Topics include the properties of sodium hypochlorite; reactions and kinetics of atmospheric gases; alloys of titanium; the structure and synthesis of twistane; and reactions of superbases. Topics include thermodynamics of the sulfur—iodine cycle; reactions of tungsten; NMR of unsaturated molecules; the synthesis of Flibanserin; and analysing ancient bones. Topics include the reactions of lanthanum carbonate; ionisation energies of sodium; the synthesis of tazarotene; analysis of chemicals that bombardier beetles use to defend themselves; and the structure and reactions of methane hydrates.
Topics include reactions and thermodynamics of hydrazine; copper in Olympic medals; colours of compounds; synthesis of benzodiazepines; and the structure of creatine. Past paper Mark scheme. Topics include analysing ingredients of snack food; calcium carbide; using explosives in civil engineering; NMR of organic compounds; and the synthesis of phenobarbital. Topics include synthesising Ambrox; analysing a copper complex using titrations; thermodynamics of halogen fluorides; calculations on salty solutions; using osmium compounds in organic reactions; and the structure of gold.
Topics include nitrogenated fuels; burning methane; reactions and structure of phosphorus sulfides; the synthesis of loperamide; and detecting arsenic. Topics include methods of producing pure silicon; the kinetics of vitamin D production in mushrooms; thermodynamics and structure of mercury fulminate; reactions and analysis of aluminium compounds; mass spectrometry of polypeptides; and the synthesis of fexofenadine.
Topics include the reactions and thermodynamics of rocket fuels; structures of phosphorus allotropes; analysing phosphate levels in blood; spectroscopic analysis of flame retardants; the synthesis of Tamiflu; and reactions of chlorine dioxide. Topics include reactions of the ingredients in sherbet lemons; reactions in vehicle exhausts; structures of acyl chloride compounds; thermal decomposition of copper II sulfate; producing oxygen in emergencies; the synthesis of sildenafil; and mass spectrometry and NMR of haloalkanes.
Topics include the properties of carbon oxides; reactions of diiodine pentoxide; calculations with methanoic acid; NMR spectra of NanoPutians; estimating blood alcohol levels; and the synthesis of rimonabant. Topics include redox reactions; reactions of pollutants that erode monuments; calculating dissolved oxygen in water; the structure of agent orange; the thermodynamics of white and grey tin; electronic transitions in hydrogen; and structures of sulfur-containing compounds.
Sometimes performance does not reflect understanding. Cognitive science promises to help us understand the human mind and, crucially for teachers, how it learns. It could improve your day-to-day teaching. Try this explainer to help students get to grips with unit cells and the structure of crystals as part of their preparation for the Chemistry Olympiad. Use this explainer to help familiarise students with organic synthesis, including carbonyl chemistry, as part of their preparation for the Chemistry Olympiad.
Get a taste of the Chemistry Olympiad with these accessible, Olympiad-style questions for 15 years and above, featuring questions, an explainer and mark scheme. Site powered by Webvision Cloud. Skip to main content Skip to navigation. UK Chemistry Olympiad. Four out of five 5 comments. Practise answering Olympiad-style questions with these past papers and mark schemes with answers.
How to use Chemistry Olympiad past papers Past papers can be used flexibly by teachers and students, with varying degrees of independence. Additional support and resources Check out our Chemistry Olympiad support booklet for further guidance on the types of questions used in the competition, as well as example questions with commentary and analysis.
Build up to tackling a whole past paper using our series of worked answers , designed to help students less familiar with Olympiad-style questions develop the skills and confidence they need, one step at a time.
Download all. Use Assessment Download. Category Exams Higher-order thinking and metacognition Problem solving Able and talented. Physical Chemistry Acids and Bases pH curves, titrations and indicators Students should be able to perform calculations for these titrations based on experimental results. Students should be able to: calculate entropy changes from absolute entropy values.
Rate equations Rate equations Perform calculations using the rate equation. Equilibrium constant Kp for homogeneous systems Perform calculations involving Kp. Atomic structure Mass number and isotopes Calculate relative atomic mass from isotopic abundance, limited to mononuclear ions. Amount of substance Balanced equations and associated calculations Equations full and ionic.
Students should be able to: write balanced equations for reactions studied. Balance equations for unfamiliar reactions when reactants and products are specified.
Percentage yields. The mole and the Avogadro constant Students should be able to carry out calculations: using the Avogadro constant. Students should be able to use the equation in calculations Empirical and molecular formula Molecular formula is the actual number of atoms of each element in a compound. Students should be able to: calculate empirical formula from data giving composition by mass or percentage by mass.
Bonding Shapes of simple molecules and ions Students should be able to explain the shapes of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions with up to six electron pairs including lone pairs of electrons surrounding the central atom. Bond polarity Explain why some molecules with polar bonds do not have a permanent dipole.
Chemical equilibria, Le Chatelier's principle and Kc Equilibrium constant Kc for homogeneous systems Students should be able to: construct an expression for Kc for a homogeneous system in equilibrium. Oxidation, reduction and redox equations Oxidation is the process of electron loss and oxidising agents are electron acceptors. Reduction is the process of electron gain and reducing agents are electron donors.
The rules for assigning oxidation states Students should be able to: work out the oxidation state of an element in a compound or ion from the formula. The electrode reactions in an alkaline hydrogen—oxygen fuel cell. The benefits and risks to society associated with using these cells. Students could investigate how knowledge and understanding of electrochemical cells has evolved from the first voltaic battery. Acids and bases are important in domestic, environmental and industrial contexts.
Acidity in aqueous solutions is caused by hydrogen ions and a logarithmic scale, pH, has been devised to measure acidity. Buffer solutions, which can be made from partially neutralised weak acids, resist changes in pH and find many important industrial and biological applications. The concentration of hydrogen ions in aqueous solution covers a very wide range. Therefore, a logarithmic scale, the pH scale, is used as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration.
K w is derived from the equilibrium constant for this dissociation. Students understand standard form when applied to areas such as but not limited to K w. Students carry out p K a calculations and give appropriate units. Students understand standard form when applied to areas such as but not limited to K a.
Students could calculate K a of a weak acid by measuring the pH at half neutralisation. Typical pH curves for acid—base titrations in all combinations of weak and strong monoprotic acids and bases.
Students could plot pH curves to show how pH changes during reactions. Investigate how pH changes when a weak acid reacts with a strong base and when a strong acid reacts with a weak base. A buffer solution maintains an approximately constant pH, despite dilution or addition of small amounts of acid or base. Students could be asked to prepare and test a buffer solution with a specific pH value. AS and A-level Chemistry , Specification Planning resources Teaching resources Assessment resources Key dates.
Subject content. Contents list. Changes for Introduction Specification at a glance Subject content 3. Previous Subject content. Next 3. Protons, neutrons and electrons: relative charge and relative mass. An atom consists of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons. Mass number A and atomic proton number Z. Students should be able to: determine the number of fundamental particles in atoms and ions using mass number, atomic number and charge explain the existence of isotopes.
Mass spectrometry can be used to identify elements. Mass spectrometry can be used to determine relative molecular mass. Students should be able to: interpret simple mass spectra of elements calculate relative atomic mass from isotopic abundance, limited to mononuclear ions. Ionisation energies. Students should be able to : define first ionisation energy write equations for first and successive ionisation energies explain how first and successive ionisation energies in Period 3 Na—Ar and in Group 2 Be—Ba give evidence for electron configuration in sub-shells and in shells.
Relative atomic mass and relative molecular mass in terms of 12 C. The term relative formula mass will be used for ionic compounds. Students should be able to: define relative atomic mass A r define relative molecular mass M r. The Avogadro constant as the number of particles in a mole. Students should be able to carry out calculations: using the Avogadro constant using mass of substance, M r , and amount in moles using concentration, volume and amount of substance in a solution.
Students should be able to: use the equation in calculations. Empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element in a compound. Molecular formula is the actual number of atoms of each element in a compound.
The relationship between empirical formula and molecular formula. Students should be able to: calculate empirical formula from data giving composition by mass or percentage by mass calculate molecular formula from the empirical formula and relative molecular mass.
Equations full and ionic. Percentage atom economy is: Economic, ethical and environmental advantages for society and for industry of developing chemical processes with a high atom economy. Students should be able to: write balanced equations for reactions studied balance equations for unfamiliar reactions when reactants and products are specified.
Students should be able to use balanced equations to calculate: masses volumes of gases percentage yields percentage atom economies concentrations and volumes for reactions in solutions. AT a and k Students could be asked to find the percentage conversion of a Group 2 carbonate to its oxide by heat. AT d, e, f and k Students could be asked to determine the number of moles of water of crystallisation in a hydrated salt by titration. Required practical 1 Make up a volumetric solution and carry out a simple acid—base titration.
Ionic bonding involves electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions in a lattice. Students should be able to: predict the charge on a simple ion using the position of the element in the Periodic Table construct formulas for ionic compounds.
A single covalent bond contains a shared pair of electrons. Multiple bonds contain multiple pairs of electrons. Students should be able to represent: a covalent bond using a line a co-ordinate bond using an arrow.
The four types of crystal structure: ionic metallic macromolecular giant covalent molecular. The structures of the following crystals as examples of these four types of crystal structure: diamond graphite ice iodine magnesium sodium chloride.
Students should be able to: relate the melting point and conductivity of materials to the type of structure and the bonding present explain the energy changes associated with changes of state draw diagrams to represent these structures involving specified numbers of particles. Students should be able to: explain the shapes of, and bond angles in, simple molecules and ions with up to six electron pairs including lone pairs of electrons surrounding the central atom.
Electronegativity as the power of an atom to attract the pair of electrons in a covalent bond. Students should be able to: use partial charges to show that a bond is polar explain why some molecules with polar bonds do not have a permanent dipole.
Forces between molecules: permanent dipole—dipole forces induced dipole—dipole van der Waals, dispersion, London forces hydrogen bonding. Students should be able to: explain the existence of these forces between familiar and unfamiliar molecules explain how melting and boiling points are influenced by these intermolecular forces. Reactions can be endothermic or exothermic. Students should be able to: use this equation to calculate the molar enthalpy change for a reaction use this equation in related calculations.
Required practical 2 Measurement of an enthalpy change. Mean bond enthalpy. Reactions can only occur when collisions take place between particles having sufficient energy. This energy is called the activation energy. Students should be able to: define the term activation energy explain why most collisions do not lead to a reaction. Maxwell—Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies in gases. Students should be able to: draw and interpret distribution curves for different temperatures.
Meaning of the term rate of reaction. The qualitative effect of temperature changes on the rate of reaction. Students should be able to: use the Maxwell—Boltzmann distribution to explain why a small temperature increase can lead to a large increase in rate.
Research opportunity Students could investigate how knowledge and understanding of the factors that affect the rate of chemical reaction have changed methods of storage and cooking of food. Required practical 3 Investigation of how the rate of a reaction changes with temperature. The qualitative effect of changes in concentration on collision frequency. The qualitative effect of a change in the pressure of a gas on collision frequency. Students should be able to: explain how a change in concentration or a change in pressure influences the rate of a reaction.
AT a, e, k and i Students could investigate the effect of changing the concentration of acid on the rate of a reaction of calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid by a continuous monitoring method. Catalysts work by providing an alternative reaction route of lower activation energy.
Students should be able to: use a Maxwell—Boltzmann distribution to help explain how a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction involving a gas. Many chemical reactions are reversible. A catalyst does not affect the position of equilibrium. The concentration, in mol dm —3 , of a species X involved in the expression for K c is represented by [X] The value of the equilibrium constant is not affected either by changes in concentration or addition of a catalyst.
Students should be able to: construct an expression for K c for a homogeneous system in equilibrium calculate a value for K c from the equilibrium concentrations for a homogeneous system at constant temperature perform calculations involving K c predict the qualitative effects of changes of temperature on the value of K c. Students calculate the value of an equilibrium constant K c PS 2. Oxidation is the process of electron loss and oxidising agents are electron acceptors.
Reduction is the process of electron gain and reducing agents are electron donors. The rules for assigning oxidation states. Students should be able to: work out the oxidation state of an element in a compound or ion from the formula write half-equations identifying the oxidation and reduction processes in redox reactions combine half-equations to give an overall redox equation.
Born—Haber cycles are used to calculate lattice enthalpies using the following data: enthalpy of formation ionisation energy enthalpy of atomisation bond enthalpy electron affinity. Students should be able to: define each of the above terms and lattice enthalpy construct Born—Haber cycles to calculate lattice enthalpies using these enthalpy changes construct Born—Haber cycles to calculate one of the other enthalpy changes compare lattice enthalpies from Born—Haber cycles with those from calculations based on a perfect ionic model to provide evidence for covalent character in ionic compounds.
Students should be able to: define the term enthalpy of hydration perform calculations of an enthalpy change using these cycles. The orders m and n are restricted to the values 0, 1, and 2. The rate equation is an experimentally determined relationship. The orders with respect to reactants can provide information about the mechanism of a reaction.
Required practical 7 Measuring the rate of reaction: by an initial rate method by a continuous monitoring method. Students should be able to: derive partial pressure from mole fraction and total pressure construct an expression for K p for a homogeneous system in equilibrium perform calculations involving K p predict the qualitative effects of changes in temperature and pressure on the position of equilibrium predict the qualitative effects of changes in temperature on the value of K p understand that, whilst a catalyst can affect the rate of attainment of an equilibrium, it does not affect the value of the equilibrium constant.
The conventional representation of cells. Required practical 8 Measuring the EMF of an electrochemical cell. Students should be able to: use given electrode data to deduce the reactions occurring in non-rechargeable and rechargeable cells deduce the EMF of a cell explain how the electrode reactions can be used to generate an electric current. Research opportunity Students could investigate how knowledge and understanding of electrochemical cells has evolved from the first voltaic battery.
An acid is a proton donor. A base is a proton acceptor. Acid—base equilibria involve the transfer of protons. Water is slightly dissociated.
Students should be able to: use K w to calculate the pH of a strong base from its concentration. Students understand standard form when applied to areas such as but not limited to K w MS 2. Weak acids and weak bases dissociate only slightly in aqueous solution. K a is the dissociation constant for a weak acid.
Titrations of acids with bases. Students should be able to: perform calculations for these titrations based on experimental results. Students should be able to: sketch and explain the shapes of typical pH curves use pH curves to select an appropriate indicator. Required practical 9 Investigate how pH changes when a weak acid reacts with a strong base and when a strong acid reacts with a weak base. Acidic buffer solutions contain a weak acid and the salt of that weak acid.
0コメント