Highschool Chemistry

I. Introduction

Highschool Chemistry explains the materials around you by connecting what you observe in the lab (mass, temperature, color change, gas formation) to what’s happening at the particle level (atoms, molecules, ions).

It starts with measurement and atomic structure, and moves into bonding, reactions and stoichiometry, solutions, acids-bases, gases, and energy-often ending with a preview of equilibrium, rates, batteries, and/or nuclear topics.

II. Outline

1. Foundations
   • lab safety, glassware, common techniques
   • metric system, unit conversions, Dimensional Analysis
   • scientific notation, significant figures, uncertainty
2. Matter & Its Properties
   • physical vs chemical properties/changes
   • states of matter, phase changes
   • pure substances vs mixtures
     • elements/compounds, homogeneous/heterogeneous
   • separation methods
     • filtration, distillation, chromatography
3. Atomic Theory
   • historical models of the atom
   • protons/neutrons/electrons
     • charge, mass, atomic number
   • isotopes, average atomic mass
   • ions and basic ion notation
4. The Periodic Table
   • groups/families, periods, metals/nonmetals/metalloids
   • valence electrons & electronegativity
5. Chemical Bonding & Molecular Structure
   • ionic vs covalent vs metallic bonding
   • Lewis dots, octet rule and exceptions
   • molecular geometry
   • polarity and intermolecular forces
6. Naming Compounds & Writing Formulas
   • ionic & covalent compounds, common polyatomic ions, acids and bases
7. The Mole & Chemical Quantities
   • Avogadro’s number, molar mass
   • Conversion
8. Chemical Reactions & Stoichiometry
   • balancing chemical equations
   • reaction types
     • synthesis, decomposition, single/double replacement, combustion
   • mole ratios and basic stoichiometry
   • limiting reactant, percent yield
9. Solutions & Aqueous Chemistry
   • solubility and concentration ideas
   • molarity, dilutions
   • electrolytes vs nonelectrolytes
   • precipitation reactions and net ionic equations
10. Gases & Gas Laws
    • pressure, Kelvin vs Celsius
    • Boyle/Charles/Gay-Lussac/combined gas law
    • ideal gas law ($PV=nRT$)
    • Dalton’s law (optional), kinetic molecular theory
11. Thermochemistry & Energy Changes
    • endothermic vs exothermic processes
    • calorimetry (q = mcΔT)
    • heating curves, phase-change energy
    • Hess’s law / enthalpy
12. Reaction Rates (Kinetics)
    • collision theory
    • factors affecting rate
    • concentration, temperature, surface area, catalysts - energy diagrams
13. Chemical Equilibrium
    • dynamic equilibrium idea
    • Le Châtelier’s principle (stress/response)
    • equilibrium expressions $K$
14. Acids, Bases, & pH
    • pH, pOH, strong vs weak
    • neutralization and titration basics
15. Oxidation-Reduction & Electrochemistry
    • oxidation numbers, identifying redox
    • basic balancing
    • batteries/galvanic cells and electrolysis
16. Nuclear Chemistry & Applications
    • types of radiation (alpha/beta/gamma)
    • half-life calculations
    • fission vs fusion

III. Free Books

• CK-12 Chemistry for High School (FlexBook® 2.0)
  • This online book also has a mobile app, and is best for highschool learners who want the topics separately, and includes images/videos in the lessons.
• Chemistry LibreTexts - Introductory Chemistry (LibreTexts)
  • Good text if you want an accessible, readable, and concept-first route.

IV. Video Series

• Crash Course Chemistry (fast & conceptual)
  • Chemistry course page
• Tyler DeWitt Youtube Playlist (helpful for fundamentals & problem setup)
  • Chemistry Tutorials
• The Organic Chemistry Tutor (tons of worked examples)
  • AP & General Chemistry playlist
• Khan Academy Chemistry

V. See Also

See University Chemistry for more extensive materials.