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UPDATED TO 2019-21 SYLLABUS

CAIE AS LEVEL
CHEMISTRY (9701)
SUMMARIZED NOTES ON THE PRACTICAL SYLLABUS
CAIE AS LEVEL CHEMISTRY (9701)

values.
Always read the bottom meniscus of the burette and
1. Errors ensure the burette does not have any air bubbles to
remove the jet space.
smallest div. Tap it to free air bubbles.
Estimated error = N o. of readings ×
2 Open the tap to fill the jet space.
​

Estimated Error
% U ncertainty = ​

Reading
Random error: usually result from the experimenter's
inability to take consistent measurements e.g. in the
disappearing cross experiment. It is often due to a
problem which persists throughout the entire experiment Always swirl the conical flask.
e.g. random fluctuations in room temperature. Use a white tile underneath to observe any colour
Systematic error: usually caused by measuring incorrectly change.
calibrated apparatus or incorrectly used apparatus e.g. Titration ends when any colour change is permanent.
thermometers that consistently read 1∘ C above the
actual temperature, or reading volumes consistently from
the wrong part of the meniscus.

2. Accuracy
Apparatus Smallest division Max Error
Burette 0.05cm3 0.1cm3
Pipette (25cm3 ) 0.06cm3
Volumetric Flask (250cm3 ) 0.2cm3
In your second titration attempt (after the rough titre),

3. Titrations adjust the burette tap so that it dispenses drop-wise

when the reading is near the end-point to find the exact
titre value.
Burette has to be written to 2 DP. Titration table should look like this:
Two best titres must be within 0.1 cm3 of each other
If first two titres are within 0.1 cm3 then no need for the 0.00
Initial Burette
3rd titre (It must never start from 0.00 0.00
Reading/ cm3
Repeat and find the average titre volume with total 50 cm3)
spread of not more than 0.20 cm3 . Final Burette Reading/
cm3
Use of a Burette
Advantages Disadvantage Titre/ cm3
Takes longer to add the Best Results (add tick here)
Lower error
reagent
More accurately calibrated
4. Temperature
Clean all apparatus properly with distilled water prior
starting the experiments. Record to nearest 0.5°C when thermometer calibrated
Whilst pipetting, the tip of the pipette should be placed in 1°C intervals
against the wall of the container. In this way, droplets of Record to nearest 0.1°C when thermometer calibrated
the solvent will not spill out of the container. in 0.2°C intervals.
Clean the walls with distilled water to ensure you If one procedure has a greater temperature change, it
include all moles of solution. has higher accuracy due to lower percentage error.
Add indicator as per the instructions. Add too much,
and you would get incorrect results.
Clean burette and pipette with solution, but not 5. Conversions
volumetric and conical flask as it will give inaccurate

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1000cm3 = 1dm3 = 0.001m3

8. Salt Analysis
o o
0 C = 273 K
If acid added to a salt produces effervescence, carbonate
1cm3 of water = 1g ion is present, so write “effervescence produced turns
limewater milky”.
1KJ = 1000J
Label your test tubes.
Cover the mouth of the test tube with your thumb to
6. Graphs and Tables sense presence of gas.
Do not add solutions more than that is required. If the
question says to add 1cm3 of X solution, add roughly
When finding gradient, always use a triangle with
hypotenuse greater than half of the line. around that amount.
When testing for cations using NaOH and N H3 ,
Label axis with quantity and unit.
​

Plot graph with a fine cross or encircle dots. mention the observations when excess of these are
For each heading in a table, write the quantity measured added.
with the unit separated with a slash. If there are series of colour changes observed, mention
Keep significant figures consistent in values in a table. all of the colours.
Make only one table of result for each question.
Circle anomalous results and exclude them from 8.2. Test for Gases: techniques
calculations.
The line of best fit drawn should ignore anomalous N H3 : Damp a red litmus paper with distilled water and
​

results. keep it near the mouth of the tube. Do not let it touch the
Ensure your graph covers greater than half the page. test tube. It should turn blue.
Points must be within half a small square of the correct SO2 : Smells like rotten eggs.
​

position. There’s a number of ways to test this:

You could dip a paper in Potassium dichromate

7. Practical Skills and watch its colour turn from orange to green.
If you were to pipe the gas to a solution of
Potassium Permanganate, it would turn from pink
7.1. Measuring a Quantity to colourless.
If you dipped damp blue litmus paper, it would
Temperature Use a thermocouple turn red.
Use burette N O2 : the test tube turns pale brown and disappears if
​

Volume you remove your thumb.

If 25cm3 use pipette
Mass Use electronic scale
8.3. Test for ions: techniques
Repeat and average values
If you are confused between iron (II) and chromium
precipitate, keep an eye out for brown precipitate on the
7.2. Thermal Experiments surface of the solution. If present, then it is Fe .
2+

If you are confused between Ba2+ and N H41+ , heat it. If

Insulate container to stop thermal conduction
​

N H41+ , ammonia gas will be given out. If you add sulfuric

Use a lid to seal container to stop thermal convection
​

acid to it and it forms white precipitate, then it is barium

When heating a hydrated salt, heat to constant mass
ion.
Manganese ions have white precipitate that turns brown
7.3. How to Collect CO2 ​

in contact with air.

It’s a good idea to revise the solubility table to confirm
what the precipitate is.
If the observations are like the ones mentioned in the
Qualitative Analysis Notes at the back of your paper, use
that description in the answer.
A general salt analysis table:

Reagent Observation
Water vapour condenses in the water trough
NaOH
Ensure there’s no air bubbles in the gas jar when setting
up the apparatus. Excess

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Reagent Observation Appearance of product/change in concentration of

product
N H4
Disappearance of reactants/change in mass
​

Excess
Unit: 1/time (s−1 )
Finding gradient of a concentration-time graph
9. Enthalphy Change The higher the gradient (the steeper the graph),
the higher the rate of reaction.
The gradient of the graph decreases with time;
Temperature is measured in 1 decimal places and units
thus, rate is inversely proportional to time.
given in degree Celsius.
When measuring masses, a table with values in 2 D.P .
must be setup. For example:

Mass of the container + mass of the lid /g

Mass of the container + mass of the lid + the sample /g
Mass of the container + mass of the lid + residue/g
Mass of sample used /g
A general rates table for investigation effect of
concentration on rates:
All the data must have the same number of decimal
places. Vol of Rate of
Use the equation Q = mcΔT for heat released: Experiment Vol of distilled Reaction
reagent/ reaction/
M is mass of the total mixture number 3 water/ cm3 time/s −1
cm s
Assuming mass is equivalent to volume where 1g
is 1 cm3
Replace the IV columns with other factors that affect rate
C is specific heat capacity (assuming it’s the same as
depending on the question.
water i.e. 4.12)
Take a minimum of 3 experimental readings.
ΔT is temperature change Ensure all other variables are kept constant so that any
No incomplete combustion of fuel occurs
change in rate is caused by the IV.
Density of the solution is the same as water
Units in J mol−1 To improve rate of reaction:
Increase the concentration of a reactant.
To calculate enthalpy change: Increase the temperature of the reactants.
Use the equation ΔH = Q/mol Increase the surface area of a reactant.
Units: KJmol−1 , so divide heat released (Q) by Add a catalyst to the reaction.
1000.
Enthalpy graphs
To find max temp change via extrapolation: 11. Modifications
How do repeats improve the reliability of errors?
Shows consistent results
Proves/shows values or trend is similar
Eliminates anomalous results
How can you make sure a reagent is in excess?
If solid in excess, then solid remains at the bottom
If liquid (e.g. acid in excess), then all of the solid
Exothermic graphs: dissolves.

Problem Solution
$CO_{2}$ dissolved in a Heat solution to drive off
solution $CO_{2}$
Use smaller surface area of
$CO_{2}$ escapes
substance
Unequal distribution of heat Stir
10. Rates of reaction Extra/thicker lagging
Heat loss Use a lid
To calculate rate:
Use a vacuum flask

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Problem Solution Problem Solution

Measurement of volume Use a burette/pipette Use an electronic
Identification of colour thermometer to avoid
Use of colorimeter parallax error
change
Use of a thermostatic water Uncertainty in graph
Repeat/extra readings
bath intersection/ line of best fit
Switch off the air conditioning Water present in hydrated
Heat to constant mass
Clean dry salt crystals
thermometer/container
Temperature fluctuations
Make sure thermometer
doesn’t touch walls of
container
Use a stirrer to ensure even
distribution of heat.
Measurement of Use a thermometer with a
temperature smaller scale division

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Chemistry (9701)

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