Just keep you mind cool and read everything on the paper, mostly students just don't read

long
paragraphs of text carefully. Practicals are not that hard so try to score most here, the best
solution to this is try as many practicals as many possible.

Don't perform unnecessary titrations, if you did two and got results close to each other then
there's no need for a third one.

Always draw a triangle on the graph to find the gradient, if you are asked to find it.

Latest salt analysis sections contain a trick with aluminium and lead(II) ions because they have
the same results with ammonia and sodium hydroxide. The test that distinguished them is
addition of HCL, it will form a precipitate with lead(II) ions but not with aluminum ions. (Lead(II)
ions can be distinguished from aluminium ions by the insolubility of lead(II) chloride.)

Always read carefully the names of the solutions before working with them, 1 small mistake and
you might have to start from the beginning.

Always heat solutions in a boiling tube and not the test tube.

Make sure the burette is closed before adding solutions to it.

If you're quick at experiments then I recommend washing the apparatus with distill water before
using.(But only if you're sure you can complete the experiment in time.)

Don't spend more than 45 mins on Salt Analysis.

When you write the observation for some gas that is released, always include a confirmatory
test. You should actually never perform these confirmatory tests (to save time) just use your
knowledge of chemistry to find which gas is released but always include the test in the
observations. E.g. when a carbonate is reacted with an acid, you should write the observation;
"Colorless gas released which turns lime water milky."

Remember some gases are hard to see when released in a test tube, so where you expect some
gases to be released, look carefully for the observation. A good idea is to use the white tile or if
you're not provided with it then use your paper as the background when looking at the test
tube.

Try to memorize the smell of ammonia. I know its very disturbing to smell it but you need to
identify it from others when they ask you so just smell it enough that you can distinguish it form
other gases.

In the paper you want both speed and accuracy, so do the easy parts fast like pouring solutions
and stuff and use the time saved on important parts like observing changes and stuff.

In the exam if you think some solution has some impurity or you put something into it by
mistake then just ask them to replace it, don't use it.

Remember to not to use the same dropper for two different solutions.

If some solution involves heating and then heating strongly then you really need to heat it
strongly so don't write no change too fast.

Always wash the thermometer before using, and make sure its working before using, when not
dipped into any solution, it should give a constant reading of 25-30 C.

Some solutions need shaking to mix them and sometime you will need to shake it really hard to
work it out. Just wash your hands and close the top of the test-tube with your thumb and shake.

Be careful with the amount of solutions you use, you need to finish all the experiments in the
amount of solutions provided don't think that you can get more if you're empty because some
examiners might be strict.

Try to work in a clean and objective oriented environment, what I mean is when you're working
with 1 part of the paper then just keep the solutions needed for that part to yourself and keep
the others away. This helps a lot.

Always draw tables(similar to how they give you in the questions) to represent results and
observations, don't just write them down in lines.

One last thing and this is really important; understand the question before doing it, if you can't
then try drawing diagrams on a paper to help you visualize what you are going to do and if you
still don't get it then skip that part you can do it in the end unless it is related to any other part,
if so then just try to copy whatever is instructed in the question.

If you have anything else to add feel free to do so. =)

EDIT [24/05/2012]
Tips for drawing the graphs:

Think carefully before choosing scales for the axes, you need to keep in mind that the scale
needs your values to cover at least half of the page and should is sensible, by that I mean you
should be able to easily find values on the axes without needing to calculate what value some
point on the axes represent.

Sharp your pencil, the last thing you want is to lose marks because your line was too thick.

Double check when marking the points, 1 mistake and in some cases you might mess up the
whole graph.

"Line of best fit." Doesn't necessarily mean that its a straight line. Although rarely, it could be a
curve too that fits most of the points.

In graphs of experiments like heating and then cooling, you need to draw two lines, 1
representing cooling and the other one representing heating instead of a curve.

Whenever they ask you to find gradient, ALWAYS draw a triangle, and the bigger the triangle,
the more accurate your gradient.

If you have doubt about your gradient, just take any point that is close to the line and find (y/x),
this value should be very close to the gradient found using the triangle. But remember this only
works when the graph is starting from origin or near it.

Try to never break your graph but if you do, REMEMBER that the y-intercept needs to be
calculated using the equation "y = mx + c" where m is the gradient you found, c is the yintercept and can be found using the y and x value of any point on the lane.

Try to keep your graph clean and visible. If you need multiple lines to find gradient and other
value, make sure they're distinguishable.

ALWAYS write what each axis represents with its unit.

To determine which quantity goes on the x and y axis, you need to find which quantity is
dependent and which one is independent. Independent is usually the one you are changing and
dependent is the one you measure.

If you draw multiple graphs, make sure to label them.

Don't spend more than 15 minutes on the graph. The graph is usually simple, and if its not then
you've done probably something wrong and instead of wasting time on it, try to score marks in
other parts first and then come in the end to figure out what's the problem with the graph.

If you're good at salt analysis, then do it first and finish it fast so you can do the graphing
without any tension.

REMEMBER even if you draw the graph wrong due to some wrong measurements or something,
don't lose hope on it, you can still workout the rest of the questions for the wrong graph and
score most of those marks like gradient and stuff.

When they ask you to prove some relationship like T=kV or something, write that since the
graph is a straight line, the value of the K is constant and therefore the relationship is
true...unless emm...your line is not straight.

If you don't have time to draw the graph, try to do as much as you can like plotting two or three
values and then making the line instead of all the points or even writing the quantities on the
axes can gain your marks.

http://alevelchem.com/cie_a_level_chemistry/index.htm
NOTE: There's lots of chemistry terms and symbols below, which might confuse those who aren't
taking Chemistry. Proceed at your own "risk", heh.
Preparing for the test

Candidates are required to bring their lab coat, goggle, exam registration slip, identity card and
calculator to the exam. Also, candidates must present at the lab 15 mins prior the actual exam
time to avoid any delays.

Check the instruments and apparatus before starting the exam. Any damage or leakage must be
reported to the examiner as soon as possible.

Remember, practical paper takes up 23% of the AS Chemistry paper. It is the paper to determine
whether you'll be getting an A or not.

Titration

A white tile is provided for better observation to spot the colour change during titration.

The burette and pipette have to be rinsed with the solution before use to avoid any
contamination and inaccuracy measurement of the solutions used.

Value for rough titration is always greater than accurate titration.

Burette & Pipette

Do not place the practical report too close to the titration setup to avoid the solutions spilled
onto the paper.

Example table to record titration readings:

Titration

Rough

Accurate
1

Final /cm3

26.70

26.30

26.50

26.25

Initial /cm3

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Volume /cm3

26.70

26.30

26.50

26.25

Note: At least 2 readings with the margin 0.10 cm3 are taken as the experiment result.
Salt analysis - testing for the ions

Adding 1cm3 reagent is considered "equal amount". Measurement more than 2cm3 is
considered excess.

Take notes of the cations Pb2+, Al3+ & Zn2+. These 3 amphoteric ions exhibits special observations
in order to deduce the ions. The ions will form white pptupon adding NaOH drop by drop, and
will dissolve in excess NaOH to form a clear solution. When the solution is treated with HNO3,
the white ppt will form again. This test is only valid for the 3 ions as mentioned above. The
reason behind this is because the hydroxide ions form are insoluble white ppt, and the
hydroxide will further react with excess OH- to form a complex ions which are soluble. This can
be referred to Le Chatelier's principle.

Pb2+ can be distinguished from Al3+ by reacting with Cl- to form PbCl2, an insoluble solution.

Some high-charged ions, eg: Al3+, Fe3+ & Cr3+ can exhibit acidic properties, especially when
reacting with CO32- to form CO2 gas.

Transition element ions, eg: Cu2+, Fe2+, Cr3+ & Mn2+ are coloured solutions. Therefore it's easy to
deduce the ions based on their significant colours, for example, Cu2+ is a blue solution.

From left to right, aqueous solutions

of: Co(NO3)2 (red); K2Cr2O7 (orange); K2CrO4(yellow); NiCl2 (green); CuSO4 (blue); KMnO4 (purple).

HCl is a useful reagent to test for certain ions. If there's no gas evolved when HCl is added, one
can deduce that SO32-, NO2- and CO32- is absent. These 3 anions will react with HCl and gases will
evolve. The gases evolved are SO2, NO2, & CO2respectively. Test for the gases will be listed
below.

Test for gases:

Gas

Test

Observation

CO2

React with acid (CO32-)

Effervescence/ bubbles evolved. Gas turns limewater cloudy.

SO2

React with acid (SO32-)

Colourless gas with smoking smell, turns K2Cr2O7 from orange

to green. (smells like burning matchstick)

NO2

React with acid (NO2-)

Brown gas evolved with pungent smell.

NH3

Heating (NH4+)

Pungent gas evolved. Turn damp red litmus paper blue.

Note: When heating a solution, it's best to prepare 2 damp litmus papers (red & blue) and place it on top
of the boiling tube when heating to test the gas evolved.

AgNO3 is the common reagent to test for halides: Cl-, Br-, I-. Observations are white ppt, pale
cream ppt and yellow ppt respectively.

Heating a solution with Al foil is to test NO3- & NO2-.

Ba2+ is the reagent to test SO42- & SO32-.

It is possible that the salt analysis part is replaced by organic compounds tests.

I've made a slideshow presentation identifying cations. You can view the slidehere.

Calculations

During calculations, answers which haven't been finalised may be written in 4 or 5 sf (significant
figures). Only the final answer for the question need to be rounded up to 2sf or 3sf.

If unsure with the significant figures needed for the answer, put 3sf instead.

Approximation sign () cannot be used in answering the question unless stated in the question.

Reading from burette is always written in 2 decimal places, eg: 25.75 cm3. Note that the 2nd
decimal number must be either 0 or 5.

Pipette reading is fixed at 25.0 cm3.

Thermometer reading is usually written in 1 decimal place figure, eg: 35.4C.

Types of errors:
o

Systematic error: faulty instruments giving zero error (thermometer, stopwatch).

Random error: error due to the surroundings (wind, heat).

Estimated error for burette reading = half of the smallest division = 0.05cm3.

Oxidation states and H (kJ mol-1) must write + or -