This WORKING list of 100+ Chemistry EE topics were selected just for you by our TOP IB writers in the field.

🟩 25 Simple but Interesting Chemistry Extended Essay Topics (clear, testable, and accessible)

1. To what extent does temperature affect the rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using a manganese dioxide catalyst?
2. How does the concentration of hydrochloric acid affect the rate of reaction with magnesium ribbon?
3. To what extent does the type of metal affect the voltage of a galvanic cell?
4. How does the pH of a solution affect the color intensity of red cabbage indicator?
5. To what extent does the presence of salt affect the boiling point of water?
6. How does surface area influence the rate of reaction between calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid?
7. To what extent does temperature affect the solubility of potassium nitrate in water?
8. How does the concentration of sodium thiosulfate affect the rate of its reaction with hydrochloric acid?
9. To what extent does the structure of alcohols influence their enthalpy of combustion?
10. How does the length of the carbon chain in fatty acids affect their melting points?
11. To what extent do different brands of antacids neutralize stomach acid effectively?
12. How does the addition of a common ion affect the solubility of a salt?
13. To what extent does the strength of intermolecular forces influence the boiling points of alcohols?
14. How does the concentration of copper(II) sulfate affect the amount of copper deposited in electrolysis?
15. To what extent does UV exposure degrade vitamin C in orange juice?
16. How does pressure affect the rate of reaction between nitrogen and hydrogen in the Haber process (simulated)?
17. To what extent does the position of a functional group affect the boiling point of isomers?
18. How does temperature affect the pH of pure water?
19. To what extent does molecular size affect the diffusion rate of gases?
20. How does stirring rate affect the time it takes for a solid solute to fully dissolve?
21. To what extent does light intensity influence the photodegradation of dyes in solution?
22. How does varying the carbon-to-hydrogen ratio affect the soot production in combustion?
23. To what extent do different food acids affect the rate of browning in apples?
24. How does the concentration of bleach affect the decolorization of synthetic dyes?
25. To what extent does the rate of rusting vary with different salt concentrations in water?

🟦 25 Unique and Not Overused Chemistry EE Questions (creative and researchable)

26. To what extent does the molecular structure of sweeteners affect their perceived sweetness index?
27. How does the presence of microplastics affect the absorption of heavy metals in water?
28. To what extent does the packaging material affect the degradation rate of vitamin C in fruit juices?
29. How does the ratio of sodium bicarbonate to citric acid affect the CO₂ release in bath bombs?
30. To what extent does cooking method affect the antioxidant content in spinach?
31. How do various catalysts affect the yield and rate of biodiesel production from vegetable oil?
32. To what extent does the caffeine content in energy drinks degrade under different pH conditions?
33. How does the number of double bonds in fatty acids affect iodine number?
34. To what extent does the method of brewing tea affect the polyphenol concentration?
35. How does the use of natural vs. synthetic dyes affect lightfastness in textile samples?
36. To what extent do commonly used sunscreens degrade under UV light?
37. How does the composition of water (e.g., tap, distilled, mineral) affect the rate of electrolysis?
38. To what extent do essential oils affect bacterial growth as measured through disc diffusion?
39. How does the composition of biodegradable plastic influence its degradation rate in soil?
40. To what extent does the presence of iron ions catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide?
41. How does the presence of ethanol affect the freezing point of aqueous solutions?
42. To what extent does carbonated beverage pH correlate with enamel erosion in model teeth?
43. How does the protein content of milk affect its ability to buffer acidic solutions?
44. To what extent does the fatty acid profile of oils influence their smoke point?
45. How do different water purification tablets affect the chemical composition of contaminated water?
46. To what extent do antioxidants in green tea prevent the oxidation of apple slices?
47. How does the carbonation level affect the pH and titratable acidity of soft drinks?
48. To what extent does cooking with cast iron vs. non-stick pans alter iron content in food?
49. How does chlorination of pool water affect pH over time and exposure?
50. To what extent does chocolate type (milk vs. dark) affect melting point and thermal behavior?

🟥 25 Complex and Challenging Questions for IB Chem EE (ambitious but still doable)

51. To what extent do different substituents affect the acidity of benzoic acid derivatives?
52. How does the concentration of ionic liquids affect the solubility of nonpolar solutes?
53. To what extent does the polarity of solvents influence the equilibrium constant in esterification reactions?
54. How do ligand field strengths influence the color of transition metal complexes?
55. To what extent does temperature affect the equilibrium position of the Haber process (modeled)?
56. How does the degree of polymerization affect tensile strength in biodegradable polymers?
57. To what extent do structural isomers influence the rate of SN1 vs. SN2 reactions?
58. How does the enthalpy of neutralization vary between strong and weak acids and bases?
59. To what extent does UV light intensity influence the rate of photochemical reactions in chlorinated solvents?
60. How does solvent polarity influence the partition coefficient of a solute between two immiscible phases?
61. To what extent can pKa values be predicted using electron-donating and withdrawing groups?
62. How does the presence of impurities affect the melting point depression of organic compounds?
63. To what extent does chain branching influence the viscosity of alkanes?
64. How do electron configuration and ionization energy correlate across the transition metals?
65. To what extent does the configuration of cis/trans isomers affect hydrogenation enthalpy?
66. How does temperature influence the Gibbs free energy change of a spontaneous redox reaction?
67. To what extent does entropy change dictate spontaneity in sublimation processes?
68. How does hydrogen bonding affect solubility trends in homologous alcohols?
69. To what extent does microwave vs. conventional heating influence the rate of hydrolysis reactions?
70. How does ionic radius affect lattice enthalpy of ionic compounds?
71. To what extent does the packing efficiency of crystalline solids vary with ionic radii ratios?
72. How does the nature of a catalyst affect activation energy in decomposition of potassium chlorate?
73. To what extent does the geometry of molecules affect dipole moment and polarity?
74. How do different oxidizing agents affect the conversion rate of alcohols to aldehydes?
75. To what extent does the rate of oxidation of aldehydes differ between acidic and basic media?

🟨 25 IB Chemistry EE Current and Up-to-Date Questions (timely topics with available research)

76. To what extent does the composition of COVID-19 hand sanitizers affect their antimicrobial efficacy?
77. How do PFAS (“forever chemicals”) persist in water under different filtration conditions?
78. To what extent can metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) be used to absorb carbon dioxide?
79. How does the concentration of lithium in batteries correlate with performance degradation?
80. To what extent does the chemical structure of antiviral drugs determine their COVID-19 efficacy (model-based)?
81. How do biodegradable plastics degrade under simulated marine conditions?
82. To what extent does heat-induced decomposition affect THC levels in cannabis edibles?
83. How does the pH of soil affect the release of nutrients from organic fertilizers?
84. To what extent do different food preservatives influence bacterial resistance?
85. How does microencapsulation affect the stability of active compounds in pharmaceuticals?
86. To what extent do atmospheric pollutants influence the pH of rain in urban areas?
87. How does the pH of saliva influence enamel demineralization from modern energy drinks?
88. To what extent can algae-based biofuels match the energy content of traditional fossil fuels?
89. How does CO₂ sequestration efficiency vary with different mineral carbonates?
90. To what extent does the presence of plasticizers affect the thermal behavior of PVC?
91. How do nanomaterials behave differently in catalytic vs. bulk-state reactions?
92. To what extent does graphene oxide improve the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors?
93. How does sunlight exposure affect the breakdown of sunscreen chemicals in marine environments?
94. To what extent does desalination brine affect heavy metal accumulation in marine life?
95. How does the efficiency of photocatalysis change with different doping agents in TiO₂?
96. To what extent do reusable menstrual products leach chemicals under heat and pH changes?
97. How does acid rain simulation affect decomposition rates of carbonate-containing rocks?
98. To what extent does e-waste leach toxic compounds in simulated landfill conditions?
99. How does the chemistry of reusable battery cells differ from single-use alkaline batteries?
100. To what extent do modern green solvents outperform traditional organic solvents in esterification?

🟪 10 Fun and Unusual Questions for Your Chemistry Extended Essay (quirky, creative, but academically sound)

101. To what extent does the “fizz” level in sparkling water correlate with carbonic acid concentration?
102. How does cooking time affect the Maillard reaction in different cuts of meat?
103. To what extent does the sugar content in candy affect flame color when combusted?
104. How does chewing gum affect saliva pH and reaction rates in the mouth?
105. To what extent does the chemistry of slime (PVA + borax) affect its elasticity?
106. How does the caffeine extraction process from tea differ when using hot vs. cold water?
107. To what extent does baking soda affect cookie texture through chemical leavening?
108. How do glow stick formulations vary in brightness and duration with different esters?
109. To what extent does toothpaste abrasiveness affect the breakdown of simulated enamel?
110. How does the use of natural vs. synthetic food colorants affect pH sensitivity in beverages?