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Chemistry notebook Cambridge IGCSE 0620

Topic 2 of 12 · 6 modules planned

Atoms, elements and compounds

What atoms are made of, how they become ions and how they bond into everything around us.

Modules

  1. Module 1 · syllabus 2.1

    Elements, compounds and mixtures

    Is it one substance or several?

    This module is planned. It will have readings, an experiment, practice with self-checks and a final check.

Syllabus statements for this topic · for teachers · 29 statements

Core for every pupil · Supplement also for Extended entry. Paraphrased from the Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry 0620 syllabus (2026–2028); check the official syllabus for exact wording.

2.1 Elements, compounds and mixtures

  • 2.1.1Element, compound or mixtureC

2.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table

  • 2.2.1Nucleus, particles and electron shellsC
  • 2.2.2Particle charges and relative massesC
  • 2.2.3Atomic number and element identityC
  • 2.2.4Mass number and nucleon countsC
  • 2.2.5Electron arrangements of atoms and ions, Z 1–20C
  • 2.2.6Outer shells, group and period; noble-gas exceptionC

2.3 Isotopes

  • 2.3.1Same element, different neutron countsC
  • 2.3.2Nuclide/ion notation and particle countsC
  • 2.3.3Isotopes and chemical similarityS
  • 2.3.4Weighted isotopic averageS

2.4 Ions and ionic bonds

  • 2.4.1Cations and anions from electron transferC
  • 2.4.2Electrostatic origin of ionic bondingC
  • 2.4.3Group I/VII dot-and-cross ionic diagramsC
  • 2.4.4Ionic melting/boiling and conductivity in three statesC
  • 2.4.5Repeating ionic latticeS
  • 2.4.6Ionic diagrams beyond 1:1 saltsS
  • 2.4.7Lattice forces and mobile-ion explanationsS

2.5 Simple molecules and covalent bonds

  • 2.5.1Shared electron pair and filled outer shellsC
  • 2.5.2Core molecular diagrams: H2, Cl2, H2O, CH4, NH3, HClC
  • 2.5.3Simple molecular properties and bondingC
  • 2.5.4Supplement diagrams: CH3OH, C2H4, O2, CO2, N2S
  • 2.5.5Intermolecular forces versus covalent bondsS

2.6 Giant covalent structures

  • 2.6.1Diamond and graphite networksC
  • 2.6.2Structure-to-use: graphite and diamondC
  • 2.6.3Silicon dioxide networkS
  • 2.6.4Diamond/SiO2 property comparisonS

2.7 Metallic bonding

  • 2.7.1Metal lattice and delocalised electronsS
  • 2.7.2Metal conductivity, malleability and ductilityS