O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

1- A gas Y, is less dense than air, very soluble in water and is an alkali.
Which method is used to collect a dry sample of the gas? C

[J03/Q2]
2- What is the most suitable way of investigating the different food colourings in
some drinks?
A- crystallisation
chromatography

B- filtration

C- fractional distillation

D- paper
[DO3/Q1]

3- Potassium nitrate crystals can be separated from sand using the four processes
shown below.
Which of the following shows the processes in the correct order.
First

last

A filter

dissolve

evaporate

crystalline

evaporate

crystalline

filter

evaporate

filter

crystalline

filter

evaporate

crystalline

dissolve
dissolve

D dissolve
[D01/Q3]

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

4-The equation for the reaction between aqueous lead( II) nitrate and aqueous potassium iodide
is shown.

Which method could be used to separate the products?

A chromatography
B crystallisation
C distillation
D filtration

[JO3/Q1]

5- The diagram shows the chromatogram of four different

sugars using the same solvent.
Glucose has an Rf value of 0.5.
Which sugar is glucose? C
[DO4/Q2]

6- The diagram shows apparatus used to separate hexane (boiling point, 70 oC) and
heptane
(boiling point, 98 oC).

Which graph would be obtained if the temperature at point T was plotted against
the total volume
of distillate collected? A

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

[DO4/Q4]
7- Substance X melts at 53 oC and boils at 100 oC. It does not dissolve in water and
it does not react
with water.
Which diagram shows the method most suitable for separating X from a mixture of
X and water? C

[NO5/Q2]
8- Which test could be used to show that a sample of water is pure?
A It freezes at exactly 0 oC.
B It turns anhydrous copper(II) sulphate blue.

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

C It turns cobalt(II) chloride paper pink.

D When it evaporates, it leaves no residue.

[JO6/Q4]

9- An aqueous solution of compound X reacts with aqueous sodium hydroxide to

form a green
precipitate and then aluminium powder is added. The mixture is heated and a gas
that turns
damp red litmus paper blue is given off.
What is X?
A ammonium nitrate
B copper(II) chloride
C iron(II) nitrate
D iron(III) chloride
[NOV -2006/Q3]

10- Which of the following reagents could be used to distinguish between dilute
nitric acid and dilute
hydrochloric acid?
A aqueous barium chloride
B copper(II) carbonate
C aqueous silver nitrate
D aqueous sodium hydroxide
[NOV -2006/Q4]
11- The scheme shows some reactions of a compound Y.
What could the compound Y be?
A aluminium sulphate
B calcium carbonate
C copper(II) carbonate
D zinc carbonate

[NOV -2006/Q5]

12- A mixture of two substances is spotted on to a piece of chromatography paper.

The paper is inserted into a beaker containing a liquid.

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

For separation of the substances to occur the mixture must

A be placed so that the spot is just below the level of the liquid.
B be soluble in the liquid.
C contain substances of the same Rf values.
D contain substances that are coloured.
[J07/Q2]
13- Which pair of substances are both mixtures?
A air; water
B limewater; water
C sea-water; air
D sea-water; ethanol
[J07/Q3]
14-The diagram shows a simple laboratory apparatus for the preparation and
collection of a dry gas.
What is the gas?
A carbon dioxide
B chlorine
C hydrogen
D hydrogen chloride
[J07/Q4][J10/Q1]
15- Which gas burns in air to form a single product?
A ammonia
B carbon monoxide
C hydrogen chloride
D methane
[J07/Q34]
16- Oxygen was prepared from hydrogen peroxide and collected as shown in the
diagram.
The first few tubes of gas were rejected because the
gas was contaminated by
A water vapour.
B hydrogen peroxide.
C hydrogen.
D nitrogen.

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

[J08/Q1]
17- The diagram shows the chromatogram obtained by analysis of a single dye.
Three measurements are shown.
B

[J08/Q7]
18- Which method could be used to obtain charcoal from a mixture of powdered
charcoal with sodium
chloride?
A chromatography
B filtration after shaking with water
C heating the mixture
D distillation
[N08/Q2]
19- The diagram shows a chromatogram of several inks.

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

Which statement is correct?

A Black ink can be made by mixing green, red and yellow inks.
B Brown ink can be made by mixing blue and red inks.
C Yellow ink can be used to make brown ink.
D Yellow ink may be present in green ink.
[J09/Q2]
20- The oxidation of ethanol to ethanoic acid is often carried out in the apparatus
shown.
What is the purpose of the condenser?
A to prevent air reacting with the ethanoic
acid
B to prevent any ethanol from escaping
C to prevent the ethanoic acid changing back
to ethanol
D to prevent the ethanoic acid reacting with
the ethanol
[J09/Q3]

21- The diagram shows a simple laboratory apparatus for the preparation and
collection of a dry gas.
What is the gas?
A carbon dioxide
B chlorine
C hydrogen
D hydrogen chloride

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

22- A mixture containing equal volumes of two liquids that mix completely but do
not react together is
placed in the apparatus shown and heated until the thermometer first shows a
steady reading.
At which position will there be the highest proportion of the liquid with the higher
boiling point? D

23- The two statements are about the fractional distillation of crude oil. The
statements may or may
not be correct. They may or may not be linked.
statement 1 Fractional distillation is used to separate crude oil into useful fractions.
statement 2 The fractions with lower boiling points are found at the top of the
fractionating
column.
What is correct about these two statements?
A Both statements are correct and statement 2 explains statement 1.
B Both statements are correct but statement 2 does not explain statement 1.
C Statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is incorrect.
D Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct.
[J10/Q34]
24- The boiling points of various gases found in the air are shown below. B

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

If the air is cooled, the first substance to condense is water.

If the temperature is lowered further, what is the next substance to condense?
A argon
B carbon dioxide
C nitrogen
D oxygen
[N10/Q1]
25- The fractional distillation apparatus shown is to be used for separating a mixture
of two colourless
liquids. A thermometer is missing from the apparatus.
Where should the bulb of the thermometer be placed? B
[N10/Q3]

26- Copper(II) sulfate crystals are separated from sand using the four processes
listed below.
In which order are these processes used? D
[J11/Q2]

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

27- The labels fell off two bottles each containing a colourless solution, one of which
was sodium
carbonate solution and the other was sodium chloride solution.
The addition of which solution to a sample from each bottle would most readily
enable the bottles
to be correctly relabelled?
A ammonia
B hydrochloric acid
C lead(II) nitrate
D sodium hydroxide
[N11/Q2]
28- In a titration between an acid (in the burette) and an alkali, you may need to reuse the same
titration flask.
Which is the best procedure for rinsing the flask?
A Rinse with distilled water and then with the alkali.
B Rinse with tap water and then with distilled water.
C Rinse with tap water and then with the acid.
D Rinse with the alkali.
[N11/Q3]
29- When dilute hydrochloric acid is added to a white powder a gas is produced.
The solution remaining is tested separately with small volumes of both aqueous
ammonia and
aqueous sodium hydroxide.
A white precipitate is produced in both tests.
What is the white powder?
A aluminium oxide
B calcium oxide
C copper(II) carbonate
D zinc carbonate
[J12/Q3]
30- A mixture of two substances is spotted onto a piece of chromatography paper.
The paper is inserted into a beaker containing a liquid.
[J12/Q4]

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

For separation of the substances to occur the spot of mixture must

A be placed so that the spot is just below the level of the liquid.
B be soluble in the liquid.
C contain substances of the same Rf values.
D contain substances that are coloured.
[J12/Q4]
31- Which reagent could be used to distinguish between dilute nitric acid and dilute
hydrochloric
acid?
A aqueous barium chloride
B aqueous silver nitrate
C aqueous sodium hydroxide
D copper(II) carbonate
[J12/Q4]
32- When the rubber bulb of the dropper in the diagram is squeezed, the aqueous
silver nitrate drops
into the aqueous sodium chloride and a white precipitate of silver chloride is
formed.
What happens to the total mass of the bottle and
contents?
A It increases due to the formation of the heavy
precipitate.
B It remains the same because only a physical change
has taken place.
C It decreases because heat is evolved.
D It remains the same because none of the products
escapes from the bottle.
[J12/Q12]

33- Which ion reacts with aqueous ammonia to give a precipitate that dissolves in
an excess of
ammonia?
A Al3+(aq)
B Fe2+(aq)
C Fe3+(aq) D Zn2+(aq)
[J12/Q19]

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

34- Which process would destroy the bacteria in water?

A chlorination
B desalination
C filtration
D treatment with carbon
[J12/Q34]
35- Which is a property of hydrogen gas?
A It burns in air.
B It has an unpleasant smell.
C It relights a glowing splint.
D It turns moist litmus paper red.

[N12/Q1]

36- Hydrogen chloride is very soluble in water, whereas chlorine is only slightly
soluble in water.
Both gases can be dried using concentrated sulfuric acid.
Which diagram represents the correct method of obtaining pure dry chlorine from
damp chlorine
containing a small amount of hydrogen chloride?
B
[N12/Q3]

37A

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

38- Which mixture could best be separated by using a separating funnel?

A oil and sand
B oil and water
C sodium chloride and sand
D sodium chloride and water
[June
2013/1]
39- Which process involves boiling a liquid and condensing the vapour?
A crystallisation
B distillation
C evaporation
D filtration
[June
2013/1]
40- The diagram shows the fractionation of crude oil.
Which statement is correct?
A Each fraction consists of a single compound.
B Fraction P has the highest boiling point.
C The highest temperature is at the top of the
column.
D The naphtha fraction is used as feedstock for
the chemical industry. [Nov 2013/3]
41- The apparatus shown is used to distil a dilute solution of ethanol in water.
[B.P.: ethanol, 78 C; water 100 C]

Which graph shows the change in concentration of the ethanol in the boiling flask as
the
distillation proceeds? C

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

Paper -2
1- Sorrel is a small green plant.
(a) The pigments in the sorrel leaf can be separated by chromatography.
(i) Describe how chromatography can be used to separate different pigments. [2]

(ii) Explain what is meant by Rf value. [1]

(b) Sorrel plants contain a poisonous carboxylic acid X.

What can be deduced about X from each of the following three pieces of information?
(i) When X is warmed with acidified potassium manganate(VII), the solution changes from
pink to colourless. [1]

(ii) Aqueous bromine is not decolourised when added to a solution of X. [1]

(iii) A 0.1 mol/dm3 solution of X has a pH of 3 whereas a 0.1 mol/dm3 solution of hydrochloric

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

acid has a pH of 1. [1]

(c) Analysis of 10.0 g of carboxylic acid X shows that it contains 2.67 g carbon, 0.220 g
hydrogen and 7.11 g oxygen.
(i) Deduce the empirical formula of X. [3]

(ii) The relative molecular mass of X is 90. Deduce the molecular formula of X. [1]

[Total: 10]
2- Barium is a reactive metal in Group II of the Periodic Table.
Barium reacts with water in a similar way to sodium. The products of the reaction are aqueous
barium hydroxide and a colourless gas.
(a) Barium sulfate is an insoluble compound.
Describe how a pure dry sample of barium sulfate is prepared from aqueous barium
nitrate.
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.
.....................................................................................................................................................[4]
3- Small pieces of a silver coloured metal, X, were added to concentrated nitric acid. A brown

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

gas, Z, and a colourless solution containing salt Y were formed.

Analysis of a 0.0914 mol sample of Z showed it contained 1.28 g of nitrogen and 2.93 g of
oxygen.
The small sample of the colourless solution was diluted with water and then divided into two
portions.
To one portion, aqueous sodium hydroxide was added drop by drop until it was in
excess. A white precipitate, W, was formed that redissolved in the excess sodium
hydroxide.
To the other portion, aqueous ammonia was added drop by drop until it was in
excess. A white precipitate, W, was formed that redissolved in the excess ammonia.
(a) (i) Name the white precipitate, W.
............................................................................................................................. [1]
(ii) Construct the ionic equation, with state symbols, for the formation of W.
............................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) Name X and Y.
X is .................................................................................................................................................
Y is ..............................................................................................................................................[2]
(c) (i) Calculate the relative formula mass, Mr, for gas Z.
M r = ................................................. [2]
(ii) Determine the molecular formula for Z.

molecular formula..[2]
[Total : 9]
Many fertilisers contain phosphate ions and nitrate ions.
(a) Explain why farmers put fertilisers on the soil.
.....................................................................................................................................................[1]
(b) Why should the chemicals in fertilisers be soluble in water?
.....................................................................................................................................................[1]
(c) Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3, and ammonium sulfate, (NH4)2SO4, are commonly used in
fertilisers.
(i) Calculate the percentage of nitrogen by mass in ammonium nitrate.

[3]

O LEVEL PAST PAER QUESTIONS.

______________________________________________________________________________

TOPIC 2: Experimental Techniques

(ii) Describe how crystals of ammonium sulfate can be prepared from aqueous
ammonia.
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................[4]
(d) The formula of calcium phosphate is Ca3(PO4)2.
Use this formula to deduce the charge on the phosphate ion.
.....................................................................................................................................................[1]
[Total : 10]