1.

(i) increase in concentration of product per unit time / decrease

in concentration of reactant per unit time; 1
Accept change instead of increase/decrease and mass/amount/
volume instead of concentration.

(ii) frequency of collisions;

kinetic energy/speed of reactant particles;
collision geometry/orientation; 3
[4]

2.

correctly labelled axes showing number of particles/frequency against

(kinetic) energy;
correctly shaped graph for T (curve must not touch or cross x axes);
T  curve to the right of T and with a peak lower than T;
increasing the temperature increases the (kinetic) energy of the
particles / more particles will possess the necessary activation energy;
there will be more collisions per unit time / the frequency of collisions
increases / there are more successful collisions; 5
[5]

volume
3. (i) rate = increase in time = slope of graph;
initially/to begin with steeper slope / fastest rate / volume of gas/CO 2
produced faster/quickly as concentration of HCl highest / OWTTE;
as reaction progresses/with time, less steep slope / volume of gas
production slows / rate decreases due to less frequent collisions
as concentration (of HCl) decreases / OWTTE;
curve flattens/becomes horizontal when HCl used up/consumed
+
(as there are no more H ions to collide with the CaCO3 particles);
Each mark requires explanation. 3 max

IB Questionbank Chemistry 1
 (ii)

less steep curve;

same maximum volume at later time;
+
half/lower H /acid concentration less frequent collisions/slower rate;
same amount of HCl, same volume CO2 produced; 4

(iii) mass loss/of CO2 / mass of flask + content;

OR

OR

Do not penalize for missing x-axis label or for missing units on y-axis.
Accept if line meets time axis. 2

(iv) minimum energy (of colliding particles) for a reaction to occur / OWTTE;
lower Ea / greater surface area/contact between CaCO3 and HCl / higher HCl
concentration / (sufficient) particles/molecules have activation energy; 2
[11]

4. (i) decrease in concentration/mass/amount/volume of reactant with time /

increase in concentration/mass/amount/volume of product with time /
change in concentration/mass/amount/volume of reactant/product with time; 1

(ii) MgCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) → MgCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l);

Ignore state symbols. 1

IB Questionbank Chemistry 2
 (iii)

Plot starts at the origin and levels off.

No mark awarded if axes are not labelled. 1

(iv) new curve reaches same height as original curve;

new curve less steep than original curve;
volume of gas produced is the same because the same amount of
acid is used;
reaction is slower because concentration is decreased; 4
[7]

5. (i) exothermic;
Accept either of the following for the second mark.
increasing temperature favours endothermic/reverse reaction;
as yield decreases with increasing temperature; 2 max

(ii) yield increases / equilibrium moves to the right / more ammonia;

increase in pressure favours the reaction which has fewer
moles of gaseous products; 2

(iii) (rate increases because) increase in frequency (of collisions);

increase in energy (of collisions);
more colliding molecules with E ≥ Ea; 2 max
[6]

IB Questionbank Chemistry 3
6.

labelled axes (including appropriate units);

correctly drawn curve;
correctly drawn tangent;
y
rate equal to slope/gradient of tangent (at given time) / rate = x at time t;
[3 max] for straight line graph or graph showing product formation. 4
[4]

7. (a) (i) increases rate of reaction;

molecules (of H2O2) collide more frequently / more collisions
per unit time;
No ECF here. 2

(ii) no effect / (solution) remains unchanged;

solid NaI is not reacting / aqueous solution of NaI is reacting / surface
area of NaI is not relevant in preparing the solution / OWTTE; 2

(b) kinetic energy/speed of reacting molecules increases;

frequency of collisions increases per unit time;
greater proportion of molecules have energy greater than
activation energy/Ea;
Accept more energetic collisions. 3 max
[7]

8. (a) [I2] does not affect rate / OWTTE;

neither correct/both partially correct with explanation as to how; 2

IB Questionbank Chemistry 4
 (b) more particles/molecules have sufficient energy to overcome
activation energy / OWTTE;
more frequent collisions; 2

(c) (i)

axes correctly labelled x = energy/velocity/speed, y = number/% of

molecules/particles/probability;
graph showing correct curve for Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution;
If two curves are drawn, first and second mark can still be scored, but not
third.
Curve(s) must begin at origin and not go up at high energy.
two activation energies shown with Ecat shown lower;
Award the mark for the final point if shown on an enthalpy
level diagram. 3

(ii) catalyst provides an alternative pathway of lower energy / OWTTE;

Accept catalyst lowers activation energy (of reaction). 1
[8]

9. (a) (minimum) energy needed for a reaction to occur / (minimum) energy

difference between reactants and transition state; 1

(b) particles must collide;

appropriate collision geometry/orientation;
E ≥ Ea; 2 max

IB Questionbank Chemistry 5
 (c) Diagram showing:
correct labelling of axes (enthalpy/H/(potential) energy for y-axis and
time/progress/course of reaction/reaction coordinate for x-axis) and
H (products) line shown below H (reactants) line;
correct labelling of the two curves, catalysed and uncatalysed;
correct position of Ea shown with lines for a catalysed and uncatalysed
reaction;
the correct label ∆H /change in enthalpy;
Do not penalize if reactants and products are not labelled.

If an endothermic reaction is shown, award [2 max] if all other parts are

shown correctly. 3 max
[6]

10. (i) reactants and products in same phase/state;

rate of forward reaction = rate of reverse reaction;
concentrations of reactants and products remain constant /
macroscopic properties remain constant; 2 max
Do not accept concentrations are equal.

[HI 2 ]
(ii) (Kc) = [H 2 ][I 2 ] ; 1

(iii) no change to position of equilibrium;

no change to value of Kc; 2

(iv) the reaction is exothermic/heat is given out/∆H is negative; 1

IB Questionbank Chemistry 6
 (v) no effect (on the value of the equilibrium constant);
as it speeds up forward and reverse reaction / concentrations
of reactants and products do not change / position of equilibrium
does not change / no change in yield; 2
[8]

11. (i) macroscopic properties remain constant / concentrations remain

constant / no change to copper solution seen;
rate of reverse/backwards reaction = rate of forward reaction; 2

(ii) Kc decreases;
position of equilibrium shifts to left; 2
[4]

12. CO2(g) /gas escapes / (gas) pressure / [CO2] (above liquid) decreases / bubbles (of
CO2 gas) form in the liquid;
equilibrium shifts to the right (to replace the lost CO2 gas); 2
[2]

2 2
13. (i) (Kc =) [SO3] /[O2] [SO2] ; 1

(ii) yield (of SO3) decreases;

forward reaction is exothermic / reverse/backwards reaction is endothermic /
equilibrium shifts to absorb (some of) the heat;
Do not accept exothermic reaction or Le Chatelier’s Principle.
Do not allow ECF. 2

(iii) no effect; 1

(iv) no effect;
the rates of both the forward and reverse reactions increase equally; 2
[6]

[SO 2 Cl 2 ]
14. (i) (Kc) = [Cl 2 ][SO 2 ] ;
Ignore state symbols.
Square brackets [ ] required for the equilibrium expression. 1

IB Questionbank Chemistry 7
 (ii) value of Kc increases;
[SO2Cl2] increases;
decrease in temperature favours (forward) reaction which is exothermic;
Do not allow ECF. 3

(iii) no effect on the value of Kc / depends only on temperature;

[SO2Cl2] decreases;
increase in volume favours the reverse reaction which has more
gaseous moles;
Do not allow ECF. 3

(iv) no effect;
catalyst increases the rate of forward and reverse reactions (equally) /
catalyst decreases activation energies (equally); 2
[9]

[NH 3 ] 2
[N 2 ][H 2 ]3
15. (i) (Kc =) (ignore units); 1

(ii) Increasing the pressure:

Yield increases / equilibrium moves to the right / more ammonia;
4 gas molecules → 2 / decrease in volume / fewer gas molecules
on right hand side;
Increasing the temperature:
Yield decreases / equilibrium moves to the left / less ammonia;
Exothermic reaction / OWTTE; 4

(iii) Higher temperature increases rate;

Lower pressure is less expensive / lower cost of operating at low
pressure / reinforced pipes not needed; 2
Do not award a mark just for the word “compromise”.

3
(iv) 2.2 (dm ); 1
Penalize incorrect units.

(v) Fertilizers / increasing crop yields;

Production of explosives for mining; 1 max

IB Questionbank Chemistry 8
 (vi) Fe/iron;
Allow magnetite/iron oxide.
Claim is not valid since catalysts do not alter the yield/position
of equilibrium / only increase the rate of reaction; 2
[11]

16. less product is present at higher temperatures;

Therefore the forward reaction is exothermic; 2
[2]

[CH 3 OH]
2
17. (a) (Kc =) [CO][H 2 ] ; 1
Do not award mark if incorrect brackets are used or brackets are missing.

(b) (i) amount (of methanol)/product decreases / less methanol;

(forward reaction) exothermic / reverse reaction endothermic / OWTTE; 2

(ii) amount (of methanol)/product increases / more methanol;

3 gas molecules/mol → 1 / decrease in volume / fewer gas
molecules on right hand side/products / more gas molecules
on left hand side/reactants; 2

(c) high pressure expensive / greater cost of operating at high pressure;

lower temperature – lower (reaction) rate; 2

(d) increases rate of forward and reverse reactions (equally) / lowers

activation energy/Ea (of both the forward and reverse reaction
equally) / provides alternative path with lower activation energy/Ea; 1
Accept reactants adsorb onto the catalyst surface and bonds
weaken resulting in a decrease in the activation energy.
[8]

18. (a) ester; 1

IB Questionbank Chemistry 9
 1013.0
(b) amount of oil = 885.6 = 1.144 mol;
200.0
amount of methanol = 32.05 = 6.240 mol;
since three mol of methanol react with one mol of vegetable oil the
amount of excess methanol = 6.204 – (3 × 1.144) = 2.808 mol; 3

(c) (i) rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction /
forward and reverse reactions occur and the concentrations of the
reactants and products do not change / OWTTE; 1

[glycerol] [biodiesel] 3
3
(ii) Kc = [ vegetable oil]  [methanol] ; 1

(iii) to move the position of equilibrium to the right/product side /

increase the yield of biodiesel; 1

(iv) no effect (on position of equilibrium);

increases the rate of the forward and the reverse reactions equally
(so equilibrium reached quicker) / it lowers Ea for both the
forward and reverse reactions by the same amount / OWTTE;
No ECF for explanation. 2

(d) vegetable oil is mainly non-polar and methanol is polar / OWTTE;

stirring brings them into more contact with each other / increase the
frequency of collisions / OWTTE;
Do not allow simply mixing. 2

(e) (relative molecular mass of biodiesel, C9H36O2 = 296.55)

maximum yield of biodiesel = 3.432 mol / 1018 g;
811 .0
percentage yield = 1018 × 100 = 79.67 %;
Allow 80 % for percentage yield. 2

(f) the carbon dioxide was absorbed by plants initially so there is no net
increase / vegetable oil is not a fossil fuel / vegetable oil is formed
from (atmospheric) carbon dioxide / OWTTE; 1
[14]

IB Questionbank Chemistry 10