Finding a Chemistry IA idea is easy. Finding one that you can investigate well is the harder part.

A useful starting point should give you something measurable to change, something meaningful to observe, and enough chemistry to explain the results. It should also fit the equipment, time and safety limits of your school.

Use the ideas below as starting directions rather than finished IAs. Your final question should be shaped around your own method, evidence and teacher guidance.

Before You Pick a Topic

• Can I change one main factor without losing control of the others?
• Can I measure the outcome with the equipment available to me?
• Will the results give me enough information to interpret, not just describe?
• Can I explain the expected behaviour using relevant chemistry?
• Is the investigation realistic, safe and manageable within my deadline?

20 IB Chemistry IA Starting Ideas

Reaction Rates

Temperature and reaction speed

Explore how changing temperature alters the measured speed of a chosen reaction.

Reactant concentration

Investigate whether changing the concentration of one reactant produces a measurable change in reaction rate.

Catalyst amount

Examine how varying the amount or concentration of a suitable catalyst changes reaction behaviour.

Acids, Bases & Buffers

Antacid performance

Compare how different formulations neutralise a controlled amount of acid.

Buffer composition

Investigate how changing the relative amounts of buffer components affects resistance to pH change.

Acid strength and temperature

Explore whether temperature changes the measured behaviour of a selected weak acid.

Energy & Thermochemistry

Fuel comparison

Compare the heat released by selected fuels under a controlled setup.

Dissolving salts

Investigate temperature changes produced when different salts dissolve.

Reaction concentration and heat

Explore whether changing concentration alters the experimentally observed energy change.

Equilibrium

Temperature and equilibrium

Study how temperature influences the position of a chosen reversible reaction.

Concentration and equilibrium

Examine the response of an equilibrium system when the amount of a reactant is changed.

pH and equilibrium

Explore how changing pH affects a suitable equilibrium system.

Electrochemistry

Electrode choice

Compare the electrical potential produced when different electrode materials are used in a controlled cell.

Ion concentration and voltage

Investigate the relationship between solution concentration and the potential of an electrochemical cell.

Organic & Analytical Chemistry

Vitamin C stability

Examine how a chosen storage condition affects the measured vitamin C content of a sample.

Heating and vitamin C

Investigate the relationship between heating conditions and vitamin C concentration.

Chromatography conditions

Explore how changing the mobile phase affects the separation of selected substances.

Concentration and absorbance

Investigate how solution concentration influences measured absorbance using an appropriate instrument.

Water hardness

Compare hardness between selected water samples using a suitable quantitative method.

Food acidity

Measure and compare acidity across selected food or beverage samples using a consistent analytical approach.

These are starting directions, not submission-ready research questions. Narrow the idea around a single relationship, a measurable outcome and a method you can carry out reliably.

How Do You Turn an Idea Into a Research Question?

Start with the chemistry concept, then decide what you can deliberately change and what you can measure. Finally, add the material or system and the conditions needed to make the investigation specific.

A useful pattern is:

What I change → What I measure → What system I investigate

For example, instead of choosing “vitamin C” as the topic, you could investigate how a particular storage condition changes the measured vitamin C content of a selected sample.

What Makes the Investigation Strong?

A precise purpose

The question should point to one clear relationship rather than several unrelated factors.

A workable method

Your procedure should produce evidence that actually answers the question.

Reliable measurements

Consistent conditions and appropriate repeats make patterns easier to interpret.

Chemical reasoning

Explain the behaviour behind the data instead of only reporting whether values rose or fell.

Thoughtful evaluation

Discuss limitations that genuinely matter to your results and suggest realistic ways to improve the investigation.

Clear presentation

A reader should be able to follow the journey from question to evidence to conclusion.

Common Problems to Avoid

A broad subject instead of a question

“Acids and bases” gives you a field to explore, not a defined investigation.

Too many moving parts

If several factors change together, it becomes difficult to tell what caused the result.

Chasing complexity

A complicated setup is not automatically a better investigation. Choose something you can explain and control.

Describing data without interpreting it

Numbers and graphs become useful when you connect the pattern to chemical ideas.

A generic evaluation

Avoid simply saying “human error” or “equipment error.” Explain what happened, how it could influence the result and what would reduce the effect.

A Simple IA Planning Route

Idea → Narrow the question → Check feasibility → Pilot the method → Gather evidence → Interpret the chemistry → Review the investigation

This approach helps you identify practical problems early instead of discovering them after most of your data has already been collected.

How Mentor Match Can Help

A good IA idea is only the starting point. Mentor Match's personalized 1:1 IB tutoring can help students work through subject concepts, identify learning gaps and develop a more structured approach to their academic work.

For Chemistry, that can mean turning a broad area of interest into a manageable investigation, strengthening the chemistry behind the analysis and using feedback to improve the quality of the work.

Book a Free Demo Class with Mentor Match.

FAQs

How do I choose an IB Chemistry IA topic?

Start with a chemistry area you understand or genuinely want to explore. Then check whether you can change one main factor, measure the outcome and explain the result with appropriate chemistry.

What is a good Chemistry IA research question?

A useful question is focused, testable and measurable. It should make clear what you are investigating without trying to answer several questions at once.

Can I use an experiment I found online?

Online material can help you understand possible approaches, but your investigation should be adapted to your own question, resources, safety requirements and academic guidance.

Does a harder experiment mean a better IA?

No. The value of an investigation comes from the quality of the question, evidence, reasoning and evaluation. A manageable investigation can give you much more useful material to analyse.

What should I do after collecting Chemistry IA data?

Check the quality of your measurements, look for meaningful relationships, interpret the pattern using chemistry, and examine how limitations or uncertainty affect your conclusion.

Can a tutor help with an IB Chemistry IA?

Yes. One-to-one support can help you understand difficult Chemistry concepts, refine your approach, work through feedback and build a more organised learning plan.