plumiPreparing and purifying a liquid organic compound (Core Practical 7): Edexcel International A Level Chemistry questions
Edexcel International A Level Chemistry past-paper questions on 10.C.4 Preparing and purifying a liquid organic compound (Core Practical 7), 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q16(c)(iii)
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All 51 questions on Preparing and purifying a liquid organic compound (Core Practical 7), as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q16(c)(iii) (1 mark): Give a reason why cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone can be separated by fractional distillation but not by simple distillation. (1)
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q4(d) (1 mark): State the role of the sodium sulfate in Step 5. (1)
- October 2024, AS Unit 3, Q3(a) (3 marks): Draw a labelled diagram of the distillation apparatus including a thermometer. (3)
- October 2024, AS Unit 3, Q3(c)(ii) (2 marks): Explain how information, easily obtained from the distillation experiment, could be used to confirm the identity of the final product. (2)
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(i) (1 mark): A small quantity of water is removed by the drying agent anhydrous calcium chloride. Complete the equation by adding the formula of the product including its st
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(a) (1 mark): Suggest why the flask in Step 2 was frequently placed in a stream of cold running water as the sulfuric acid was gradually added. (1)
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(d) (3 marks): Complete the labelled diagram of the distillation apparatus used in Step 4. (3) round-bottomed flask reaction mixture of ethanol, sulfuric acid A and potassium b
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(e) (1 mark): Identify the solid particles labelled A in the flask that have been added to promote smooth boiling. (1)
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(f) (1 mark): Bromoethane is very volatile. Suggest what could be done with the small beaker, used in Step 5 to collect bromoethane, in order to prevent the loss of the bromo
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(g) (2 marks): Describe how to use a separating funnel to remove the aqueous layer from the bromoethane collected in Step 6. [Densities: bromoethane = 1.47 g cm–3 water = 1.00
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(h) (1 mark): State why the bromoethane would not be dried in Step 7 by placing in a warm oven. (1)
- June 2024 (R), AS Unit 3, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): State the purpose of adding anhydrous sodium sulfate in Step D. (1)
- January 2024, AS Unit 3, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the reaction mixture is heated as shown, instead of heating under reflux. (2)
- January 2024, AS Unit 3, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the water is passed through the condenser in the direction shown. (2)
- October 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(b) (1 mark): State how anti-bumping granules make liquids boil more smoothly. (1)
- October 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(c) (2 marks): The diagram shows the apparatus used for fractional distillation in Step 4. heat Suggest two reasons why fractional distillation is used rather than simple dist
- October 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(d) (2 marks): Draw a diagram of the separating funnel and its contents in Step 5, labelling each layer. (2)
- October 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(e) (2 marks): Explain the change in appearance of the liquid when it is allowed to stand with anhydrous calcium chloride in Step 6. (2)
- October 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(f) (1 mark): State a suitable temperature range for collecting the distillate in Step 7. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain why apparatus E is not suitable for the oxidation of butan‑1‑ol to butanoic acid. (2)
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): Give a different reason why apparatus G is also not suitable for the oxidation of butan‑1‑ol to butanoic acid. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(iii) (2 marks): Explain why, in apparatus F, the water should flow in from the bottom of the condenser. (2)
- October 2022, AS Unit 3, Q4(b) (4 marks): Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus that is required to prepare and collect a sample of propanal by heating propan‑1‑ol with acidified potassium dichromate
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(b) (2 marks): Explain why adding phosphoric(V) acid slowly, with cooling and swirling, in Step 2 results in a higher yield of cyclohexene. (2)
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(c) (1 mark): In Step 3 anti‑bumping granules are present to promote smooth boiling in the mixture. Give a reason, other than damage to equipment, why bumping should be avoid
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(d) (2 marks): Explain why, in Step 4, the distillate is collected in a temperature range of 80 °C to 90 °C. (2) Substance Boiling temperature / °C Cyclohexanol 162 Cyclohexen
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(e)(i) (2 marks): State what is removed by washing the mixture with sodium carbonate solution in Step 5. Include an ionic equation for the reaction. State symbols are not require
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(e)(ii) (2 marks): After the washing in Step 5, the separating funnel contains two layers. Draw a diagram of the separating funnel, labelling its contents. (2) Substance Density /
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(e)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest what might be removed by washing the product with deionised water in Step 6. (1)
- June 2022, AS Unit 3, Q3(f) (2 marks): Identify from the list shown one substance that could be used as a drying agent in Step 7 of this procedure. Justify your choice. (2) C2H5OH(l) Ca(OH)2(s) CuSO4
- January 2022, AS Unit 3, Q2(c) (3 marks): Compound X is converted into compound Y when refluxed with excess sodium dichromate(VI) in sulfuric acid. Compound Y is a liquid that is soluble in the reaction
- October 2021, AS Unit 2, Q22(c) (1 mark): Suggest how the ethanol can be obtained, after filtering the fermentation mixture. (1)
- October 2021, AS Unit 3, Q2(b) (3 marks): Geraniol is extracted by steam distillation. water out vent to sink mixture to be steam distilled water water in HEAT HEAT collecting flask The steam distillati
- October 2021, AS Unit 3, Q2(c) (3 marks): The geraniol will still contain small quantities of water. Describe how to produce a sample of pure, dry geraniol using a named drying agent. (3)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(a) (2 marks): Suggest why the percentage yield of 1-bromobutane might be lower if the cold water bath was not used in Step 1. (2)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): State what must be added to the mixture in the flask before heating in Step 2. (1)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus that you would use to heat the mixture under reflux in Step 2. (3)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): State why sodium hydrogencarbonate solution is added in Step 4. (1)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(c)(ii) (2 marks): Addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate solution in Step 4 causes vigorous effervescence. Explain how the problem associated with Step 4 should be dealt with. (2)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(c)(iii) (1 mark): Give the purpose of the anhydrous calcium chloride used in Step 5. (1)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(c)(iv) (1 mark): State how the appearance of the organic liquid would change in Step 5. (1)
- June 2021, AS Unit 3, Q4(d) (1 mark): For the final distillation in Step 6, a thermometer with a scale giving readings to the nearest 1° C was provided. Give a suitable temperature range for the col
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(a) (2 marks): Step 1 5 cm3 of ethanol and 5 cm3 of water are added to a round-bottomed flask. The flask is placed in an ice bath and 5 cm3 of concentrated sulfuric acid is a
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(c)(i) (3 marks): Draw a labelled diagram to show the apparatus suitable for this distillation. Include a thermometer but no clamps or stands. (3)
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(c)(ii) (1 mark): State how anti-bumping granules prevent bumping in the distillation flask. (1)
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(d)(i) (2 marks): State two physical properties of bromoethane that can be deduced from this diagram. (2)
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(d)(ii) (1 mark): Describe how the aqueous layer could be removed from the separating funnel. (1)
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(e) (1 mark): Step 5 After removing the aqueous layer, sodium hydrogencarbonate solution is added to the impure bromoethane in a separating funnel and the two layers separat
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(f)(i) (1 mark): Identify, by name or formula, a suitable drying agent. (1)
- January 2020, AS Unit 3, Q4(f)(ii) (1 mark): Describe how the appearance of the bromoethane changes after the drying agent has been added and the mixture allowed to stand. (1)
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q23(b) (6 marks): Propan-1-ol is heated with a concentrated solution of acidified potassium dichromate(VI). Explain how the conditions used affect the rate of the reaction and en
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