Specimen paper 1 (set 1)30 minutes · 20 marks

chermistry.com
Practice paper written from an analysis of every
O-Level Science (Chemistry) paper, 2010–2026

SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY)

Specimen 2026

Paper 1  Multiple Choice  (Chemistry section)

FORECAST PAPER · SET 1 Easy

For practice before the 2026 examination

30 minutes

Additional Materials:    Paper for your answers, numbered 1 to 20

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write in soft pencil.

Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.

There are twenty questions on this paper. Answer all questions. For each question there are four possible answers A, B, C and D.

Choose the one you consider correct and record your choice on a separate sheet of paper, numbered 1 to 20.

Each correct answer will score one mark. A mark will not be deducted for a wrong answer.

Any rough working should be done in this booklet.

A copy of the Data Sheet is printed on page 9.
A copy of the Periodic Table is printed on page 10.

The use of an approved scientific calculator is expected, where appropriate.

This document consists of 9 printed pages and 1 blank page.
NOT AN OFFICIAL EXAMINATION PAPER
Written for classroom practice from the topic frequencies in the chermistry theory-paper analysis. It follows the layout, wording and mark scheme conventions of the O-Level Science (Chemistry) papers but is not set, endorsed or marked by any examination board.
1Easy

Baking soda reacts with vinegar to form carbon dioxide gas.

A student measures the volume of gas given off every 30 s.

Which apparatus should be connected to the flask to measure the volume of gas?

A
B
C
D
2Easy

Steam irons work best with distilled water instead of tap water.

Tap water contains dissolved salts.

Which method is used to obtain distilled water from tap water?

AHeat the tap water, then cool the steam and collect the liquid that forms.
BHeat the tap water and collect the liquid that is left in the flask.
CPour the tap water through filter paper and collect the filtrate.
DHeat the tap water until it has all evaporated and collect the solid left behind.
3Medium

A cook wants to know which food colourings were used in a green icing.

The colourings in the icing are separated by paper chromatography and compared with four known food colourings, W, X, Y and Z.

icingWXYZ1234

Which spot is caused by a colouring that is not W, X, Y or Z?

A1
B2
C3
D4
4Easy

An atom of sodium has 11 protons, 12 neutrons and 11 electrons.

What are the proton number and the nucleon number of this atom?

A11 and 23
B11 and 34
C12 and 23
D23 and 11
5Medium

Carbon dioxide is dissolved in sparkling drinks.

The ‘dot-and-cross’ diagram shows the outer shell electrons only in a molecule of carbon dioxide.

OCOelectron from a carbon atomelectron from an oxygen atom

Which statement about the bonding in this molecule is correct?

AEach atom has gained electrons to form an ion.
BThe carbon atom shares two pairs of electrons with each oxygen atom, so every atom has eight outer electrons.
CThe carbon atom shares one pair of electrons with each oxygen atom.
DEach oxygen atom has the electronic configuration of a noble gas but the carbon atom does not.
6Medium

Which statement defines the relative atomic mass, Ar, of an element?

Athe mass of one atom of the element in grams
Bthe average mass of one atom of the element compared with one-twelfth of the mass of one atom of carbon-12
Cthe average mass of one atom of the element compared with the mass of one atom of carbon-12
Dthe total number of protons and neutrons in one atom of the element
7Easy

The ionic equation for a reaction is shown.

H+(aq) + OH−(aq) → H2O(l)

Which pair of substances reacts according to this equation?

Aammonium chloride and aqueous sodium hydroxide
Baqueous potassium hydroxide and dilute nitric acid
Caqueous sodium carbonate and dilute hydrochloric acid
Dzinc and dilute sulfuric acid
8Medium

Aluminium foil is coated with a thin layer of aluminium oxide.

Which row classifies aluminium oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide?

aluminium oxidecarbon dioxidecarbon monoxide
Aacidicacidicneutral
Bamphotericacidicacidic
Camphotericacidicneutral
Dbasicacidicneutral
9Medium

Four reactions are represented by equations.

Which equation represents a redox reaction?

ACaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) → CaCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)
BCa(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) → CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)
CNaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)
D4Fe(s) + 3O2(g) → 2Fe2O3(s)
10Easy

Which row is correct?

number of outer electronsmetal or non-metalatoms tend to
A2metalgain electrons
B3metallose electrons
C6metallose electrons
D7non-metallose electrons
11Medium

A student tests four metals, W, X, Y and Z, taken from old kitchen utensils.

The same mass of each metal is added to the same volume of dilute hydrochloric acid at the same temperature.

The time taken to collect 20 cm3 of hydrogen is measured.

The letters are not the chemical symbols.

metaltime taken / s
W30
X150
Yno gas collected
Z75

What is the order of increasing reactivity?

AW → X → Z → Y
BW → Z → X → Y
CY → X → Z → W
DY → Z → X → W
12Easy

Which statement about bioethanol is correct?

AIt is a renewable fuel because the plants used to make it can be grown again.
BIt is a non-renewable fuel because it is used up when it burns.
CIt is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years, like natural gas.
DIt is a hydrocarbon that is separated from crude oil.
13Medium

Some alkanes are used as fuels for cooking.

alkaneformulaboiling point / °C
methaneCH4−162
ethaneC2H6−89
propaneC3H8−42
butaneC4H10−1

Pentane, C5H12, is the next alkane in the series.

What is the most likely boiling point of pentane?

A−1 °C
B36 °C
C72 °C
D136 °C
14Easy

Propane and propene are hydrocarbons with three carbon atoms in each molecule.

Aqueous bromine is shaken separately with each hydrocarbon.

Propane does not change the colour of the aqueous bromine, but propene turns it from reddish-brown to colourless.

Which statement explains the difference?

APropane has fewer hydrogen atoms than propene, so it cannot react with bromine.
BPropane has a carbon–carbon double bond, so it is unsaturated and cannot react with bromine.
CPropene has only single bonds, so it is saturated and can react with bromine.
DPropene has a carbon–carbon double bond, so it is unsaturated and reacts with bromine.
15Medium

Which row describes margarine compared with the vegetable oil from which it is made?

state at room temperaturenumber of C=C bonds in each molecule
Aliquidfewer
Bliquidmore
Csolidfewer
Dsolidmore
16Medium

Ethanol is burned in some burners that keep food warm.

Which equation represents the complete combustion of ethanol?

AC2H5OH(l) + O2(g) → CH3CO2H(l) + H2O(l)
BC2H5OH(l) + O2(g) → CO2(g) + H2O(l)
CC2H5OH(l) + 2O2(g) → 2CO(g) + 3H2O(l)
DC2H5OH(l) + 3O2(g) → 2CO2(g) + 3H2O(l)
17Medium

Poly(propene) is used to make food containers.

Four statements about poly(propene) are listed.

1Propene is the monomer used to make poly(propene).
2Poly(propene) molecules are much larger than propene molecules.
3Poly(propene) molecules contain many carbon–carbon double bonds.
4Poly(propene) and poly(ethene) are made from the same monomer.

Which statements are correct?

A1 and 2
B1 and 4
C2 and 3
D3 and 4
18Easy

Plastic food containers and drink bottles from the kitchen are thrown away.

Which statement describes a pollution problem caused by non-biodegradable plastics?

AThey are broken down quickly by bacteria into poisonous substances.
BThey dissolve in rain water and make rivers acidic.
CThey rot and release large amounts of methane.
DThey are not broken down by bacteria, so waste plastic builds up in the environment.
19Easy

Which two gases are both atmospheric pollutants?

Aargon and nitrogen dioxide
Bcarbon monoxide and methane
Cmethane and oxygen
Dnitrogen and sulfur dioxide
20Medium

Four statements about air pollutants are listed.

1Methane dissolves in rain water to form acid rain.
2Carbon monoxide is toxic because it lowers the ability of the blood to carry oxygen.
3Acid rain makes the water in lakes and ponds less acidic.
4Sulfur dioxide can make breathing difficult for people.

Which statements are correct?

A1 and 2
B1 and 3
C2 and 4
D3 and 4

Data Sheet

Colours of Some Common Metal Hydroxides

aluminium hydroxidewhite
calcium hydroxidewhite
copper(II) hydroxidelight blue
iron(II) hydroxidegreen
iron(III) hydroxidered-brown
zinc hydroxidewhite
The Periodic Table of Elements

Group

1

2

 

13

14

15

16

17

18

 

 

 

Key

 

1

H

hydrogen

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

He

helium

4

3

Li

lithium

7

4

Be

beryllium

9

 

proton (atomic) number

atomic symbol

name

relative atomic mass

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

B

boron

11

6

C

carbon

12

7

N

nitrogen

14

8

O

oxygen

16

9

F

fluorine

19

10

Ne

neon

20

11

Na

sodium

23

12

Mg

magnesium

24

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Al

aluminium

27

14

Si

silicon

28

15

P

phosphorus

31

16

S

sulfur

32

17

Cl

chlorine

35.5

18

Ar

argon

40

19

K

potassium

39

20

Ca

calcium

40

21

Sc

scandium

45

22

Ti

titanium

48

23

V

vanadium

51

24

Cr

chromium

52

25

Mn

manganese

55

26

Fe

iron

56

27

Co

cobalt

59

28

Ni

nickel

59

29

Cu

copper

64

30

Zn

zinc

65

31

Ga

gallium

70

32

Ge

germanium

73

33

As

arsenic

75

34

Se

selenium

79

35

Br

bromine

80

36

Kr

krypton

84

37

Rb

rubidium

85

38

Sr

strontium

88

39

Y

yttrium

89

40

Zr

zirconium

91

41

Nb

niobium

93

42

Mo

molybdenum

96

43

Tc

technetium

–

44

Ru

ruthenium

101

45

Rh

rhodium

103

46

Pd

palladium

106

47

Ag

silver

108

48

Cd

cadmium

112

49

In

indium

115

50

Sn

tin

119

51

Sb

antimony

122

52

Te

tellurium

128

53

I

iodine

127

54

Xe

xenon

131

55

Cs

caesium

133

56

Ba

barium

137

57–71

lanthanoids

 

72

Hf

hafnium

178

73

Ta

tantalum

181

74

W

tungsten

184

75

Re

rhenium

186

76

Os

osmium

190

77

Ir

iridium

192

78

Pt

platinum

195

79

Au

gold

197

80

Hg

mercury

201

81

Tl

thallium

204

82

Pb

lead

207

83

Bi

bismuth

209

84

Po

polonium

–

85

At

astatine

–

86

Rn

radon

–

87

Fr

francium

–

88

Ra

radium

–

89–103

actinoids

 

104

Rf

rutherfordium

–

105

Db

dubnium

–

106

Sg

seaborgium

–

107

Bh

bohrium

–

108

Hs

hassium

–

109

Mt

meitnerium

–

110

Ds

darmstadtium

–

111

Rg

roentgenium

–

112

Cn

copernicium

–

113

Nh

nihonium

–

114

Fl

flerovium

–

115

Mc

moscovium

–

116

Lv

livermorium

–

117

Ts

tennessine

–

118

Og

oganesson

–

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lanthanoids

57

La

lanthanum

139

58

Ce

cerium

140

59

Pr

praseodymium

141

60

Nd

neodymium

144

61

Pm

promethium

–

62

Sm

samarium

150

63

Eu

europium

152

64

Gd

gadolinium

157

65

Tb

terbium

159

66

Dy

dysprosium

163

67

Ho

holmium

165

68

Er

erbium

167

69

Tm

thulium

169

70

Yb

ytterbium

173

71

Lu

lutetium

175

 

actinoids

89

Ac

actinium

–

90

Th

thorium

232

91

Pa

protactinium

231

92

U

uranium

238

93

Np

neptunium

–

94

Pu

plutonium

–

95

Am

americium

–

96

Cm

curium

–

97

Bk

berkelium

–

98

Cf

californium

–

99

Es

einsteinium

–

100

Fm

fermium

–

101

Md

mendelevium

–

102

No

nobelium

–

103

Lr

lawrencium

–

 

The volume of one mole of any gas is 24 dm3 at room temperature and pressure (r.t.p.).

The Avogadro constant, L = 6.02 × 1023 mol-1