A Greek philosopher once said that “there is nothing permanent except change,” and Chemistry 12 will open our eyes to that continual chemical change all around us and how it leads to a fascinating and responsive state called equilibrium.

The course begins with a study of Reaction Kinetics, the factors that control the speed of a chemical reaction – from slow rusting to fast gasoline combustion – and why they have different speeds. From there we’ll discover that reactions can go forwards AND backwards (reversible reactions) and learn about the interesting properties and significance of these systems in studying Dynamic Equilibrium and Solubility Equilibrium, such as how billions more people on our planet have food to eat each day!

This understanding of chemical equilibrium then extends into the Theory and Applications of Acids and Bases, including why humans are able to avoid the otherwise “lethal effects” of acidic foods like lemons and pineapples due to the acid-base equilibria in our bodies — it’s true! And finally, we delve into Electrochemistry and discover how batteries actually work and why bananas turn brown (you’ve always wanted to know that, haven’t you?!) to eat each day!

Thankfully, the overarching theme of equilibrium will be there to guide us through every step of the way and provide the foundation we need to help us more deeply understand the chemical phenomena of the amazing world all around us!