Paper 1 (Multiple Choice)

Essential information

  • The SL exam lasts for 45 minutes and has 30 questions. It tests the core material. 
     
  • The HL exam lasts for 1 hour and has 40 questions. Of these 40 questions approximately 20 will be on the core and 20 on the AHL. 15 of the core questions will be common to the SL Paper.
     
  • No calculator or data book is allowed. A copy of the Periodic Table (Section 6 of the IB Chemistry Data Booklet) is given inside the front cover of the examination paper. A simple translation dictionary can be used by non-native English (or French or Spanish) speakers.
     
  • The examination tests approximately 50% objectives 1 and 2 and 50% objective 3 questions. The questions are written as questions so command terms are not used.
     
  • There is no reading time before the examination starts.
     
  • Each question has four possible answers. Candidates should select the best answer.
     
  • All the answers must be recorded on the IB Multiple Choice answer sheet (which will have the candidates name and number on it). 
     
  •  Not more than 10% of the questions will be of the multiple completion  type. They all have the same sequence of four answers:

                                A. I and II only

                                B. I and III only

                                C. II and III only

                                D. I, II and III

 The remaining questions will be simple completion questions.

  • Traditionally the questions are set out in the same order as the topics appear on the programme. The number of questions on each topic is roughly proportional to the recommended time to be spent teaching the topic.
     


     
  • There may, or may not, be a question on the Nature of Science.
     
  • There is no penalty for a wrong answer.

Practice

It obviously helps if you have had considerable practice at doing multiple choice questions before you sit Paper 1. This is particularly important if you do not have English as your first language as often the correct answer depends on the very precise meaning of a particular word in the question. As you complete each main topic there are one or more 20-question multiple choice tests for every topic given on this site for you to gain practice. These may be given as tests by your teacher or are available for you to use if you request them. For additional practice you are also advised to do all the ten question quizzes for each sub-topic. Once the course has been completed there are also several review/revision 'mock' exams with completely new questions that are not available elsewhere on this site that you can either do together with other students in class or on your own. These are in quiz format so that you can learn from your mistakes (as they all explain why a particular answer is the best answer) and can be found at Practice Paper 1 exams.

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