CHEMISTRY-B-SALTERS-H033 · Cambridge OCR AS Level
CHEMISTRY-B-SALTERS-H033/11
Paper 1
Chemistry B Salters · June 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.8 / 5
140
180 min
Stoichiometric calculations, gas volume conversions, and practical standard solutions
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
140
Duration
180 min
Session difficulty
3.8 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
A substantial portion of the marks in both papers is allocated to Formulae, equations and amount of substance (20 marks) and Bonding and structure (16 marks).
Key high-yield questions included:
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Mathematical & Calculation
Weight: 7100%Practical & Experimental
Weight: 686%Prose
Weight: 457%Explanation
Weight: 343%Recall & Understanding
Weight: 229%Theoretical
Weight: 114%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “Draw” questions.
Name or point to the specific feature asked for — avoid extra explanation.
Match the expected response style for “Write” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1.3
Min per mark: 1.3
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Formulae, equations and amount of substance (Elements of life (EL))
20 marks this session
Inorganic chemistry and the periodic table (Elements from the sea (ES))
15 marks this session
Bonding and structure (Developing fuels (DF))
14 marks this session
Energetics (Developing fuels (DF))
14 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Inorganic chemistry and the periodic table (Elements from the sea (ES))
Energetics (Developing fuels (DF))
Formulae, equations and amount of substance (Elements of life (EL))
Bonding and structure (Developing fuels (DF))
Equilibria (Elements from the sea (ES))
Modern analytical techniques (What’s in a medicine? (WM))
Formulae, equations and amount of substance (Developing fuels (DF))
Kinetics (Developing fuels (DF))
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
H033/01 Foundations of chemistry: H033/02 Chemistry in depth:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Formulae, equations and amount of substance (Elements of life (EL))
20 marks this session
Practise in RevuiInorganic chemistry and the periodic table (Elements from the sea (ES))
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiBonding and structure (Developing fuels (DF))
14 marks this session
Practise in RevuiEnergetics (Developing fuels (DF))
14 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
A substantial portion of the marks in both papers is allocated to Formulae, equations and amount of substance (20 marks) and Bonding and structure (16 marks).
- 2Message
Key high-yield questions included:
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2023 2023
Chemistry B Salters
A substantial portion of the marks in both papers is allocated to Formulae, equations and amount of substance (20 marks) and Bonding and structure (16 marks). Key high-yield questions included:
A substantial portion of the marks in both papers is allocated to Formulae, equations and amount of substance (20 marks) and Bonding and structure (16 marks).
Key high-yield questions included:
- Total marks
- 140
- Duration
- 180 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.8 / 5
Session analysis
A substantial portion of the marks in both papers is allocated to Formulae, equations and amount of substance (20 marks) and Bonding and structure (16 marks). Key high-yield questions included:
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
H033/01 Foundations of chemistry: H033/02 Chemistry in depth:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
75% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Structured/Calculations
63·18·45%
Short Answer
45·30·32%
Multiple Choice
20·20·14%
Extended Response
(LOR)
12·2·9%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Difficulty trend
Compare difficulty across recent years.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1 Section A (
0.80 m/minPaper 1 Section B (
0.77 m/minTotal marks
70
Total time
90 min
Avg pace
0.78
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Organic mechanisms (Developing fuels (DF))
95%95%
Polymers and Addition Polymerisation
80%80%
Equilibria (Elements from the sea (ES))
75%75%
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.