EXAM QUESTIONS

AQA TRILOGY

RATE AND EXTENT OF

CHEMICAL CHANGES

Q1-6 FOUNDATON

Q3-9 HIGHER

MARK SCHEME AT THE END OF

ALL THE QUESTIONS

Page 1 of 29
Q1.
A student investigated the effect of the size of marble chips on the rate of the reaction
between marble chips and hydrochloric acid.

This is the method used.

1.   Add 10.0 g of marble chips into the flask.

2.   Add 50 cm3 of hydrochloric acid and start a timer.
3.   Record the mass lost from the flask every 10 seconds.
4.   Repeat steps 1 to 3 with different sizes of marble chips.

Figure 1 shows the apparatus.

Figure 1

(a)  Draw one line from each type of variable to the correct example of the variable.

Type of variable Example of variable

Mass lost from flask

Independent Size of flask

Size of marble chips

Control Time taken

Volume of acid
(2)

(b)  The equation for the reaction is:

CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) CaCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

Name the three products.

1. ______________________________

2. ______________________________

3. ______________________________
(2)

(c)  Another student suggests putting some cotton wool in the top of the flask.

Page 2 of 29
 Suggest why this improves the investigation.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(d)  The reaction produces 1.6 g of gas in 30 seconds.

Calculate the mean rate of the reaction in the first 30 seconds.

Use the equation:

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Mean rate of reaction = _________________________

(1)

(e)  What is the unit for the mean rate of reaction calculated in part (d)?

Tick one box.

g g/s s s/g

(1)

(f)  The table below shows the student’s results.

Mass of gas produced in

Time in seconds
g

0 0.0

10 0.8

20 0.6

30 1.6

40 1.8

50 2.0

60 2.0

Plot the data from the table above on Figure 2

Draw a line of best fit.

Figure 2

Page 3 of 29
 (3)

(g)  Figure 3 shows a large marble chip and eight small marble chips.

Figure 3

The large marble chip has the same total volume as the eight small marble chips,
but a different surface area.

Why do the eight small marble chips react faster than the large marble chip?

Tick one box.

The eight small marble chips have a larger surface

area, so less frequent collisions.

The eight small marble chips have a larger surface

area, so more frequent collisions.

The eight small marble chips have a smaller surface

area, so less frequent collisions.

Page 4 of 29
 The eight small marble chips have a smaller surface
area, so more frequent collisions.
(1)
(Total 11 marks)

Q2.
A student investigated the rate of reaction of magnesium with dilute hydrochloric acid.

This is the method used.

1.   Add 50 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid to a conical flask.

2.   Add 0.2 g of magnesium ribbon to the dilute hydrochloric acid in the conical flask.
3.   Attach a gas syringe to the conical flask.
4.   Record the volume of gas in the gas syringe every 10 seconds.

The graph below shows the student’s results.

(a)  Calculate the mean rate of reaction in the first 10 seconds.

Use the graph above and the equation:

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Mean rate of reaction = ___________________

(2)

Page 5 of 29
 (b)  What is the unit for the mean rate of the reaction calculated in part (a)?

Tick one box.

cm3/s g/s s/cm3 s/g

(1)

(c)  Give two conclusions you can make about the reaction from 90 s to 120 s

Use the graph above.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

The student repeated the method using magnesium powder instead of magnesium ribbon.
All other variables were kept the same.

(d)  What is the independent variable in the investigation?

Tick one box.

Surface area of magnesium

Temperature of reaction

Volume of gas collected

Volume of hydrochloric acid

(1)

(e)  Sketch a line on the graph above to show the expected results for the experiment
using magnesium powder.
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q3.
A student investigated the effect of different catalysts on the decomposition of hydrogen
peroxide.

Figure 1 shows the apparatus the student used.

Page 6 of 29
 Figure 1

(a) Oxygen gas is produced.

Table 1 shows the student’s observations.

Table 1

Catalyst Observation

A lot of gas and hydrogen

Manganese dioxide peroxide bubbles up into gas
syringe

Potato Steady bubbles of gas

Copper oxide Few bubbles of gas

Sodium chloride Very few bubbles of gas

Which is the most useful catalyst?

Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Figure 2 shows the gas syringe during the investigation.

Figure 2

What is the volume of gas?

Page 7 of 29
 Tick one box.

52 cm3 55 cm3 70 cm3 75 cm3

(1)

(c) For one of the catalysts the student measures the volume of gas given off every 20
seconds for 2 minutes.

The volume of gas was zero at the start of the experiment.

The measured volumes of gas are:

23 cm3 42 cm3 59 cm3 72 cm3 80 cm3 88 cm3

Complete Table 2 to show these results.

Table 2

(4)

(d) Suggest why the readings might be lower than expected.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(e) The student did the experiment with four different catalysts.

Give two variables the student should keep constant.

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

Q4.
A student investigates how the concentration of an acid affects the rate of a reaction.

Page 8 of 29
This is the method used.

1. Put a 3 cm piece of magnesium ribbon into a conical flask.

2. Add 50 cm3 of 0.5 mol / dm3 hydrochloric acid to the flask.

3. Collect and measure the volume of gas produced at 10 second intervals.

4. Repeat with different concentrations of hydrochloric acid using the same length of
magnesium ribbon and volume of acid.

The student’s results are shown in the figure below.

(a) How do the results show that increasing the concentration of acid increases the rate
of reaction?

You must use data from the graph in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Page 9 of 29
 (b) Explain why the rate of reaction changes as the concentration of the acid increases.

You should answer in terms of particles.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(c) Student A said that the final volume of gas collected was lower for a concentration
of 0.5 mol dm3 because the reaction had not finished.

Student B said it was because all the acid had reacted.

Describe further experimental work the students could do to find out which student
was correct.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q5.
Sodium thiosulfate solution reacts with hydrochloric acid. As the reaction takes place the
solution slowly turns cloudy.

The diagram shows a method of measuring the rate of this reaction.

Page 10 of 29
A student used this method to study how changing the concentration of the sodium
thiosulfate solution alters the rate of this reaction.

The student used different concentrations of sodium thiosulfate solution. All the other
variables were kept the same.

The results of the experiments are shown on the graph below.

(a) (i) Draw a line of best fit on the graph.

(1)

(ii) Suggest two reasons why all of the points do not lie on the line of best fit.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

Page 11 of 29
 Concentration of sodium
thiosulfate solution in mol per dm3

(b) (i) In a conclusion to the experiment the student stated that:

‘The rate of this reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the

sodium thiosulfate.’

How does the graph support this conclusion?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Explain, in terms of particles, why the rate of reaction increases when the
concentration of sodium thiosulfate is increased.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

Q6.
A student studied the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction between hydrochloric

Page 12 of 29
acid and sodium thiosulphate.

• The student mixed 50 cm3 of a sodium thiosulphate solution and 5 cm3 of

hydrochloric acid in a flask.

• The flask was placed over a cross.

• The student timed how long after mixing the cross could no longer be seen.

(a) (i) Balance the chemical equation for this reaction.

Na2S2O3(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + SO2(g) + S(s)

(1)

(ii) What causes the cross to be seen no longer?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) A graph of the results is shown.

(i) What effect does temperature have on the rate of this reaction?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Explain why temperature has this effect on the rate of reaction.

Page 13 of 29
 ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q7.
The apparatus shown in the diagram was used to investigate the rate of reaction of
excess marble chips with dilute hydrochloric acid, HCl. Marble is calcium carbonate,
formula CaCO3. The salt formed is calcium chloride, CaCl2.

(a) Write a balanced equation for the reaction.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

The following results were obtained from the experiment.

Time in Reading on balance

minutes in g

0.5 269.6

1.0 269.3

2.0 269.0

3.0 268.8

5.0 268.7

9.0 268.6

Page 14 of 29
 (b) (i) Plot the results and draw a graph on the axes below.

(3)

(ii) Continue the graph you have drawn to show the expected reading after11
minutes.
(1)

(iii) On the axes above, sketch a graph of the result which would be obtained if in
a similar experiment the same mass of powdered marble was used instead of
marble chips.
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q8.
A company manufactures ethanol (C2H5OH).

The reaction for the process is:

C2H4(g) + H2O(g) C2H5OH(g) ΔH = −45 kJ per mole

The temperature and pressure can be changed to increase the yield of ethanol at
equilibrium.

(a) Explain what is meant by equilibrium.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 15 of 29
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) (i) How would increasing the temperature change the yield of ethanol at
equilibrium?

Give a reason for your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) How would increasing the pressure change the yield of ethanol at equilibrium?

Give a reason for your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) A catalyst is added to increase the rate of the reaction.

Explain how adding a catalyst increases the rate of a chemical reaction.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q9.
A student investigated the reaction between magnesium metal and dilute hydrochloric
acid.

The student placed 25 cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid in a conical flask and set up the
apparatus as shown in the diagram.

Page 16 of 29
The student:

• took the bung out of the flask and added a single piece of magnesium ribbon 8 cm
long
• put the bung back in the flask and started a stopwatch
• recorded the volume of gas collected after 1 minute
• repeated the experiment using different temperatures of acid.

The student plotted his results on a graph.

Temperature of acid in °C

(a) Write the correct state symbols in the equation.

Choose from (s) for solid, (l) for liquid, (g) for gas and (aq) for aqueous.

Mg (_____) + 2 HCl (_____) MgCl2 (_____) + H2 (_____)

(2)

(b) The diagram shows a gas syringe after 1 minute.

Page 17 of 29
 (i) What volume of gas has been collected in the gas syringe after 1 minute?

Volume = ____________ cm3

(1)

(ii) Use the graph to determine the temperature of the acid used in this
experiment.

Temperature = ____________ °C
(1)

(iii) Calculate the average rate of reaction, in cm3 of hydrogen made per second
(cm3/s), for this experiment.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Rate of reaction = ____________ cm3/s

(2)

(c) The student’s graph has been reprinted to help you answer this question.

Temperature of acid in °C

One of the results on the graph is anomalous.

(i) Draw a circle on the graph around the anomalous point.

(1)

Page 18 of 29
 (ii) Suggest what may have happened to cause this anomalous result.

Explain your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) Explain how the student could improve the accuracy of the volume of gas recorded
at each temperature.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(e) The student then used the same apparatus to measure the volume of gas produced
every 10 seconds at 40 °C.

The student’s results are shown on the graph.

Time in seconds

Page 19 of 29
The rate at which the gas was produced got faster over the first 60 seconds.

The student’s teacher gave two possible explanations of why the reaction got faster.

Explanation 1
There was a layer of magnesium oxide on the surface of the magnesium.
The layer of magnesium oxide prevented the magnesium reacting with the acid.
As the magnesium oxide reacted slowly with the acid, the magnesium was exposed
to the acid and hydrogen gas was produced.

Explanation 2
The reaction is exothermic, and so the temperature of the acid increased during the
reaction.

(i) Describe further experimental work the student could do to see if Explanation
1 is correct.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Describe further experimental work the student could do to see if Explanation
2 is correct.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 16 marks)

Page 20 of 29
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a)  lines from:
•   independent to size of marble chips
1

•   control to volume of acid

1
ignore arrowheads
do not accept if more than one line from one box

(b)  calcium chloride

carbon dioxide
do not accept carbon oxide

water
do not accept hydrogen oxide
2
all three needed for 2 marks
allow 1 mark if two correct

(c)  stops loss of acid

allow stops loss of water / liquid
allow to ensure that only the gas escapes
do not accept stops acid evaporating
do not accept stops gas / CO2 / water vapour
escaping
1

(d)  0.053
allow 0.05
allow 0.053333…
do not accept 0.052
ignore units
1

(e)  g/s
1

(f)  all points correctly plotted

allow 1 mark for 5 points correctly plotted
allow ± ½ a small square
2

line of best fit

should be a curve nearer to (10,0.8) than the
anomaly (20, 0.6) and through all other points
if plotting incorrect allow 1 mark for appropriate
line of best fit through student’s points
1

(g)  the eight small marble chips have a larger surface area, so more frequent

Page 21 of 29
 collisions
1
[11]

Q2.
(a)  (volume of gas =) 17 (cm3)
allow values for volume between 16 and 18 (cm3)
1

= 1.7
allow values between 1.6 and 1.8
1
allow a correctly calculated answer from an
incorrect volume reading for 1 mark
allow age
ignore any units
an answer between 1.6 and 1.8 scores 2 marks

(b)  cm3/s
1

(c)  any two from:

•   no more gas is being produced
allow volume of gas remains the same / at 62
cm3

•   the reaction has finished

allow no reaction

•   one of the reactants has been used up

•   the rate of reaction is zero

2

(d)  surface area of magnesium

1

(e)  steeper gradient (with magnesium powder)

line should start at the origin
1

levelling off at 62 cm3

allow a tolerance of ± half a small square
1
[8]

Q3.
(a) potato
1

effective, but manageable and safe

allow 1 for manganese dioxide is effective
1

Page 22 of 29
 (b) 75 cm3
1

(c) headings: time, volume

1

units: s or seconds, cm3

1

correct values for times, including 0

1

correct values for volumes

Time in Volume in
seconds cm3
0 0
20 23
40 42
60 59
80 72
100 80
120 88
1

(d) any one from:

• gas escaped
• leak
• slow to put on bung
• systematic error
1

(e) any two from:

• concentration of peroxide
• volume of peroxide
• temperature
• mass of catalyst
• surface area of catalyst
2
[10]

Q4.
(a) (as concentration increases)
answers must refer to data from graph to gain full marks

relationship identified from the graph

eg the same volume of gas is collected in a shorter time or
more gas is collected in the same time or reaction reaches
completion in a shorter time
1

reference to relevant data to evidence relationship

eg 20 ml collected in 10 seconds at 0.5 mol / dm3 in 6.5 s at
1.0 mol / dm3 and in 4 s at 2.0 mol / dm3
or
at 10 seconds volume collected is 20 cm3 with 0.5 mol / dm3,

Page 23 of 29
 30 cm3 with 1.0 mol / dm3, 50 cm3 with 2.0 mol / dm3
or
total volume collected reaches maximum of 100ml in 20
seconds at 2.0 mol / dm3 but takes twice as long at 1.0 mol /
dm3 and at 0.5 mol / dm3
1

(b) reactions occur when particles collide

1

increasing concentration means there are more particles in the same volume
1

so there are more collisions

1

(c) leave for longer

1

if gas continues to be produced student A is right

1

or

repeat with more acid (1)

if more gas is produced student B is right (1)

[7]

Q5.
(a) (i) a continuous straight line missing anomalous point
allow a line which does not start at zero / origin
1

(ii) any two sensible errors eg

ignore systematic / zero error / weighing error or error
unqualified

• timing errors and / or example

• measurement errors and / or example

• apparatus errors and / or example

• human / experimental / reading / random error and / or example or

‘did not do it right’
could be two from same category
eg two timing errors – watch not started at the same time
plus difficulty in deciding when the cross has disappeared.

• temperature fluctuation

• anomalous point
accept outlier / wrong result

• results not recorded correctly

Page 24 of 29
 • plotting error

• rate calculated incorrectly

ignore ‘not repeated’
2

(b) (i) straight line

allow as concentration increases the rate goes up or
converse
allow numerical example
allow positive correlation
allow same gradient
ignore ‘most points near / on line of best fit’
1

(ii) because of an increase in frequency of collisions

max 1 if incorrect reference to energy or if subatomic particle
specified
accept because particles are more likely to collide or higher
chance of collision
ignore more (successful) collisions
1

because there are more particles (per unit volume)

allow because particles are closer together
1
[6]

Q6.
(a) (i) Na2S2O3(aq) + 2 HCl(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + S(s) + SO2(g)
1

(ii) (formation of) sulphur

accept precipitate or solid produced
do not accept goes cloudy or milky
1

(b) (i) heat ≡ temperature increased temperature increases (the rate of reaction)
or decreased temperature decreases rate of reaction
may be gained in part (ii) if stated and not implied
1

(ii) (these ideas may be given in (i))

particles have more kinetic energy

accept particles move faster
1

more collisions (so more reactions)

more energetic collisions two marks
1
[5]

Page 25 of 29
Q7.
(a) CaCO3 + 2HC1 → CaC12 + CO2 + H2O
one mark for CO2 and H2O or H2CO3
one mark for balancing the equation
2

(b) (i) linear suitable scale for y axis

± one small square
1

accurate plots
deduct one mark for each error plot
1

smooth curve through the points or a line of best fit

this mark requires a neat smooth curve
1

(ii) curve becomes almost horizontal at or above 268.5

do not credit a straight line reaching 268.5 at 11 mins
accept a plot at 268.6
1

(iii) steeper initial part to curve

1

becoming nearly horizontal between 268.6 and 268.4 g

1
[8]

Q8.
(a) the forward and backward reactions occur
allow reversible
1

at (exactly) the same rate

1

in a closed system
allow therefore the concentrations / amounts of the reactants
and products remain the same
1

(b) (i) increasing the temperature would lower the yield of ethanol or the
(position of) equilibrium moves to the left
if student has stated that increasing the temperature
increases the yield then award 0 marks
1

since the backwards reaction is endothermic or the forward reaction is

exothermic
1

(ii) increasing the pressure would increase the yield of ethanol or the
(position of) equilibrium moves to the right

Page 26 of 29
 if student has stated that increasing the pressure decreases
the yield then award 0 marks
1

because the position (of equilibrium) moves in the direction of the lower
number of moles (of gas)
2 (moles / molecules / volumes / particles) on lhs / 1 (mole /
molecule / volume / particle) on rhs
1

(c) (a catalyst) provides an alternative pathway

1

with lower activation energy

or

(a catalyst) lowers the activation energy (1)

so less energy is needed to react or more particles react (1)

1
[9]

Q9.
(a) (s) (aq) (aq) (g)
must be in this order
2 marks if all four correct
1 mark if 2 or 3 correct
2

(b) (i) 55
ignore units
1

(ii) 54
allow ecf from (b)(i)
1

(iii) 0.92
correct answer with or without working gains 2 marks
ecf from volume in (b)(i)
accept 2 d.p. up to calculator value
if answer incorrect, allow rate = (b)(i) / 60 for 1 mark
2

(c) (i) circle round point at (48,22)

1

(ii) problem (1) and explanation (1)

explanation must give lower volume of gas or slower
reaction
ignore human error unless qualified

problem with bung

Page 27 of 29
 e.g. bung not placed in firmly / quickly enough

so gas lost

or

problem with reagent

e.g. acid was diluted or acid not replaced

so reaction slower

or

problem with temperature

e.g. temperature was lower than recorded temperature

so reaction slower

or

problem with measurement

e.g. length of magnesium less than 8 cm or timed for less than a minute

so less gas produced

2

(d) repeat the experiment (several times)

1

because anomalous results could be excluded

1

and then the mean can be determined / calculated

accept suggestion of alteration to method, which is explained
as to why it would reduce the error, for 3 marks (e.g. place
the magnesium in a container within the flask (1) so it can be
tipped into the acid once the bung is in place (1). This will
prevent anomalous results or gas loss (1))
ignore idea of more accurate gas syringe
ignore shorter time intervals
1

(e) (i) use clean magnesium or use magnesium without oxide coating
1

compare results
1

(ii) either

measure the temperature of the acid before (adding magnesium)

1

and after adding magnesium

or

Page 28 of 29
place the conical flask in a water bath (at 40 °C) (1)

compare results (1)

1
[16]

Page 29 of 29