Cambridge IGCSE™

CO-ORDINATED SCIENCES 0654/62

Paper 6 Alternative to Practical May/June 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 60

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2021 series for most Cambridge
IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 12 printed pages.

© UCLES 2021 [Turn over

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the
scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

© UCLES 2021 Page 2 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

Science-Specific Marking Principles

1 Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be present, marks
should not be awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.

2 The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for any
correct statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the question should be ignored.

3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from other syllabus
terms with which they may be confused (e.g. ethane / ethene, glucagon / glycogen, refraction / reflection).

4 The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used in a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included in the mark scheme where
necessary and any exceptions to this general principle will be noted.

5 ‘List rule’ guidance

For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons):

• The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided.
• Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n.
• Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n.
• Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be
awarded for any responses that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this should
be treated as a single incorrect response.
• Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science.

© UCLES 2021 Page 3 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
6 Calculation specific guidance

Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show
your working’.

For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded by
the examiner to the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.

For answers given in standard form (e.g. a × 10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient (a) to a value between 1
and 10 is not followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.

Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded.
Exceptions to this general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.

7 Guidance for chemical equations

Multiples / fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

© UCLES 2021 Page 4 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Examples of how to apply the list rule

State three reasons [3]

A 1 Correct  2 F 1 Correct  2

2 Correct  (4 responses) 2 Correct 

3 Wrong  3 Correct 
CON (of 3) (discount 3)

B 1 Correct, Correct ,  3
G 1 Correct  3
(4 responses) 2 Correct 
(5 responses) 2 Correct 
3 Wrong ignore
3 Correct 
Correct ignore
C 1 Correct  2 CON (of 4) ignore

(4 responses) 2 Correct, Wrong , 

H 1 Correct  2
3 Correct ignore
(4 responses) 2 Correct 

D 1 Correct  2 3 CON (of 2) (discount 2)

Correct 
(4 responses) 2 Correct, CON (of 2) , (discount 2)

3 Correct  I 1 Correct  2

(4 responses) 2 Correct 
E 1 Correct  3
3 Correct 
(4 responses) 2 Correct  CON (of 2) (discount 2)

3 Correct, Wrong 

© UCLES 2021 Page 5 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

1(a) Benedict’s ; 1

1(b)(i) 4
A blue blue blue-black ;

B blue purple ; orange / brown

C yellow / green / orange / red blue orange / brown

;
;

1(b)(ii) A contains starch ; 3

B contains protein ;
C contains reducing sugar ;

1(c) add ethanol (shake gently to dissolve the fat) and pour into water ; 2
white emulsion ;

1(d)(i) Yellow / green – low(er) (concentration of reducing sugar) / 1

Orange / red – high(er) ;

1(d)(ii) any two from: 2

• volume / concentration of Benedict’s solution ;
• mass / volume / concentration of food / samples ;
• time (in water bath) / left for same time ;
• temperature (of water bath) ;

© UCLES 2021 Page 6 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

2 1 mark must be from each section, plus any other 2 7

Apparatus
suitable container / card or paper with markings ;
ruler ;

Method
use different colours ;
lots of maggots (min 5 if give number) / repeats ;
moisture ;
gloves / wash hands afterwards to protect from disease / bacteria / pathogens (from maggots) ;
ref. animal welfare ;

Measurement
number moved to the lights ;
distance moved towards the lights ;

Controlled variables
distance of lamp / intensity / brightness of light ;
time ;
same size / type / age of maggots ;
number of maggots ;
temperature ;

Conclusion
bar chart of number to each colour / distance to each colour ;
colour of light with most maggots is the one they are most attracted to

Question Answer Marks

3(a)(i) to mix the reagents / to ensure even temperature ; 1

3(a)(ii) 27.0 ; 2
37.5 ;

© UCLES 2021 Page 7 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

3(a)(iii) 5.5 and 16 (0) ; 1

3(b)(i) 661.5 and 1354.5 ; 2

660 and 1400 ;

3(b)(ii) calculation – 2 × or ½ × or divided – can be E or ΔT ; 2

sensible comparison and 10 % ;

3(b)(iii) any two from: 2

• insulate / lag test tube ;
• add lid ;
• thermometer with smaller divisions / thermometer measures to 0.1 °C ;

3(b)(iv) Mg in excess / all acid used up ; 1

Question Answer Marks

4(a) lighted splint ; 2

pops ;

4(b) (blue) ammonia / NH3 ; 2

(bleach) chlorine / Cl2 ;

© UCLES 2021 Page 8 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

5(a) filter funnel and paper and receiving vessel all drawn and labelled correctly, filter paper must not have a gap at the point ; 2
sand in filter paper and salt water / salt solution / aqueous salt in receiving vessel labelled correctly ;

(filter) funnel
filter paper
sand

flask label to match drawing

Salt and water / salt water / salt solution

© UCLES 2021 Page 9 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

5(b) Bunsen burner, flask, condenser and collecting vessel present ; 3

Bunsen burner and flask and condenser all labelled correctly ;
salt / salt solution in flask and water in collecting ;

flask

beaker
salt / salt
solution water

Bunsen burner

Bunsen burner can be drawn or arrow with heat

Any flask / boiling tube
Any receiving vessel

salt
Evaporating dish
gauze

tripod

HEAT Bunsen burner

heatproof mat

diagram can have:

any container
Bunsen burner drawn

© UCLES 2021 Page 10 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

6(a) 3.3 (cm) ; 1

6(b)(i) 91 (cm3) ; 1

6(b)(ii) 9 (cm3) ; 1

6(c)(i) axes labelled with quantity and unit ; 3

sensible linear scales with point covering ⩾ ½ the grid ;
5 points plotted correctly ± ½ small square ;

6(c)(ii) best-fit line ; 1

6(d) indication on graph of how data were obtained ⩾ ½ the line ; 2

3.7 ± 0.2 ;

6(e) 2.183 / 2.2 ; 1

6(f)(i) to avoid parallax / line-of-sight errors ; 1

6(f)(ii) measuring cylinder only reads to 1 cm3 / water sticks to side of measuring cylinder / boiling tube / diameter of boiling tube 1
not uniform / boiling tube rounded at the end ;

Question Answer Marks

7(a) 0.25 (A) ; 2

0.21 (V) ;

7(b)(i) 0.84 (Ω) ; 1

7(b)(ii) Ω / ohm ; 1

7(b)(iii) 0.084 ; 1

© UCLES 2021 Page 11 of 12

0654/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2021
PUBLISHED
Question Answer Marks

7(c) (expect YES) doubling l doubles R / the ratio R / l is constant ; 1

7(d) repeat for more values of l ; 1

7(e) wire gets hot / cell runs down ; 1

© UCLES 2021 Page 12 of 12