Chemguide: Support for CIE A level Chemistry

This statement is about the need to be able to write proper chemical equations.

Before you go on, you should find and read the statement in your copy of the syllabus.

Formulae and equations are covered in detail in the first chapter of my A level chemistry calculations book. If you are already confident at writing formulae and equations from your work previously (including ionic equations for precipitation reactions and simple redox reactions), that is probably all you will need.

However, during the rest of the A level course, you will have to learn how to write equations for more complex reactions involving oxidation and reduction. These are also covered in that chapter, but you will also find them discussed in detail if you explore the redox menu on the main part of Chemguide.

You can ignore the section about oxidation states for the moment, and I wouldn't worry too much about writing redox equations for reactions done under alkaline conditions (the link from the bottom of the redox equations page).

Whether you look at that first redox equations page now or leave it until the situation arises during your course probably doesn't really matter. But whatever you do, don't go on to the alkaline conditions page until you are completely confident about these equations under acidic or neutral conditions. You will end up totally confused!

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