[mynamee]

I just wanted to open a thread to discuss the 'AQA Unit 1 Chemistry exam (CHEM1)'
Feel free to share notes/tips/materials/questions and thoughts on the exam.

DATE OF EXAM: 15th May 2012 - 1h 15m - PM



How are you guys revising?

I've attached the two newest past papers and mark schemes to get the ball rolling...

[Doctor.]

The January 2012 paper was v.different from every past paper so make sure you know everything and are able to apply it!

[mynamee]

That's why I did terribly! My plan is just to revise, revise, revise...
How did you do in CHEM1 in January?

[Doctor.]

(Original post by mynamee)
That's why I did terribly! My plan is just to revise, revise, revise...
How did you do in CHEM1 in January?

I did OK on it but it was really just one of them papers where you have to be ready for it! Don't think anyone expected it lol.

To some degree I think if you read the question really carefully you'd be able to pick marks

[louistoffee]

eek. did a practise paper and got a generous 50/70 on chem1 which is about 75UMS, time to do some more revision. some stupid mistakes with some minor details not learned. hope that the chem1 in may has low boundaries so those prone to error amongst us don't suffer too much.

[Jcon1]

This is the most valuable advice from me at this moment. The past papers are based on an older system or so it appears, one that is primarily based around definition work, yet the January 2012 paper sat, was based only on application, with the last 2 questions based also on theory of application (ie: Mass Spectrometry 5 marker and several maths application and towards the start, application and uses of trends and shape/bonding application). So be wary that whilst past papers are awesome revision tools to show what you should learn EXTRA, you should bear in mind to go over application in Chem1/2 extensively for June and use past papers to figure out weaknesses and to resolve said weaknesses. With all that said, i got a U . GoodLuck people on May 15 2012.
(edit: first test ever in Chemistry, Unit 1 Jan2012, i got a high percentage U, regardless i have put in the effort to hopefully pass and get a high grade, unlike the mistake of cramming in 1-2 days in January 11-12 for 13th exam. Good Luck people.

[cuckoo99]

cheers to the OP for starting this thread and for those past papers, you are a star i got a D so im resiting hoping for atleast a B this time.

(Original post by Jcon1)
This is the most valuable advice from me at this moment. The past papers are based on an older system or so it appears, one that is primarily based around definition work, yet the January 2012 paper sat, was based only on application, with the last 2 questions based also on theory of application (ie: Mass Spectrometry 5 marker and several maths application and towards the start, application and uses of trends and shape/bonding application). So be wary that whilst past papers are awesome revision tools to show what you should learn EXTRA, you should bear in mind to go over application in Chem1/2 extensively for June and use past papers to figure out weaknesses and to resolve said weaknesses. With all that said, i got a U . GoodLuck people on May 15 2012.
(edit: first test ever in Chemistry, Unit 1 Jan2012, i got a high percentage U, regardless i have put in the effort to hopefully pass and get a high grade, unlike the mistake of cramming in 1-2 days in January 11-12 for 13th exam. Good Luck people.

ye nice observation, my teacher basicaly said to me that what didnt come up in the last paper will most probly come up this time and that the topics they focused on in th exam will be less focused on this time round. unlucky on geting that U, quite a few of my mates got U's aswell :/

[mynamee]

Does anybody know any decent revision sites/sources/notes for bonding I'm really struggling.

Especially on those questions which ask for the strongest bond between a molecules...
I've forgotten everything *facepalm*

[Besakt]

I'm retaking this exam maybe I can get a few more marks this time. And not leave careless errors.

[slobo95]

s-cool.co.uk

[Besakt]

(Original post by cuckoo99)
ye nice observation, my teacher basicaly said to me that what didnt come up in the last paper will most probly come up this time and that the topics they focused on in th exam will be less focused on this time round. unlucky on geting that U, quite a few of my mates got U's aswell :/

Personally I think that is terrible advice. You should not hedge your bets. Revise everything.

[Yumnaarrhhh]

(Original post by Jcon1)
This is the most valuable advice from me at this moment. The past papers are based on an older system or so it appears, one that is primarily based around definition work, yet the January 2012 paper sat, was based only on application, with the last 2 questions based also on theory of application (ie: Mass Spectrometry 5 marker and several maths application and towards the start, application and uses of trends and shape/bonding application). So be wary that whilst past papers are awesome revision tools to show what you should learn EXTRA, you should bear in mind to go over application in Chem1/2 extensively for June and use past papers to figure out weaknesses and to resolve said weaknesses. With all that said, i got a U . GoodLuck people on May 15 2012.
(edit: first test ever in Chemistry, Unit 1 Jan2012, i got a high percentage U, regardless i have put in the effort to hopefully pass and get a high grade, unlike the mistake of cramming in 1-2 days in January 11-12 for 13th exam. Good Luck people.

Thank youu, I will bear all of this in mind..I got a U for this paper too
No more cramming 2 days before!!

[cuckoo99]

(Original post by Besakt)
Personally I think that is terrible advice. You should not hedge your bets. Revise everything.

why is it .... check the exam past papers and you will see a trend .....

[Besakt]

(Original post by cuckoo99)
why is it .... check the exam past papers and you will see a trend .....

The Jan '12 paper never fit the trend whats to say this one will.

[cuckoo99]

(Original post by Besakt)
The Jan '12 paper never fit the trend whats to say this one will.

check the how much amount of substance content there is in june 2011 compared to jan 2012 and you will see ....

[Jcon1]

(Original post by cuckoo99)
check the how much amount of substance content there is in june 2011 compared to jan 2012 and you will see ....

June 2011 has absolutely tonnes of Substance content. Jan 2012 had barely any Amount of Substance content, apart from 2-3 questions, the whole Jan 2012 was all application and the June 2011 was not, it was almost only substance.

[mynamee]

To be honest, I know it was application.

But, I think if you knew the content it wasn't difficult to apply.
I think the trick is to just know all the content and do all the past papers...

[cuckoo99]

indeed but i bet they will focus on topics that havent been seen for a while e.g electronegativity, polarity, ionisation energy deffinitions(1st or 2nd) probly a question on ionic bonding/ metallic and prob 12-15 marks didicated to amount of substance compared to 8-10 marks in the jan 2012. and as always mass spec always comes up as they need to have atleast some analytical chemistry in there. obviously this is just my estimation.... they might just focus on organic again but its highly unlikely

Edit: oh and lets not forget the lovely 3 mark periodicity questions wasn't that many of them last time

[Doctor.]

(Original post by cuckoo99)
indeed but i bet they will focus on topics that havent been seen for a while e.g electronegativity, polarity, ionisation energy deffinitions(1st or 2nd) probly a question on ionic bonding/ metallic and prob 12-15 marks didicated to amount of substance compared to 8-10 marks in the jan 2012. and as always mass spec always comes up as they need to have atleast some analytical chemistry in there. obviously this is just my estimation.... they might just focus on organic again but its highly unlikely

Edit: oh and lets not forget the lovely 3 mark periodicity questions wasn't that many of them last time

Definitions? I don't really think so tbh. The focus of the last exam was applying, so I think they will stick with that. May there will be a few common definitions though .

Although I do think you're right about the bit in bold!

There isn't much organic they can focus on really, I think that part of the exam will be smaller tbh

(Original post by mynamee)
To be honest, I know it was application.

But, I think if you knew the content it wasn't difficult to apply.
I think the trick is to just know all the content and do all the past papers...

I think it was more to do with people panicking when they saw the first few questions and just gave up as a result. Specially when people know that grades boundaries are pretty high for this exam usually. I was like WTF? Then decided to do the last pages and work my way towards the front


Good luck people

[cuckoo99]

(Original post by Doctor.)
Definitions? I don't really think so tbh. The focus of the last exam was applying, so I think they will stick with that. May there will be a few common definitions though .

Although I do think you're right about the bit in bold!

There isn't much organic they can focus on really, I think that part of the exam will be smaller tbh



I think it was more to do with people panicking when they saw the first few questions and just gave up as a result. Specially when people know that grades boundaries are pretty high for this exam usually. I was like WTF? Then decided to do the last pages and work my way towards the front


Good luck people

There was 2-3 pages of organic chemistry in january so i doubt they will be doing the same thing in may ;p. as for the definition of ionisation energy i think there is a high chance it will come up as it is a legit part of the syllabus which hasnt come up in exams for a while. how come ya dont agree with me on the electronegativity bit and polarity etc? they could ask you to define electronegaitvy/ ask for trends in electronegativity etc etc
Good luck to you too are you doing this exam again? and are you doing the chem2 exam aswell?