OxfordAQA-9620-CH02-WRE-Jan24-v1.0

INTERNATIONAL
AS
CHEMISTRY
(9620) CH02
Report on the examination
January 2024
Copyright © 2024 Oxford International AQA Examinations and its licensors. All rights reserved.
INTERNATIONAL AS CHEMISTRY (9620) CH02 Report on the examination
REPORT ON EXAMINATION: INTERNATIONAL AS CHEMISTRY (9620) CH02

JANUARY 2024
Students generally answered the questions well and are good at Equilibrium calculations.
Some points to note to improve candidate outcomes in future examinations.
• Writing balanced equations needs to be developed in students’ study of Chemistry.
• Questions need to be read carefully to extract the relevant information.
• Students’ have learnt organic reagents well, but recall of other facts, e.g. catalyst names, should
be improved.
• Names of and reasons why practical techniques are used needs to be known.
QUESTION 01
1.1 Most students scored this mark. It was surprising that several students could not write this equation
even though all compounds were given in question.
1.2 Most students were able to calculate Mr, but not as many were able to convert this to molecular
formula. C7H16 was a common error.
1.3 Reading the question carefully would improve answers here. The question was about unburned
hydrocarbons and not pollution by other compounds.
1.4 Most students correctly stated acid rain. An unexpected number said it caused global warming or
damaged ozone.
1.5 This was answered well.
1.6 Approximately two thirds of students answered well. The area under the curve means the total area
under curve not the proportion that have E≥Ea. Error was to think that the number of molecules and
area changed.
1.7 Students know how a catalyst increases the rate. The best students discussed frequency of collisions
or collisions per unit time.
1.8 Not as well-known as expected. Silver was a common error.
QUESTION 02
2.1 This was challenging for students. Most answers described how to separate hydrocarbons based on
their different boiling points instead of defining what a fraction is. It must be similar not the same boiling
point. Another error was stating it was cracking.
2.2 The question was answered well but marks were lost by not naming and stating where van der
Waals forces occur. The answer must be comparative so should state weaker not weak.
2.3 Answered well with approximately two thirds of students scoring full marks. A common error was
drawing displayed or cyclic structures or dimethyl propane which is given in question 02.2
2.4 Common error to say product is more valuable or in demand which is a reason to do cracking but not
why the atom economy is 100%
Copyright © 2024 Oxford International AQA Examinations and its licensors. All rights reserved. 2
QUESTION 03
3.1 Polymer repeating units was answered well. Common mistake was putting 3 carbons in a straight
line in the repeating unit.
3.2 Not as many students scored this mark as expected. The common mistakes were students
discussing intermolecular forces or not having C=C.
3.3 This proved to be difficult for students. The name needs to be buta not but, diene not ene.
QUESTION 04
4.1 About two thirds of students scored full marks. Cyanide ion must have negative charge and lone pair
on the carbon of CN.
4.2 This was answered well with students stating C-I bond being weaker.
4.3 Equation was answered well but students must remember all products have to be present in an
equation and not have ions only on one side of the arrow.
QUESTION 05
5.1 The question discriminated well with only the best students scoring full marks. Errors included using
an incorrect primary carbocation and a carbocation is + not δ+. The bromide ion is Br – not δ-.
5.2 Some good explanations were seen; marks were lost when students did not discuss the number of
alkyl chains present on the carbocation.
5.3 Free radical steps were attempted well. The role of uv light is to break Br–Br bond to form Br
radicals, not act as a catalyst.
QUESTION 06
6.1 Molecular formula is C3H8O not C3H7OH. Workings should be shown using the ratio of moles of each
element. Credit was given on this occasion if the candidate stated the correct formula with alternative
workings.
6.2 Displayed formula was surprisingly not answered well. The common error was missing O–H bond in
displayed formula.
6.3 Students’ knowledge of organic reagents was answered well throughout the paper. But an error was
to try to identify the compound by giving a molecular formula.
6.4 This was answered well. The common error was not stating acidified in the reagent.
6.5 This was difficult for students to score full marks. Aldehyde must be CHO not COH and water is
needed as the other product in the equation. Numbering in naming of aldehydes needs to start from the
aldehyde functional group.
6.6 The bond angle for epoxyethane was well known but the structure of the reaction product was more
difficult. A methyl ether and diol were common errors.
QUESTION 07
7.1 Students found drawing the mechanism for a cyclic structure difficult. A common error was to do
base catalysed elimination steps even though the question stated acidic conditions.
7.2 This was well known, although there were a surprising number of blank responses.
7.3 The naming of practical techniques was unexpectedly difficult for students. There were several
blanks and incorrect answers.
7.4 Students found this question difficult. Purity of liquids is checked by having a narrow range (sharp)
boiling point that matches known data. Credit was given for discussing density and comparison with
known data.
7.5 This calculation was answered well by approximately two thirds of students. Errors were to use the
wrong data from the table and question.
QUESTION 08
8.1 The equilibrium expression was answered well but students need to use square not round brackets.
The units were not always worked out correctly from the expression.
8.2 Students were good at calculating the equilibrium quantities.
8.3 Students were able to explain equilibrium well. To improve, students must explain why equilibrium
moves. A surprising error was for students to discuss rates of reaction.
8.4 This was not answered as well as expected. Equal effect on forward and reverse reactions by a
catalyst is needed.
8.5 The majority of students were able to score this mark.
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INTERNATIONAL

REPORT ON EXAMINATION: INTERNATIONAL AS CHEMISTRY (9620) CH02

1.5 This was answered well.

1.8 Not as well-known as expected. Silver was a common error.

8.2 Students were good at calculating the equilibrium quantities.

8.5 The majority of students were able to score this mark.

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