KIBOS SECONDARY SCHOOL EXAMS – 2025

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

233/Form 2 CHEMISTRY (THEORY) Paper 1

FEBRUARY 2025 – 2 Hours

Name: ………………………………...……………..……… Adm Number: ………

Student’s Signature: ………………… School: ………………………. Class:………

Instructions to candidates
(i) Write your name, adm number and class in the spaces provided above.
(ii) Sign and write the date of examination in the spaces provided above.
(iii) Answer all the questions in in the spaces provided in the question paper.
(iv) Non – programmable silent electronic calculators and KNEC Mathematical tables may be
used.
(v) All workings must be clearly shown where necessary
(vi) This paper consists of 11 printed pages.
(vii) Candidates should check the question paper to ascertain that all the pages are
printed as indicated and that no questions are missing.
(viii) Candidates should answer the questions in English.

For Examiner’s Use Only

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Total

KIBOS CHEMISTRY EXAMINATIONS 2025

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1. Complete table 1 below by filling in the correct sub – atomic particles whose charges are given
below. (3 marks)

Charge on sub - atomic particle sub - atomic particle

Negatively charged particle

Positively charged particle

Particle has no charge

2. A student set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 1 to separate a mixture of oil and water.

Figure 1

(a) Name the apparatus that would be suitable for use in the experiment instead of a burette.
(1 mark)
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(b) Give an example of a mixture that can be separated as shown in Figure 1. (1 mark)

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(c) Give one property of liquids X and Y that enables them be separated by the method shown in
Figure 1. (1 mark)

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3. (a) What are isotopes? (1 mark)

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(b) Element Y (not the actual symbol of the element) has two isotopes with mass numbers 6
and 7. If the Relative Atomic Mass of Y is 6.94, determine the percentage abundance of the
lesser abundant isotope. (2 marks)

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4. Define the following terms as used in chemistry;

(a) Atom; (1 mark)

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(b) Mass number; (1 mark)

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(c) Atomic number. (1 mark)

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5. A water trough, water, iron fillings and a graduated gas jar were used in an experimental set –
up to determine the percentage of active part of air. Draw a labelled diagram of the set – up at
the end of the experiment. (3 marks)

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6. Study the set – up in Figure 3 and then answer the questions that follows

(a) At the end of the experiment, Solid B changed from white to blue. Explain. (1 mark)

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(b) State and explain the observation made in the test – tube containing calcium hydroxide.
(2 marks)

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(c) State the role of apparatus C. (1 mark)

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7. Study equation below and answer the questions that follows;

Mg  OH 2  H2SO4  Substance T + H2O

(a) Name substance T. (1 mark)

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(b) Name the type of reaction taking place in the above equation. (1 mark)

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(c) Complete the equation and balance it correctly. (1 mark)

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8. Figure 2 shows set – up used to collect gas T, produced by the reaction between water and
calcium metal.

Figure 3
(a) Name gas T. (1 mark)

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(b) At the end of the experiment, the solution in the beaker was found to be a weak base. Explain
why the solution is a weak base. (1 mark)

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(c) Give one laboratory use of the solution formed in the beaker. (1 mark)

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9. An element Q has a valency of 2, write the formula of its:

(a) Phosphate. (1 mark)

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(b) Hydroxide. (1 mark)

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(c) Nitrate. (1 mark)

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(d) Sulphate. (1 mark)

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10. The chromatography in Figure 4 shows the constituents of a flower extract using an organic
solvent:-

(a) Name a possible organic solvent you can use for this experiment. (1 mark)

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(b) State one property that makes the red pigment to move the furthest distance from M.
(1 mark)

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(c) Describe how one could get a sample of yellow pigment. (2 marks)

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11. Write chemical formulae of the following compounds.

(a) Sodium sulphate. (1 mark)

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(b) Aluminium nitrate. (1 mark)

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(c) Ammonium carbonate. (1 mark)

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(d) Magnesium nitride. (1 mark)

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12. Figure 5 shows a Bunsen Burner in use with two tubes placed at two different regions of the
flame. Use it to answer the questions that follow.

Figure 5

(a) State the aim of the above set – up in Figure 5. (1 mark)

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(b) Explain observations made in regions where the tubes were placed in Figure 5. (2 marks)

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13. When a student was stung by a nettle plant, a teacher applied an aqueous solution of ammonia
to the affected area of the skin and the student was relieved of pain. Explain (2 marks)

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14. Figure 6 below is part of periodic table, use it to answer the questions that follows. Letters do
not represent the actual symbol of the element .

Figure 6
(a) State the chemical family to which elements A and B belong. (1 mark)

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(b) Select one element that is:

(i) Most reactive metal. (1 mark)

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(ii) Most reactive non – metal. (1 mark)

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(c) Give the general name of elements found in the shaded region. (1 mark)

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15. (a) Give the chemical name of rust. (1 mark)

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(a) Four test tubes were setup to investigate rusting of iron as shown in Figure 7. The setup was
allowed to stand for one week.

Figure 7
Explain why;
(i) no rusting took place in test tube III. (1 mark)

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(ii) there was highest amount of rust in IV. (1 mark)

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16. An atom has mass number of 31 and 15 neutrons.

(a)Find the number of protons present in the nucleus of an atom. (1 mark)

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(b)Write an electron arrangement of element P. (1 mark)

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(c)State the period and group to which element P belong. (2 marks)

Period …………………………………………………………………………………………...

Group …………………………………………………………………………………………..

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17. Balance each of the following equations.

(a) Mg(s) + HCl(aq) → MgCl2(aq) + H2(g). (1 mark)

(b) Na(s) + H2O(l) → NaOH(aq) + H2(g) (1 mark)

(c) NaOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq) → Na2SO4(aq) + H2O(l). (1 mark)

(d) CuCO3(s) + HNO3(aq) → Cu(NO3)2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l). (1 mark)

18. Metal W removes oxygen combined with metal X. Y reacts with an oxide of Z. An oxide of X
reacts with cold water but Y does not.

(a) Identify;
(i) the most reactive metal; (1 mark)

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(ii) the least reactive metal. (1 mark)

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(b) Arrange the metals in order of reactivity starting with the most reactive to the least reactive.
(1 mark)

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19. Pure air contains about 1% argon. Argon has atomic number 18:

(a) State the group to which argon belongs. ( ½ mark)

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(b) Write the electronic configuration to argon? ( ½ mark)

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(c) Why is argon used in lamps? (1 mark)

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(d) An Isotope of argon has a mass number of 40. Calculate the number of neutrons in this
Isotope of argon. (1 mark)

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20. Figure 6 shows reaction between steam and powdered iron as well as reaction of products.
Study it and answer the questions that follow.

Figure 6
(a) Write equation for the reaction between steam and iron. (1 mark)

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(b) Give the observation made in the combustion tube. (1 mark)

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(c) Give one physical test of liquid Y. (1 mark)

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21. Describe how flower petals can be used to extract flower extract indicator. (3 marks)

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22. An element Y has mass number of 39 and atomic number of 19.

(a) Write the electron arrangement of element Y. (1 mark)

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(b) State group and period to which element Y belong.

Group ……….……………………………………………………………………… (1 mark)

Period ……………….……………………………………………………………… (1 mark)

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(c) State whether element Y is a metal or non – metal. (1 mark)

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23. A form one class carried out an experiment to determine the active part of air. The diagram
below shows the set-up of the experiment and also the observation made.

Figure 9
(a) Identify substance M. (1 mark)

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(b) State two reasons for the suitability of substance M for this experiment (1 mark)

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(c) Write the equation for the reaction of substance M and the active part of air (1 mark)

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24. The table below gives the atomic numbers of elements W, X, Y and Z. the letters do not
represent the actual symbols of the elements.

Element W X Y Z
Atomic Number 11 10 9 6

(a) Which one of the elements is least reactive? Explain? (1 mark)

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(b) Which two elements would react most vigorously with each other? (1 mark)

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(c) Give the formula of the compound formed when the elements in (b) above react. (1 mark)

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Kibos Secondary School Examinations, Term 1 2025