Reactions were good all round

Fair chemistry papers produced good reactions among students. ASTI subject representative Mr Gerard O'Donoghue said the higher-level paper was good and challenging with a wide range of questions which tested the course extensively and included a good mix of theory and practical work.

Some students may have found parts of question 2 difficult but it was similar to previous years, said Mr O'Donoghue who teaches at St. Clement's College, Limerick.

Question 3 was a nice organic practical question. Students were asked to discuss two experiments. The accompanying diagrams were a great help, he added.

Question 4 was a wide-ranging question on the periodic table which demanded a lot of knowledge, said Mr O'Donoghue. Question 7 would have rewarded memory work and was good for students who had put in the study. Parts (a) and (b) of question 8 were straightforward; however there was a sting in the tail as part (c) was more testing and required more comprehension.

At ordinary-level, he lauded the inclusion of a range of clear diagrams. This was a welcome development, he said, as chemistry is quite a difficult subject and this layout made it more accessible. Question 7 could have caused problems as it included a diagram and students were asked for an alternative method and diagram to illustrate the experiment. It's likely that some students would only be familiar with the illustrated method. Otherwise, it was a fair paper.