Analysis of GCE O level 5067 Chemistry Papers

(Updated on  2 Apr 2012)

Hi all,
 I noticed that the 2009-2011 Chemistry Papers have gotten tougher. Some sec schools are also including some basic A level chemistry questions in their worksheets. The tougher papers of 2011 exams seems to be the trend of MOE, with the new Education Minister having taken his seat for more than 7 months.

 I believe that standards will continue to get higher. We have Professors in Cambridge exams board (who graduated from top US, UK uni) and top SEAB scholars in the Board. So, they will be all out to show their intellectual prowess. Therefore be prepared! It is never too early to revise if you are in Sec 4.

You may ask your chemistry teacher if he/she can share regarding the examiner's reports on the past few years of Cambridge exams, if he/she is naise (nice)!Also, it is good to pay attention in class as some naise teachers may drop hints about the mid-year exams topics and questions here and there. Eg. the teacher may say: this concept is important! Look for his/her facial expression and hear the tone! Also, ask your teacher if he/she heard anything about Cambridge exams from their HODs or Principal. It pays to be naise to your teachers!

There may be some students who may want to change to combined science during this year if they cannot cope for some reasons. Pls consider the implications and how it affects JC/poly admission and future uni courses. Plan ahead if you can!

For SPA practices, they are usually quite close to the actual SPA assessment. Your teacher will inform you of the things to look out for. In practical sessions, listen carefully to your teacher! Nicer students *may* get a slightly more lenient marking of procedural experimental checklists (eg. how you handle the burette) during the SPA assessments.

Also, ask your school mates from other classes what their teachers told them. Be naise to your schoolmates! It does pay! Help one another!

You may also look at Cambridge International Chemistry Exam Papers set in the year 2010.
http://www.cambridgestudents.org.uk/subjectpages/chemistry/OLevel/PPOLevelChem/

Sorry for being long-winded.

I shall try to improve on this post when I look at the Papers again. I am trying.... LOL!

Brief analysis of Paper 1:

This MCQ paper is one of the tougher MCQ papers in GCE O level recent history, in my humble opinion.

Q5. Students with misconceptions about metallic bonding and conduction of electricity will choose either C or D. The correct answer is A. The number of cations and electrons are equal assuming that this metal is in Group I.

Q6. Students need to draw the structural formula quickly from memory to answer this question.

Q7. Graphite has layers of carbon atoms in which each carbon atom is joined covalently to 3 other carbon atoms by covalent bonding. Hence, Answer is B.

Q8. Students need to know how to write the empirical formula for this new polymer.

Q9. is tricky.

Q13. Some schools will have taught what is disproportionation. Students can look up wikipedia or www.chemguide.co.uk (A level chemistry) for the explanation of disproportionation.

Q14. Students have to realize that the crosses are electrons belonging to Q. One of the H has lost an electron, hence the ion is single (singly) positively charged (+1 charge)

Q15. Cambridge has to amend the option A to lead(II) sulfate. Lead(IV) sulfate does exist but is not as common as lead(II) sulfate.

Q16. Students need to quickly calculate the oxidation number of chromium in chromium(III) sulfate.

Q19. does not seem like a good question to me. The explanation is incomplete.

Q22. is tricky. Not all schools may have taught this section on scrap iron.

There seems to be an emphasis on metal displacement reactions.  A few of the questions involve displacement reactions.

Q31. requires some thinking. If students recall that hydrogen gas is evolved when metal reacts with a weak acid such as ethanoic acid, the hydrogen gas comes from H of the CH3COO-H.

Q33. 2012 Sec 4 Students may like to learn what is a benzene ring. Pls refer to wikipedia or www.chemguide.co.uk for arenes chapter under organic chemistry. Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid came out in Q33.

Q36. is tricky.

Q37. Students need to study the textbook in great details. This is a minor point of organic chemistry section.

All the best.

Brief analysis of Paper 2:

Note : Cambridge may set questions based on compounds found in soil and rocks, 

Simple Question : A university chemistry team has synthesized a new phosphate in 2011 with this formula : KCuFe(PO4)2

If the charge on copper ion in this compound is +2, what is the oxidation number of iron ion in this compound?
(I found this journal article in NUS library! A lot of gems in NUS, NTU and even National Library!)


A1 Candidates are expected to know all the basic reactions of the catalytic converters in car engines. The simple structure and names of the catalysts in the converter are good to know too.

As chemistry is highly integrated with biology nowadays, basic respiration and photosynthesis questions can come out. Sec 1 and 2 work can still come out in any of the O level science papers.

A2 Surprisingly, a molten ionic compound is electrolysed. Cambridge loves to give surprises. Candidates need to know all the basic definitions of all the chapters.

A3 Speed of reaction is a favorite question of examiners. So focus on this topic! It is very important! It comes out almost every year. (c)(i) and (c)(ii) are atypical, but if you have practised enough assessment books or school worksheets, you should be able to do these parts.

A4 Candidates are expected to know what is the meaning of the term "simple molecular structure" (ie. simple covalent compounds that exist as small, discrete molecules)

A5 Ethyne is only taught in A level chemistry briefly. Even my professor in uni spent less than 10 mins on it in  lecture. Cambridge can set out of syllabus questions, but with logical reasoning, you should be able to solve this problem. A5 is tricky. But if you practise assessment books from eg. Mr Sean Chua's book or Longman's assessment books, you should be able to solve them.

A6 A homologous series called cycloalkanes comes out in this paper. Cycloalkanes have even stumped beginning A level students. So A6 seems more like a mathematical IQ question. Solving detective stories and IQ puzzles do help in maths and science!
Some parts you need to relate to the normal organic chemistry knowledge, and extend the knowledge.

Test for alkenes is very important in tests and exams to distinguish between alkanes and alkenes.

A7 You need to apply atomic structure to a large radioactive element, Uranium.

B8 is a difficult question to distinguish very good students from weaker students. This is geological chemistry in action. Sec 4 students pls take note of this question. The same examiner may set something similar again this year.

B9 Acids, bases and salts is a very important topic. Pls make sure you get this topic right. This question also involves air and atmosphere.

B10 either Displacement reactions are always important.

B10 or Addition and condensation polymers usually appear every year, either in Paper 2 Section A or B.

(b)(ii) is tricky.

(c)(ii) is a thinking question.

So overall, this paper is a tough paper. Only those who are well prepared can obtain an A1.

Thank you for bearing with me! All the best! 

. See ya!