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Ocotber 2022

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October 2022
Publications Code WCH13_01_2210_PEF*
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2022
General Comment
Many students were well prepared for this examination and were able to demonstrate
that they had a sound knowledge of the topics on the specification. Most papers were
answered through to the last question indicating there was no difficulty with completing
the paper in the time allowed, however, there were some blank responses seen for
almost every question. The mean mark on the paper was 22.

Q1(a)(i)
This question was poorly answered. A common error was to state that the reaction
needed neutralising. Of those who gained the mark, most mentioned removing
carbonate ions. The expected answer (regarding removal of insoluble barium
compounds other than barium sulfate) was very rarely seen by examiners. Many
candidates had the vague idea of removing impurities, but this did not gain credit.

Q1(a)(ii)
Many scored Marking point 1 (M1) for this question but were unable to justify their
answer. The most common correct answer was HCl , with HNO3 and then, occasionally,
ethanoic acid also seen. Some candidates gained M2 by stating that barium nitrate is
soluble or that chloride ions are already in solution. Candidates regularly gave sulfuric
acid as their answer - which was not awarded - along with the justification “to provide
sulfate ions” demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of the chemical test.
Where hydrochloric acid gained the first mark a common incorrect justification was
“because it’s a strong acid” and some referred to a lack of reaction with barium chloride.
Repeating the need for acidification given in the stem for Q1ai did not gain credit.

Q1(a)(iii)
Very few candidates gained M1 but more achieved the mark for M2 (white precipitate).
The main reason for not scoring M1 was not mentioning dissolving or making an
aqueous solution, adding the solid to water was not credited. The ideal answer of
dissolving in distilled/deionised water was only seen a few times showing a lack of
precision in candidates’ responses. The marks were independent here, which benefitted
the vast majority of students.

Q1(b)(i)
Q1bi was well answered. Candidates often chose to describe the process of a flame test
rather than to name it and were generally able to recall the correct colours. A common
incorrect colour was red for barium. An average of two marks from three were awarded
in this part.
Q1(b)(ii)
In Q01bii, M2 and M3 were dependent on M1 – the addition of acidified silver nitrate.
Many omitted to acidify the solution but scored M2 and M3 as a near miss. A small
minority gave an incorrect reagent, e.g. silver chloride, sodium hydroxide or ammonia,
along with the observations expected for silver nitrate so could not score any marks.
Answers referencing the effect of dilute ammonia on the precipitates could score M2
and M3 if the colours of the precipitates were omitted, and many candidates who had
already been awarded the three marks gave this information as well. A common reason
for the loss of M3 was to state the bromide precipitate would be yellow. Electrolysis was
occasionally suggested, and described in detail, but this is not a common laboratory test
so gained no credit.

A very small number candidates confused cations and anions and so did not score the
marks for either Q1bi or Q1bii.

Q2(a)(i)
This question was very well answered, with almost all candidates’ tables being
completed correctly.

Q2(a)(ii)
Again, this question was very well answered. The rare incorrect answers usually included
the rough (non-concordant) titre in the mean, while a few candidates only used two
values from the table.

Q2(b)(i)
A surprisingly large number of candidates could not do this basic titration calculation.
The most common error was to use the concentration of the acid added to the tablet
(0.200 mol dm–3) rather than that of the NaOH in the burette (0.025 mol dm–3).
Significant figures were sometimes an issue with M1, candidates should never round to
1SF. Many candidates did not use the stoichiometry of the reaction to gain M2, those
who did mostly correctly divided by 2. M2 could also be awarded as a TE if candidates
used the wrong values and did not score M1.

Q2(b)(ii)
This question was well answered. Most candidates gained a mark here, even those who
used the incorrect values for Q2bi. Occasionally candidates failed to convert to dm3.
Q2(b)(iii)
M1 was rarely achieved by candidates for the scaling up to the initial experiment, but
transferred error (TE) marks were available throughout. M2 was more regularly
awarded, though often as a TE for subtracting the answer to Q2bi from the answer to
Q2bii. Most candidates gained M3 and M4, again by TE. Regularly the answer to Q2bii
was multiplied by 84.3 (gaining M3 as a TE) and most candidates made a good attempt
at the percentage calculation for M4. This meant that most candidates gained 2 or 3
marks for this 4 mark calculation. However, calculations were often laid out in a
disorganised fashion with poor legibility of numbers in many cases. Candidates should
be reminded to organise their working logically and emphasise their final answer.

Q2(c)(i)
This question was poorly answered by candidates. Many answers were too vague or
referenced cleaning air bubbles from the burette, improving accuracy or ensuring the
equipment worked. A lot of blank answers were seen for this question. All candidates
should have experienced a titration during the course so they should have been able to
formulate an answer to this question. All the correct answers on the mark scheme were
seen.

Q2(c)(ii)
Many candidates scored one mark here by having the colours the wrong way round,
having failed to consider that the alkali was in the burette. The mean mark was over one
though, so a reasonable number of candidates did score both marks.

Q3(a)(i)
Most candidates scored M1 here, for the axes, though some used axes that were too
small for the height of precipitate or omitted the units, and these candidates could still
gain M2. Where candidates drew graphs with non-uniform axes they were unable to
access M1 or M2.

M2 was sometimes lost when candidates failed to plot the sixth point at the origin,
though if a best fit line passed through 0,0 this mark was still awarded. Candidates need
to ensure they clearly mark their plotted points on the graph with an “” as faint dots do
not show on scanned scripts.

Q3(a)(ii)
This question was very poorly answered. Many candidates incorrectly identified the
metal nitrate as being the limiting reactant or just stated that the reactants were used
up. The most common correct answer was that “all KI had reacted,” some stated the
nitrate would be in excess. The majority of candidates did not gain this mark.
Q3(b)(i)
Many candidates did not gain either mark here, though they were independent. Where
candidates did not draw correct lines 12cm3 (the volume on the table where the
maximum was reached), followed by 5cm3 (an obvious intersection on the graph) and 16
cm3 (the highest point of the graph) were the most common incorrect answers. Few
candidates drew two straight lines on the graph for M2, showing a lack of understanding
of the experiment or a failure to read the stem of the question. Those that did draw the
correct lines could usually read the volume of nitrate correctly for M2.

Q3(b)(ii)
This part was well answered; very occasionally the conversion to dm3 was omitted.

Q3(b)(iii)
This mark was also regularly achieved successfully, but not quite as frequently as Q3bii.
Some candidates began their answer to Q3biv here and received credit for this if it was
annotated correctly.

Q3(b)(iv)
Most candidates scored 2 or 3 marks for this response. Many marks awarded for this
part were gained via TE, using an incorrect value from Q3bi. Where candidates tried to
use 12cm3 or 16cm3, their eventual answer was too large to score M4 as there are no
elements in this Ar range. Most candidates were awarded M1 for the stoichiometry. M2
was rarely awarded but candidates could get a TE for M3. Some candidates used the
alternative method. Candidates were not penalised for stating an incorrect element for
the Ar given as the final answer. Again, many candidates did not present their work
neatly or logically which presented a challenge for the examiners trying to award marks.
Some candidates over-rounded their answers at every step of the calculation leading to
poor accuracy in their final answer.

Q3(b)(v)
This question was poorly answered. Many candidates wrote a sensible equation but did
not balance the iodide ions correctly, left-off the subscript two on the product, and/or
omitted the charges or the state symbols. Only one mark was available, so any error
meant that the mark was lost, but this response was left blank on many papers. A small
number of candidates wrote half equations for the conversion of iodide ions into iodine,
and another handful wrote other equations including nitrates. A wide variety of metal
ions were seen here, which were allowed if they had a 2+ charge and were not alkali
metals.
Q3(c)
Very few students gained the mark for this question. Most candidates thought there
were some impurities involved, that the reaction had not finished, or that more
reactants had been added than expected (despite the statement that there were no
measurement errors). There was a small number of candidates gave the allowed answer
that air bubbles or solution were trapped inside the precipitate. The experiment
described was not a core practical and candidates did not spend enough time reading
the stem of the question, as this should have prompted them to the answer. When
further suggested practicals from the specification are included on papers there will
always be more detail of the method given, as candidates are not expected to have
personal experience of these experiments.

Q3(d)
Candidates had not been asked to draw a hazard symbol before, and a great variety of
toxic symbols were seen. The most frequent incorrect answers were exclamation
marks and crosses, but some corrosive, hazard to health or danger to the environment
symbols were also seen. Some candidates drew a skull without crossbones and this
was insufficient for the mark. Many candidates annotated their symbol which was not
necessary but showed their understanding of hazard symbols.

Q4(a)
Many correct answers were seen here, though a minority of candidates gave the colours
expected with KMnO4. The mean mark here was one, and candidates could score this for
the colours being the wrong way around – though the colours were less frequently
inverted here than in Q2cii – and more often yellow was substituted for orange losing
M1.

Q4(b)
Most candidates gained one or two marks for this response and a great variety of
experimental set ups were seen. M1 was frequently awarded, though the labelling or
drawing of a “conical flask” occasionally negated this. Some candidates omitted any kind
of heat, though an unlabelled arrow or drawing or an electric heater or Bunsen burner
was sufficient for the mark to be given. M2 was the most infrequently awarded mark,
with many candidates completely omitting the anti-bumping granules. M1 and M2 could
be awarded for a reflux set up and this was seen quite regularly, and limited the
candidates achievement. M3 required the condenser to have the water direction
labelled (even if it was only shown with arrows). A few candidates did not draw the water
jacket on their condenser so could not gain M3. M4 was often lost as the apparatus was
shown as closed on the right hand side (or occasionally open on the left hand side).
Q4(c)(i)
Fewer than half the candidates gained the mark here, with many stating that an
electrical heater is used to better control the temperature. This comment did not gain
the mark, nor did a vague statement relating to safety.

Q4(c)(ii)
Around 60% of candidates achieved this mark. A plethora of spellings of tertiary were
seen and marking was very lenient in this respect, though descriptions of tertiary
alcohols were not allowed without the word. A common error was to identify the
molecule as a secondary alcohol or to state that there would be no reaction. A few
references to tertiary carbocations were seen and not awarded.

Q4(c)(iii)
This mark was rarely awarded, with only 30% of candidates scoring here. Common
errors were to only give two products or to just give the class of each molecule i.e.
“aldehyde, ketone and carboxylic acid.” Propene was an unexpected incorrect answer
that was seen regularly, as were the incorrect names of propan-1-one and propan-2-al.
Combustion products, such as H2O and CO2 were ignored here. Errors in this section
inevitably led to problems in Q4civ.

Q4(c)(iv)
Many errors were seen in answers to this question. The mark most often awarded was
M1 for the aldehyde test, though some candidates confused the results for
Benedict’s/Fehling’s and Tollen’s reagents. Where Fehling’s was used some candidates
just stated the reaction changed from blue to red and did not mention the precipitate so
could not score M2. Candidates regularly gave Fehling’s and Tollen’s along with negative
results as a test for ketones, and this did not negate any marks. Some suggested
dichromate as a test for the aldehyde though this had already been mentioned on the
paper and the question asked for a further chemical test.

Incorrect references to PCl5 were often seen for M3, but where the carbonate or
hydrogencarbonate test was used the candidates usually scored both M3 and M4.
Reactive metal tests were seen, along with esters – though the acid catalyst was often
omitted. Litmus was occasionally seen as a test for acid, along with attempts at
neutralisation with NaOH, neither of these gained marks.

A few candidates failed to read the question properly and described how to oxidise the
alcohol. Where candidates had come up with unusual reaction products to Q4ciii (e.g.
propene, O2, and H2) these tests did not negate marks if both the test and result were
correct for the molecule(s).
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