Cambridge IGCSE™

CHEMISTRY 0620/62

Paper 6 Alternative to Practical February/March 2023

FINAL MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 40
 0620/62 Qualification - Mark Scheme March 2023
FINAL
Cambridge Assessment International Education – Generic Marking Principles
These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the specific content of the
mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:
• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:
Marks must be awarded positively:
• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of
the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the question as
indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:
Rules must be applied consistently e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may be limited
according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors
in mind.

Science-Specific Marking Principles

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1. Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be present, marks should not be
awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.

2. The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for any correct
statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the question should be ignored.

3. Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from other syllabus terms with which
they may be confused (e.g. ethane/ethene, glucagon/glycogen, refraction/reflection).

4. The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used in a scientifically correct way, the
candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included in the mark scheme where necessary and any exceptions to
this general principle will be noted.

5. ‘List rule’ guidance (see examples below)

For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons…):
• The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided
• Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n
• Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n
• Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be awarded for any responses
that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this should be treated as a single incorrect response.
• Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science

6. Calculation specific guidance

Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show your working’.
For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded by the examiner to
the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.
For answers given in standard form, (e.g. a x 10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient (a) to a value between 1 and 10 is not
followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.
Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded. Exceptions to this
general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.

7. Guidance for chemical equations

Multiples/fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.
State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

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Examples of how to apply the list rule
State three reasons…. [3]

A 1. Correct ✓ F 1. Correct ✓
2. Correct ✓ 2 (4 responses) 2. Correct ✓
2
3. Wrong  3. Correct 
CON (of 3.) (discount 3)

B 1. Correct, Correct ✓, ✓
(4 responses) 2. Correct ✓ 3 G 1. Correct ✓
3. Wrong ignore (5 responses) 2. Correct ✓
3. Correct ✓ 3
Correct ignore
C 1. Correct ✓ CON (of 4.) ignore
(4 responses) 2. Correct, Wrong ✓,  2
3. Correct ignore
H 1. Correct ✓
(4 responses) 2. Correct 
2
D 1. Correct ✓ 3. CON (of 2.) (discount 2)
Correct ✓
(4 responses) 2. Correct, CON (of 2.) , (discount 2) 2
3. Correct ✓
I 1. Correct ✓
✓ (4 responses) 2. Correct 
E 1. Correct 2
✓ 3. Correct ✓
(4 responses) 2. Correct 3
CON (of 2.) (discount 2)
3. Correct, Wrong ✓

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Question Answer Marks Guidance
1a water-bath / trough 1 Allow beaker / bowl / tub / other unambiguous containers
Ignore vague answers eg tank / pan / container / tray / dish / basin / trap /
crystallising dish
Ignore bath alone
Reject incorrect answers eg flask / syringe / evaporating basin / evaporating
dish / petri dish
1b larger surface area 1 Allow large surface (area)
Ignore any explanations based on collisions
Ignore comments on faster rate as this is in the question
1ci Bunsen (burner) 1 Allow spirit burner
Ignore blow torch
Reject electric heater
1 c ii one arrow pointing upwards in each of the areas shown 1 Allow left hand arrow from any angle to the mineral wool
Reject additional incorrect arrows

1d it is air 1 Ignore no/little alkene

1e M1 suck back / water goes into tube 1 Allow either test-tube or delivery tube
Ignore gas being sucked back

M2 test-tube / boiling tube breaks/cracks 1 Allow tube breaks/cracks/explodes/implodes

Ignore delivery tube breaking
Reject the tube breaking as a result of incorrect chemical reactions / over
heating / falling

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Question Answer Marks Guidance
2a M1 mass ammonium chloride 5.25g in all 5 experiments 1 place tick under mass column

M2 Total volume of water completed correctly (8.0, 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, 1 ignore missing/trailing zeros Place tick under volume of water column.
10.0)

M3 All five temperatures completed correctly (78.5, 67.0, 60.0, 1 ignore trailing zeros. place tick under temperature column (a reading of 78 or
53.5, 49.0) 53 means no M3 or M4)

M4 all volumes and temperatures are recorded to 1 dp 1 place tick to right of temperature column.
2b M1 y-axis scale is linear with each large square = 10 oC 1 Place tick by scale.

M2 and M3 All points plotted correctly 2 All five corrects scores 2, any four correct scores 1. If scale non-linear then
no marks awarded for points plotted in non-linear section. highlight
incorrectly plotted points, ticks to top right of grid. Half small square
tolerance.

M4 Best fit line, this should be a curve
2c M1 suitable extrapolation of line shown
1 Ignore any line to the right of 10 cm3
Reject curves drawn as straight sections / any areas of “double lines”
Place tick on line.
1 The extrapolation should be a good continuation of whatever line they have
drawn in 2b, watch for curves or straight lines that kink.
Allow dotted extrapolation line
place tick on extrapolation

M2 correct working shown on graph to show where value read 1 This may be construction lines from/to axes or a mark on the line.M2 can be
awarded if line not extrapolated but construction/point shown in correct place
on graph . place tick on construction

M3 correct reading from their working shown on graph. 1 If no working shown, then award this mark for the correct value from their
graph. If working shown in wrong place, M3 can be awarded for a correct
reading from their line at the incorrect place shown by the working. place tick
on answer
2d 66 / 65.6 / 65.63 / 65.625 1 As data used is 2 and 3 sf, we must accept a 2 sf answer
rounding must be correct, so 66.0, 65.7 etc are incorrect
If mass in (a) is not 5.25 then apply ecf

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Question Answer Marks Guidance
2e solubility increases as temperature increases 1 Allow more soluble at high temperature
or answer must have direction of change for BOTH solubility and temperature.
solubility decreases as temperature decreases Allow “solubility increases with temperature”
Allow alternatives for increases (gets bigger / is more etc.)
Allow “positive correlation”
IGNORE (directly) proportional
Ignore positive relationship
Ignore comments on rate of reaction/dissolving
2fi more accurate 1 Allow accurate / accuracy / precision / more precise
Ignore “better” etc.
Allow reverse argument
2 f ii burettes can measure variable volumes 1 Allow burettes measure a wider range of volumes
or
volumetric pipettes not available in required volumes / measure Allow volumetric pipettes measure 25 cm3 / the volume is not 25 cm3
fixed volumes Allow “pipette” for “volumetric pipette”
Ignore faster/easier/more convenient
2g M1 fewer points / less data / fewer results 1 Allow converse of question such as “more readings give more points” / only
three readings
Ignore lower accuracy of experiment/results / lower range or results

M2 poor(er) graph 1 Allow graph/line less accurate / drawing line (of best fit) more difficult
Ignore graph not plotted accurately / plotting graph difficult
Allow harder to find pattern / too few results to make a conclusion / harder to
spot anomalies / harder to extrapolate line
Allow converse of question such as “more readings give better graph”
Ignore harder to predict results / difficult to compare results but “few results
to compare” scores M1
2h ammonium chloride will not (all) dissolve 1 Allow would need temperature of over 100 oC (to dissolve) / above boiling
point of water (to dissolve)
Allow (it) would not dissolve properly/fully
Ignore water would not be in excess / ammonium chloride would be in
excess
Ignore comments about reacting/not reacting

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Question Answer Marks Guidance
3a orange-red (flame) 1 Allow brick red
Ignore red or orange alone
Reject all other colours
3b M1 white precipitate 1 Allow ppt/ppte
Ignore solid
Reject “soluble” on the line for dropwise and any incorrect observation

M2 (precipitate) remains / does not dissolve / insoluble / white 1 “insoluble white ppt” in top space scores M1 and M2 as long as not
precipitate contradicted elsewhere
Allow no change as long as suggestion of precipitate/solid in the first place
Reject any incorrect observation
3c (damp red) litmus (paper) turns blue 1 allow UI paper in place of litmus
Ignore fizzing/smell/ammonia/hydrogen gas test
3d no change / no reaction / no precipitate 1 Allow no observations / nothing happens / colourless (solution)
Reject any answer that implies a change, such as “becomes colourless”
3e any pH in range 1 to 3 1 Allow 0 to 3
If candidates give a range then it must be fully within the allowed range of
0-3
Ignore stated colour
3f carbon dioxide / CO2 1 the name takes precedence over (incorrect) formula

3g the name takes precedence over (incorrect) formula but reject H2 for
hydrogen (ions) / H+ 1 hydrogen (ions)

sulfate / SO42 – 1 H2SO4 = 2

Allow “sulfuric acid” for 2 marks
[1]
incorrect formula but containing at least one correct ion
e.g. HCl2 = [1]
e.g. CuSO4 = [1]
e.g. HSO4 = [1]
[0]
H (not part of a formula)
SO4 (not part of a formula)

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Question Answer Marks Guidance
4 MP1 react metal(s) with hydrochloric acid in a suitable container max 6 the container must be suitable for method used, if they are collecting a gas
(beaker/flask/test-tube) then a beaker is not suitable

fair test – max 3 If using a different acid or displacement using salt solutions then MP2-7 can
still be awarded. But allow “acid” alone

MP2 same/specified/stated/known volume of acid this MUST be a volume and not “amount” unless a value in cm3 is given.
Ignore excess acid
if they measure acid volume and split it into three equal portions this scores
MP2&3
MP3 some/known/stated concentration of acid Allow use same bottle of acid

MP4 same/known/stated/measured (start) temperature of acid Allow “same room temperature”

Ignore heating but Allow putting reaction vessel in a water bath

MP5 same/stated/specified mass or moles of metal allow amount (as amount means moles)

measure allow time taken to stop bubbling, ignore time taken for reaction to end
MP6 time until all solid gone
OR Ignore counting bubbles for MP6
MP6 time until set volume of gas collected Ignore measuring gas volume at end of reaction
OR Allow “amount” of gas for MP6 / mass change in a set time / time for set
MP6 measure volume of gas after a set time mass change
OR
MP6 measure temperature after reaction over / after a fixed time /
highest temperature

conclusion MP7 not awarded unless an attempt at a measurement of a result is seen

MP7 shortest time is most reactive
OR Allow most gas or most bubbles for biggest volume Allow highest rate of
MP7 largest volume of gas in set time most reactive reaction Allow even if measuring volume at end (so no MP6)
OR
MP7 largest temperature / highest temperature change most If they have a conclusion mark it means the experiment has been repeated
reactive (although that may be implicit rather than explicit)

other methods (such as displacement with a salt solution) will work – but not
using HCl – so MP 1 not awarded
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Question Answer Marks Guidance
If more than one method, award marks for the highest scoring
method

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