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GCSEs Chem Paper 1 in 7 days (AQA)

How are you lot feeling about the upcoming chemistry paper? Do you all feel prepared?
What sort of marks do you get in ur higher chem past paper tests?

Reply 1

hqnnlr

I am going to get a 4 or 5 at most. I cannot do chemistry. It's the hardest science. Physics is logical and biology is just content you have to learn, but with chemistry it's just maths and intricate details and it's so confusing :frown:

Reply 2

SeanClark

Original post by hqnnlr

I am going to get a 4 or 5 at most. I cannot do chemistry. It's the hardest science. Physics is logical and biology is just content you have to learn, but with chemistry, it's just maths and intricate details and it's so confusing :frown:

Hmmm, i don't particularly agree. Chemistry has one topic on simple maths (Quantitative Chem). But Physics has maths for pretty much every topic (Energy, Radiation, Forces, Magnetism, Electricity etc.)
You seem to agree that Bio is learning facts, but ironically, so is Chem XD

Reply 3

sonny.jim

Original post by SeanClark

How are you lot feeling about the upcoming chemistry paper? Do you all feel prepared?

I am feeling more prepared than I am for any of my triple science papers, that’s for sure.

Original post by SeanClark

What sort of marks do you get in ur higher chem past paper tests?

I am likely to get a grade 8 overall.

Original post by hqnnlr

I somewhat agree with you on that one! Chemistry is an onerous, demanding subject. I can understand those less adept with maths having difficulty with the Quantitative Chemistry chapter (topic 3); however, it’s physics that is majority maths-based. I've had a love-hate relationship with physics for 3 years but chemistry has been an ongoing battle. Chemistry is tough, like it or not. I've only begun to enjoy it as I've started revising for my exams this month! If anything, it's revision that'll put me off a subject; not with chemistry—exactly the opposite!

Reply 4

BlueCactus16

Original post by SeanClark

How are you lot feeling about the upcoming chemistry paper? Do you all feel prepared?
What sort of marks do you get in ur higher chem past paper tests?

Im feeling OK for paper 1, its paper 2 im kind of scared about.usually I get around 80 for paper 1. I rlly want to take chemistry for a level.

Reply 5

LibertarianMP

What kind of grade boundaries has your school been using? - I think I'm doing rubbish on tests but I want to compare

Reply 6

razzy02

Original post by BlueCactus16

Im feeling OK for paper 1, its paper 2 im kind of scared about.usually I get around 80 for paper 1. I rlly want to take chemistry for a level.

same i think paper 2 is so much harder!

Reply 7

razzy02

Original post by LibertarianMP

What kind of grade boundaries has your school been using? - I think I'm doing rubbish on tests but I want to compare

for chemistry,
85% = 9
73 % = 8
that's roughly though, wbu?

Reply 8

SeanClark

Original post by sonny.jim

I am feeling more prepared than I am for any of my triple science papers, that’s for sure.

I am likely to get a grade 8 overall.

Original post by BlueCactus16

Im feeling OK for paper 1, its paper 2 im kind of scared about.usually I get around 80 for paper 1. I rlly want to take chemistry for a level.

Yeah, I guess, paper 1 is a lot easier. But rly, just revise your organic chemistry. AQA loves to hit us with organic chemistry questions XD. U shud be able to get in easily. I wanna do Physics A-Level

Reply 9

LibertarianMP

Original post by razzy02

for chemistry,
85% = 9
73 % = 8
that's roughly though, wbu?

I just did paper 1 specimen and got 47%. Absolutely hate Chem- wish I'd just done double science

Reply 10

SeanClark

Original post by razzy02

for chemistry,
85% = 9
73 % = 8
that's roughly though, wbu?

Tbh mate, its completely impossible to determine. It all depends on the end exam and how the country peforms. But in my complete opinion:
- 9 = 80%
- 8 = 69%
- 7 = 60%
- 6 = 55%
- 5 = 46%
- 4 = 35%

Although thats just a prediction, based on my teacher who has a reason for good prediction

Reply 11

BlueCactus16

Original post by SeanClark

To be honest, I'm more prepared for physics than chem, but I feel a bit weird about the chem exam, I need a 6, and I get around 77/100 on past papers, sometimes in the 80s. for both paper 1 and 2. it's probably more than enough for a 6 but i can't help but overthink it hahaha.

Yeah, I guess, paper 1 is a lot easier. But rly, just revise your organic chemistry. AQA loves to hit us with organic chemistry questions XD. U shud be able to get in easily. I wanna do Physics A-Level

Thank you! I need at least a 7 to get in. For physics you rlly just need to know equations and for me the hardest topics are waves and electromagnetism n all that.

Reply 12

SeanClark

Original post by LibertarianMP

I just did paper 1 specimen and got 47%. Absolutely hate Chem- wish I'd just done double science

So did I, i got 77%. All you have to do, is use Freesciencelessons and revise his playlists for paper 1, he goes really in depth and has helped me so much. Literally 2 months ago, i got exactly the same as you in the mock, 47%. But i just realised it was only quantitative chem, and energy changes i needed to know, just make sure you know what u dont know, and then learn it.

Reply 13

LibertarianMP

Original post by SeanClark

Thank you!

Reply 14

sonny.jim

Original post by SeanClark

Based on the marks you’re achieving on past papers, I think you’ll be able to get a grade 8 if you perform just as well in the actual exams. Those are my thoughts. Best of luck to you!

Reply 15

SeanClark

Original post by sonny.jim

Based on the marks you’re achieving on past papers, I think you’ll be able to get a grade 8 if you perform just as well in the actual exams. Those are my thoughts. Best of luck to you!

Appreciate it pal, u shud do just fine too!

Reply 16

Starra

For quantitative chemistry, all you really need are the triangles (e.g moles is mass divided by relative atomic mass)

mass
mr mols

This triangle is usually used for, except the obvious, empirical formula (work out moles of all elements, divide by smallest number to find ratio), balancing equations with moles (find moles of substances involved), and finding the limiting reactant (find moles of substances, evaluate which is smallest)

mols/mass
concentration (in mols/dm^3 or g/dm^3 depending on what you used up there ^) volume

This triangle is usually used, except the obvious, for titrations, and that's about it. My chemistry teacher tells us times, balance (the equation, to compensate for if it's not a 1:1 relationship between stuff), divide.

mass concentration
mr mols concentration
(notice the similarity here with the 1st triangle)
This one is usually used if they give you the mass of something in grams, then want the concentration in mols/dm^3. This would require use of all three triangles!

and then when doing isotopic abundances:
it's a mean. so do percentage * mr, and add all the different percentage * mr's that you have up, then divide by 100
e.g.
magnesium-24 79%
magnesium-25 10%
magnesium-26 11%

24 * 79 + 25 * 10 + 26 * 11
divided by 100
gives the relative atomic mass of magnesium.

And that's quantitive chemistry for you! :smile:

Extra bits:

Percentage yield - just like any other percentage. Small number over big number, times 100. Actual yield never exceeds predicted yield due to losses during the experiment (like when pouring a solution into a beaker) so this rule works.

Atom economy - another percentage. Total Mr (relative molecular mass) of desired product divided by total Mr of all reactants, times 100. Again, small over big!

Gases at room temp + pressure - given in the exam. For example, (any gas occupies 24dm^3 at RT+P), to find what volume 5 moles of Chlorine occupies, just do 5 * 24. Doesn't even matter that it's chlorine.

Avagadros constant - also given in the exam. One thing to note here though is that you never have to times by the number of atoms/ions in your compound. So, for H2O, take the constant as is, and DO NOT GO TIMESING IT BY 3. How many molecules of H2O are in 2 moles of it? Simples, just 6.02 x10^23 times 2. Also, when using standard form on a calculator, use the x10 button, don't type x 10 individually cause it messes it up a bit. Go find that button on your calculator right now if you don't know what I mean (it's near the equals).

Using moles to balance equations and limiting reactants are up with the mass/mr*moles triangle :smile:

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 17

SeanClark

Original post by Starra

For quantitative chemistry, all you really need are the triangles (e.g relative atomic mass is mass divided by moles)
mass
mr mols

mols/mass
concentration (in mols/dm^3 or g/dm^3 depending on what you used up there ^) volume

mass concentration
mr mols concentration
(notice the similarity here with the 1st triangle)

and then when doing isotopic abundances:
it's a mean. so do percentage * mr, and add all the different percentage * mr's that you have up, then divide by 100
e.g.
magnesium-24 79%
magnesium-25 10%
magnesium-26 11%

24 * 79 + 25 * 10 + 26 * 11
divided by 100
gives the relative atomic mass of magnesium.

And that's quantitive chemistry for you! :smile:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Relative atomic mass wud not have to be calculated, u get given a periodic table XD. You missed out percentage yield, atom economy, gases at room temp and pressure, avagadros constant, determining number of atoms using avagadros constant, using moles to balance equations and limiting reactants lol