• TECHNIQUES OF

ANSWERING
SPM CHEMISTRY
•Paper 2

Prepared by
ChenSC
Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3
Objective Subjective Test: Written Practical
Test: Section A : 6 structured items Test:
50
Section B : 2 restricted 1 – 2 structured
objective response items (essay) -
questions choose ONE items
(answer 1- 2 open response
Section C: 2 open response items (essay)
all) items
(essay) - choose ONE

100 marks (50 %)

50 marks Section A: 60 marks 50 marks
(25 %) Section B: 20 marks (25 %)
Section C: 20 marks

2 ½ hours
1 hour 15 Section A: 90 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes
minutes Section B: 30 minutes
 Paper 2 Section A : Structure Questions
• 1. Structured questions are usually based on
labelled diagrams, tables, data, charts or
graphs related with the experiments or facts
• 2. Write short and precise answers.
• 3. Answers may be a few sentences, a short
• phrase, a word, a number or an equation.
• 4. The number of lines for the answers is a
• guide to how much to write.
 PAPER 2 Section B & C
• 1. Read through all the questions carefully.
• 2. Underline important command words in the
• question.
• 3. Prepare an outline to include all the important facts
• so that important no information is not left out.
• 4. Use simple English.
• 5. Use the marks allocated as a guide to the number
• of points in the answer.
• 6. One mark is given for one point.
• 7. Use labelled diagrams, tables, graphs, examples,
equations, or show workings for calculations
to support the answer.
 COMMAND WORDS

• Questions usually begin with

command words.
Examples of important Command Words

•Name •Compare
•State •Calculate
•Explain •Predict
•Define •Draw
•Sketch
•Differentiate
•Predict
•Determine`
 1. Name / state the name
• Give the name not the formula

• Example: Name another element that has the

same stability as argon [1 mark]

• Suggested answer:
• Helium
 2. Define / State The Meaning / What
Is The Meaning Of …

• Give the meaning or definition of a term

precisely.
• Example: Define proton number [1 mark]

• Suggested answer:
• Proton number is the number of protons
in an atom
3. STATE

• Give a brief answer

• (explanation is not required)
• Example: State all the ions present in zinc
sulphate solution. [2 marks]

• Suggested answer:
• Zinc ion / Zn2+ , sulphate ions / SO42- ,
hydrogen ions / H+ , hydroxide ions / OH-
 State the conditions for the rusting of
iron [2 marks]

• Suggested answer:
• Presence of water and air / oxygen.
4. STATE THE OBSERVATION:

•I State the colour change (from initial

colour to final colour)
• Example : State the change in colour of
copper (II) sulphate solution. [1 mark]

• Suggested answer:
• The blue colour of the solution becomes
colourless
 4. STATE THE OBSERVATION:
• II Write what is observed physically
• Example : State one observation when zinc
powder is added to sulphuric acid. [1 mark]

• Suggested answer:
• Bubbles of colourless gas released.
 5. EXPLAIN
• Give reasons to explain a fact / statement /
observation

• Example: Explain why potassium chloride cannot

conduct electricity in solid state but can conduct
electricity in aqueous solution. [2 marks]

Suggested answer:
• There is no free moving ions in solid state
• There are free moving ions in aqueous solution
Explain how zinc plates protect iron ship
from rusting. [2 marks]

• Zinc is more electropositve than iron //

Zinc is above iron in the Electrochemical
Series.
• Zinc atoms lose electrons // zinc is oxidised.
 6a DESCRIBE
• (a) Describe a chemical / confirmatory test
• for ion / gas
• 1. Procedure & correct reagent
• 2. Observation
• 3. Conclusion
• Example: Describe a confirmatory test for the gas
released at the anode [3 marks]
• Suggested answer:
• 1. Place a glowing wooden splinter into the test tube.
• 2. The glowing splinter lights up / rekindles
• 3. Oxygen gas is released
 6a DESCRIBE
• Example: Describe a confirmatory test for
chloride ions [3 marks]
• Suggested answer:
• 1. Add dilute nitric acid
• 2. Followed by silver nitrate solution
• 3. White precipitate is formed
6(b) DESCRIBE AN EXPERIMENT …… :
• No mark for diagram (The diagram can help
• students write the steps in the procedure)
• 1. Substances & materials
• 2. Procedure
• 3. Observation / example / tabulation of data /
• equation / calculation / sketch of graph /
• conclusion
•
• Example : Describe the preparation of lead(II)
• sulphate in the laboratory.
• In your description, include the chemical
• equation involved. [10 marks]
 6(b) DESCRIBE AN EXPERIMENT. .
• Suggested answer:
• Substances: Lead(II) nitrate solution, sodium
• sulphate solution
• Apparatus: Beaker, filter funnel, filter paper
•
• Procedures:
1. Pour 100 cm3 of 1.0 mol dm-3 lead(II) nitrate solution into a
beaker.
2. Add 100 cm3 of 1.0 mol dm-3 sodium sulphate solution
3. Stir the mixture
4. Filter
5. Wash the solid using water.
Equation:
Pb(NO3)2 + Na2SO4  PbSO4 + 2NaNO3 // Pb2+ + SO42-  PbSO4
•
• 1. State the physical state of the substance used :
• sodim hydroxide solution, magnesium oxide powder.

• 2. State the correct quantity (volume and

concentration of solution, mass of solid used.)
• [0.1 – 2.0] mol dm-3 of [20 – 100] cm3 hydrochloric acid.
• Test tube : 2 – 5 cm3 solution
• Boiling tube : 2 – 10 cm3 solution
• Beaker : 20 – 100 cm3 solution
• 0.5 - 5 g zinc powder.

• 3. Use action words: Add, mix, pour, stir, filter, heat….

6(c) DESCRIBE AN EXPERIMENT … INCLUDE A
LABELLED DIAGRAM IN YOUR ANSWER.

• 1. Substances dan materials

• 2. Diagram
• 3. Procedure
• 4. Observation / example / tabulation of data / equation /
• calculation / sketch of graph / conclusion
Example : Describe a laboratory experiment to electroplate an
iron ring with silver.
• Your answer should include the following:
• List of apparatus and materials
• Labelled diagram showing the apparatus set-up
• Procedure of the experiment
• Half-equations for the reactions at the anode and cathode
6(c) DESCRIBE AN EXPERIMENT ……… INCLUDE A
LABELLED DIAGRAM IN YOUR ANSWER.

• Suggested answer:
• List of apparatus and materials:
• Iron spoon, silver plate, batteries, connecting wire, beaker,
silver nitrate solution, sand paper
•

Silver plate
Iron spoon
Silver nitrate solution
6(c) DESCRIBE AN EXPERIMENT ……INCLUDE A
LABELLED DIAGRAM IN YOUR ANSWER.
• Procedure:
1. Clean the iron spoon with sand paper
2. Pour silver nitrate solution into a beaker
3. Iron spoon is made the cathode and silver plate is
made the anode
4. Immerse both electrodes in the solution
5. Close the switch
• Half-equation at anode:
• Ag → Ag+ + e
• Half-equation at cathode:
• Ag+ + e → Ag
 7. CALCULATE
• Show the steps in your calculation.
• Give final answer with correct unit.

• Example : A balloon contains 0.01 mol helium gas.

Calculate the volume of helium gas produced in the
• balloon at room conditions.
• [1 mol of gas occupies 24 dm3 at room conditions]
• [1 mark]
• Suggested answer:
Volume of helium gas = 0.01 x 24 dm3
= 0.24 dm3
•
8. Draw a labelled diagram of the set-up of
apparatus
• Functional set-up of apparatus
• Label the important apparatus and materials
used
• If it involves solution, shade the solution with
‘dash lines’
• If the experiment involves heating, draw an
arrow and label ‘Heat’ below the arrow
9. DRAW ENERGY LEVEL DIAGRAM
• Draw an arrow for the vertical axis and
label ‘Energy’
• Draw two horizontal lines for the
reactants and products
• Show value of ∆ H
 DRAW ENERGY LEVEL DIAGRAM

• Energy

H+ + OH-

 H = - 57.3 kJ mol-1

H2O
10. Draw the arrangement of
particles in solid, liquid and gas.

• Solid :
Draw at least three layers of
particles closely packed in orderly manner.
The particles do not overlap.
10. Draw the arrangement of
particles in solid, liquid and gas.
• Liquid : The particles are packed closely
but not in orderly manner

• Gas : The particles are very far apart

from each other.
 11. DIFFERENTIATE
• Give the differences between two terms /
phenomenon.
• Example: State one property that can
differentiate ionic compound from covalent
compound.
• Suggested answer:
• Ionic compound can conduct electricity in
molten or aqueous state whereas covalent
compound cannot conduct electricity in molten
or aqueous state.
 12. COMPARE AND CONTRAST

• List the similarities and differences

between two terms / phenomenon.

Example: Compare the chemical

properties between hexane and hexene.
• Similarities:
• Both can burn in excess oxygen to produce
carbon dioxide and water.
Differences:

Hexane Hexene
Does not decolourise Decolourises purple
purple colour of acidified colour of acidified
potassium potassium
manganate(VII) solution manganate(VII) solution

Does not decolourise Decolourises reddish-

reddish brown colour of brown colour of bromine
bromine water water

Burns with a sooty flame. Burns with a more sooty

flame.
 13. WRITE EQUATIONS

• Chemical equation
• Ionic equation
• Half-equation
• Thermochemical equation
 13. WRITE EQUATIONS
• a. Chemical Equation:
• Zn + CuSO4  ZnSO4 + Cu
• b. Ionic Equation:
• Zn + Cu2+  Zn2+ + Cu
• c. Half-equation
• (i) Zn  Zn2+ + 2e
• (ii) Cu2+ + 2e  Cu
• d. Thermochemical equation
Zn + CuSO4  ZnSO4 + Cu ∆H = -210 kJ mol-1
14. PREDICT
• Deduce an answer from the information in
the question or own knowledge or from an
earlier answer.
• Example: Astatine is an element below iodine
in Group 17 of the Periodic Table. Based on
your knowledge about the properties of
chlorine, bromine and iodine, predict one
physical property of astatine.
• Suggested Answer:
• Astatine is a black solid at room temperature.

•
15. DRAW GRAPH
• Label both axes with the correct units.
• Use suitable scales for both axes.
• Size of the graph at least ¾ of the size
of graph paper
• Plot all the points correctly.
• Draw smooth curve with the correct
shape.
Graph of temperature against time for the
heating of naphthalene

Temperature / oC

80 oC

Time / s
THANK YOU