat the whole A-Level chemistry for the old specification but if I need to get the grade I want I will need to practically sit all the exams again. I am considering sitting the new specification AQA again as content is very similar I am just unsure about the 12 practicals. Could I do this while self-studying?
The 12 practicals are pretty standard and should have been covered on the old syllabus. If you are doing it privately you could not the get the practical competency award but this is independent of the main grade
There are some guides which don’t say ‘updated August 2016’ is that because you haven’t gotten around to doing it or is the syllabus simply the same as previous years for them particular sections?
By the way- These are great
They are all up to date to the new syllabus. I just say ‘updated’ if I have made a recent change.
this really helps. Thank you so much
excellent guides
when is a platinium electrode used? and for cell represnetations which of the molecules should you include?
This is answered on page 2 of the redox notes
Are these revision notes just for the first year regarding the new syllabus or the whole A level?
The whole course
in unit 5 redox equilibria, for Fe2+ (aq) -> Fe3+ (aq) + e- , this is oxidation so why is the cell representation | | Fe3+ (aq), Fe2+ (aq) |Pt, with the half cell on the right
and not Pt| Fe2+, Fe3+|| with the half cell on the left , as the oxidised and more negative E half cell goes on the left
You should be able to put it on either side of the half cell depending on what it is combined with
Thank you for the fantastic notes Mr Goalby! Have you had the opportunity to look at the 2016 chem4 paper yet? Do you have an opinion on it if so?
It had some tricky questions and some quite straightforward questions that were made to look tricky by unfamiliar compounds or contexts. I can understand why many students would not have liked it.
i was wondering when are you gonna do notes on the new aqa second year of A level just finished AS level i want to start revising for second year of A levels over the summer holidays. i would really appreciate it if it was released as soon as possible.
They are there apart from two chapters
Can I just say that these notes are absolutely awesome. They’ve been of huge help. A quick question. In the section of organic analysis on new spec-3.6(page 3) in the table of functional group tests, for the test of primary, secondary and aldehydes, it says that the reagent is sodium dichromate. Should it read potassium dichromate? Thanks
The dichromate is the important bit- the sodium or potassium are both fine
Hiya, in the transition metals booklet, the last page with the summary of chromium reactions, you put [Cr(H2O)2]+3 as a green solution but I think it should be blue.
There is an explanation about this on the notes
Hello chemrevise!
I would just like to thank you for your awesome notes first, it’s really amazing.
The only question I have is that when you add excess OH- to Al(H20)3(OH)3, the notes says its Al(OH)4. But in the aqa mark scheme it’s Al(OH)6. So could you just clarify on this please? (Chem5 Jan 11 6b) thx!
Both answers are accepted in the mark scheme if you look at the additional guidance
It’s best to revise it even for the old syllabus. It is definitely needed for new syllabus
Hi, firstly I wanted to say thank you so much for these notes!
I was just wondering if this was a mistake on the 1.1 AQA revision guide
The 160 peak has double the abundance of the other two peaks because there is double the probability of 160 Br79-Cl81 + as can be Br79-Br81 and Br81-79
Shouldn’t it be 160 Br-79-81 and Br-81-79 only, why is it Br79-Cl81?
Thank you! 🙂
I have sorted it. Was typing error
Do you have any notes on the 6 main practicals or know any websites I can learn them from?
They are mostly integrated into the relevant chapters.
Quick question regarding hydrolysis of polyamides.
In your notes it says that HCl and a polyamide will be hydrolysed and split up into the original carboxylic acid and diamine salt. It also says it’s split up into the same thing with NaOH. Is this correct? I’m just a bit confused as to why this occurs with both HCl and NaOH with a polyamide but not with a polyester?
both polyesters and polyamides can be hydrolysed with acids or alkalis
Thanks – these notes have helped me so much!
Not sure if its a mistake, I may be mistaken, however in old aqa spec, A2, Transition metals you state on page 4 the general equation is M(H20)6 to M(OH)4 when making it alkaline, Shouldn’t it be M(OH)6 ?
No it’s not a mistake AQA _ seem to accept M(OH)4 and M(OH)6 with the correct charges
Thanks soo much for these. Don’t know what I could have done without these 😄😄
There are resits for the legacy AS syllabus this year. I doubt they will have them next year
Not yet. Those notes are very detailed and way beyond what would be expected. How much is expected is a little unknown so I will wait to see what the first exam questions look like.
Can you make notes like this for biology? Pleasee?
Sorry I don’t teach biology
Hi, on condensation polymerization you write the product of water as 2n-1H20. On my CGP revision guide it says 2nH20. Which one is the right answer because its really confusing me, thanks!
It’s not an important point. The ‘-1’ is taking into account that at the end of the polymer chain there will be an extra -H and -OH to finish of the chain.
Quick question regarding hydrolysis of polyamides.
In your notes it says that HCl and a polyamide will be hydrolysed and split up into the original carboxylic acid and diamine salt. It also says it’s split up into the same thing with NaOH. Is this correct? I’m just a bit confused as to why this occurs with both HCl and NaOH with a polyamide but not with a polyester?
Hi , I’m a bit unsure about complexes and when to know when they form. For example , If I add cobalt to hcl , do I get cobalt (ii) chloride or (cobalt i) chloride ( 1 chloride ligand), or maybe just insoluble cobalt with 2 chloride ligands making it neutral. It’s confusing me as these could make a big difference , you might be inclined to think cobalt chloride would conduct electricty due to separate ions , but if it forms a neutral complex with covalent bonds to the chloride ligands it wouldn’t do so, so I’m abit confused as to when a complex forms and when it’s separate ions. Thank you very much sorry for the blabbering !
It is not a mistake – In solution Cr(III) often appears green and Fe(III) appears yellow/brown due to
hydrolysis reactions. The ruby and violet colour is only really seen in solid hydrated salts that contain these complexes.
AQA will accept both colours.
Hi, in regards to mass spectrometry I was wondering whether we’re supposed to know the equation KE=1/2mv2 and the application of it for the new specification.
No I don’t think you need to know the equation, although until there are some questions it is hard to say for sure.
Hi I might be mistaken but foR equivalence points I thought that was the point at which just enough titrant had been added to neutralise the solution in the conical flask. Surely by this definition for a given temperature( and hence a given constant Kw ) , because neutrality is when [OH]=[H+] , regardless of which combination of strong or weak acid/alkali you use , neutrality is when [H+]=square root[Kw]. Hence surely the ph of the equivalence point shouldn’t change with different concentrations of acid and base strengths ,but rather stay constant at -log(sqrt(Kw)). I would appreciate some clarification on this, I might just be missing something obvious.
Thanks
Read http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/acidbaseeqia/phcurves.html for a good explanation of this.
Thank you very much – that makes so much more sense ! Appreciate it thanks
Thanks so much!
hi, just wondering, in your synthetic routes file it says fr sub, what does this stand for? many thanks.
Free Radical Substitution Im guessing
free radical substitution….occurs primarily with alkanes and alkyl groups…..features homolytic fission
Thank you so much! You’re a lifesaver!
Can i just simply thankyou for everything you have helped so many people acheive top grades in chemistry. The world needs more people like you!
Your guides were a large part of how I was able to learn both AS and A2 chemistry, in one year simultaneously, last year and achieve an A. Lots of thanks!
Hi, these notes are really great and helpful. Is there any chance you know of a physics version of this website for the new specification?
sorry don’t know of one
hey, thanks for the notes, very helpful. is there any way you can do biology notes or direct me towards a website that has good biology notes.
thanks in advance
sorry don’t know of one
I’ve recently come across Vbiology and its amazing
its has booklets of exam questions on every As and A2 topic and notes, check it out
hello, all of these notes seem to be for AS chemistry e.g. the equilibria has no notes on Kc..
do you possibly have notes for AQA A2 chemistry ?
thak you 🙂
They are all there- you just need to scroll down the page more to the correct a-level and the correct module
Hello, I was looking at your updated atom notes and I noticed that you didn’t have The history of atomic model section. My CGP Text book has a page on it and I was wondering if you missed that part out on purpose? Thank you for making these great notes.
It’s only on the syllabus in the loosest sense of knowing that different models of the atom have existed. There is no detail about any of the old models specified and there have been no exam questions on it.
are the notes for ‘reactions of inorganic compounds in aqueous solution’ covered?
yes – combined with transition metals
are you going to change the AS modules for the new spec starting in September? If you are would it be wise for me to download the current versions as I may need to retake the AS units for the current spec, and are the changes to the spec significant?
thanks
I will have new guides for the new course but will keep the old ones up for a year. The content is largely the same on the new spec, but there is some new material
This notes are really gud…
for q1cii on june 14 i dont understand how -203+955=239+732-348+0.5E(F-F) is giving me a wrong answer?
thanks in advance
So does Al203 have a higher melting point than na2O and mgO because it also has covalent character?
and why isn’t the ionic equation for Al2O3 (s)+ 2OH- (aq) + 3H2O (l)2Al(OH) – (aq) Written as 2Al3+ + 2OH- at the end
The Al(OH)4- ion or Al(OH)6 3- ions are what form and these should not be separated into separated into Al3+ and OH- ion
See http://www.chemguide.co.uk/inorganic/period3/oxidesphys.html for a discussion of this
Hi could you please make a revision guide for module 5 the reactions of inorganic compounds in aqueous solution (lewis acids and bases, ligand substitution reactions and acid-base substitution reactions of some metal ions). I enjoy reading through your revision guides and I couldnt thankyou enough for making and sharing these brilliant resources with students like me. Thankyou soooo much.
They already exist combined with the transition metal notes!
Thankyou, these resources are all that have got me through Chemistry these two years!
Also for chem 5 jan 10 Q3c, the mark scheme uses a comma to separate OH- aqueous and H2O liquid species, rather than a solid vertical line, even though they’re different phases. Do we always use a comma to separate species with aqueous and liquid phases?
Thanks
I was under the impression that in a cell statement water and aqueous solutions are considered to be the same phase. If it were however an aqueous solution and an immiscible liquid, then you would use a phase boundary.
yes this is correct
On the mod 4 revision guide 3, why do you use the moles in calculating the ph of a buffer and not the concentrations?
both the salt and the acid are in the same volume of solution so if you look at the maths the same volume would cancel out. So you can use moles or concentration
hi not sure if its been mentioned before but on the unit 2 alkenes sheet it says marknowikoffs rule is that hydrogen will be added to the carbon with the fewest hydrogens, isn’t it the other way round
On what I can see it says BROMINE will be added to the carbon with the fewest hydrogens
For june 14 chem 4 Q5bi the mark scheme says M1 for correct structure of product of 5a, but does that mean we have to draw the original product of 5a again for 5b and then the two enantiomers separated by a mirror, or would M2 for drawing the enantiomers also score M1?
thanks
*just drawing the two enantiomers also score M1?