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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

Methane reacts with chlorine in the presence of ultraviolet light. What type of reaction is this?

  1. polymerisation
  2. oxidation
  3. addition
  4. substitution
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — substitution
Award 1 mark for identifying the reaction as substitution. C is incorrect — addition reactions occur with unsaturated compounds, not alkanes. A is incorrect — polymerisation involves joining many small molecules together. B is incorrect — while combustion is oxidation, the reaction with chlorine in UV light is substitution where hydrogen atoms are replaced by chlorine atoms.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

What is rusting?

  1. Iron melting
  2. Any metal corroding
  3. The oxidation of iron in the presence of oxygen and water, forming hydrated iron(III) oxide
  4. Iron dissolving in acid
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — 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 are Group 18 (0) elements called?

  1. Noble gases
  2. Transition metals
  3. Alkali metals
  4. Halogens
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Noble gases
Group 18: noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn). They have full outer electron shells, making them very stable and unreactive. They are monatomic gases.
Q4 · Difficulty 1/3

The three subatomic particles are protons, neutrons and:

  1. electrons
  2. molecules
  3. isotopes
  4. ions
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — electrons
Protons, neutrons, electrons.
Q5 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the OILRIG mnemonic for electrolysis?

  1. Oil refinement
  2. Oxidation Is Loss (of electrons), Reduction Is Gain (of electrons)
  3. Only ions lose reactivity in groups
  4. Nothing to do with chemistry
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Oxidation Is Loss (of electrons), Reduction Is Gain (of electrons)
OILRIG helps remember: at the anode, ions are oxidised (lose electrons). At the cathode, ions are reduced (gain electrons).
Q6 · 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.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

What is a polymer?

  1. A small molecule
  2. A very large molecule made from many small repeating units (monomers) joined together
  3. An element
  4. A type of metal
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — A very large molecule made from many small repeating units (monomers) joined together
Polymers form when many monomer molecules join together. Poly(ethene) is made from ethene monomers. Properties include flexibility, low density, and chemical resistance.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

Which statement correctly describes bond energy?

  1. D: The energy needed to convert one mole of a liquid into a gas
  2. A: The energy released when one mole of bonds is formed in a gaseous molecule
  3. B: The energy required to break one mole of a specific covalent bond in gaseous molecules
  4. C: The total energy stored in all bonds of one mole of a compound
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — B: The energy required to break one mole of a specific covalent bond in gaseous molecules
Bond energy is defined as the energy required to break one mole of a specific covalent bond in gaseous molecules under standard conditions. It is always endothermic (positive) since breaking bonds requires energy input. Students often confuse bond breaking with bond forming, which releases energy.
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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.