Introduction to Chemistry (Senior Secondary)

This course establishes the full scope of chemistry. It covers the formal meaning of the discipline, its real-world applications, its adverse effects, and the scientific method that underpins all chemical inquiry. It also provides an overview of chemical industries and the career paths available to chemists. A correct understanding of chemistry's role is essential for scientific literacy. This course provides the foundational context for all future study, linking abstract principles to industrial processes, career opportunities, and their societal and environmental impact. It is the necessary starting point for a structured education in the chemical sciences. By the end of this course, you will be able to define chemistry, outline the steps of the scientific method, describe the applications and negative effects of chemical processes, identify major chemical industries, and list the primary career opportunities available to a chemist. This course is designed for senior secondary students (SSS 1) beginning their formal study of chemistry. It provides the essential context required before proceeding to the study of matter, its properties, and the laws that govern its behaviour.

Payment required for enrolment
Enrolment valid for 12 months
This course is also part of the following learning track. You may join the track to gain comprehensive knowledge across related courses.
[SSS 1, 1st Term] Chemistry
[SSS 1, 1st Term] Chemistry
This learning track provides the complete and essential foundation for the study of chemistry. It begins by defining the scope of the science, from its real-world applications to its career paths. The track then establishes the fundamental principles of matter, covering its classification into elements, compounds, and mixtures, and the practical laboratory techniques required for their separation. The track culminates in a rigorous introduction to the particulate nature of matter, detailing Dalton's atomic theory, atomic structure, and the concept of isotopes. Mastery of this material is the non-negotiable prerequisite for all further study in the chemical sciences. It provides the core conceptual framework for understanding the composition of substances and the practical skills for their purification. By the end of this track, you will be able to classify any substance, select appropriate separation techniques for mixtures, and describe the structure of any atom in terms of its subatomic particles, atomic number, and mass number. This learning track is designed for senior secondary students (SSS 1) beginning their formal study of chemistry. It provides the foundational knowledge required to proceed to the study of the periodic table, chemical bonding, and the quantitative analysis of chemical reactions.

This learning track provides the complete and essential foundation for the study of chemistry. It begins by defining the scope of the science, from its real-world applications to its career paths. The track then establishes the fundamental principles of matter, covering its classification into elements, compounds, and mixtures, and the practical laboratory techniques required for their separation. The track culminates in a rigorous introduction to the particulate nature of matter, detailing Dalton's atomic theory, atomic structure, and the concept of isotopes. Mastery of this material is the non-negotiable prerequisite for all further study in the chemical sciences. It provides the core conceptual framework for understanding the composition of substances and the practical skills for their purification. By the end of this track, you will be able to classify any substance, select appropriate separation techniques for mixtures, and describe the structure of any atom in terms of its subatomic particles, atomic number, and mass number. This learning track is designed for senior secondary students (SSS 1) beginning their formal study of chemistry. It provides the foundational knowledge required to proceed to the study of the periodic table, chemical bonding, and the quantitative analysis of chemical reactions.

Course Chapters

1. Introduction
5

This chapter establishes the foundational concepts of chemistry. It defines the discipline, outlines its major branches, and demonstrates its practical importance, providing the essential context for the entire course. Key topics: defining chemistry and its scope; identifying the principal branches of the subject; explaining chemistry's role in industry, medicine, and everyday life.

Chapter lessons

1-1. Welcome

A direct statement of the course's purpose and structure. This lesson outlines the progression from the meaning of chemistry to its industrial applications and career paths.

1-2. What is chemistry?
3:07

Formally defines chemistry as the scientific study of the properties and behaviour of matter. It establishes the scope of the subject from atoms to complex materials.

1-3. Branches
3:48

Chemistry is not a monolithic subject. This lesson defines its principal branches - organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry - to provide a clear map of the discipline.

1-4. Importance

Understand the practical relevance of chemistry. This lesson shows how chemical principles underpin modern life - from medicine and industry to agriculture - establishing why this science is essential.

1-5. Applications

Explores the essential role of chemistry in modern life. This lesson covers its applications in medicine, agriculture, industry, and the home.

2. Chemical Substances
6

This chapter provides a balanced perspective on chemistry by examining its negative consequences. We analyse the adverse effects of chemical substances on society and the environment, a critical topic for responsible scientific practice. Key topics: identifying sources of chemical pollution; understanding the basis of drug abuse; and recognizing the societal impacts of chemical misuse.

Chapter lessons

2-1. Definition

This lesson establishes precise definitions. We will define what constitutes a chemical substance, a drug, and a pollutant as a foundation for understanding their adverse effects.

2-2. Examples

Here, we examine specific harmful substances. The lesson identifies common pollutants, drugs of abuse, and hazardous industrial chemicals to make the theoretical risks tangible.

2-3. Effects on human health

Now we analyse the human cost. This lesson focuses on the direct health consequences of exposure to harmful chemicals, covering topics from toxicity and poisoning to chronic illness.

2-4. Effects on environment

Beyond human health, chemical misuse damages entire ecosystems. This lesson examines the environmental impact of pollution on the air, water, and land, and the consequences for ecological stability.

2-5. Effects on living organisms

This lesson details the impact of chemical pollutants on Flora and fauna. We will analyse how toxins poison individual organisms and accumulate in the food web, disrupting ecosystems.

2-6. Control and prevention

Identifying risks is not enough; we must also address them. This lesson outlines the key methods for controlling and preventing the harmful effects of chemicals on health and the environment.

3. The Scientific Method
4
1

This chapter details the scientific method, the systematic process that underpins all scientific inquiry. Understanding this method is essential for conducting experiments and interpreting results in a valid and reliable way. Key topics include the distinct steps of the scientific method: observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and the development of theories and laws.

Chapter lessons

3-1. Observation

Defines observation as the first step in the scientific method. It covers the process of gathering information and identifying a problem or question.

3-2. Hypothesis

Explains a hypothesis as a testable, proposed explanation for an observation. This is the core of the predictive nature of science.

3-3. Experimentation

Covers the design and execution of controlled experiments to test a hypothesis. The importance of variables and controls is emphasised.

3-4. Theory and law

Differentiates between a scientific theory (a well-substantiated explanation) and a scientific law (a statement describing an observed phenomenon).

4. Chemical Industries
2
1

This chapter provides an overview of chemical industries. It explores the critical role these industries play in converting raw materials into the finished products used throughout society. Key topics include the classification of chemical industries and the distinction between the raw materials they use and the products they create.

Chapter lessons

4-1. Role of industry

Explains the importance of chemical industries in national development. This lesson covers their role in manufacturing essential goods and providing employment.

4-2. Materials and products

Defines and provides examples of the raw materials used by chemical industries and the various consumer and industrial products they manufacture.

5. Conclusion
2

This chapter consolidates the core concepts of the course. It provides a structured summary of the scope of chemistry, the scientific method, and the role of chemical industries, reinforcing the context for further study. The conclusion summarises the key definitions and principles. It also provides a forward look to the next course on the nature of matter.

Chapter lessons

5-1. Course summary

A concise review of the key definitions and principles covered in the course. This lesson ensures the foundational context for chemistry has been consolidated.

5-2. Next steps: Matter

Explains how the concepts from this course provide the necessary background for the next course, which delves into the properties and classification of matter.