A-Level Chemistry Equilibrium

A-Level Chemistry EquilibriumKhan Academy Chemistry Equilibrium is a study guide for the A-level subjects of Chemistry, Biology and Physics, but it focuses on the Intermediate and High School level, which, is the step between the intermediate level and the third and fourth A levels. I don't think it is all that necessary to teach Chemistry at the high school level, but given that both Chemistry and Physics are considered 'core' subjects in A Level subjects, teaching Chemistry at such a high level seems to me to be appropriate.It certainly is not quite as complicated as Physics, but I have never understood why chemistry has such a bad reputation in the US (where I was brought up) and around the world (where I spend most of my time). Physics is, in some ways, better than chemistry, and, in some ways, chemistry is better than physics, but as far as the basic skills of a science teacher are concerned, Chemistry and Physics seem to me to be one and the same subject. I can actually explain Chemistry better than I can Physics, so that's a plus!In Physics, you don't learn anything at an A-level which isn't also taught in Chemistry. Chemistry seems to be more detailed, and covers all the fundamentals of a science - from basics like the chemical elements, to chemistry and biological terminology, to what the meaning of things like gravitation is, to abstract concepts like theories of the origin of the universe. In some ways, there is less to Chemistry, but to me, it seems that the more precise the subject, the more complicated it must be for a science teacher to explain it to his students.One thing I do feel Chemistry can learn from Physics is the basics of measurement. I remember attending an Introductory Physics class at University in the late 1970s, where we were all measured with calipers, and where we learned about the fundamental quantities of a chemical reaction. Chemistry seems to me to cover much more of the same stuff, but is all the more complicated to describe . If you ask a Physicsteacher what a hydrogen atom is made up of, he will not have the same answer to your question as a Chemistry teacher would have if you asked him what the chemical composition of a Hydrogen atom is.I'm sure the people who have created the Khan Academy guides, know a lot more about Chemistry than I do, but to me it seems that the more they try to 'make up' science by putting real life examples into their guide, the less useful the Science lesson becomes. When I was a kid, I loved the science books that showed a scientist breaking down a chemical compound to its individual parts, and showing how those parts interacted with each other. You can easily imagine a Science teacher trying to explain Chemistry to his students. Unfortunately, for a lot of people who come to learn about Chemistry through a Science curriculum, they really don't like the idea of having to actually break down a chemical molecule to understand it.I sometimes wonder if we need a similar Biology- based chemistry guide for A Levels in UK schools. This could allow Biology teachers to show students the chemistry at an A-level level, so that it makes sense to them rather than just to explain it to them. I don't have any experience of this myself, but if anyone has any experience of this, or an idea of what you think about Chemistry and Biology at an A-level, please let me know! Indeed, I'd love to hear what you think.So, whether you like Chemistry or not, don't worry, you're getting an A level in Science! I just hope your student doesn't end up being a bad chemistry teacher! I'm really hoping for the best for the next generation and hope that the children who come after my own can have a more productive and rewarding education in Chemistry. So, good luck to you, and Happy Maths!