Strategies for success

During the course

Take responsibility for your own learning. When you finish your study of a particular
topic in class, that is a good time to check that you have covered and understood
everything detailed by the IB that can be assessed. This information is shown at the
start of each sub-section in the book in two pale-yellow boxes, Understanding and
Applications and Skills, as shown in the examples below. The notes on Guidance direct you
to the IB data booklet or help explain the detail required.

Understanding:
● Qualitative data include all non-numerical information obtained from observations not from
measurement.
● Quantitative data are obtained from measurements, and are always associated with random errors/

uncertainties, determined by the apparatus, and by human limitations such as reaction times.
Guidance:
SI units should be used throughout the programme.

Applications and skills:

● Distinction between random errors and systematic errors.
● Record uncertainties in all measurements as a range (±) to an appropriate precision.
● Discussion of ways to reduce uncertainties in an experiment.

● Propagation of uncertainties in processed data, including the use of percentage uncertainties.

● Discussion of systematic errors in all experimental work, their impact on the results, and how they

can be reduced.
● Estimation of whether a particular source of error is likely to have a major or minor effect on the

final result.
● Calculation of percentage error when the experimental result can be compared with a theoretical

or accepted result.
Guidance
●Note that the data value must be recorded to the same precision as the random error.
● The number of significant figures in a result is based on the figures given in the data. When adding or
subtracting, the answer should be given to the least number of decimal places. When multiplying or
dividing the final answer is given to the least number of significant figures.

Check that you have completed all the Exercises at the end of each sub-topic, and
checked your answers with those given on the eText.

Exercises
36 Identify the bonds which will produce strong absorptions in the IR region of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
I C — O bond
II C = C bond
III C=O
A I and II only B I and III only C II and III only D I, II, and III
37 State what occurs at the molecular level when IR radiation is absorbed.

Spend extra time on parts of the course where you are less confident of your
knowledge and understanding. Use additional sources of information such as other
books, journals, movies, and the web links in this book to help to spark your curiosity,
deepen your understanding, and grasp the wider contexts of the topic. The more you
do, the more you will enjoy the course and the more successful you will be.
The Practice questions at the end of each chapter are mostly IB questions from recent IB
examination papers, so they are a very good way of testing yourself at the end of each
topic. The answers used by examiners in marking the papers are also given on the eText.

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 Practice questions
1 What is the electron configuration of the Cr2+ ion?
A [Ar] 3d54s1 B [Ar] 3d34s1 C [Ar] 3d64s1 D [Ar] 3d44s0
2 What is the relative atomic mass of an element with the following mass spectrum?
100

80
% abundance

60

40

20

0
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
mass/charge

A 24 B 25 C 26 D 27

You will also be assessed on experimental work through the Internal Assessment, and
by some short questions on experimental work in Paper 3. The best way to prepare for
this is to take a lively interest in the laboratory work throughout the course and always
relate it to the theory.

Preparing for the examination

Organize your time for review well ahead of the examination date, planning on a
topic by topic basis. While you are studying make sure that you test yourself as you
go – being able to recognize the content on the page is very different from being able
to produce it yourself on blank paper. Effective revision generally involves using lots of
scrap paper for testing your knowledge and understanding. Practise writing balanced
equations, drawing diagrams, structural formulas, and so on.
Try to make your studying cumulative; this means building up a connected picture
of knowledge and understanding by seeing how the topics are inter-related and
reinforcing the same concepts. It can feel a bit like doing a jigsaw, where the more you
have done the easier it gets to add in the new pieces.
There is no choice of questions in the examination, so make sure that you do not miss
anything out. When you have finished your review of a particular topic, it is a good
idea to test yourself with IB questions and time yourself according to how much time
you are given for each type of question.

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 Strategies for success

In the examination
The external assessment of Higher Level Chemistry consists of three examination
papers, as follows.

% of total Duration / Description of examination

mark hours

Paper 1 20 1 40 multiple-choice questions

Paper 2 36 2¼ Short-answer and extended-response questions

on Topics 1–21

Paper 3 24 1¼ Section A: one data-based question and several

short-answer questions on experimental work
Section B: Short-answer and extended-response
questions from one option

Paper 1: Multiple-choice questions on Topics 1–21 (Chapters

1–11)
You are not allowed to use your calculator or the IB data booklet in this paper, but you
are given a copy of the Periodic Table. The questions will give you any other data that
you need, and any calculations will be straightforward.
There is no penalty for wrong answers so make sure that you do not leave any blanks.
Read all the given answers A–D for each question. It is likely that more than one
answer is close to being correct but you must choose the best answer available.

Paper 2: Written answers on Topics 1–21 (Chapters 1–11)

Paper 3: Written answers on laboratory work and the options

(Chapters 12–15)
You are given 5 minutes reading time for Paper 2 and Paper 3. There is no choice of
question in either paper; you are expected to answer all questions. You are allowed to use
a calculator and will be provided with a copy of the IB data booklet.
• Note the number of marks given in brackets for each part of a question and use this
to guide you in the detail required. In general, one mark represents one specific fact or
answer.
• Take note of the command terms used in the questions as these also give an
important clue about exactly what is required. It is a good idea to underline the
command terms on the question paper to help you focus your answer.
• Sometimes questions include several different instructions, and it can be easy to miss
a part of the question; avoid this by crossing off the parts of the question on the paper
as you go, much as you cross items off a shopping list so you can see what you might
have missed.

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 Remember these questions are testing your knowledge and understanding of chemistry,
so be sure to give as much relevant detail as you can, with equations and specific
examples wherever possible. The examiner can only give you credit for what you write
down so do not assume anything. Show off!
It is essential that you show all your workings in calculations very clearly. Also pay
attention to significant figures and include units in your answers. When a question
has several parts which all follow on from each other, you will not be penalized more
than once for the same mistake. So, for example, if you make a mistake in part (a) of a
question, but then use that wrong answer in a correct method in part (b), you will still
get full marks for part b) – provided that your method was clear. So never give up! (This is
known as ‘error carried forward’ in examiner-speak, and is shown as ECF in the mark
schemes.)
In Paper 3 make sure that you follow the guidelines on the front of the paper. After
section A turn to the option you have studied in section B, and do not be distracted by
the other questions on the paper.

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