CIE IGCSE Chemistry

Topic Questions

12.1 Experimental Techniques

11 mark

The diagram shows a burette and a measuring cylinder, both of which contain a liquid.

q1-easy-mcq-12-1-experimental-techniques-cie-igcse-chemistry

Which row shows the correct reading for both?

 

Burette

Measuring cylinder

A

18.4

34

B

18.4

56

C

17.8

34

D

17.8

56

Did this page help you?

21 mark

Measuring volumes of liquids is a fundamental aspect of experimental chemistry. The diagram shows three different pieces of apparatus used for this task.

q2-easy-mcq-12-1-experimental-techniques-cie-igcse-chemistry

Which row is correct?

 

1

2

3

A

burette

measuring cylinder

pipette

B

burette

pipette

measuring cylinder

C

pipette

measuring cylinder

burette

D

measuring cylinder

burette

pipette

Did this page help you?

31 mark

A student dissolved ammonium chloride in water when investigating energy changes in reactions.

Which terms best describes each substance?

  ammonium chloride water
A solute solvent
B solvent solution
C solution solvent
D solute solution

Did this page help you?

41 mark

A student prepared crystals of copper sulfate from copper carbonate and sulfuric acid.

The student separated the excess copper carbonate from the solution using filtration. 

What word describes the excess copper carbonate?

  • Residue

  • Filtrate

  • Solvent

  • Solution

Did this page help you?

51 mark

A student carries out a titration to determine the volume of hydrochloric acid needed to neutralise 25 cm3 of sodium hydroxide. 

She measured 25 cm3 sodium hydroxide into a conical flask. 

Which piece of equipment should she use to do this?

  • Burette

  • Measuring cylinder

  • Beaker

  • Pipette

Did this page help you?

11 mark

A student prepared crystals of potassium(II) chloride by the following method.

1

25.0 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid was accurately measured into a conical flask using a measuring cylinder

2

Aqueous potassium hydroxide was added from a burette until the solution was neutral

3 The solution was evaporated and the crystals washed with approximately 20 cm3 of water measured using a pipette

Which steps do not use the most appropriate piece of apparatus for the measurement taken?

  • 1, 2 and 3

  • 1 and 2 only

  • 1 and 3 only

  • 2 and 3 only

Did this page help you?

21 mark

A student prepared a solution of copper(II) sulfate by mixing dilute sulfuric acid with an excess of copper(II) oxide.

They filtered the mixture using the apparatus below.

12-1-q4-cie-igcse-mcq-experimental-techniques-hard

Which terms best describes each substance?

  Solvent Solute Filtrate Residue
A water copper(II) sulfate copper(II) sulfate solution copper(II) oxide
B dilute hydrochloric acid copper(II) oxide water copper(II) oxide
C water copper(II) sulfate solution copper(II) oxide copper(II) sulfate
D copper(II) sulfate solution water dilute hydrochloric acid water

Did this page help you?

31 mark

A student performed a titration to find the volume of hydrochloric acid required to neutralise 25.0 cm3 of sodium hydroxide using the following method.

  • Add a fixed volume of sodium hydroxide to a conical flask using a measuring cylinder
  • Add methyl orange indicator
  • Record the initial volume of hydrochloric acid in the burette 
  • Add hydrochloric acid from the burette into the conical flask until the indicator changes colour
  • Record the final volume of hydrochloric acid in the burette

Another student suggested the following changes.

1

Use a pipette to measure the sodium hydroxide

2

Use universal indicator as the indicator

3

Repeat the experiment until the results are concordant

4

Ensure that the initial volume of hydrochloric acid reads 0.00 cm3 on the burette

Which suggestions would improve the experiment?

  • 1 and 2

  • 1 and 3

  • 2 and 3

  • 3 and 4

Did this page help you?

41 mark

A student titrated sodium carbonate solution against 25 cm3 of hydrochloric acid. 

They used methyl orange as an indicator.

What is the colour changed observed at the end point?

  • red to yellow

  • yellow to orange

  • yellow to red

  • red to orange

Did this page help you?

51 mark

Why is it important to fill the space below the tap in a burette with acid or alkali before beginning a titration?

  • To give a more accurate result

  • The burette's scale does not include this volume

  • To give concordant results

  • An incorrect volume would be recorded

Did this page help you?

11 mark

A student wants to investigate the rate of reaction between marble chips and hydrochloric acid by measuring the volume of carbon dioxide produced with different concentrations of acid.

The equation for the reaction is as follows:

2 HCl + MgCO3 → MgCl2 + CO2 + H2O

Which of the following lists of equipment can she use to measure the volume of the gas produced?

  • Gas syringe, cotton wool, bung, delivery tube

  • Gas syringe, conical flask, bung, delivery tube

  • Gas syringe, beaker, bung, balance

  • Balloon, conical flask, stopper, balance

Did this page help you?

21 mark

The steps below are for an acid-base titration. 

1 Record the final volume of hydrochloric acid in the burette
2 Add hydrochloric acid from the burette into the conical flask until the indicator changes colour
3 Record the initial volume of hydrochloric acid in the burette 
4 Add a fixed volume of sodium hydroxide to a conical flask using a pipette 
5 Add indicator

What is the correct order of these steps?

  • 3  →  4 →  2  →  5  → 1

  • 4  →  3 →  2  →  1  → 5 

  • 4  →  5 →  3  →  2  → 1 

  • 5  →  3 →  2  →  1  → 4

Did this page help you?

31 mark

A student is following the written procedure for an experiment. The instruction states:

'Quickly add 25 cm3 of sodium hydroxide'

Which piece of apparatus would be most suitable to use?

  • Burette

  • Conical flask

  • Measuring cylinder

  • Volumetric pipette

Did this page help you?

41 mark

W, X, Y and Z are pieces of laboratory apparatus.

12-1-q2-cie-igcse-mcq-experimental-techniques-hard

Which row describes the most appropriate use of the apparatus for the measurement taken?

  Apparatus Measurement taken
A W  0.5 cm3 of acid to add to marble chips in a rate of reaction investigation
B X  20 cm3 of sodium hydroxide for use in a titration
C Y  26.70 cm3 of hydrochloric acid added to sodium hydroxide in a titration
D Z  85 cm3 of gas given off in a rate of reaction investigation

Did this page help you?

51 mark

A student decided to investigate the rate of reaction between marble chips and dilute hydrochloric acid at 35 oC. 

She had access to the following apparatus:

W a balance

X a thermometer

Y a measuring cylinder

Z a stopwatch

Which pieces of apparatus did she use?

  • X, Y and Z only

  • W, Y and Z only

  • W, X and Z only

  • W, X, Y and Z

Did this page help you?