Cambridge Past Paper Questions

Use of the Data Booklet is relevant to this question. In an experiment, 12.0 dm³ of oxygen, measured under room conditions, is used to burn complet...

Shown on the graph are the relative values of the first ionisation energies of four elements that have consecutive atomic numbers. One of the eleme...

The diagram shows the skeletal formula of cyclopropane. [Figure 11.1] The enthalpy change of formation of cyclopropane is +53.3 kJ mol⁻¹ and the en...

When barium is burnt in oxygen, what colour is the flame?

X and Y are oxides of different Period 3 elements. If one mole of Y is added to water, the solution formed is neutralised by exactly one mole of X....

Ammonium sulfate in the soil is slowly oxidised by air, producing sulfuric acid, nitric acid and water as the only products. How many moles of oxyg...

Which statement about the oxides and hydroxides of the Group II elements Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba is correct?

Which graph correctly shows the relative melting points of the elements Mg, Al, Si and P plotted against their relative electronegativities? [Figur...

When solid sodium iodide reacts with concentrated sulfuric acid, the products include NaHSO4, H2S, SO2 and S. In the formation of which product has...

A test-tube of HBr(g) and a test-tube of HI(g) are heated to the same temperature. Which combination of observations is possible? [Figure 18.1]

Use of the Data Booklet is relevant to this question. In an experiment, 0.125 mol of chlorine gas, Cl2, is reacted with an excess of cold aqueous s...

The diagram shows the skeletal formula of phenazine. [Figure 20.1] What is the empirical formula of phenazine?

Halogenoalkanes undergo a range of nucleophilic substitution reactions. Which reaction proceeds only by an SN1 mechanism?

Which alcohol has a chiral centre and can be oxidised to a ketone?

An ester of structural formula CH3CO2CH3 is heated with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. What are the two organic products of this reaction?

Ethene reacts with aqueous bromine to give two products, CH2BrCH2Br and CH2BrCH2OH. Which statement about these products is correct?

Which statement does not correctly describe a problem related to the disposal of PVC?

Compound X, C4H8O, produces an orange precipitate when it is reacted with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine reagent. Compound X produces a carboxylic acid...

Dichlorodifluoromethane, CCl2F2, has been used in aerosol propellants and as a refrigerant. Which statement helps to explain why dichlorodifluorome...

The diagram shows the structure of ethanedioic acid. [Figure 28.1] Ethanedioic acid reacts with ethanol in the presence of a few drops of concentra...

When heated with KOH dissolved in ethanol, halogenoalkanes can undergo an elimination reaction to form alkenes. What are the possible elimination p...

Artemisinin is a powerful anti-malarial drug. [Figure 30.1] How many chiral centres are there in each molecule of artemisinin?

P and Q are two compounds with similar Mr values. Molecules of P attract each other by hydrogen bonds. Molecules of Q attract each other by van der...

The reaction E + F ⇌ G + H is catalysed by platinum. Which statements about the properties of the catalyst are correct? 1 The catalyst has no effec...

Which elements have atoms which can form π bonds with atoms of other elements? 1 oxygen 2 nitrogen 3 fluorine

Sulfuric acid is a Brønsted-Lowry acid. In which reactions is sulfuric acid behaving as an acid? 1 H2SO4 + HNO3 → H2NO3⁺ + HSO4⁻ 2 H2SO4 + CO3²⁻ → ...

Silver chloride dissolves in aqueous ammonia. What happens in this process? 1 Ammonia forms a complex with the Ag⁺ ion. 2 Ammonia acts as a Brønste...

A car has a catalytic converter fitted to its exhaust. On analysis its exhaust gases are shown to contain small quantities of nitrogen oxides. Whic...

Which alcohols cannot be dehydrated to form alkenes? 1 CH3OH 2 (CH3)3COH 3 CH3CH2OH

Menthol is a naturally-occurring alcohol found in peppermint oil. [Figure 38.1] Which reagents will react with menthol? 1 aqueous bromine 2 sodium ...

Which pairs of reagents will take part in a redox reaction under suitable conditions? 1 CH3(CH2)4CHO + Tollens' reagent 2 CH3(CH2)4CH3 + Br2 3 CH3C...

Use of the Data Booklet is relevant to this question. In which option do all three particles have the same electronic configuration and the same nu...

The shell of a chicken's egg makes up 5% of the mass of an average egg. An average egg has a mass of 50 g. Assume the egg shell is pure calcium car...

Phosphorus forms a compound with hydrogen called phosphine, PH₃. This compound can react with a hydrogen ion, H⁺. Which type of interaction occurs ...

Which solid has a simple molecular lattice?

Metaldehyde, (CH₃CHO)₄, is used as a solid fuel for camping stoves. The equation for the complete combustion of metaldehyde is shown. (CH₃CHO)₄(s) ...

In industry, copper metal is purified by electrolysis. Which changes occur to the masses of the electrodes and to the colour of the electrolyte dur...

Nitrogen dioxide, NO₂, exists in equilibrium with dinitrogen tetroxide, N₂O₄. 2NO₂(g) ⇌ N₂O₄(g) ∆H = −57 kJ mol⁻¹ Which conditions give th...

When a sample of HI is warmed to a particular temperature the equilibrium below is established. 2HI(g) ⇌ H₂(g) + I₂(g) At this temperature, it is f...

Photochromic glass, used for sunglasses, darkens when exposed to bright light and becomes more transparent again when the light is less bright. The...

The Boltzmann distribution below shows the distribution of molecular energies in a sample of a gas at a given temperature. [Figure] Which statement...

Use of the Data Booklet is relevant to this question. When 3.00 g of an anhydrous nitrate of a Group II metal is decomposed, 1.53 g of gas is produ...

What happens when a piece of magnesium ribbon is placed in cold water?

Compound X releases carbon dioxide gas and forms a white solid, Y, when it is heated. Neither X nor Y are soluble in water. Compound Y is used as a...

Use of the Data Booklet is relevant to this question. Which diagram correctly shows the electronegativity of the elements Na, Mg, Al and Si plotted...

The diagram shows a diaphragm cell used for the electrolysis of brine. Brine is concentrated aqueous sodium chloride. [Figure] A solution of sodium...

Which statement about the ammonium ion, NH₄⁺, is correct?

Carbon monoxide, CO, nitrogen dioxide, NO₂, and sulfur dioxide, SO₂, are all atmospheric pollutants. Which reaction concerning these compounds occu...

Chlorate(V) ions, ClO₃⁻, are produced in the redox reaction between chlorine and hot aqueous sodium hydroxide. Oxidation numbers can be used to hel...

Which alcohol will react with an acidified solution of potassium dichromate(VI) to produce a ketone containing six carbon atoms?