Cambridge International AS & A Level

*6120886635*

CHEMISTRY9701/31
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills 1 October/November 2021

 2 hours

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: The materials and apparatus listed in the confidential instructions

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working, use appropriate units and use an appropriate number of significant
figures.
● Give details of the practical session and laboratory, where appropriate,
in the boxes provided. Session

INFORMATION Laboratory
● The total mark for this paper is 40.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown
in brackets [ ].
● The Periodic Table is printed in the question paper.
● Notes for use in qualitative analysis are provided in the question paper. For Examiner’s Use

Total

This document has 12 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

IB21 11_9701_31/FP
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Quantitative analysis

 ead through the whole method before starting any practical work. Where appropriate, prepare a table
R
for your results in the space provided.

Show your working and appropriate significant figures in the final answer to each step of your calculations.

1 You will investigate a compound of a Group 1 element to determine which element is present.
Group 1 carbonates decompose to give carbon dioxide when heated to high temperatures.

X2CO3(s) → X2O(s) + CO2(g)

FA 1 is the carbonate of the element, X2CO3.



(a) Method

●  eigh a crucible with its lid and record the mass.

W
● Add 1.40–1.60 g of FA 1 to the crucible.
● Weigh the crucible and its lid with FA 1 and record the mass.
● Place the crucible on the pipe-clay triangle. Heat the crucible, with its lid on, gently for
approximately 1 minute. Then heat strongly for another minute.
● Carefully remove the lid. Heat the crucible strongly for 4 minutes.
● Replace the lid and leave the crucible and residue to cool for at least 5 minutes.

While the crucible is cooling you may wish to begin work on Question 2.

●  eweigh the crucible and contents with its lid. Record the mass.
R
● Remove the lid. Heat the crucible and contents strongly for a further 2 minutes.
● Replace the lid and leave the crucible and residue to cool for at least 5 minutes. Reweigh
the crucible and residue with its lid. Record the mass.
● Calculate and record the mass of FA 1 added to the crucible. Calculate the mass of residue
obtained.

Results

II

III

IV

 [5]

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(b) Calculations

(i) Calculate the mass of carbon dioxide produced when the sample of X2CO3 was heated.

 mass of CO2 produced = .............................. g [1]

(ii) Calculate the number of moles of X2CO3 needed to produce the mass of carbon dioxide
calculated in (b)(i).

 moles of X2CO3 needed = .............................. mol [1]

(iii) Use your answer to (b)(ii) and the information on page 2 to calculate the relative formula
mass, Mr, of X2CO3.

 Mr of X2CO3 = .............................. [1]

(iv) Use your answer to (b)(iii) to calculate the relative atomic mass, Ar, of X. Hence identify X.
Explain how you reached your conclusion.

 X is .............................. .

..............................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................ [2]

(c) In this experiment you heated the sample of X2CO3 for approximately 8 minutes.

Explain, using evidence from your results in (a), whether your sample of X2CO3 had decomposed
completely.

.....................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................... [1]

 [Total: 11]

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2 In this experiment you will titrate a solution of the hydroxide of a Group 1 element, Z, with sulfuric acid.
The equation for the reaction is shown.

Z may or may not be the same as X.



2ZOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq) → Z2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

FA 2 is 26.3 g dm–3 aqueous hydroxide of metal Z, ZOH.

FA 3 is 0.0500 mol dm–3 sulfuric acid, H2SO4.
bromophenol blue indicator

(a) Method

●  ipette 25.0 cm3 of FA 2 into the 250 cm3 volumetric flask.

P
● Add distilled water to the flask to make 250 cm3 of solution. Shake the flask thoroughly to
ensure complete mixing. Label this solution FA 4.
● Rinse the pipette with a little distilled water and then a little FA 4.
● Fill the burette with FA 3.
● Pipette 25.0 cm3 of FA 4 into a conical flask.
● Add a few drops of bromophenol blue indicator.
● Carry out a rough titration and record your burette readings in the space below.

 The rough titre is .............................. cm3.

●  arry out as many accurate titrations as you think necessary to obtain consistent results.
C
● Make sure your recorded results show the accuracy of your practical work.
● Record in a suitable form in the space below all of your burette readings and the volume
of FA 3 added in each accurate titration.

II

III

IV

VI

VII

 [7]

(b) F
 rom your accurate titration results, calculate a suitable mean value to use in your calculations.
Show clearly how you obtained this value.

 25.0 cm3 of FA 4 required .............................. cm3 of FA 3. [1]

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(c) Calculations

(i) Give your answers to (c)(ii), (c)(iii) and (c)(iv) to the appropriate number of significant
figures. [1]

(ii) Calculate the number of moles of sulfuric acid present in the volume of FA 3 you calculated
in (b).

 moles of H2SO4 = .............................. mol [1]

(iii) Use your answer to (c)(ii) and the information on page 4 to calculate the concentration, in
mol dm–3, of ZOH present in FA 4.

 concentration of FA 4 = .............................. mol dm–3 [1]

(iv) Calculate the concentration, in mol dm–3, of ZOH in FA 2.

 concentration of FA 2 = .............................. mol dm–3 [1]

(v) Use your answer to (c)(iv) and the information on page 4 to calculate the relative atomic
mass, Ar, of Z. Hence identify Z.
Show your working.

 Z is .............................. . [2]

(d) Using the value for the relative atomic mass of Z that you calculated in (c)(v), calculate the
percentage difference of your value from that shown in the Periodic Table.

(If you did not obtain a value for the Ar of Z, assume it is 32.0. Note, this is not the correct
value.)

 percentage difference = .............................. % [1]

 [Total: 15]

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Qualitative analysis

Where reagents are selected for use in a test, the name or correct formula of the element or compound
must be given.

At each stage of any test you are to record details of the following:

● colour changes seen

● the formation of any precipitate and its solubility in an excess of the reagent added
● the formation of any gas and its identification by a suitable test.

You should indicate clearly at what stage in a test a change occurs.

If any solution is warmed, a boiling tube must be used.

Rinse and reuse test-tubes and boiling tubes where possible.

No additional tests for ions present should be attempted.

3  alf-fill the 250 cm3 beaker with water and place it on a tripod and gauze above a heatproof mat. Heat
H
the water until boiling and then turn off the Bunsen burner. You will use this as a hot water‑bath in
3(b)(i).

(a) 
FA 5, FA 6 and FA 7 are solutions. Each solution contains one cation and one anion.
Carbonate, CO32–, is not present in any of the solutions.

(i) Carry out the following tests and record your observations.
Use a 1 cm depth of solution in a test-tube for each test.

observations
test
FA 5 FA 6 FA 7
Test 1
Add an equal depth of
dilute sulfuric acid.

Test 2
Add an equal
depth of aqueous
sodium carbonate.

Test 3
Add an equal
depth of aqueous
magnesium chloride.

 [5]

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(ii) Use your observations in (a)(i) to suggest a possible formula for each of the following:

The cation in FA 5 is .............................. .

The cation in FA 6 is .............................. .

The anion in FA 7 is .............................. .

 [3]

(iii) Apart from using an indicator, suggest a further test that would confirm the identity of the
anion in FA 7.

Carry out this test and record the result.

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................ [1]

(iv) Did the result of your test in (a)(iii) confirm the identity of the anion in FA 7?
Explain your answer.

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................ [1]

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(b) 
FA 8 is an aqueous solution.

(i) Carry out the following tests and record your observations.

test observations
Test 1
To a 1 cm depth of FA 8 in a
test‑tube, add a few drops of acidified
potassium manganate(VII). Place the
tube in the hot water-bath.

Test 2
To a 1 cm depth of FA 8 in a test‑tube,
add a 1 cm length of magnesium ribbon.

 [2]

(ii) For each observation, state what you can conclude about the chemical properties of FA 8.

Test 1 ...................................................................................................................................

Test 2 ...................................................................................................................................
 [2]

 [Total: 14]

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BLANK PAGE

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Qualitative Analysis Notes

1 Reactions of aqueous cations

reaction with
ion
NaOH(aq) NH3(aq)

aluminium, white ppt. white ppt.

Al 3+(aq) soluble in excess insoluble in excess

ammonium, no ppt.
–
NH4+(aq) ammonia produced on heating

barium, faint white ppt. is nearly always

no ppt.
Ba2+(aq) observed unless reagents are pure

calcium,
white ppt. with high [Ca2+(aq)] no ppt.
Ca2+(aq)

chromium(III), grey-green ppt. grey-green ppt.

Cr3+(aq) soluble in excess insoluble in excess

copper(II), pale blue ppt. pale blue ppt. soluble in excess

Cu2+(aq) insoluble in excess giving dark blue solution

green ppt. turning brown on contact green ppt. turning brown on contact
iron(II),
with air with air
Fe2+(aq)
insoluble in excess insoluble in excess

iron(III), red-brown ppt. red-brown ppt.

Fe3+(aq) insoluble in excess insoluble in excess

magnesium, white ppt. white ppt.

Mg2+(aq) insoluble in excess insoluble in excess

off-white ppt. rapidly turning brown off-white ppt. rapidly turning brown
manganese(II),
on contact with air on contact with air
Mn2+(aq)
insoluble in excess insoluble in excess

zinc, white ppt. white ppt.

Zn2+(aq) soluble in excess soluble in excess

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2 Reactions of anions

ion reaction

carbonate, CO2 liberated by dilute acids

CO3 2–

chloride, gives white ppt. with Ag+(aq) (soluble in NH3(aq))

Cl –(aq)

bromide, gives cream ppt. with Ag+(aq) (partially soluble in NH3(aq))

Br (aq)
–

iodide, gives yellow ppt. with Ag+(aq) (insoluble in NH3(aq))

I –(aq)

nitrate, NH3 liberated on heating with OH–(aq) and Al foil

NO3–(aq)

nitrite, NH3 liberated on heating with OH–(aq) and Al foil

NO2–(aq)

sulfate, gives white ppt. with Ba2+(aq) (insoluble in excess dilute strong acids)
SO42–(aq)

sulfite, gives white ppt. with Ba2+(aq) (soluble in excess dilute strong acids)
SO3 (aq)2–

3 Tests for gases

gas test and test result

ammonia, NH3 turns damp red litmus paper blue
carbon dioxide, CO2 gives a white ppt. with limewater (ppt. dissolves with excess CO2)
chlorine, Cl 2 bleaches damp litmus paper
hydrogen, H2 ‘pops’ with a lighted splint
oxygen, O2 relights a glowing splint

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© UCLES 2021
The Periodic Table of Elements
Group
1 2 13 14 15 16 17 18
1 2

H He
hydrogen helium
Key 1.0 4.0
3 4 atomic number 5 6 7 8 9 10

Li Be atomic symbol B C N O F Ne
lithium beryllium name boron carbon nitrogen oxygen fluorine neon
6.9 9.0 relative atomic mass 10.8 12.0 14.0 16.0 19.0 20.2
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
sodium magnesium aluminium silicon phosphorus sulfur chlorine argon
23.0 24.3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 27.0 28.1 31.0 32.1 35.5 39.9
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
potassium calcium scandium titanium vanadium chromium manganese iron cobalt nickel copper zinc gallium germanium arsenic selenium bromine krypton
39.1 40.1 45.0 47.9 50.9 52.0 54.9 55.8 58.9 58.7 63.5 65.4 69.7 72.6 74.9 79.0 79.9 83.8
37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
12

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
rubidium strontium yttrium zirconium niobium molybdenum technetium ruthenium rhodium palladium silver cadmium indium tin antimony tellurium iodine xenon
85.5 87.6 88.9 91.2 92.9 95.9 – 101.1 102.9 106.4 107.9 112.4 114.8 118.7 121.8 127.6 126.9 131.3

9701/31/O/N/21
55 56 57–71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
lanthanoids
Cs Ba Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
caesium barium hafnium tantalum tungsten rhenium osmium iridium platinum gold mercury thallium lead bismuth polonium astatine radon
132.9 137.3 178.5 180.9 183.8 186.2 190.2 192.2 195.1 197.0 200.6 204.4 207.2 209.0 – – –
87 88 89–103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 114 116
actinoids
Fr Ra Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Fl Lv
francium radium rutherfordium dubnium seaborgium bohrium hassium meitnerium darmstadtium roentgenium copernicium flerovium livermorium
– – – – – – – – – – – – –

57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

lanthanoids La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
lanthanum cerium praseodymium neodymium promethium samarium europium gadolinium terbium dysprosium holmium erbium thulium ytterbium lutetium
138.9 140.1 140.9 144.4 – 150.4 152.0 157.3 158.9 162.5 164.9 167.3 168.9 173.1 175.0
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
actinoids Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr
actinium thorium protactinium uranium neptunium plutonium americium curium berkelium californium einsteinium fermium mendelevium nobelium lawrencium
– 232.0 231.0 238.0 – – – – – – – – – – –

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