Experimental design
12.1What the syllabus asks of you
- Name appropriate apparatus for the measurement of time, temperature, mass and volume, including: (a) stop-watches (b) thermometers (c) balances (d) burettes (e) volumetric pipettes (f) measuring cylinders (g) gas syringes
- Suggest advantages and disadvantages of experimental methods and apparatus
- Describe a: (a) solvent as a substance that dissolves a solute (b) solute as a substance that is dissolved in a solvent (c) solution as a mixture of one or more solutes dissolved in a solvent (d) saturated solution as a solution containing the maximum concentration of a solute dissolved in the solvent at a specified temperature (e) residue as a substance that remains after evaporation, distillation, filtration or any similar process (f) filtrate as a liquid or solution that has passed through a filter
Read the notes first
Chapter 12: Experimental design
Drill this topic
Every question on Experimental design, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
25 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q37Show mark scheme →
Aethanol / saturated
Bethanol / unsaturated
Cglucose / saturated
Dglucose / unsaturated
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q37Show mark scheme →
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 2 only
C1 and 3 only
D2 and 3 only
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3Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q37Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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4Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q39Show mark scheme →
Asodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; concentrated sulfuric acid drying tube; gas collected by downward delivery
Bsodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; concentrated sulfuric acid drying tube; gas collected over water
Csodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; calcium oxide drying tube; gas collected by downward delivery
Dsodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; concentrated sulfuric acid drying tube; gas collected by upward delivery
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5Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q37Show mark scheme →
Aa burette
Ba condenser
Ca measuring cylinder
Da volumetric pipette
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6May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q38Show mark scheme →
Aburette
Bmeasuring cylinder (horizontal)
Cpipette
Dmeasuring cylinder
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7May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q38Show mark scheme →
Aa balance, a measuring cylinder and a stop-watch only
Ba balance, a measuring cylinder and a thermometer only
Ca balance, a stop-watch and a thermometer only
Da measuring cylinder, a stop-watch and a thermometer only
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8Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q39Show mark scheme →
AA filtrate is left on the filter paper during filtration.
BA saturated solution contains only substances with single bonds.
CA solute is a substance that dissolves a solvent.
DA solution can never be described as pure.
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9Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q38Show mark scheme →
AA filtrate is a substance that remains on the filter paper after filtration.
BA saturated solution has the maximum amount of solvent dissolved in the solute.
CA solution is a compound produced when a solute reacts with a solvent.
DA substance that remains in the heated flask after distillation is called a residue.
Mark scheme
10Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A25.0 cm³ of solution — measuring cylinder
B32.7 cm³ of solution — pipette
C75 cm³ of gas — gas syringe
D80 cm³ of solution — burette
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11Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa 50 cm$^3$ burette
Ba 50 cm$^3$ pipette
Ca 50 cm$^3$ gas syringe
Da 50 cm$^3$ measuring cylinder
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12Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Airon and hydrochloric acid; water; concentrated sulfuric acid
Biron and hydrochloric acid; water; concentrated sulfuric acid
Ciron and hydrochloric acid; water; concentrated sulfuric acid
Diron and hydrochloric acid; concentrated sulfuric acid; water
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13May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AA 50 cm$^3$ burette should be used twice for each beaker.
BA 100 cm$^3$ gas syringe should be used once for each beaker.
CA 25 cm$^3$ graduated pipette should be used four times for each beaker.
DA 100 cm$^3$ measuring cylinder should be used once for each beaker.
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14May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2 only
B1 and 3 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
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15May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Abeaker
Bburette
Cpipette
Dmeasuring cylinder
Mark scheme
16May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 2 only
C1 and 3 only
D2 and 3 only
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17Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa burette
Ba gas syringe
Ca measuring cylinder
Da pipette
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18May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in May / June 2020 Paper 11, May / June 2017 Paper 12Show mark scheme →
Aburette
Bgas syringe
Cmeasuring cylinder
Dpipette
Mark scheme
19Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Asodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; calcium oxide drying tube; gas collected by downward delivery
Bsodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; concentrated sulfuric acid drying tube; gas collected over water
Csodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; concentrated sulfuric acid drying tube; gas collected by downward delivery
Dsodium sulfite + hydrochloric acid, heat; concentrated sulfuric acid drying tube; gas collected by upward delivery
Mark scheme
20May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Abalance; thermometer
Bmeasuring cylinder; balance
Cthermometer; condenser
Dthermometer; measuring cylinder
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21May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A1 — less dense than air and soluble in water
B2 — denser than air and soluble in water
C3 — less dense than air and soluble in water
D4 — denser than air and insoluble in water
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22Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 3 only
C2 and 3 only
D2 only
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23May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Agas delivered into an upright test tube (downward delivery)
Bgas delivered into an inverted test tube (upward delivery)
Cgas passed into a horizontal test tube
Dgas collected over water in a trough
Mark scheme
24May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Abalance, burette, pipette, measuring cylinder
Bbalance, measuring cylinder, clock, thermometer
Cburette, pipette, clock, thermometer
Dpipette, measuring cylinder, clock, thermometer
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25May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aexperiment 1: balance, measuring cylinder, thermometer; experiment 2: gas syringe, clock
Bexperiment 1: burette, pipette; experiment 2: balance, measuring cylinder, thermometer
Cexperiment 1: burette, pipette; experiment 2: gas syringe, clock
Dexperiment 1: gas syringe, clock; experiment 2: burette, pipette
Mark scheme