IJSO

Scientific method (use, analysis, and explanation): hypothesis, prediction, experiment plan (methods, controls), conclusions.; Use of scientific terminology; Data in an experiment: representation in tables, diagrams, graphs, biological drawings. Data interpretation. Data validation.; Precision and accuracy; SI units, derived units, units and dimensional analysis; Units (SI) for length, mass, time, temperature, volume, density, pressure, displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration, force, potential difference, current, resistance, electrical power, energy, amount of substance; Significant figures (reading measurements, use in calculations (divisions, multiplications, subtractions, and additions only)); Identification of error sources**; Scientific notation and rounding; All non-numerical answers should in agreement with the SI system provided on the IJSO website.

Law of conservation of mass; States of matter and its properties; Gasses, liquids, solids, plasmas; Volume, shape, and particle movement in states of matter; Temperature and pressure on states of matter, phase transitions and latent heat; Water and its different phases, phase diagrams of water

Chemical constituents of matter (elements, compounds, mixtures); Atomic theory of matter; Subatomic particles (electrons, protons, and neutrons), atomic number and mass number; Isotopes and atomic mass, atomic mass unit, molecular mass, concept of formula mass, Avogadro’s constant, molar mass; Atomic structure in terms of electron shells; Electron configurations of simple atoms and ions of first 20 elements; Concept and modern basis of the Periodic Table; Patterns in the Periodic Table: first ionization energy, boiling point, melting point, hardness, electronegativity, electron affinity; Metallic nature with respect to non-transition elements; Metals, metalloids, and non-metals; Oxides and their acid-base nature; Chemical formulas of molecular and ionic substances, acids, and corresponding anions; Binary molecular and ionic compounds; Chemical formulas: empirical formula and molecular formula based on elemental analysis

Boyle’s law, Charles’s law, combined gas law relating volume, temperature, and pressure; Avogadro’s law, Ideal gas law; Partial pressure and moles fraction of a gas in a gas mixture; Diffusion and effusion**

Molecular structure of substance; Matter (physical substance that has mass and occupies space); Forces; Motion; Energy; Work and Power; Light; Heat; Sound; Momentum; Pressure

Exothermic and endothermic reactions; Enthalpy of reactions (combustion, formation, hydration and phase changes). Calculations using the Hess's law, simple calculations based on enthalpy diagrams

Electrochemical cells: The structure of electrochemical cells (electrodes, electrolytes, salt bridges); Definitions of anodes and cathodes based upon their electron exchange, and the direction of current flow between electrodes in electrochemical cells base on standard electrode potentials**; Half-cell reactions and full reaction equations leading to the determination of the quantities of electrons transferred in these cells; Applications of electrolysis: Electrode reactions and products of the electrolysis of molten NaCl

Energy conservation, energy conversion/transformation, sources of energy, nature of energy; Types of energy (mechanical (potential and kinetic), thermal, electromagnetic, chemical, nuclear**); Transfer of energy (e.g. mechanisms of heat transfer, transfer of energy via waves**); Work of constant force, work-energy theorem, the mass-energy relation; Power, relation between transmission of energy and power and efficiency; Effects of utilization of energy on life and the environment; Fossil fuels**; Renewable and non-renewable resources**

Mole concept in chemical reactions, converting mass to mole and mole to mass, mass percentages; Yield of chemical reactions; Molar concentration; Dilution of solutions; Balancing chemical equations

Qualitative solubility of ionic compounds using solubility data tables provided; Precipitation reactions; Acid-base reactions; Oxidation number rules, oxidation-reduction reactions (combination, decomposition, displacement, and combustion reactions); Half reaction method for balancing oxidation-reduction reactions; Net ionic equations

Ionic, covalent, metallic bonds and polar covalent bonds; Properties of ionic and covalent compounds, metals, and compounds forming covalent lattices; Intermolecular forces, van der Waals forces in polar and nonpolar molecules; Hydrogen bonding; Dependence of physical properties on intermolecular forces

Definition of reaction rate: Instantaneous rate and average rate, rate expressions; Factors affecting rates of reactions; Determination of rate constant (first order only) from experimental data

Equilibrium conditions in reactions; Equilibrium constant in both homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria; Calculation of equilibrium concentrations; Effect of removing products, addition of reactants and temperature on the direction of reactions; Effect of catalysts on the equilibrium; Acids and bases and acid base equilibria; Strong and weak acids and bases; Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry, and Lewis concepts**; Conjugate acid base pairs; Self-ionization of water and pH; Calculation of pH in aqueous solutions of strong acids and strong bases; pH scale and indicators; Degree of ionization, Ka and Kb for weak acid and base, respectively; Acid base titration curves and choice of indicators; Common ion effect*; Buffer solutions: Composition of buffer solutions, qualitative interpretation of the action of buffer solutions; Calculation of solubility product and solubility using data provided

Mass, weight, centre of mass and point mass; Newton's Laws, concept of force applying Newton’s first law of motion; Nature of different types of forces and interactions; Application of Newton's second law of motion; Normal and friction forces (static and dynamic friction)**; Mechanical movements, inclined planes, wheel and axel, wedge, spring balances, moments, torque*, levers, pulleys; Archimedes principle and buoyancy; Gravitational force, electromagnetic force (involving both electrostatic* and Lorentz force law** for particles with constant velocity in a uniform electromagnetic field); Force changes the shape of objects, elasticity*, Hook's Law

Motion of an Object; Patterns of motions; Translatory linear and circular motion; Laws of motion, uniform accelerated; Motion of free-falling bodies; Relations among the quantities regarding motion with the help of graphic representations; Inertial systems, inertia of object, laws of inertia; Conservation and change of momentum, (in)elastic collisions; Air resistance*

Harmonic oscillations and motion (frequency, period); General wave properties; Reflection and refraction of waves; Basic principles of diffraction, interference, and superposition of waves*; Difference between transverse and longitudinal waves; Mathematical relation among the velocity of waves, frequency and wavelength

Characteristics of light, light travelling, shadows form, linear spreading of light; Reflection and refraction of light; Spherical lenses*; spherical and plane mirrors; Electromagnetic spectrum, visible spectrum, colours and their relation to their wavelength; Dispersion of light *; Photoelectric effect **

Characteristics of sound; Sound as a wave; Functions of microphone and speaker **; Sound as longitudinal pressure wave; Perception of a sound **; Classical doppler effect for sound

Electrical characteristics of materials; Static electricity/Coulomb law; Dynamic electricity/Ohm law; Electric interaction; Electric circuit-flow of charge, electric current; Electric energy, work and capacity of electric power; Electric source, electric potential and electromotive force; Electric field; Motion of charged particles; Series, parallel circuits and Kirchhoff's laws; Resistance, conductance and dielectrics**; Semiconductor diodes**; Magnetic phenomena: magnets and magnetic materials, magnetic field and poles; Difference between AC and DC **; Electromagnetic induction and Lenz's law**; Safe practices in the use of electricity; Principles of generators, transformers, and motors **

Thermodynamical systems, properties and temperature; Thermal conduction, convection, radiation, evaporation and insulation *; Specific heat capacity and calorimetry; Changes in state of substances and latent heat; First law of thermodynamics; Pascal's Law; Kinetic molecular model of matter **; Basics of Bernoulli principles *

Isotopes, radioactivity, and half-life **

Solar system: Sun, moon, planets, and Kepler's laws**; Structure of the universe **

Chemical composition* of living organisms (organic and inorganic); Structure and functions of molecules (and their monomers): carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids (**); Nutrition and nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients (*)

Characteristics* of living organisms; Principles of taxonomy and classification of living organisms; principle of phylogenetic trees and cladistics; Organisation levels: cells to tissues to organs to organic system to organism; Characteristics* of Monera, protists, plants, fungi, and animals; Microorganisms and pathogens*; Viruses**; Asexual and sexual reproduction

The cell as a system; Cell structures and their functions: cell wall, membrane, vacuole, cytoplasm, nucleus, ribosome, chloroplast, mitochondrion; Structural characteristics of plant, animal, and bacterial cells; Substances exchange at the cellular level (passive (diffusion and osmosis); active transportation); Cellular respiration: aerobic* and anaerobic (**, fermentation and its use in biotechnology); Haploidy and diploidy; Gametogenesis; Cell cycle (diagram) and cell division (**); Mitosis, meiosis (**, restricted to the types of cells produced and their ploidy)

Effect** of some psychotropic substances (tobacco, alcohol, opioid-like drugs) on the human body; Effects** of genetic factors, lifestyle, and environmental factors on long term human health; Protective function of the immune system and vaccination; Microorganisms causing common and infectious diseases; HIV and AIDS

Primary plant tissues (structure and role in the organism): assimilation, covering, support, circulation tissues; Plant nutrition (soil and mineral nutrients); Plant hydrophysiology* (absorption by roots, transpiration); Photosynthesis: outline of C3* and a purpose of C4 and CAM pathways (**); Factors* that affect the rate of respiration and photosynthesis; Phytohormones* - location and functions of auxins, gibberellins, ethylene and abscisic acid; Responses to signals* (tropism and other plant movements); Reproductive behaviour in plants* (strategies of pollination and seed dispersion).; Structures and processes* of sexual reproduction of angiosperm; Vegetative reproduction

Animal tissues and their role* in the organism: epithelium, connective (blood, bones), muscular, and nervous tissues.; Support systems* in animals; Animal nutrition; Comparison** of the alimentary systems in carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores; Sense organs and their functions using various communication cues (including pheromones and other signals) (*); Animal orientation in space (*); Patterns of reproduction including types of fertilisation (*); Hormone role* in sexual development and maturation of gametes; Metamorphosis*

Human anatomy and physiology (form and function relationship); Integumentary system (skin and tissue); Skeletal system and properties of muscles; Blood and the circulatory System; Digestive system; Respiratory system; Excretory system; Endocrine system; Nervous system; Sensory organs; Reproductive system; Human fertilization; Human reproductive organs and sex cells; Changes that take place in adolescent bodies during puberty

Chromosomal basis of inheritance and variation of traits*; Gene as a part of chromosome; Replication of DNA**; Mendel law of genetics (alleles; dominant and recessive; homo and heterozygotes; first and second law, family pedigree, sex-linked inheritance in humans); Monohybrid crossing; Mutation* (mechanisms and genetic defects)

Theory of evolution*; Natural selection*

The role of organisms in the circulation of matter and energy in nature; Biogeochemical cycles: the cycle of water, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen in nature; Producers, consumers, and decomposers; Food chains and webs; Factors* affecting ecosystems (abiotic and biotic); Major biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; Strategies of environmental adaptation: (characteristics of adaptation, structural, physiological, and behavioural adaptation); Interactions between organisms (competition, predation, symbiosis); Factors* affecting growth of populations, typical growth-curves for populations; Reproductive behaviour in animals (courtship, mating, and parental care); Ecological balance and natural selection as one process for maintaining this balance; Ecological succession*; Pollution*: acid rain, global warming, and carbon footprint; Human activity in ecosystems and its effects on biodiversity and sustainable development

Equations involving: fractions, logarithms, powers and roots, polynomials [e.g. solving quadratic equations], trigonometric functions. Plot of the named functions only; Transformations of equations to obtain linear relations; Basic geometry and fundamentals of stereometry (*): triangles and circles, areas of basic planar forms, volumes, and surface area of basic solid figures; Basic vector algebra (*) (decomposition and addition of vectors); Mean values, qualitative concept of uncertainty in measurements**

Work in the laboratory following safety regulations; Measurement of mass, length, volume, time, temperature, voltage, and current.; Use of dichotomous keys; Dissection of plant specimens: roots, stems, leaves, fruits, and flowers.; Light microscopy, including the preparation of slides; Preparation of standard solutions; Titrations; Spectrophotometry*: determination of concentrations of solutions by using Beer-Lamberts law with formula provided; Basic separation techniques*: filtration, simple distillation, crystallization, thin-layer chromatography, adsorption, centrifugation; Measurement of pH in liquids; Measurement of focal length of thin lens