Sigma, Pi, Hybridization and Shape

April 29, 2019

Sigma bonds, Pi bonds. Shapes of molecules. Hybrid orbitals. How do they all fit together? I was really confused with this information when I was a student. It wasn’t covered when I did my biochemistry degree and I only felt like I really understood things until I...

End Game

April 3, 2019

If you are an IB2 student who sits their exams in the May exam session, as the month of March, it comes to an end your thoughts are probably on revision. If your teachers have yet to finish the course, they will probably be almost there. If they haven’t yet finished,...

The Year of the Periodic Table

March 4, 2019

In this post I cover some principles of TOK, NOS and the learner profile whilst focusing on our favourite chemistry friend, the periodic table. 2019 has been officially designated ‘The Year of the Periodic Table’. I often wonder who makes these decisions but this one...

The Biochemistry Option

July 30, 2018

Proteins Proteins are a group of biomolecules (or biopolymers) that form enzymes and muscles in the body. They are the chief nitrogenous compounds found in living organisms but are still only approximately 15% nitrogen. The other elements they are comprised of is...

Formaldehyde

July 13, 2018

Formaldehyde was recently in the news … But more of this later. To start with, you may be asking, what is formaldehyde? Formaldehyde is the non-UPAC name for methanal, CH2O, the simplest of all aldehydes. At room temperature, it is found as a gas (boiling point...

Ethanedioic Acid Titrations

May 4, 2018

It’s that time of year where if you are in IB1 you may well be starting to think about your IA. What will you do?! I hope today’s post gives you some ideas. Have you thought about working with Ethanedioic acid (HOOCCOOH) or oxalic acid to give you its more...