Electrochemistry: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 12May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Molten sodium chloride is electrolysed. Which change occurs at the cathode?

  Try this question
• Question 12Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Electrolysis is used to plate a metal statue with silver. The statue is an electrode in a suitable electrolyte. Which row is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 11Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Aqueous copper(II) sulfate is electrolysed using copper electrodes. Which row describes the changes that take place during the electrolysis?

  Try this question
• Question 12Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Aqueous copper(II) sulfate is electrolysed with copper electrodes. What is the equation for the reaction occurring at the anode?

  Try this question
• Question 13May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three statements about hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells are listed. 1 They produce less carbon dioxide than petrol engines. 2 They produce hydrogen and oxygen as the only chemical products.

  Try this question
• Question 13Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 12Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row describes one advantage and one disadvantage of using a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell to power a road vehicle?

  Try this question
• Question 13Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three statements about fuel cells are given. 1 A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell requires a continuous input of fuel and oxygen. 2 In a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell, hydrogen is burned in oxygen to produce electricity.

  Try this question
• Question 10May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Concentrated and dilute aqueous $\text{XCl}$ are electrolysed separately using inert electrodes. X is a more reactive metal than sodium. Which row shows the products at the cathode and the anode?

  Try this question
• Question 27Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Aluminium is extracted from molten aluminium oxide by electrolysis. Which material is used for the electrodes in the industrial extraction?

  Try this question
• Question 12Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electrolytic cell is shown. Which statement is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 12Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Aqueous copper(II) sulfate is electrolysed using copper electrodes. Which row correctly describes what happens?

  Try this question
• Question 11May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement comparing hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells with gasoline / petrol engines is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 11Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The apparatus shown is used to investigate the electrolysis using inert electrodes of dilute sulfuric acid and concentrated aqueous sodium chloride in separate experiments. Which row shows the ratio of volume of gas collected in each test-tube?

  Try this question
• Question 13Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  An aqueous mixture of copper(II) nitrate and silver nitrate is electrolysed with pure copper electrodes. Which ionic half-equation describes the change occurring at the anode?

  Try this question
• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Concentrated aqueous calcium bromide is electrolysed using graphite electrodes. Predict the product at each electrode.

  Try this question
• Question 28May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which substance is used for the electrodes when aluminium is extracted from its ore?

  Try this question
• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured10 marks

  Anhydrous copper(II) sulfate is a white solid. State the meaning of the term anhydrous.

  Try this question
• Question 14Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is a disadvantage of using a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell to power a car?

  Try this question
• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Concentrated aqueous magnesium iodide is electrolysed using graphite electrodes. Predict the product at each electrode.

  Try this question
• Question 3May/June 2026, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Hydrogen reacts with oxygen to make water. $$2{\mathrm{H}}_2(\mathrm{g})+{\mathrm{O}}_2(\mathrm{g})\to 2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{g})$$ Figure 3.1 shows the reaction pathway diagram for this reaction. The reaction is exothermic.

  Try this question
• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured9 marks

  Hydrated zinc chloride is a white solid. State the meaning of the term hydrated.

  Try this question
• Question 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 3.1 shows the apparatus used for the electrolysis of concentrated aqueous sodium chloride using graphite electrodes. Label the cathode on Fig. 3.1.

  Try this question
• Question 6Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured7 marks

  Steam reacts with carbon to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. $$\text{steam}+\text{carbon}\rightleftharpoons \text{carbon monoxide}+\text{hydrogen}$$ The forward reaction is endothermic.

  Try this question
• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 21Structured11 marks

  Potassium iodide is an ionic compound. Concentrated and dilute aqueous potassium iodide are separately electrolysed using graphite electrodes. Complete Table 4.1 about the products of the two electrolysis reactions.

  Try this question
• Question 14May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about electrolysis is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 3.1 shows the apparatus used for the electrolysis of dilute sulfuric acid using graphite electrodes. Define the term electrolysis.

  Try this question
• Question 1Oct/Nov 2023, paper 42Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  A student investigates the electrolysis of concentrated aqueous sodium chloride. Fig. 1.1 shows the apparatus the student uses. Name apparatus X.

  Try this question
• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 22Structured11 marks

  Copper(II) sulfate is an ionic compound. The electrolysis of aqueous copper(II) sulfate is done using copper or graphite electrodes. Complete Table 4.1 about the observations made in the two electrolysis reactions.

  Try this question
• Question 15May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows an electrolysis experiment using inert electrodes. Which row shows what happens to the concentration of the electrolyte in L and in M as the electrolysis proceeds?

  Try this question