Courses

Ontario · Grade 11

Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation

  • SCH3U

Ontario’s Grade 11 science course, from Investigation Skills and Careers to Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry.

Learn thisPractice test
Units
6
Lessons
12
Skills
76
Provincial exam
None
Official curriculum
Ontario Ministry of Education

Unit by unit

Every skill in the course, with its official code.

Unit 1 · 2 skills

Investigation Skills and Careers

Careers in Chemistry

Scientists and Their Contributions

  • Scientists who contributed to chemistry

    I can describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to chemistry.

    A2.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities
The official wording · 2 outcomes
A2.1
identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study (e.g., pharmacist, forensic scientist, chemical engineer, food scientist, environmental chemist, occupational health and safety officer, water quality analyst, atmospheric scientist) and the education and training necessary for these careers
A2.2
describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians (e.g., Carol Ann Budd, Edgar Steacie, Raymond Lemieux, Louis Taillefer, F. Kenneth Hare), to the fields under study

Key ideas

  1. Chemistry leads to careers such as pharmacist, forensic scientist, chemical engineer, and environmental chemist.

  2. Scientists from many places, including Canadians such as Raymond Lemieux and Edgar Steacie, advanced chemistry.

  3. Each career needs particular education and training, usually a college or university program.

  4. A contribution can be a discovery, a technique, or a new understanding.

Watch out for

  • Thinking chemistry careers are only 'chemist in a lab'.
  • Thinking all major scientists are from long ago or far away.
  • Not knowing a career needs specific education and training.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 3 · 15 skills

Chemical Reactions

Reactions in Industry and Society

  • Industrial chemical reactions

    I can analyse an industrial reaction's impact on health and safety.

    C1.1

    Learn itPractice testActivities

  • Chemistry for social and environmental needs

    I can assess an application of chemistry that addresses a social or environmental need.

    C1.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities

Investigating Chemical Reactions

The official wording · 15 outcomes
C1.1
analyse, on the basis of research, chemical reactions used in various industrial processes (e.g., pulp and paper production, mining, chemical manufacturing) that can have an impact on the health and safety of local populations [IP, PR, AI, C]
C1.2
assess the effectiveness of some applications of chemical reactions that are used to address social and environmental needs and problems [AI, C]
C2.1
use appropriate terminology related to chemical reactions, including, but not limited to: neutralization, precipitate, acidic, and basic [C]
C2.2
write balanced chemical equations to represent synthesis, decomposition, single displacement, double displacement, and combustion reactions, using the IUPAC nomenclature system [PR, AI, C]
C2.3
investigate synthesis, decomposition, single displacement, and double displacement reac- tions, by testing the products of each reaction (e.g., test for products such as gases, the pres- ence of an acid, or the presence of a base) [PR, AI]
C2.4
predict the products of different types of synthesis and decomposition reactions (e.g., synthesis reactions in which simple compounds are formed; synthesis reactions of metallic or non-metallic oxides with water; decomposition reactions, in which a chemical compound is separated into several compounds) [AI]
C2.5
predict the products of single displacement reactions, using the metal activity series and the halogen series [AI]
C2.6
predict the products of double displacement reactions (e.g., the formation of precipitates or gases; neutralization) [AI]
C2.7
design an inquiry to demonstrate the differ- ence between a complete and an incomplete combustion reaction [IP, C]
C2.8
plan and conduct an inquiry to compare the properties of non-metal oxide solutions and metal oxide solutions (e.g., carbon dioxide reacts with water to make water acidic; magnesium oxide reacts with water to make water basic) [IP, PR, AI]
C2.9
investigate neutralization reactions (e.g., neutralize a dilute solution of sodium hydroxide with a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid, and isolate the sodium chloride produced) [PR]
C2.10
plan and conduct an inquiry to demonstrate a single displacement reaction, using elements from the metal activity series [IP, PR]
C3.1
identify various types of chemical reactions, including synthesis, decomposition, single displacement, double displacement, and combustion
C3.2
explain the difference between a complete combustion reaction and an incomplete combustion reaction (e.g., complete and incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels)
C3.3
explain the chemical reactions that result in the formation of acids and bases from metal oxides and non-metal oxides (e.g., calcium oxide reacts with water to produce a basic solution; carbon dioxide reacts with water to produce an acidic solution)

Key ideas

  1. Industrial processes — pulp and paper, mining, chemical manufacturing — use reactions that can affect local populations.

  2. Key terms include neutralization, precipitate, acidic, and basic.

  3. Analysing means researching the reaction and its health and safety impact.

  4. Precise terms let you describe reactions and their products.

  5. Chemical reactions are applied to address social and environmental needs and problems.

Watch out for

  • Thinking industrial reactions have no community impact.
  • Confusing a precipitate with a gas product.
  • Not connecting the reaction to a health or safety effect.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 4 · 13 skills

Quantities in Chemical Reactions

Chemical Quantities in Everyday Life and Industry

Investigating the Mole and Stoichiometry

The official wording · 13 outcomes
D1.1
analyse processes in the home, the workplace, and the environmental sector that involve the use of chemical quantities and calculations (e.g., mixing household cleaning solutions, calculating chemotherapy doses, monitoring pollen counts) [AI, C]
D1.2
assess, on the basis of research, the importance of quantitative accuracy in industrial chemical processes and the potential impact on the environment if quantitative accuracy is not observed [IP, PR, AI, C]
D2.1
use appropriate terminology related to quantities in chemical reactions, including, but not limited to: stoichiometry, percentage yield, limiting reagent, mole, and atomic mass [C]
D2.2
conduct an inquiry to calculate the percentage composition of a compound (e.g., a hydrate) [PR, AI]
D2.3
solve problems related to quantities in chemical reactions by performing calculations involving quantities in moles, number of particles, and atomic mass [AI]
D2.4
determine the empirical formulae and molecular formulae of various chemical com- pounds, given molar masses and percentage composition or mass data [AI]
D2.5
calculate the corresponding mass, or quan- tity in moles or molecules, for any given reactant or product in a balanced chemical equation as well as for any other reactant or product in the chemical reaction [AI]
D2.6
solve problems related to quantities in chemical reactions by performing calculations involving percentage yield and limiting reagents [AI]
D2.7
conduct an inquiry to determine the actual yield, theoretical yield, and percentage yield of the products of a chemical reaction (e.g., a chemical reaction between steel wool and copper(II) sulfate solution), assess the effec- tiveness of the procedure, and suggest sources of experimental error [PR, AI]
D3.1
explain the law of definite proportions
D3.2
describe the relationships between Avogadro’s number, the mole concept, and the molar mass of any given substance
D3.3
explain the relationship between the empir- ical formula and the molecular formula of a chemical compound
D3.4
explain the quantitative relationships ex- pressed in a balanced chemical equation, using appropriate units of measure (e.g., moles, grams, atoms, ions, molecules)

Key ideas

  1. Many processes — mixing cleaning solutions, calculating chemotherapy doses, monitoring pollen counts — use chemical quantities.

  2. Key terms include stoichiometry, percentage yield, limiting reagent, mole, and atomic mass.

  3. Analysing means explaining the calculations the process depends on.

  4. Precise terms let you describe quantitative relationships.

  5. Industrial chemical processes depend on quantitative accuracy.

Watch out for

  • Thinking chemical quantities matter only in a lab.
  • Confusing the mole with molecular mass.
  • Not connecting the process to a calculation.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 5 · 16 skills

Solutions and Solubility

Water, Pollution, and Solutions

Investigating Solutions and Solubility

The official wording · 16 outcomes
E1.1
analyse the origins and cumulative effects of pollutants that enter our water systems (e.g., landfill leachates, agricultural run-off, industrial effluents, chemical spills), and explain how these pollutants affect water quality [AI, C]
E1.2
analyse economic, social, and environmental issues related to the distribution, purification, or use of drinking water (e.g., the impact on the environment of the use of bottled water) [AI, C]
E2.1
use appropriate terminology related to aqueous solutions and solubility, including, but not limited to: concentration, solubility, precipitate, ionization, dissociation, pH, dilute, solute, and solvent [C]
E2.2
solve problems related to the concentration of solutions by performing calculations involving moles, and express the results in various units (e.g., moles per litre, grams per 100 mL, parts per million or parts per billion, mass, volume per cent) [AI, C]
E2.3
prepare solutions of a given concentration by dissolving a solid solute in a solvent or by diluting a concentrated solution [PR]
E2.4
conduct an investigation to analyse quali- tative and quantitative properties of solutions (e.g., perform a qualitative analysis of ions in a solution) [PR, AI]
E2.5
write balanced net ionic equations to represent precipitation and neutralization reactions [AI, C]
E2.6
use stoichiometry to solve problems involving solutions and solubility [AI]
E2.7
determine the concentration of an acid or a base in a solution (e.g., the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar), using the acid–base titration technique [PR, AI]
E2.8
conduct an investigation to determine the concentrations of pollutants in their local treated drinking water, and compare the results to commonly used guidelines and standards (e.g., provincial and federal standards) [PR, AI]
E3.1
describe the properties of water (e.g., polarity, hydrogen bonding), and explain why these properties make water such a good solvent
E3.2
explain the process of formation for solutions that are produced by dissolving ionic and molecular compounds (e.g., salt, oxygen) in water, and for solutions that are produced by dissolving non-polar solutes in non-polar solvents (e.g., grease in vegetable oil)
E3.3
explain the effects of changes in temperature and pressure on the solubility of solids, liquids, and gases (e.g., explain how a change in tem- perature or atmospheric pressure affects the solubility of oxygen in lake water)
E3.4
identify, using a solubility table, the formation of precipitates in aqueous solutions (e.g., the use of iron or aluminum compounds to precipi- tate and remove phosphorus from wastewater)
E3.5
explain the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases
E3.6
explain the difference between strong and weak acids, and between strong and weak bases, in terms of degree of ionization

Key ideas

  1. Pollutants — landfill leachates, agricultural run-off, industrial effluents, chemical spills — enter water systems.

  2. Key terms include concentration, solubility, precipitate, ionization, dissociation, pH, dilute, solute, and solvent.

  3. Analysing their origins and cumulative effects explains their impact on water quality.

  4. Precise terms let you describe solutions.

  5. Drinking water raises economic, social, and environmental issues around distribution, purification, and use.

Watch out for

  • Thinking one pollutant acts in isolation.
  • Confusing solute and solvent.
  • Not connecting the pollutant to water quality.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 6 · 15 skills

Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry

Air Quality and Human Activity

Investigating the Gas Laws

The official wording · 15 outcomes
F1.1
analyse the effects on air quality of some technologies and human activities (e.g., smelting; driving gas-powered vehicles), including their own activities, and propose actions to reduce their personal carbon footprint [AI, C]
F1.1
analyse the effects on air quality of some technologies and human activities (e.g., smelting; driving gas-powered vehicles), including their own activities, and propose actions to reduce their personal carbon footprint [AI, C]
F1.2
assess air quality conditions for a given Canadian location, using Environment Canada’s Air Quality Health Index, and report on some Canadian initiatives to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases (e.g., Ontario’s Drive Clean program to control vehicle emissions) [AI, C]
F1.2
assess air quality conditions for a given Canadian location, using Environment Canada’s Air Quality Health Index, and report on some Canadian initiatives to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases (e.g., Ontario’s Drive Clean program to control vehicle emissions) [AI, C]
F2.1
use appropriate terminology related to gases and atmospheric chemistry, including, but not limited to: standard temperature, standard pressure, molar volume, and ideal gas [C]
F2.2
determine, through inquiry, the quantitative and graphical relationships between the pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas [PR, AI]
F2.3
solve quantitative problems by performing calculations based on Boyle’s law, Charles’s law, Gay-Lussac’s law, the combined gas law, Dalton’s law of partial pressures, and the ideal gas law [AI]
F2.4
use stoichiometry to solve problems related to chemical reactions involving gases (e.g., problems involving moles, number of atoms, number of molecules, mass, and volume) [AI]
F2.5
determine, through inquiry, the molar volume or molar mass of a gas produced by a chemical reaction (e.g., the molar volume of hydrogen gas from the reaction of magnesium with hydrochloric acid) [PR, AI]
F3.1
identify the major and minor chemical components of Earth’s atmosphere
F3.2
describe the different states of matter, and explain their differences in terms of the forces between atoms, molecules, and ions
F3.3
use the kinetic molecular theory to explain the properties and behaviour of gases in terms of types and degrees of molecular motion
F3.4
describe, for an ideal gas, the quantitative relationships that exist between the variables of pressure, volume, temperature, and amount of substance
F3.5
explain Dalton’s law of partial pressures, Boyle’s law, Charles’s law, Gay-Lussac’s law, the combined gas law, and the ideal gas law
F3.6
explain Avogadro’s hypothesis and how his contribution to the gas laws has increased our understanding of the chemical reactions of gases

Key ideas

  1. Technologies and activities — smelting, driving gas-powered vehicles — affect air quality.

  2. Key terms include standard temperature, standard pressure, molar volume, and ideal gas.

  3. Analysing means explaining how each affects the air, including one's own activities.

  4. Precise terms let you describe gas behaviour.

  5. A personal carbon footprint reflects the emissions from one's activities.

Watch out for

  • Thinking only industry affects air quality.
  • Confusing standard temperature with standard pressure.
  • Not connecting an activity to an air-quality effect.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Which course?

Ontario has 5 science courses for Grade 11. Here they are side by side.

What a university, college or program asks for is theirs to say: check its admission page, and your school’s course guide.

The official curriculum

This page follows Ontario’s own curriculum for Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation.

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: ScienceOntario Ministry of Education · edu.gov.on.ca · Read July 31, 2026

Textbooks

The textbooks Ontario Ministry of Education lists for Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation:

  • McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chemistry 11McGraw-Hill Ryerson · 2011
  • Nelson Chemistry 11 University PreparationNelson Education Ltd. · 2011

From the Trillium List, read October 27, 2026. ontario.ca

Study it in MapleMind

MapleMind teaches Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.

Geography of Canada, Grade 9 in the MapleMind app on a tablet: its units, Unit 2 open, and the skills done so far with their starsGeography of Canada, Grade 9 in the MapleMind app on a phone: its units, Unit 2 open, and the skills done so far with their stars
Pictured: Geography of Canada, Grade 9, another Ontario course, partway through Unit 2.

Practise it

Course Companion

Your year in one workbook

A fun way to keep Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.

Pages
39
Fillable fields
2,201
Price
$4.99
See the Course Companion

Questions about Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation

What is Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation?

Ontario’s Grade 11 science course: 6 units and 76 skills, from Investigation Skills and Careers to Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry.

What units are in Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation?

1. Investigation Skills and Careers, 2. Matter, Chemical Trends, and Chemical Bonding, 3. Chemical Reactions, 4. Quantities in Chemical Reactions, 5. Solutions and Solubility and 6. Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry.

Is there a provincial exam for Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation?

No. Ontario gives no provincial exam for Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation.

What textbook does Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation use?

The textbooks Ontario Ministry of Education lists for Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chemistry 11, McGraw-Hill Ryerson and Nelson Chemistry 11 University Preparation, Nelson Education Ltd.

What comes after Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation?

Biology, Grade 12, University Preparation, Chemistry, Grade 12, University Preparation, Chemistry, Grade 12, College Preparation, Physics, Grade 12, University Preparation, Physics, Grade 12, College Preparation and Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation.

Can MapleMind help with Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation?

Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.

Before this course

After this course

Get ready for Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation

Practise every skill of Chemistry, Grade 11, University Preparation in MapleMind, free with daily limits.