6A

Laborarory
Laboratory chemistry II
The specification (syllabus) for the tests on this module includes all the AS and A2 material. The Unit Test 6B is a synoptic paper, taken by all candidates, and will also assess the candidate's quality of written communication.

~ Unit Test 6A: Assessment of practical

~ skills II

o This is either internally assessed or a practical exam.

Notes and books may be used in the tests.

Ll The practical exam will be broadly qualitative in its approach.

You should be able to:
i

ii

iii iv v

observe and interpret details of the chemistry of the elements and compounds listed in Units 4 and S. recognize the results of experiments to identify functional groups in organic compounds. carry out the techniques described in Topic 5.5 and those used in volumetric analysis, kinetics and equilibria. present and interpret quantitative and qualitative results. devise and plan simple experiments based on the chemistry and techniques as above.

Unit Test 6B

All candidates will do this paper

The Unit Test question (exam) paper

Section A will consist of a compulsory question and will assess a candidate's ability to interpret data from laboratory situations. Section B will consist of three questions and the candidate must answer two of the three questions. These questions will require candidates to make connections between different areas of chemistry, for example by applying knowledge and understanding of principles to situations in contexts new to them.

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ADVANCED LABORATORY CHEMISTRY

Questions will be set on any of the topics in the AS and A2 specification. The questions will require much less factual recall than those in earlier unit tests. Much more emphasis will be placed upon application of knowledge . Questions will test a candidate's ability to analyse information from several different areas of the specification. The words 'suggest' and 'deduce' will occur more often in questions than 'state' or 'recall'.

Tackling the paper

Spend some time looking through Section B and decide which questions you are going to attempt. Read all of the question before rejecting it. You may be able to answer all but the first part and so still score good marks. If you are getting nowhere in a question, abandon it and try another, but do not cross out what you have written, because you might score more for it than for the other question. The examiner will count your better mark. Do not be put off by unusual compounds or situations. In these questions you are not expected to know the answer, but to be able to work it out, using your knowledge and understanding of similar compounds or situations. Synoptic questions will contain material from several topics. This is done by using the links that exist between different branches of chemistry. Each question should have a thread or link connecting the different parts. Identification of this thread will help you to focus on the relevant chemistry. So do not treat each part of a question in isolation from the other parts of it. For example in the questions in the Unit Test 6B on pages 119 and 120. Question 2 is based on organic and inorganic nitrogen compounds, with questions on fertilisers, pKa' polymers, amine preparation, and Kpfor ammonium nitrate linked to thermodynamic and kinetic stability. Question 3 is a reaction scheme where the carbon chain is increased leading to a carboxylic acid, then a pH and buffer question about that acid. Question 4 is about the chemistry of iron, linking bonding, transition mental properties, Br0nsted-Lowry pairs, tests for Fe 3+ and redox titrations. To do well in this paper you must revise the entire specification (syllabus) and especially Topic 1.2. Do not become put off by this load as many of the Topics in A2 are extensions of those in AS. For example: Topic 4.1 with 2.1 - Energetics Topic 4.2 with 1.4, 1.6 and 1.7 - The Periodic Table Topic 4.3 and 4.4 with 2.4 and 2.5 - Equilibrium Topic 4.5, 5.3 and 5.5 with 2.2 - Organic chemistry Topic 5.1 with 1.5 - Redox Topic 5.4 with 2.3 - Kinetics This leaves Topics 1.1 (Atomic structure), 1.2 (Formulae, equations and moles) and 1.3 (Structure and bonding) all of which are fundamental to chemistry and much of these topics will have been revised by your teacher during the A2 year.