KANGA HIGH SCHOOL

THE NATIONAL STEM OLYMPIAD CONTEST

1st EDITION 2025

NAME ………………………………SCHOOL……….………………..ADM NO……….

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)

Chemistry
Sunday 7th September, 2025
2 Hours

Instructions to Candidates
a) Write your name, school and school code in the spaces provided above.
b) This paper consists of three sections, answer ALL the questions in each section in the
spaces provided.
c) Mathematical tables and electronic calculators may be used.
d) All working MUST be clearly shown where necessary.

For Examiner’s use only

Questions Max. Score Candidate’s Score

1 – 33 100

Candidates should check the question paper to ascertain that all the pages are printed as
indicated and that no questions are missing.

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 SECTION A (50 MARKS)
1. Sulphur (IV) oxide is used as a food preservative for fruit juices. Explain why it is not
used to preserve tinned fruit juices. (2 marks)

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2. When cooking mandazi using baking powder, the dough rises when put in a frying pan.
Explain. (1 mark)

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3. An experiment was carried out to compare the effectiveness of three metal oxides in
catalyzing decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The same quantity of oxides was used
in each case and volume of the gas produced recorded at periodic time intervals. Figure
1 below shows the results obtained.

Figure 1

a) Which catalyst is most effective? Explain. (1 mark)

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b) What deduction can be made about copper (II) oxide? (1 mark)

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4. In an experiment, 5.3g of a mixture of sodium chloride and anhydrous sodium carbonate
were dissolved in water to make 50cm3 of a solution which required 10cm3 of 0.25M
hydrochloric acid for complete reaction. Calculate the percentage by mass of sodium
chloride in the mixture. (2 marks)
(Na = 23, Cl = 35.5, O = 16.0, C = 12.0)

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5. Draw a well labelled diagram to show the set – up of apparatus you would use to dry
and burn hydrogen gas and collect products formed. (2 marks)

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6. Give the IUPAC names of the following complexes

i) [Ag(NH3)2]+ (1 mark)

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ii) [Al(OH)4]- (1 mark)

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7. Explain why the pressure of a fixed mass of a gas increases when the volume of the gas
is reduced at constant temperature. (2 marks)

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8. Concentrated nitric (V) acid was added to acidified iron (II) sulphate solution and the
mixture heated. The solution turned from pale green to yellow with evolution of a
brown gas. Explain these observations. (2 marks)

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9. Some X-ray patients are fed on “barium meal” that contains barium ions before the X-
ray is taken. Identify the barium salt used. Explain. (2 marks)

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10. Figure 2 below represents the type of fire extinguisher found in many premises like
schools, offices, hospitals and laboratories.

Figure 2

a) Describe and explain how the extinguisher is used to put off a fire. (2 marks)

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b) State the type of fire extinguisher drawn above. (1 mark)

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11. Buildings which are painted with lead based paints usually have black spots especially
in the kitchen or fire place. Explain. (2 marks)

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12. A piece of cover slip was weighed before and after a student made a circle on it using
a pencil lid of pure graphite. The masses were as shown below.
i) Mass of cover slip before = 2.093g
ii) Mass of cover slip after drawing circle = 2.1943g
Determine the number of carbon atoms used to draw the circle using Avogadro’s
constant. (2 marks)

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13. a) Sodium chloride can be obtained by burning dry banana leaves and mixing the ash
with water. Briefly explain how the salt is extracted from the mixture. (2 marks)

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b) The salt can also be obtained by evaporation of sea water by the sun. In which pool
(A, B and C) in Figure 3 will the salt crystals form first? Explain. (1 mark)

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14. A sample of water from unknown source was found to contain hardness. Describe how
dilute nitric (V) acid can be used to determine the type of harness in the sample of water.
(2 marks)

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15. a) Nylon – 6,6 is a condensation polymer whose structure is as follows

O O H H

C (CH2)4 C N (CH2)6 N n

Draw and name the structures of the two monomers from which nylon – 6,6 is obtained.
(2 marks)
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16. Monel is an alloy of nickel and another metal. Identify the other metal and give one use
of Monel. (2 marks)

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17. Distinguish between isomers and isobars. (2 marks)

Isomers
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Isobars
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18. Excess zinc powder was added to 50cm3 of unknown concentration of copper (II)
sulphate solution and the reaction allowed to complete. The highest temperature change
was 15oC. If the molar enthalpy of displacement is -65kJ/mol. Calculate the
concentration in moles per litre of the copper (II) sulphate solution used. (2 marks)

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19. a) Explain why it is not safe to store radioactive substances in containers made of zinc
materials. (1mark)

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b) State two factors that determine the stability of an atom. (1mark)

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20. Hydrogen fuel cell is more preferred as a source of energy than petrol to run engines.
Give two reasons for this preference. (1 mark)

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21. Aluminium chloride vapour reacts with ammonia gas forming solid NH3.AlCl3. Using
dot (.) and cross (x) diagram represent the bonding in this compound. (1 mark)

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22. A mixture of propane, argon and oxygen gases were ignited. On cooling, the residual
gas occupied 76cm3 and when shaken with aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, the
volume was reduced to 40cm3. A further 22cm3 of the product was absorbed by alkaline
pyrogallol. Calculate the composition of the original mixture. (3 marks)

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23. Explain why potassium metal bursts into flame on contact with water. (1 mark)

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24. Fluorine can be obtained on large scale through electrolysis of potassium fluoride
dissolved in liquid hydrogen fluoride but not by electrolysis of KF dissolved in water.
Explain. (2 marks)

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25. Explain the change in volume when ammonia is sparked electrically. Write an equation
to support your answer. (2 marks)

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26. Give the Arrhenius definition of a base. (1 mark)

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SECTION B (40 MARKS)

27. The production of sodium hydroxide by the electrolysis of brine, is also a substantial
source of industrial chlorine and hydrogen. The method makes use of diaphragm cell.
a) To obtain pure brine, impurities such as magnesium ions and calcium ions must
be removed. Explain how sodium carbonate is used to purify brine. (2 marks)

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b) Apart from preventing chlorine and hydrogen from mixing, state one other
function of the diaphragm. (1 mark)

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c) The composition of sodium hydroxide obtained is 12% NaOH and 15% sodium
chloride. How is the concentration of sodium hydroxide increased? (2 marks)

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d) Comment briefly on the changes in the solution during electrolysis. (1 mark)

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e) Other than manufacture of soaps and detergents, state any other use of sodium
hydroxide. (1 mark)

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28. a) Sulphur (VI) oxide gas can be manufactured by the contact process as shown in the
equation below.

2SO2(g) + O2 (g) 2SO3 (g)

The energy level diagram for the above reaction is as shown in Figure 4 below.

Energy Reactants

kJ
Products

Reaction path
y

i) What would be the effect on the yield of Sulphur (VI) oxide if temperature is
decreased? Explain. (2 marks)

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ii) On the same diagram above, sketch the energy level diagram that would be obtained
if the reaction is carried out in presence of platinum. (1 mark)

b) When bromine gas reacts with aqueous sodium hydroxide equilibrium is established
as shown below.

Br2(aq) + 2OH aq Braq + OBraq  + H2O(l)

(Brown) (Colourless)

What would be the effect on position of equilibrium if lemon fruit were squeezed to
the equilibrium mixture? Explain. (2 marks)

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29. a) Methane is a gas prepared by reacting sodium ethanoate and soda lime.
I) Write an equation for the formation of methane. (1 mark)

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II) Methane reacts with excess chlorine to form two products. Name the two
products. (1 mark)

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b) The diagram in Figure 4 below shows an incomplete set – up of the laboratory

preparation ethene.

Figure 4
i) Give the chemical formula of substances X and Y. (2 marks)

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ii) Explain the use of sodium hydroxide in this experiment. (1 mark)

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iii) What would be the maximum temperature to which the mixture is heated?
(1 mark)
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 c) Alkanols react with alkanoic acids to form a class of organic compounds called
esters.
i) State the name of the of the catalyst used during this reaction. (1 mark)

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ii) What observation is made at the end of the reaction? (1 mark)

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30. a) Study the flow chart in Figure 5 and answer the questions that follow.

Solid K Aqueous potassium

hydroxide

Chlorine
Concentrated Chamber A Chamber B
hydrochloric acid

Heat
Figure 5

i) Identify solid K. (1 mark)

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ii) Name the type of reaction that takes place in chamber A. (1 mark)

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iii) Write the equation for the reaction taking place in chamber B. (1 mark)

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b) Chlorine gas reacts with hot concentrated sodium hydroxide solution to form
compound R. State one use of compound R other than bleaching. (1 mark)

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c) Below are some properties of a chloride compound.

 Conducts electricity in molten form
 Melting point of about 790oC

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  Soluble in polar solvents such as water
 Non – conductor of electricity in solid state.

Explain how the bonding in the compound is formed. (1 mark)

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31. Figure 6 below shows a scheme on extraction of a metal.

i) Give the chemical formula of the following substances in the scheme above.
Ore P (1 mark)

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Solution R (1 mark)

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ii) Briefly describe how step I is carried out. (2 marks)

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 iii) Write two chemical equations for the reactions that lead to formation of aluminium
oxide in step II. (2 marks)

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iv) Give a reason why the electrolytic process in step (IV) is usually not carried out
below 950oC. (1 mark)

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32. a) Define the term solubility. (1 mark)

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b) The information in Table 1 below gives the solubilities in g/100g of water of two
salts T and K.

Temperature Solubility in g/100g of water of salt

(oC) T K
0 10 30
20 15 34
40 26 37
60 40 40
80 63 44
100 100 48

i) Plot a graph of solubility against temperature for the two salts T and K on the same
axis. (3 marks)

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 ii) From the graph, determine
I) The temperature at which solubility of K is 42g/100g of water.
(1 mark)
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II) The solubility of T at 56oC. (1 mark)

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iii) Calculate the mass of crystals of salt T which will deposit when a solution
containing 35g of T in 100g of water initially at 60oC is cooled to a temperature of
34oC. (1 mark)

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 iv) Calculate the concentration of salt K in moles per litre when the solubility of the
two salts are the same. (RFM of salt K = 160). (2 marks)

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c) In softening of hard water, ion exchange method can be used. How is the ion
exchange resin recovered after exhaustion? (1 mark)

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SECTION C (10 MARKS)

33. You are provided with:

 Solid W
 2M ammonia solution
 Aqueous sodium chloride
 1M nitric (V) acid
 Wooden splint
Solid W is suspected to be lead (II) carbonate
a) From the reagents provided, select and describe three tests that could be carried out
consecutively to confirm that solid W is lead (II) carbonate. Write the tests and
expected observations in the spaces provided.

i)
Test 1 Expected Observations

(2marks) (1mark)

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 ii) Test 2 Expected Observations

(1mark) (1mark)

iii)
Test 3 Expected Observations

(1mark) (1mark)

b) From the tests described in (a) above, write the actual observations and inferences
in the spaces provided that would be made if the real identity of solid W is Lead
(II) carbonate.

i) Observations Inferences

(½ mark) (½ mark)

ii) Observations Inferences

(½ mark) (½ mark)
iii)
Observations Inferences

(½ mark) (½ mark)

*THIS IS THE LAST PRINTED PAGE*

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