CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK
Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different.
Coursebook answers
Chapter 6
Science in context
This is a very wide ranging discussion about
climate change and what individuals can do to
reduce their carbon footprint. In reality, it is very
difficult because most of us have limits as to what
we are prepared to concede. For example, do
you want to give up that trip to somewhere nice
because you are worried about the emissions from
aircraft or cars? Do you want to ban all steam
train enthusiasts? Encourage learners to start
with a list that is personal to them and their local
community. The list given below relating to the
first question is not exhaustive.
• Walk or cycle instead of using the car: This
avoids putting extra CO2 into the atmosphere
from combustion in car engines.
• Use public transport or car share: This
reduces CO2 emissions per person.
• Drive an electric car rather than a petrol
or diesel car: Electric cars emit no CO2
themselves. Unfortunately, at present they are
likely to use electricity generated from fossil
fuels. If they are recharged with electricity
from a renewable energy source there is no
carbon footprint.
• Drive sensibly: Properly inflated tyres,
unnecessary acceleration and not leaving the
engine running in traffic jams, etc. all reduce
the amount of CO2 emitted.
• Reduce air travel: If you have to fly take
longer holidays but fewer of them.
• Solar panels to generate electricity or hot
water: Reduces the amount of electricity used
that is generated from fossil fuels.
• Heat pumps / ground pumps: Reduce
carbon emissions by taking heat from the
environment. (Heat energy is taken in from
the air or ground to evaporate a refrigerant.
The refrigerant is then compressed, which
1 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry © Cambridge University Press 2020
increases the temperature. The refrigerant gas
transfers heat into the central heating system.
This causes the refrigerant to condense back
into a liquid. The cooled refrigerant passes
through the expansion valve, which decreases
the pressure. This decreases the temperature
further and the cycle starts again.) Heat
pumps do require electricity but the amount
of electricity used is small.
• Home insulation: Stops heat escaping so that
you do not use more energy than necessary
• Lower use of air conditioning systems: These
are often left running unnecessarily.
• Use thermostats sensibly / use smart
technology: Remote control of thermostats
can turn off the heating system when you are
not at home.
• Turn off lighting: Turn off lights you’re not
using and when you leave the room. Office
blocks lit up fully at night are a particular
problem. Replace outdated light bulbs with
LED lamps.
• Appliances (vacuum cleaners, refrigerators
etc): Choose an energy-efficient one when
buying a new appliance.
• Food: Eat more locally produced foods.
This may save on production and transport
costs which are still largely based on the
consumption of fossil fuels. Grow your own
vegetables!
• Reuse and recycle: In many countries
over 25% of the energy used goes into the
extraction of resources, manufacturing,
transport, and final disposal of consumer
goods and food, including packaging. If you
recycle items you no longer use or buy used
products you can reduce the amount of fossil
fuels used.
 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

After discussing what can be done by the • Influence of pressure groups: People who do
individual, more general issues of reducing the not want wind turbines or solar farms close to
amount of fossil fuels burned can be discussed. their homes may put pressure on politicians.
These could include.
• Use alternative energy sources: Wind, solar,
geothermal, hydroelectric power and suitable
Self-assessment questions
biomass energy projects. 1 a exothermic
• Stop deforestation / plant more trees. b exothermic
Deforestation occurs because of the increased
c endothermic
hunger for land for mining or agriculture or
just for human habitation. Deforestation is a d exothermic
major contributor to climate change because e endothermic
it reduces the number of plants which absorb
carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. Trees are a 2 a
Ea
particularly good ‘sink’ for absorbing carbon Hreactants
S(s) + O2(g)
reactants
dioxide.
Governments are often reluctant to take steps to ∆Hf
combat climate change because:
SO2(g)
• It is easier and cheaper to continue with coal H products

or gas fired power stations than to build solar

Reaction pathway
farms, wind farms etc. (However, many of
these are now built by private companies.)
b
• A country may have many natural resources
and large supplies of coal and many people Hproducts
H2(g) + CO(g)

may lose their jobs when these industries are Ea

∆Hf
closed down. (But this could be offset by new Hreactants
H2O(g) + C(s)

jobs in ‘green’ energy.)

• Politicians in developing countries feel that it Reaction pathway

is unfair that developed countries have had the

benefits of using fossil fuels to develop their
economies but they are then being denied the
benefits of continuing development by using a
cheaper source of energy.
• Some politicians may still not believe in
climate change or the extent to which it will
affect the planet. (Since there are alternative
theories relating to sunspot activity etc.)
• Inertia: Planning for large scale changes in
energy policy and the practical aspects of
implementing it are so large that a government
may feel that it needs a much longer time
(decades) to prepare for any changes.
• Other priorities: There may be more urgent
needs e.g. housing, food, welfare (building
hospitals etc.) and the general population sees
these as a more immediate threat.
• Time scale: Some politicians do not see
climate change as an immediate threat because
it has not affected their country.
3 a ∆H r
b ∆H f [CO2(g)] or ∆H c [C(graphite)]
c ∆H r
d ∆H f [H2O(l)] or ∆H c [H2(g)]
4 a 9718.5 J (9720 J to 3 significant figures)
b 250.8 J / 251 J
c 6270 J
5 One mole of sulfuric acid reacts with two
moles of sodium hydroxide to form two
moles of water. The definition of standard
enthalpy change of neutralisation relates
only to one mole of water formed. So the
enthalpy change for sulfuric acid is twice this.
6 Time taken for sodium to dissolve / energy
loss to thermometer or air or calorimeter;
assumption that the specific thermal capacity
of the solution is the same as that of water.
7 In the experiment there may be: heat losses
to the surroundings from the flame and
into the calorimeter, thermometer and air;

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

incomplete combustion of the ethanol; Exam-style questions

evaporation of ethanol so that not all the
weight loss is due to burning. 1 a 2CuO(s) + 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
8 a ∆H r
2Al(s) + Fe2O3(s) 2Fe(s) + Al2O3(s)

∆H f [Fe2O3(s)] ∆H1 ∆H2 ∆H f [Al2O3(s)]

Energy
∆Hr
2Al(s) + 2Fe(s) + 11 O2(g)
2

b ΔHr + ΔH1 = ΔH2

ΔHr + (−824.2) = −1675.7 2Cu(NO3)2(s)
ΔHr = −851.5 kJ mol−1
9 a 2C(graphite) + 3H2(g) + 3 12 O2(g)
∆Hf
C2H5OH(l) + 3O2(g) Progress of reaction

2∆H c [C(graphite)] ∆H1 ∆H2 ∆H c [C2H5OH(l)] Copper(II) nitrate on left and products
+ 3∆Hc [H2(g)]
on right with arrow showing energy
2CO2(g) + 3H2O(l)
going upwards; [1]
b ΔHf + ΔH2 = ΔH1 copper(II) nitrate below products; [1]
ΔHf + (−1367.3) = 2(−393.5) + 3(−285.8) arrow in upwards direction from
ΔHf = −277.1 kJ mol−1 copper nitrate to products with ΔH
written near the arrow. [1]
10 D ∆Hr = 3∆Hf [MgO(s)] − ∆Hf [Fe2O3(s)]
b 2Cu(NO3)2(s)
∆Hr
2CuO(s) + 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
11 ΔHr = +1663.5 kJ mol−1
∆H1
∆H2 ∆Hf [CuO] +
There are 4 C—H bonds in methane so the ∆Hf [Cu(NO3)2]
4 × ∆Hf [NO2]
average C—H bond energy is  [3]
2Cu(s) + 2N2(g) + 6O2(g)
1663.5
4
= +415.9 kJ mol−1 c ΔHr + ΔH1 = ΔH2 [1]
12 a O ΔHr + 2(−302.9) = 2(−157.3) + 4(+33.2) [1]
H H O O
O C O H H
H C C O H + O O + O ΔHr + (−605.8) = −181.8,
O C O H H
H H O O O so ΔHr = (+)424 kJ mol−1 [1]
H H
ΔHc d i energy released
b C2H5OH + 3O2 2CO2 + 3H2O = 100 × 4.18 × 2.9 = 1212.2 J [1]
(C—C) + 5(C—H) + (C—O) + (O—H) 1212.2 J for 25 g so for 1 mol
ΔHc
+ 3(O═O) 4(C═O) + 6(O—H) = 1212.2 ×
249.7
 [1]
25.0
347 + 5(410) + (336) + (465) + = (−)12 107.5 J / 12.1 kJ to 3
3(496) → 4(805) + 6(465) + significant figures [1]
4686 kJ → −6010 kJ
ii  ime taken for copper sulfate
T
ΔHc = −1324 kJ to dissolve / energy loss to
c Bond energies used are average bonds thermometer or air or calorimeter [1]
energies. Bond energies are based on data so temperature recorded lower
from gaseous reactants and products than expected / energy loss to
whereas experimental combustion results surroundings and therefore energy
for ethanol are for ethanol liquid. released is less. [1]
13 B Or
assumption that the specific thermal
capacity of the solution is the same as
that of water; [1]

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

the thermal capacity is likely to be –14.0

c ∆Hc =  [1]
slightly higher so the value calculated 0.01
for the energy released is too low. [1] = −1400 kJ mol−1 [1]
[Total: 14] d ∆H c

= 2 ( –394 ) + 3( –286 )  [1]
2 CH3COCH3(l) + 4O2(g) → 3CO2 + 3H2O
a − (−85) [1]
2(C—C) + 6(C—H) + (C═O) + = −1561 [1]
4(O═O) → 6(C═O) + 6(O—H) [1]
kJ mol  −1
[1]
2(347) + 6(413) + (805) + 4(496) →
e incomplete combustion; [1]
6(805) + 6(465) [1]
heat losses through sides of
+5961 for bond breaking; −7620 for
calorimeter, etc. [1]
bond making; realisation that bond
breaking is + and bond making is; [1] [Total: 11]
answer = −1659 kJ [1] 4 a The energy change when 1 mole [1]
b Any two of: is completely combusted in excess oxygen
 [1]
the same type of bonds are in different
environments; under standard conditions. [1]
example, e.g. C═O bonds in carbon b i ∆H r
5O2(g) + P4(white) 5O2(g) + P4(red)
dioxide and propanone;
average bond energies are generalised / –2984 –2967
obtained from a number of different
P4O10(s)
bonds of the same type. [2]
c Bond energies calculated by using for correct cycle [1]
enthalpy changes of gaseous for arrows [1]
compound to gaseous atoms; [1] for correct values on arrows [1]
enthalpy changes of combustion done Using Hess’s law, ∆H − 2967 = −2984  [1]

r
experimentally using liquid (propanone).[1]
∆H r − 2984 + 2967 = −17 kJ mol −1 [1]
[energy needed to evaporate the
propanone for 2 marks] ii P4(white)
d i  nthalpy change when 1 mol of
E –17 kJ mol–1
a compound [1]
P4(red)
is formed from its constituent
Energy

elements in their standard states [1]

–2967 kJ mol–1 –2984 kJ mol–1
under standard conditions. [1]
ii 3C ( graphite ) + 3H2 ( g ) + 1
2
O2 ( g ) P4O10(s)

→ C 3H6O ( l ) [2] P4(red) below P4(white) [1]

[1 mark for correct equation; 1 for arrows from both down to P4O10 [1]
mark for correct state symbols]
for energy label [1]
iii  arbon does not react directly
C
with hydrogen under standard [Total: 11]
conditions. [1] 5 a Enthalpy change when 1 mol of a
[Total: 14] compound [1]
2.40 is formed from its constituent
3 a = 0.01 mol  [1]
24000
elements in their standard states [1]
b heat change = −100 × 4.18 × 33.5 [1] under standard conditions. [1]
= 14 003 J = 14.0 kJ (to 3 significant
figures) [1]

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

C + 2H2 → CH4 is the equation for

b 7 a Enthalpy change when reactants
∆H r  [1] converted to products [1]
∆H c = sum of ∆H r of
 
in the amounts shown in the equation [1]
reactants − sum of ∆H r of products [1] under standard conditions. [1]
= 2(−286) − 394 − (−891) b ∆Hr
= −572 − 394 + 891 [1] aq + MgCl2(s) + 6H2O(l) MgCl2.6H2O(s) + aq

= −75 kJ mol−1 [1] ∆H1 ∆H2

c
CHCH4 4 + + 2O 2O2 2 → → CO CO2 2 + +2H 2H 2O
2O MgCl2(aq)

4 (4C–H
4(C —
( C–H)H))2 (22(O
( O=O
O=O ═ ) 2 (22(C
) O) ( C=O
C=O ═)O) )4 (44(O
O–H —
( O–H )
)H)[1] 1 mark each for the three reactions
4 4× ×412
412 2 2× ×496
496 2 2× ×805
805 4 4× ×463
463 [1] with the arrows in the correct order/
∆H c = 1648 + 992 − 1610 − 1852 [1] directions; [3]

= −822 kJ mol−1 [1] for ΔH values in correct places [1]

[Total: 11] [Total: 7]

6 a The average energy needed to break [1] 8 a 250 × 4.18 × 23.0 [1]

1 mole of bonds in the gaseous state. [1] = 24 000 J (to 3 significant figures) [1]

b Bond enthalpies of H2 + I2 = 436 + 151 b Mr = 32.0 [1]

= +587 kJ mol−1 [1] 2.9
= 0.0906 moles  [1]
32.0
Bond enthalpies of 2HI = 2 × 299
24 000
 = +598 kJ mol−1 [1] c = 265 000 J mol –1or  [2]
0.0906
Enthalpy change = 587 − 598 (265 kJ mol –1 )
= −11 kJ mol−1 [1]
d heat loss; [1]
c H2 and I2 on left and 2HI on right and
energy label going upwards; [1] incomplete combustion; [1]
H2 and I2 below 2HI; [1] conditions not standard [1]

arrow going downwards showing ∆H r [1] [Total: 9]

[Total: 8]

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