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Paper 3 Section A ( 2nd set ) Marking scheme

[11 marks]
1.

In order to determine the oil content of different types of potato crisps (chips), a student weighed
5.00 𝑔 of crushed crisps and mixed them with 20.0 𝑐𝑚3 of non-polar solvent.

She assumed all the oil in the crisps dissolved in the solvent.

The student then filtered the mixture to remove any solids, and gently heated the solution on a
hot plate to evaporate the solvent.

She measured the mass of the oil that remained from each type of crisps

(a) Suggest why a non-polar solvent was needed. [1]

Markscheme

oil is non-polar «and dissolves best in non-polar solvents»

OR
oil does not dissolve in polar solvents ✔ Do not accept “like dissolves like” only.

(b) State one reason why the mixture was not heated strongly. [1]

Markscheme

solvent/oil is flammable
OR
solvent/oil must be kept below its flash point
OR
oxidation/decomposition of oil
OR
mixture has a low boiling point ✔
Accept “to prevent evaporation of oil”.

(c) Non-polar solvents can be toxic. Suggest a modification to the experiment which allows the
evaporated solvent to be collected. [1]

Markscheme

distillation «instead of evaporation» ✔

Accept “pass vapour through a condenser and collect liquid”.
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Do not accept “condensation” without experimental details.

(d) Suggest one source of error in the experiment, excluding faulty apparatus and human error,
that would lead to the following:

[2]

Markscheme

Experimental mass greater than actual mass of oil in crisps:

other substances «in the crisps» are soluble in the solvent
OR
not all the solvent evaporates ✔
Experimental mass less than actual mass of oil in crisps:
not all oil dissolved/extracted ✔
Accept “oil evaporated” OR “oil burned/decomposed” OR “oil absorbed by the
filter” OR “assumption «all oil dissolved» was wrong” for M2.
Do not accept examples of human errors OR faulty apparatus.
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2. A student determined the enthalpy of combustion of ethanol using a spirit lamp to heat up a
known mass of water as shown in the diagram below:

A mass of 0.553 g of ethanol was combusted. This was measured by filling the spirit lamp with
ethanol, and weighing it before and after the experiment, Other than when the ethanol was being
combusted a cap was placed on the spirit lamp. The temperature of the 250 g of water increased
by 10.4 oC during the experiment

(a) State why it is necessary to use a cap on the spirit lamp apart from when the ethanol is being
combusted. [1]

Markscheme

To prevent any of the ethanol from evaporating (particularly when the spirit lamp
was hot after the combustion), as this would have affected the mass. [1]

(b) Show that the enthalpy of combustion of ethanol determined from the experiment is equal to
– 906 kJ mol−1 if the specific heat capacity of water is taken as 4.18 kJ kg−1 K−1. [2]

Markscheme
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Heat evolved by combusting 0.553 g = 4.18 x 0.250 x 10.4 = 10.868 kJ [1]

M(C2H5OH) = (2 x 12.01) + (6 x 1.01) + 16.00 = 46.08 g mol−1
ΔH = − (46.08 ÷ 0.553) x 10.868 = − 906 kJ mol−1 (minus as it is exothermic) [1]

(c) Use Section 13 of the data booklet to determine the experimental error. [1]

[1]

Markscheme

Experimental error = ((1367 – 906) ÷ 1367) x 100 = 33.7% [1]

(d) In his write-up of the experiment the student listed the following reasons which contributed to the
experimental error.
• There was incomplete combustion as the ethanol was being combusted in air, not oxygen.

• There was considerable heat loss from the apparatus during the combustion.

• The ethanol may not have been completely pure.

• The water used in the beaker was tap water, not distilled water.

• All of the 0.553 g of ethanol was assumed to have combusted.

• Only one result was obtained - The experiment should have been repeated several times and an
average taken.

Suggest two more reasons that contributed to the experimental error.

[2]

Markscheme

Any two from:

The water in the beaker needed to be stirred to ensure a uniform temperature
throughout.
The heat content of the glass, thermometer and stirrer (if used) needed to be
taken into account as these were also being heated up.
The experimental error was obtained by comparing the result obtained with the
standard enthalpy of combustion but the reaction was not carried out under
standard conditions. [2 max]