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CIE · IGCSE · Chemistry

Free CIE IGCSE Chemistry
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real CIE IGCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real CIE IGCSE Chemistry paper looks like

Paper 1 (Multiple Choice)
40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge.
Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended)
Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application.
Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical)
Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total.
Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Grading: Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Chemistry syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

What are hydrocarbons?

  1. Compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
  2. Compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms
  3. Any organic compound
  4. Compounds containing water
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms
Hydrocarbons contain ONLY carbon and hydrogen. Alkanes (e.g. methane CH₄) and alkenes (e.g. ethene C₂H₄) are hydrocarbons.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

What is rusting?

  1. Any metal corroding
  2. The oxidation of iron in the presence of oxygen and water, forming hydrated iron(III) oxide
  3. Iron dissolving in acid
  4. Iron melting
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — The oxidation of iron in the presence of oxygen and water, forming hydrated iron(III) oxide
Rusting requires both oxygen AND water. The iron is oxidised: Fe → Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺. Rusting is prevented by painting, oiling, galvanising (zinc coating), or sacrificial protection.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

What type of reaction occurs when hydrogen bromide (HBr) is added across the double bond of ethene to form bromoethane?

  1. A) Substitution reaction
  2. B) Elimination reaction
  3. C) Addition reaction
  4. D) Oxidation reaction
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — C) Addition reaction
When HBr reacts with ethene, both atoms of HBr add across the C=C double bond to form a single product (bromoethane) with no atoms lost. This is the defining feature of an addition reaction. Substitution involves replacing an atom, while elimination removes atoms to form a double bond.
Q4 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the process of a gas turning into a liquid called?

  1. Evaporation
  2. Condensation
  3. Melting
  4. Sublimation
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Condensation
Condensation occurs when gas particles lose energy (cool down), slow down, and form a liquid. The reverse of evaporation.
Q5 · Difficulty 1/3

Why do gases have no fixed shape or volume?

  1. They are heavier than liquids
  2. Particles move rapidly in random directions with very weak forces between them
  3. They are lighter than air
  4. They only exist in containers
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Particles move rapidly in random directions with very weak forces between them
Gas particles have high kinetic energy, move rapidly and randomly, and have negligible forces between them. They spread out to fill any container.
Q6 · Difficulty 1/3

An atom has the symbol ²³₁₁Na. How many neutrons does this atom contain?

  1. D: 34 neutrons
  2. A: 11 neutrons
  3. B: 23 neutrons
  4. C: 12 neutrons
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — C: 12 neutrons
The mass number (23) equals the total number of protons plus neutrons. The atomic number (11) gives the number of protons. Neutrons = 23 − 11 = 12. Option A confuses neutron number with proton number. Option B mistakes the mass number for the neutron number. Option D adds the mass number and atomic number instead of subtracting.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

What happens to particles when a solid is heated to its melting point?

  1. They stop moving
  2. They gain enough energy to overcome forces holding them in fixed positions and start moving around each other
  3. They shrink
  4. They disappear
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — They gain enough energy to overcome forces holding them in fixed positions and start moving around each other
At the melting point, particles have enough kinetic energy to break from their fixed arrangement. They can now slide over each other (liquid state).
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the reactivity series?

  1. A random list of metals
  2. An ordered list of metals arranged by how readily they react, from most to least reactive
  3. The periodic table
  4. A list of metal prices
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — An ordered list of metals arranged by how readily they react, from most to least reactive
Reactivity series (most to least): K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Sn, Pb, Cu, Ag, Au. More reactive metals react more vigorously with water and acids.
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CIE IGCSE Chemistry FAQ

What does the CIE IGCSE Chemistry exam look like?
The CIE IGCSE Chemistry exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1 (Multiple Choice): 40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge. Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended): Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application. Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total. Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Can I download a free CIE IGCSE Chemistry past paper?
Real CIE past papers are published directly by CIE on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is CIE IGCSE Chemistry graded?
Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.