Cambridge Past Paper Questions
Browse 23,045questions from 25 years of O-Level & A-Level exams. Click any question to practice.
The structure of aspartame, which is used as an artificial sweetener, is shown. [Figure of aspartame structure with bonds 1 and 2 labelled] If aspa...
The relative molecular mass, Mr, of a particular sample of chlorine is 72.0. Which properties of the atoms in this sample will be the same for all ...
Which of the following influence the size of the ionisation energy of an atom? 1 the amount of shielding by the inner electrons 2 the charge on the...
Which equations can apply to an ideal gas? [p = pressure, V = volume, M = molar mass, ρ = density, c = concentration, R = gas constant, T = tempera...
Which statements about calcium and strontium compounds are correct? 1 When calcium oxide and strontium oxide are added to water they both produce a...
Which descriptions of the ammonium ion are correct? 1 It contains ten electrons. 2 It has a bond angle of 109.5°. 3 It has only three bonding pairs...
Compound Q is obtained by adding H2O across the double bond in compound P. [Figure of compound P, 1,2-dimethylcyclohexene] [Figure of compound Q, 1...
X is an organic compound. X gives a precipitate with aqueous silver nitrate. Some or all of this precipitate remains undissolved when excess dilute...
Which compounds, on heating with excess concentrated sulfuric acid, produce only one product with molecular formula C7H10? 1 [Diagram of 3-methylcy...
Compound Z is heated with concentrated acidified potassium manganate(VII). This produces an equimolar mixture of CO2 and CH3COCH2CH2CH(COCH3)CH2CO2...
The molecules of a gas at a constant temperature, T₁, have the distribution of molecular energies shown in the diagram. [Figure showing molecular e...
The diagram shows the pathways of a reaction, with and without a catalyst. [Figure showing energy profile diagram] Which letter represents the over...
People are advised to eat less than 6.00 g of salt (sodium chloride) per day for health reasons. Which mass of sodium is present in 6.00 g of sodiu...
When copper reacts with a 50% solution of nitric acid, nitrogen monoxide is evolved and a blue solution results. The balanced equation for this rea...
What is the electronic configuration of an isolated Ni²⁺ ion?
When solid aluminium chloride is heated, Al₂Cl₆ is formed. Which bonding is present in Al₂Cl₆?
In which hydride is the H-X-H bond angle the smallest?
In an experiment, a sample of a pure gas is put into a gas syringe at a temperature of 300K and pressure of 16kPa. The gas is compressed until the ...
In a calorimetric experiment 1.60 g of a fuel are burnt. 45.0% of the energy released is absorbed by 200 g of water. The temperature of the water r...
Nitrogen reacts with hydrogen to produce ammonia. N₂(g) + 3H₂(g) ⇌ 2NH₃(g) A mixture of 2.00 mol of nitrogen, 6.00 mol of hydrogen and 2.40 mol of ...
Lithium reacts with nitrogen at room temperature to form solid Li₃N. Three vessels of equal volume are connected by taps, A and B, as shown. [Figur...
The graph below shows the variation of the first ionisation energy with proton number for some elements. The letters used are not the usual symbols...
Which element shows the greatest tendency to form covalent compounds?
Elements Y and Z are both in Period 3. When the chloride of Y is added to water, it reacts and a solution of pH 2 is produced. When the chloride of...
When chlorine reacts with hot aqueous sodium hydroxide, two chlorine-containing ions are formed. One of these is the chloride ion, Cl⁻. What is the...
J is a salt of one of the halogens chlorine, bromine, iodine or astatine. The reaction scheme shows a series of reactions using a solution of J as ...
When heated, magnesium nitrate decomposes. Which equation for the thermal decomposition of magnesium nitrate is correct?
Chlorine and bromine have different volatilities. Which row identifies the more volatile of the two elements, and gives the correct explanation?
Water and ammonia take part in a reaction that produces the ammonium ion. Which statement about this reaction is correct?
Limonene is found in lemon and orange oils. [Figure showing structure of limonene] What will be the major product when limonene is reacted with an ...
The compound rotundone is responsible for the peppery smell of pepper and is also found in some red wines. [Figure showing structure of rotundone] ...
The reaction CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂Br + OH⁻ → CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OH + Br⁻ proceeds via an SN2 mechanism. The reaction (CH₃)₃CBr + OH⁻ → (CH₃)₃COH + Br⁻ proceeds via...
Which statement about stereoisomers is correct?
Which compound can be oxidised by acidified potassium manganate(VII) to give 3-methylpentan-2-one?
Ethane-1,2-diol, HOCH₂CH₂OH, reacts with an excess of ethanoic acid, CH₃CO₂H, in the presence of an acid catalyst. A compound is formed with the mo...
Compound X is heated with a mild oxidising agent. One of the products of the reaction will react with hydrogen cyanide, forming 2-hydroxybutanenitr...
Which row correctly describes the reactivity of aldehydes and ketones?
Some vegetable oils contain 'trans fats' that are associated with undesirable increases in the amount of cholesterol in the blood. In these oils th...
Photochromic lenses in spectacles darken in sunlight because silver crystals are produced by the reaction shown. Ag⁺ + Cl⁻ → Ag + Cl Which statemen...
A cathedral in New Zealand has been constructed from cardboard. Cardboard contains polymer molecules. Part of one such polymer molecule is shown be...
X is an element that has • its outer electrons in the 4th principal quantum shell, • a higher 1st ionisation energy than calcium. What could be the...
Methanol, CH₃OH, can be produced industrially by reacting CO with H₂. CO(g) + 2H₂(g) ⇌ CH₃OH(g) ∆H = −91 kJ mol⁻¹ The process can be carried out at...
Equal masses of barium carbonate and magnesium carbonate powders are mixed together. The mixture is then heated using a Bunsen burner flame until t...
Oxides of both sulfur and nitrogen are present in the atmosphere. Which statements are correct? 1 Oxides of both sulfur and nitrogen can be formed ...
A species of termite produces a chemical defence secretion which contains the molecule shown. [Figure showing structure of a molecule (alkene with ...
1-bromopropane reacts with NaOH in different ways depending on the solvent used. Which statements about this reaction are correct?
The compound shown is produced when sugar burns. [Figure showing structure of H3C-C(=O)-CHO] Which reagents would give a positive result with this ...
Which statements about the formation of a carboxylic acid are correct? 1 A carboxylic acid can be produced by hydrolysis of a nitrile. 2 A carboxyl...
In which pair do the atoms contain the same number of neutrons?
Two hydrocarbons have the formulae CwHx and CYHz. W, X, Y and Z represent different whole numbers. [Figure 2.1 - W/X = Y/Z] Which row is correct wh...