1. No specific comment available.

2. This question was the second most difficult with approximately 30% of the candidates
answering it correctly. The question asked students to provide the expression for the heat change
in Joules from its mass (m), specific heat capacity (c) and increase in temperature (t). The
number of individuals who selected the correct answer (mct) was exceeded by the number who
added 273 to the temperature change.

3. No specific comment available.

4. This question, with a difficulty index of about 38%, sought a correct statement about the sign of
∆G° given that ∆H° and ∆S° were both negative. The largest number chose the correct answer,
“It cannot be determined without knowing the temperature”, almost as many individuals chose
“It is negative at high temperatures and positive at low temperatures”. This answer suggests that
many students relied on rote memorization of a table that is included in many textbooks rather
than thinking about the conditions.

5. (a) Most candidates stated that there was a rise in temperature, but far fewer were able equate
this with the idea of an exothermic reaction, as an answer to part (a). Some candidates
even confused the terms exothermic and endothermic. A common mistake made was
students stating that the reaction was endothermic, because heat was released in the
process!

(b) The majority of candidates were able to explain that the solutions were mixed rapidly so
that all the heat will be given out very quickly. However, many candidates incorrectly
referred to an increase in the rate of the reaction.

1
 (c) Only the better students were able to correctly determine the enthalpy change of the
reaction. Many students were able to give an expression for the heat given out in terms of
the specific heat capacity, temperature change and mass, but fewer realized that the mass
was that of the solution and began complex calculations involving the relative molecular
mass of KOH or HCl. Some candidates expressed the temperature as 3.5+273, and the
amount of substance as 0.05 moles i.e. the amounts of KOH and HCl collectively. In
general, few of the weaker candidates got beyond the first two points for this part of the
question, not realizing the inherent difference between an experimental heat change and a
molar enthalpy change. A common mistake for the first point seen on many papers was
students writing ∆H = mc∆T, instead of q = mc∆T = 1463 J. Some candidates also failed
to take into account significant figures and units in this part of the question. Heat loss,
and a suitable means of overcoming it, was usually correctly answered in part (c).
However, some candidates, suggested using a calorimeter, without referring explicitly to
using a lid or using an insulated reaction vessel. Other candidates also gave more general
answers such as using a closed system, without further clarification. In addition, a few
students suggested using a graph. However, this did not earn credit, as it was expected
that exact detail would be given here i.e. at least some reference to the nature of the plot
itself – T versus t graph.

(e) Many students answered this section correctly, and it was encouraging to see students
referring to the idea of KOH acting as a limiting reactant in the reaction. Some candidates
talked about the rate of a reaction being increased with a higher concentration of acid.
Another common mistake was candidates stating the fact that there was no temperature
change, when they probably meant that there was no change in the temperature change!

6. No specific comment available.

7. (a) Most candidates managed the equation although some overlooked the single oxygen atom
in phenol and few candidates did not use the simple whole number ratio.
(b) A number of candidates found this challenging. Common errors were omitting the
negative sign and not using the coefficients from the equation.

(c) Candidates managed this calculation but a number of candidates failed to convert units
from J to kJ. Quite a number used the correct method, scoring two marks but some lost
both marks through units and significant figures penalties.
(d) This part was also well done although some candidates were reluctant to state that it
would become even more non-spontaneous.

8. No specific comment available.

2
9. No specific comment available.

10. No specific comment available.

11. No specific comment available.

€
12. (a) (i) Many candidates missed the word ‘standard’ when naming the term H . The majority of
candidates stated correctly the temperature would increase because it is an exothermic
reaction.
€
(ii) This part was relatively well answered and most candidates stated that the H
value would be more negative if solid SO3 was formed instead of gaseous SO3.
(iii) Most candidates calculated the correct answer as –389 kJ.

13. (i) Only a minority of candidates were able to give the correct definition of average bond
enthalpy. In many cases, they failed to indicate that all the species had to be in the
gaseous state.
(ii) Most of the candidates could not give a satisfactory answer to this part and wrote vague
or incorrect answers.
(iii) This calculation showed very good results giving a final answer of –37 kJ. Some
candidates were confused with the sign while other candidates used wrong values from
the Data Booklet.
(iv) In general the enthalpy level diagram was drawn correctly, although a few candidates did
not label the axes.
(v) Many candidates correctly stated that the enthalpy change for the reaction would be
nearly the same because the same number and type of bonds were broken and formed.

14. No specific comment available.

15. (a) A complete definition was rarely given - the most common omission being mole or
elements, although most students did mention standard states. The formation of one mole
of nitric acid was poorly done - those that managed it rarely identified the correct state
symbols, often not realising that nitric acid was a liquid.

3
 (b) The combustion of propyne proved a difficult calculation for many as they rarely set out
the calculation correctly, and many students attempted to find a solution using bond
enthalpies, even though enthalpies of formation were given.

(c) Predicting the value of the entropy change was done fairly well - although explaining
why in terms of the reduction of gas particles was poorly done.

16. (a) Calculating the value for the entropy change caused some problems, as students set out
the calculation wrongly or forgot to multiply by the number of moles present.
(b) Calculating the free energy was attempted by most and pleasingly many were able to
convert the units correctly, and/or use temperature in Kelvin.

17. (a) The Born–Haber cycle was drawn particularly poorly, and very few students were able to
get more than half of the marks available. Electrons were omitted, equations were
unbalanced and there was little awareness that some values were endothermic and some
exothermic.
(b) This question was done very poorly; few students compared the theoretical and
experimental values and those that did talked about silver fluoride having stronger bonds
- hardly anyone identified the greater difference in values as due to the greater degree of
covalent character.

18. Bond enthalpy has no meaning for ionic compounds

This is true, and for those candidates unsure of the correct response it is a valid way of
eliminating B as a possible correct response.

–1
19. Units of kJ or kJ mol
Practice varies here, and many candidates will be familiar with both units, although may not
appreciate the reasons for using one rather than the other. The IB chemistry view is that both
may be used in questions, and that candidates should always understand that the given enthalpy
change value is for molar quantities of reactants and products (with coefficients, where
applicable).

20. No specific comment available.

4
21. No specific comment available.

22. (a) Very few candidates drew out the structure of the alkene to check on the numbers of each
type of bond present. As a result the numbers of C-C and C=C bonds were sometimes
incorrectly chosen. Also the numbers of O-H and C=O bonds were often given as 4 and 3
rather than 8 and 6 having forgotten that a water molecule has two O-H bonds and carbon
dioxide has two C=O bonds. A number of candidates gave the final answer from an
incorrect subtraction i.e. ‘formed’ – ‘broken’.

(b) This was generally correct. The answer ‘endothermic’ was expected as a consequence of a
positive answer in (a) but candidates should know that combustion is invariably
exothermic. This was rarely referred to.

23. This was generally well done. Candidates had been well drilled in Hess’s law calculations. The
-1
most common error was to use only 1×−242 kJ mol for the contribution made by the
hydrogen.

24. No specific comment available.

–1
25. Units of kJ or kJ mol
Practice varies here, and many candidates will be familiar with both units, although may not
appreciate the reasons for using one rather than the other. The IB chemistry view is that both
may be used in questions, and that candidates should always understand that the given enthalpy
change value is for molar quantities of reactants and products (with coefficients, where
applicable).

26. Question not fair for candidates familiar with exothermic definition of lattice enthalpy
Although the IB allows for both exothermic and endothermic definitions to be used by
candidates, they are expected to be familiar with using the endothermic version, as this is used
in Table 14 of the Data Booklet. All four responses offered were endothermic ones, so the
choice was to be made on the basis of correct formulas. The suggestion that some candidates
were disadvantaged is not accepted.

27. (a) Most candidates managed to balance the equation correctly.

5
 (b) Most candidates managed this calculation but a common error was using values of
reactants minus products rather than the other way around and not using the coefficients
from the balanced equation.

(c) A number of candidates managed this calculation but some failed to convert units from J
to kJ. Some candidates lost marks for not paying attention to standard temperature
(298K), significant figures and units in the final answer.

(d) The majority of the candidates were able to use their answer for free energy correctly
when determining spontaneity of the reaction at 298K. Candidates were able to gain the
marks, even when (c) was incorrect as error carried forward was applied.

28. The majority of the candidates were able to apply Hess’s Law correctly; a small number either
obtained the incorrect sign for the enthalpy change value, or left out the coefficient involved in
the calculation.

29. No specific comment available.

30. No specific comment available.

31. No specific comment available.

32. (a) This question was very poorly answered. The definition of average bond enthalpy was not
known. Candidates often omitted that the value was an average value over similar
compounds and that compounds must be in the gaseous state.

(b) This question was well attempted by most candidates. Common errors included missing
bonds. Most common bonds missed include C–N and C–O. A number of candidates made
careless calculation errors or deduced an endothermic reaction. Some candidates
incorrectly used H = H(products) – H (reactants) and hence obtained the incorrect
sign for H.

6
33. For the reaction 2SO2(g) + O2(g)  2SO3(g), the units of H were given as -196 kJ. Three
-1
respondents felt that kJ mol should be used here. Similar comments were made with respect to
Ö
the units of H for questions 22 and 28. When considering this, Hr is generally defined as: =
Ö Ö Ö -1
n Hf (products) - n Hf (reactants). As Hf ’s would be given in kJ mol , multiplying by
Ö
n mol, would mean the units of Hr are more correctly cited in kJ.

34. No specific comment available.

35. No specific comment available.

36. The definition in (a) often failed to mention “compound” or “elements”, although standard
conditions were better known. In (b), the expected answer was “greater than”, with “more
negative” being accepted. Many candidates seemed confused because of the negative values
involved, and some who wrote “less than” suggested in their explanations that they meant “had
a more negative value”. In (c), weaker candidates had little idea of how to begin, but the
majority scored well here, the commonest cause of losing a mark being to omit the negative sign
or the units.