At a glance
- First assessed
- May 2025 (taught from August 2023)
- Strands
- Structure 1 to 3, Reactivity 1 to 3
- Paper 1
- 1A + 1B, 36%
- Paper 2
- 44%
- Internal assessment
- Scientific investigation, 20%
How the content is organised
| Strand | Title | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Structure 1 | Models of the particulate nature of matter | Atoms and electron configuration, the mole, ideal gases |
| Structure 2 | Models of bonding and structure | Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, intermolecular forces, materials |
| Structure 3 | Classification of matter | The periodic table and its trends, functional groups and organic nomenclature |
| Reactivity 1 | What drives chemical reactions? | Enthalpy changes, energy cycles, energy from fuels; entropy and spontaneity at HL |
| Reactivity 2 | How much, how fast and how far? | Stoichiometry and yields, kinetics, equilibrium |
| Reactivity 3 | What are the mechanisms of chemical change? | Acids and bases, redox, electron sharing and substitution reactions |
HL students study additional material within these strands. A chemistry data booklet is provided in the exams.
How it is examined
| Component | SL | HL | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1A: multiple choice | 30 questions, 30 marks | 40 questions, 40 marks | 36% with 1B |
| Paper 1B: data-based questions on experimental work | 25 marks | 35 marks | 36% with 1A |
| Paper 1 total time | 1 h 30 min | 2 h | 36% |
| Paper 2: short answer and extended response | 1 h 30 min | 2 h 30 min | 44% |
| Scientific investigation | About 10 hours, 24 marks | About 10 hours, 24 marks | 20% |
Papers 1A and 1B are sat together in one sitting.
What actually changed, and why it matters
The old course had eleven core topics, matching additional HL topics and one option (materials, biochemistry, energy or medicinal chemistry) examined in Paper 3. The new guide removes the options and Paper 3 and regroups the content into two strands. Much familiar chemistry is still there, but some topics moved and some option material was dropped or folded into the strands, so a student revising from an old topic list can miss things and waste time on others.
The strands are meant to be connected. A question about why a reaction is fast or slow may start from bond strengths (Structure 2) and end with collision theory (Reactivity 2). Paper 1B adds questions built on experimental work, so students need practical experience of methods, uncertainties and graphs, not just theory.
The internal assessment changed too. The old five-criterion rubric, which included personal engagement and communication, has been replaced by four criteria of 6 marks each: research design, data analysis, conclusion and evaluation. The guide also includes a collaborative sciences project; ask the school how it runs.
How to revise for the new papers
- Build a one-page map for each strand, then draw arrows between strands: bonding to properties, structure to reactivity, energy to equilibrium.
- Make quantitative chemistry automatic: moles, concentration, gas volumes, enthalpy cycles and equilibrium calculations, always with units and sensible significant figures.
- Practise Paper 1A at speed. Multiple choice rewards quick recall and estimation; save working for the questions that need it.
- Practise Paper 1B with questions on methods and data: identifying variables, reading graphs, judging uncertainties.
- Use pre-2025 past papers only for questions on content still in the guide. Use specimen papers and papers from May 2025 onwards for full timed practice.
Common mistakes with the new course
- Revising option content, such as the old medicinal chemistry option, that is no longer examined.
- Learning periodic trends as patterns without the structural explanation the markscheme wants.
- Curly arrows at HL that do not start from a lone pair or a bond, which score nothing.
- Treating Paper 1B as a theory paper and being surprised by questions on practical methods.
How one-to-one lessons help with the new course
A tutor who teaches the current IB Chemistry guide uses the shared whiteboard for what chemistry needs most: structures, energy cycles, mechanisms and step-by-step calculations. A typical lesson reviews the current school topic, works through two or three quantitative problems with the student explaining each step, then sets past-paper questions that match the current guide, marked against the markscheme.
The tutor also keeps the student's revision aligned with the new structure, steering away from old option material and towards the cross-strand questions and experimental data questions that the 2025 papers use.
Common questions
Does IB Chemistry still have options?
No. Since May 2025 the options and Paper 3 have been removed. Assessment is Paper 1 (1A and 1B), Paper 2 and the scientific investigation.
Can my child use old Chemistry past papers?
Yes, selectively, for questions on content still in the guide. Check each topic against the current Structure and Reactivity list, and use papers from May 2025 onwards for full exam practice.
Is Paper 1B harder than multiple choice?
It is different. Paper 1B asks data-based questions about experimental work, so students who have done practical work carefully and understand uncertainties tend to find it manageable.
What does HL add?
Additional content inside the strands, such as entropy and spontaneity in Reactivity 1, more on mechanisms in Reactivity 3, and longer papers: 2 hours for Paper 1 and 2 hours 30 minutes for Paper 2.
How much do IB Chemistry lessons cost with LiveTutor?
$15 a lesson, the same flat rate for every subject and level, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons billed monthly. Lessons are 60 minutes, one to one and online, and the first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.