Choosing the right IB Chemistry IA topic can feel overwhelming, especially when you want something original but still practical to carry out in a school laboratory. A strong Chemistry IA topic is safe, measurable, and specific. It should involve one clear independent variable and a well understood chemical principle that you can test with accessible equipment.

This guide provides seventy focused IB Chemistry IA topic ideas covering Kinetics, Acids and Bases, Energetics, Electrochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, and more. Every topic is selected to ensure strong quantitative data, clear chemical reasoning, and suitability for both SL and HL.

You will also find mini IA examples, guidance on turning topics into research questions, and common mistakes students make when designing their Chemistry IA.

What Makes a Good Chemistry IA Topic

A strong Chemistry IA topic should:

1. Be measurable with school-level laboratory equipment
2. Involve one independent variable that you can vary safely
3. Produce quantitative data that you can analyze using graphs and calculations
4. Connect to a clear chemical concept or model
5. Be narrow and controlled enough for a short investigation

Avoid topics that require dangerous substances, specialized analytical instruments, or too many chemical variables at once.

70 IB Chemistry IA Topic Ideas

Below are topic ideas across all major Chemistry themes. All are experimentally feasible and IB-safe.

Kinetics IA Topics

1. Investigating how temperature affects the rate of a reaction using the iodine clock
2. Determining how reactant concentration influences enzyme-catalyzed reaction rate
3. Investigating how surface area of solid reactants affects reaction speed
4. Studying the effect of different catalysts on hydrogen peroxide decomposition
5. Determining how pH affects the rate of a food-related browning reaction
6. Investigating the rate of vitamin C degradation under different temperatures
7. Studying how ionic strength influences reaction rate in a precipitation reaction
8. Investigating the relationship between stirring speed and reaction rate
9. Determining activation energy using the Arrhenius equation
10. Investigating how light intensity affects the rate of a photochemical reaction

Acids, Bases, and Titration IA Topics

1. Investigating how temperature affects the pH of buffer solutions
2. Determining the acid content of different fruit juices using titration
3. Investigating how dilution affects buffer capacity
4. Determining the effect of storage time on acidity of soft drinks
5. Investigating how concentration affects the conductivity of strong vs weak acids
6. Comparing the effectiveness of natural indicators extracted from plants
7. Studying how carbonated drink acidity changes after opening
8. Determining the effect of salt content on vinegar titration results
9. Investigating how brewing time affects acidity of teas
10. Investigating the effect of temperature on the ionization constant of a weak acid

Energetics IA Topics

1. Investigating how the structure of alcohols affects enthalpy of combustion
2. Determining how concentration affects enthalpy change in neutralization reactions
3. Investigating the enthalpy change of dissolution of various salts
4. Comparing the heat retention of different insulating materials
5. Determining the effect of solvent type on dissolution enthalpy
6. Investigating how particle size affects calorimetry measurements
7. Studying the relationship between molecular structure and fuel efficiency
8. Investigating energy released from different biodegradable fuels
9. Determining heat loss differences between glass and metal calorimeters
10. Investigating how sugar concentration affects energy content in beverages

Electrochemistry IA Topics

1. Investigating how electrolyte concentration affects conductivity
2. Determining how electrode material affects voltage in galvanic cells
3. Investigating how temperature affects battery discharge rate
4. Studying how pH influences the voltage output of electrochemical cells
5. Investigating corrosion rate under different environmental conditions
6. Comparing the efficiency of salt bridges made from different materials
7. Determining how distance between electrodes affects voltage
8. Investigating factors that influence electroplating thickness
9. Studying how fruit type affects voltage in simple fruit batteries
10. Investigating how salt concentration affects corrosion of iron

Organic Chemistry IA Topics

1. Investigating how temperature affects ester formation yield
2. Determining how UV exposure affects degradation of common plastics
3. Studying how pH affects hydrolysis of aspirin
4. Investigating the effectiveness of different antioxidants in preventing oxidation
5. Determining how cooking methods affect vitamin C retention in vegetables
6. Studying how storage temperature affects lactose breakdown in milk
7. Investigating how concentration affects the rate of saponification
8. Determining how solvent polarity affects solubility of organic compounds
9. Investigating essential oil extraction efficiency using different methods
10. Studying the effect of heat on food colorant degradation

Environmental Chemistry IA Topics

1. Investigating how dissolved oxygen changes with water temperature
2. Determining the effect of salinity on water conductivity
3. Studying how sunlight exposure affects chlorophyll degradation
4. Investigating water hardness across different sources
5. Determining how soil pH affects mineral content extraction
6. Investigating how activated charcoal removes impurities from water
7. Studying how different natural materials filter water
8. Determining the effect of detergent concentration on surface tension
9. Investigating nitrates and phosphates in water samples
10. Studying how temperature affects CO₂ solubility in water

Materials and Industrial Chemistry IA Topics

1. Investigating how cross linking affects polymer strength
2. Determining biodegradation rate of bioplastics under different conditions
3. Investigating how heat treatment changes properties of metals
4. Studying the effect of additives on plastic flexibility
5. Investigating how moisture content affects tensile strength of paper
6. Determining how pH affects corrosion of metals
7. Studying how detergents affect surface tension reduction
8. Investigating how salt solutions affect metal conductivity
9. Determining the catalysis efficiency of different metal oxides
10. Investigating how heat affects viscosity of common household liquids

Mini IA Examples With Clear Chemistry Focus

1. Investigating how temperature affects the rate of the iodine clock reaction

Possible research question
How does temperature influence the time taken for the iodine clock reaction to reach its endpoint

Chemistry involved
Collision theory, rate laws, Arrhenius equation

Data
Reaction times at different controlled temperatures

What to explore
Determine activation energy and analyze rate trends.

2. Determining enthalpy of combustion for a series of alcohols

Possible research question
How does molecular structure influence enthalpy of combustion in primary alcohols

Chemistry involved
Calorimetry, thermodynamics, molar mass comparison

Data
Temperature changes and mass burned for each alcohol

What to explore
Analyse trends and discuss efficiency and errors.

3. Investigating the effect of pH on hydrolysis of aspirin

Possible research question
How does pH influence the rate of hydrolysis of aspirin

Chemistry involved
Organic chemistry, reaction kinetics, acid base interactions

Data
Concentration changes measured via titration or colorimetry

What to explore
Compare rates across pH values and evaluate models.

Common IA Mistakes To Avoid

1. Choosing a topic requiring restricted chemicals or dangerous equipment
2. Using too many variables at once
3. Selecting a reaction that is too fast to measure or too slow to complete
4. Forgetting to control temperature, concentration, or pH
5. Not calibrating equipment or measuring uncertainties
6. Choosing a qualitative topic with no quantitative analysis
7. Writing mostly theory without using data

How To Turn a Chemistry Topic Into a Research Question

A topic becomes effective when you specify your variable and measurement method.

Example:

Topic
Acid content of fruit juices

Research question
How does storage time influence the titratable acidity of orange juice

Topic
Reaction rates

Research question
How does catalyst concentration affect the rate of hydrogen peroxide decomposition

This keeps your investigation narrow and measurable.

Final Tips for Choosing Your Chemistry IA Topic

• Choose a variable you can control safely
• Use reactions or methods accessible in a school lab
• Ensure your data can be repeated multiple times
• Keep your IA narrowly focused
• Plan your method before committing fully

A good Chemistry IA blends safe experimentation with strong analysis. These ideas can help you find a topic that is realistic, measurable, and well connected to chemistry concepts.

If you need help refining your IA topic, organising your investigation, or improving your analysis, you can sign up on Baccalytics to receive guidance from skilled IB tutors.