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Date May 2019 Marks available 2 Reference code 19M.3.hl.TZ2.27
Level HL Paper 3 Time zone TZ2
Command term Suggest Question number 27 Adapted from N/A

Question

The presence of alcohol in the breath can be detected using a breathalyzer.

Describe how a fuel cell breathalyser works.

[3]
a.

Alcohol levels in the breath can also be determined using IR spectroscopy.

Suggest, giving a reason, which bond’s absorbance is most useful for detecting ethanol in breath.

Bond: 

Reason:

[2]
b.

Markscheme

Any three of:
ethanol «in breath» is oxidized «to ethanoic acid»  [✔]
electrons pass through external circuit/meter [✔]
«to cathode where» O2 is reduced [✔]
current is proportional to alcohol concentration [✔]

 

Note: Accept equations for oxidation of ethanol or reduction of oxygen.

a.

Bond:
C–O
OR
C–H  [✔]

Reason:
cannot use O–H bonds as in water «found in breath» [✔]

 

Note: Accept “C–O/C–H «bonds in molecules in breath» most likely to be in ethanol”.

Do not apply ECF here.

b.

Examiners report

While many scored the first marking point, full marks were rarely seen. Many candidates mixed up this and a dichromate breathalyser.

a.

Most candidates incorrectly identified O-H, failing to realise it is unsuitable due to its abundant presence in the breath.

b.

Syllabus sections

Options » D: Medicinal chemistry » D.9 Drug detection and analysis (HL only)
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