Chemistry Paper 3 IGCSE Oct.Nov. 2013 Discussion

[qasimnisar2121]

Hey guys as we have this exam, so this thread is to post your doubts, as well as to discuss the paper after we all come home! And anyone who can help us with resources for better prep. Is welcomed! and its also to discuss how u r feeling that how would be the paper , easy or hard and stuff!

 

[MadaraYash]

Your exam is after how many hours ?

 

[Lanocaster]

My exam in 4 hours!
Our Chem teacher was very good and as I prefer understanding to roting (what many of my classmates do) I found the S13 papers relatively easy. Hopefully that will carry on to today's paper as well.

 

[johnsternater2000]

your exam went good? i did
varient 33 and it wasn't that bad, in fact quite fine.

 

[Lanocaster]

your exam went good? i did
varient 33 and it wasn't that bad, in fact quite fine.

Nope, my exam is in 4 hours

 

[Playa-kevin 014]

Anyone Writing Paper 32 ?

 

[johnsternater2000]

Anyone Writing Paper 32 ?

Nope, my exam is in 4 hours

I thought Cambridge like make sures that everybody sits it at once or something?

 

[Lanocaster]

Anyone Writing Paper 32 ?

Meh

I thought Cambridge like make sures that everybody sits it at once or something?

That's not possible? That's why they have different variants of papers. For example, if someone in US writes the paper at 9AM, it'll be 9PM or something in India.

 

[Playa-kevin 014]

Which Chapters are the most important ones ?

 

[Playa-kevin 014]

Which Chapters are the most important ones ?

 

[qasimnisar2121]

your exam went good? i did
varient 33 and it wasn't that bad, in fact quite fine.

Hey can u share what questions came and what was the hardest one?? I guess we both have different variants so it isnt cheating!! i have my exam after 3 hr 30 mins and really scared!!

 

[johnsternater2000]

But don't the People in US take the may june exams?

.....................................oh wait. resit. Nevermind
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD luck for your exam!!!!

 

[MadaraYash]

I am writing variant 32. My exam is in about 3 and a half hours.
Hey johnsternater2000 was variant 33 hard or easy?
What type of questions came?

 

[johnsternater2000]

HEhe, sure (i feel so rebel)

well there was a couple.
Overall the paper was on isotopes (like the first question) bonding, a little about zinc extraction (and the Electrolysis of zinc as well... but you do really need to study anything for that you just apply normal electrolysis stuff...) and organic (cracking, isomers, hydrolysis of proteins adn more i sorta forgot......... oh yeah and how to draw polymers i.e. in my paper there were two questions on polymer drawing), , only a tiny bit of moles (finding the maximium mass of a product given the mass of the reactent) and a tiny bit about electrolysis. In mine there were no electrochemical cells... There also was a six mark question on just describing the contact process (FREE MARKS!!!)

 

[Lanocaster]

All chapters are important, there will always be a question from Organic Chemistry and Petrochemicals, you must be able to draw the structural formula of compounds and they may ask you the features of a homologous series, and revise the trends in the groups: while I don't think it will necessarily come, but it won't hurt. Acids and Bases is an important chapter to, you must know how to distinguish between amphoteric, acidic or basic(reactions with acid and base) as well as between a strong and a weak acid and a strong and a weak base(electrical conductivity, pH, or measuring rate of reaction).
Again, the whole book is important, so you must revise it.
Differentiating between a transition metal and Group 1/Group 2 metals is also quite common question (both chemical and physical properties) and you must know all the cation/anion as well as gas tests(gas tests however are quite uncommon AFAIK).

I am writing variant 32. My exam is in about 3 and a half hours.
Hey johnsternater2000 was variant 33 hard or easy?

What type of questions came?

I feel that the 3rd variant is generally harder, and 31 and 32 are of similar difficulty (32 is slightly easier?)

HEhe, sure (i feel so rebel)

well there was a couple.
Overall the paper was on isotopes (like the first question) bonding, a little about zinc extraction (and the Electrolysis of zinc as well... but you do really need to study anything for that you just apply normal electrolysis stuff...) and organic (cracking, isomers, hydrolysis of proteins adn more i sorta forgot......... oh yeah and how to draw polymers i.e. in my paper there were two questions on polymer drawing), , only a tiny bit of moles (finding the maximium mass of a product given the mass of the reactent) and a tiny bit about electrolysis. In mine there were no electrochemical cells... There also was a six mark question on just describing the contact process (FREE MARKS!!!)

I wish there is more on moles on my paper, and no cell (I find it kinda confusing). As far as six marks on contact process, that seems like a bit too much. There is only so much you can write about it so yeah, they are giving away free marks

 

[johnsternater2000]

I mean it was mediumish, most of the paper were only 1 mark and 2 mark questions. I mean i worked quite fast fearing that i won't finish the paper, but i completed almost all of my answers and there was still 20 minutes left! so yathere was only one six mark question. Oh yeah, also there was a four mark question on describing sacrificial protection. But the rest were all one or two mark questions with the three mark question occasionally here and there

 

[johnsternater2000]

Also there was ALOT of equation stating:
"...mentioning eqations in your answer"
"...state the equation for the reaction between..............."

 

[qasimnisar2121]

I appreciate that u two told us what happened in your papers!! It surely gave us the idea about what to study in the end point so thanks!! i will be giving p32 so hope it goes well!!

 

[qasimnisar2121]

Please tell equations of what things?? Plz each and every!!

 

[johnsternater2000]

To confuse you for the acid base question, they just replaced an ordinary acid with like hexanesulfphonic acid or something But by just applying the general equations for acid base reactions and pretending that the hexaneblahblah acid was sulphuric acid the whole way through i thought it was fine.