chermistry.com
Practice paper written from an analysis of every
O-Level Chemistry paper, 2009–2026
Paper 1 Multiple Choice
FORECAST PAPER · SET 5 Easy
For practice before the 2026 examination
1 hour
Additional Materials: Paper for your answers, numbered 1 to 40
Write in soft pencil.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
There are forty 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 40.
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 Periodic Table is printed on page 16.
The use of an approved scientific calculator is expected, where appropriate.
Sports drink powder is made up by dissolving it in water.
A student investigates how the temperature of the water affects the time taken for 5 g of the powder to dissolve in 100 cm3 of water.
Which row shows the apparatus used to measure the time taken, the temperature of the water and the volume of the water?
| time taken | temperature of the water | volume of the water | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | stopwatch | thermometer | measuring cylinder |
| B | stopwatch | measuring cylinder | thermometer |
| C | thermometer | stopwatch | measuring cylinder |
| D | stopwatch | thermometer | gas syringe |
Salt tablets for runners are made of sodium chloride.
A batch of the salt is accidentally mixed with chalk powder (calcium carbonate).
Sodium chloride dissolves in water but calcium carbonate does not.
Four steps for obtaining crystals of sodium chloride from the mixture are listed in the wrong order.
Which is the correct order of the steps?
Cotton wool soaked in ammonia solution is placed in one end of a long glass tube. At the same moment, cotton wool soaked in hydrochloric acid is placed in the other end. Both ends are then sealed.
Ammonia gas and hydrogen chloride gas spread along the tube. A white solid forms where the two gases meet.
At which position does the white solid form?
Which row gives the relative charge and the approximate relative mass of the particle?
| particle | relative charge | relative mass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | proton | −1 | 1 |
| B | neutron | 0 | 1 / 1840 |
| C | electron | +1 | 1 / 1840 |
| D | electron | −1 | 1 / 1840 |
Iron is found in haemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of an athlete.
An atom of iron has 26 protons, 30 neutrons and 26 electrons.
What are the proton number and the nucleon number of this atom?
Magnesium ions are needed for muscles to work.
An atom of magnesium has a proton number of 12.
Which row describes the formation of a magnesium ion?
| change in the number of electrons | charge on the ion | noble gas with the same electronic configuration as the ion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | loses 2 | 2+ | neon |
| B | gains 2 | 2− | argon |
| C | loses 2 | 2+ | argon |
| D | gains 6 | 6− | argon |
Chlorine is added to drinking water to kill bacteria.
Which statement describes the bonding in a molecule of chlorine, Cl2?
Muscles use oxygen from the air during exercise.
The diagrams show only the outer shell electrons.
Which diagram shows a molecule of oxygen, O2?
Dumbbells are made of iron.
Which diagram represents the structure of a metal such as iron?
Mineral supplements for athletes contain salts of sodium, potassium and magnesium.
Which row gives the correct symbols for these three elements?
| sodium | potassium | magnesium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Na | K | Mg |
| B | So | K | Mg |
| C | Na | P | Mg |
| D | Na | K | Mn |
A doctor tests a sample of sweat for chloride ions by adding dilute nitric acid and aqueous silver nitrate.
A white precipitate of silver chloride forms.
Which equation, with state symbols, represents the formation of the precipitate?
An athlete drinks 18 g of water.
Which statement is correct?
Zinc oxide is used in sunscreen to protect the skin of people who exercise outdoors.
It can be made by heating zinc carbonate strongly.
What mass of zinc oxide, in g, is formed when 0.50 mol of zinc carbonate is heated strongly?
The table shows the pH of four liquids.
| liquid | pH |
|---|---|
| stomach juice | 1.5 |
| sports drink | 3.5 |
| water | 7.0 |
| soap solution | 10.0 |
Which statements are correct?
Solid ammonium chloride is mixed with solid calcium hydroxide in a test tube and the mixture is warmed.
A gas is given off. A piece of damp red litmus paper is held at the mouth of the test tube.
Which row is correct?
| gas given off | damp red litmus paper | |
|---|---|---|
| A | hydrogen chloride | stays red |
| B | hydrogen chloride | turns blue |
| C | ammonia | stays red |
| D | ammonia | turns blue |
Patients swallow a suspension of barium sulfate before an X-ray of the stomach.
Barium sulfate is insoluble in water.
Which compound is also insoluble in water?
Nitrogen and hydrogen react to form ammonia in a reversible reaction.
A closed container holds 1.0 mol of nitrogen and 4.0 mol of hydrogen, with a catalyst. After some time the amounts of the three gases stop changing.
Which row shows the amounts of the gases that could be in the container?
| amount of N2 / mol | amount of H2 / mol | amount of NH3 / mol | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| B | 0.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 |
| C | 0.5 | 3.0 | 1.0 |
| D | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
Aqueous ammonia is added drop by drop, and then in excess, to aqueous copper(II) sulfate.
What is observed?
Hydrogen is passed over heated copper(II) oxide.
Which statements about the reaction are correct?
Iron(II) sulfate tablets are taken to treat a shortage of iron in the blood.
If the tablets are stored in air they slowly turn brown because iron(II) ions are changed into iron(III) ions.
Which row describes the iron?
| oxidation state of iron | electrons | iron is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | decreases | gained | reduced |
| B | decreases | lost | oxidised |
| C | increases | gained | reduced |
| D | increases | lost | oxidised |
The copper wire used in the heart-rate sensor of a fitness watch must be very pure.
Impure copper is purified by electrolysis, using aqueous copper(II) sulfate as the electrolyte.
Which statement is correct?
A student makes simple cells from a strip of copper and a strip of metal X in a sports drink, which contains dissolved salts. Each cell is joined by wires to a voltmeter, which shows a reading.
A different metal X is used in each cell, and every metal X is more reactive than copper. The table shows the voltage of each cell.
| metal X | voltage / V |
|---|---|
| P | 1.10 |
| Q | 0.46 |
| R | 2.71 |
| S | 0.78 |
Which metal X is the most reactive?
The table shows the proton numbers of four elements. The letters are not the chemical symbols.
| element | proton number |
|---|---|
| W | 17 |
| X | 8 |
| Y | 19 |
| Z | 16 |
Which row shows the two elements in the same group and the two elements in the same period?
| same group | same period | |
|---|---|---|
| A | W and Y | X and Z |
| B | X and Z | W and Z |
| C | X and Z | W and Y |
| D | W and Z | X and Z |
A teacher adds a small piece of each of lithium, sodium and potassium to water in separate troughs. The metals are labelled P, Q and R, in no particular order. All three metals float on the water. The table shows what is seen.
| metal | observations |
|---|---|
| P | moves slowly on the surface, fizzes gently and stays solid |
| Q | moves quickly, melts into a ball and the hydrogen burns with a flame |
| R | moves quickly, fizzes rapidly and melts into a ball, but there is no flame |
Which row identifies the metals?
| P | Q | R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | lithium | potassium | sodium |
| B | lithium | sodium | potassium |
| C | sodium | lithium | potassium |
| D | potassium | sodium | lithium |
A factory welds steel frames for gym equipment in an atmosphere of argon gas, which does not react with the hot metal.
Each circle represents one atom. A white circle and a grey circle are atoms of different elements.
Which diagram shows the particles in argon gas?
The table shows some properties of four metals. The letters are not the chemical symbols.
| metal | melting point / °C | density / g per cm3 | colour of its compounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | 98 | 0.97 | white |
| Q | 660 | 2.70 | white |
| R | 1538 | 7.87 | coloured |
| S | 842 | 1.55 | white |
Which metal is a transition element?
A student heats a sample of green copper(II) carbonate strongly.
Which row describes what is seen and the gas given off?
| colour change of the solid | gas given off | |
|---|---|---|
| A | green to black | carbon dioxide |
| B | green to black | oxygen |
| C | green to white | carbon dioxide |
| D | green to white | oxygen |
A cold pack for sports injuries has citric acid and sodium hydrogencarbonate in separate compartments. When the pack is squeezed they mix in water and react, and the temperature falls from 25 °C to 15 °C.
Which row describes the reaction?
| type of reaction | ΔH | |
|---|---|---|
| A | exothermic | negative |
| B | exothermic | positive |
| C | endothermic | negative |
| D | endothermic | positive |
Three students each add 0.10 g of magnesium to 50 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid and measure the time taken for all the magnesium to react. The acid is the same in every experiment.
The table shows the results.
| experiment | form of magnesium | temperature of acid / °C | time taken / s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ribbon | 20 | 240 |
| 2 | powder | 20 | 50 |
| 3 | ribbon | 40 | 95 |
Which statement explains why the magnesium reacts faster in experiment 3 than in experiment 1?
Fraction X from crude oil can be burned as a fuel for a team bus or used as a source of chemicals for making the plastics in running shoes.
Which row is correct?
| how fraction X is obtained from crude oil | effect of burning more of fraction X as a fuel | |
|---|---|---|
| A | by separating hydrocarbons with different boiling points | less is left for making plastics |
| B | by separating hydrocarbons with different boiling points | the amount left for making plastics is unchanged |
| C | by breaking down large hydrocarbon molecules | less is left for making plastics |
| D | by breaking down large hydrocarbon molecules | the amount left for making plastics is unchanged |
A bus takes a sports team on a journey of 100 km.
For each kilometre, the bus releases 1.2 kg of carbon dioxide from its exhaust when it burns bioethanol made from sugarcane. The sugarcane used to make the fuel for one kilometre took in 1.0 kg of carbon dioxide from the air as it grew, and the factory that made the bioethanol released a further 0.3 kg of carbon dioxide for each kilometre.
What is the net mass of carbon dioxide added to the air by the 100 km journey?
Which statement describes two compounds that are isomers?
Which structure shows propene?
Methanol, ethanol and propanol are the first three members of the homologous series of alcohols.
Three statements about these alcohols are listed.
Which statements are correct?
Ethanol is an ingredient of the hand sanitiser gels used in gyms.
One industrial method makes ethanol from ethene, with a catalyst, at a high temperature and pressure.
Which equation represents this method?
Polymers are used to make the soles of running shoes.
Each circle represents a monomer unit. A white circle and a grey circle are different monomers.
Which diagram represents a polymer?
The caps of sports drink bottles are made from poly(ethene), which is formed by the addition polymerisation of ethene, C2H4.
Aqueous bromine is added to separate samples of ethene and of poly(ethene).
Which row is correct?
| ethene | poly(ethene) | |
|---|---|---|
| A | bromine is decolourised | bromine is decolourised |
| B | bromine stays orange | bromine stays orange |
| C | bromine is decolourised | bromine stays orange |
| D | bromine stays orange | bromine is decolourised |
Drinks bottles made from the polyester PET can be recycled by depolymerisation. Waste PET is heated with water and an acid catalyst, which breaks the polymer down into its monomers.
Part of the structure of PET is shown.
The hatched and open rectangles each represent part of a molecule.
Which row is correct?
| type of link broken | compound formed from the hatched part | compound formed from the open part | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ester | alcohol | carboxylic acid |
| B | ester | carboxylic acid | alcohol |
| C | amide | amine | carboxylic acid |
| D | amide | carboxylic acid | amine |
A diver's cylinder is filled with dry air.
Which row shows the most abundant gas in dry air and its approximate percentage by volume?
| gas | percentage by volume | |
|---|---|---|
| A | nitrogen | 21% |
| B | nitrogen | 78% |
| C | oxygen | 21% |
| D | oxygen | 78% |
Runners in a city marathon breathe in air polluted by traffic and by a nearby power station.
Which row is correct?
| gas that dissolves in rain to form acid rain | gas that reduces the oxygen carried by the blood | |
|---|---|---|
| A | carbon monoxide | nitrogen dioxide |
| B | carbon monoxide | sulfur dioxide |
| C | nitrogen dioxide | sulfur dioxide |
| D | sulfur dioxide | carbon monoxide |
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