Start here: Core, Extended and the papers | IGCSE Chemistry 0620

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📄Two tiers, three papers each

Core (grades C–G): Paper 1 multiple choice (45 min, 40 marks, 30%) + Paper 3 theory (1 h 15 min, 80 marks, 50%)

Extended (grades A*–G): Paper 2 multiple choice (45 min, 40 marks, 30%) + Paper 4 theory (1 h 15 min, 80 marks, 50%)

Everyone: Paper 5 practical test (1 h 15 min, 40 marks, 20%) or Paper 6 alternative to practical (1 h, 40 marks, 20%)

The Extended papers examine the Core content plus the Supplement. On these pages, Supplement material is marked EXTENDED; everything else is Core, which Extended candidates need too. The multiple-choice papers have 40 four-option questions; the theory papers have short-answer and structured questions, all compulsory.

🎯What the marks are for

AO1 knowledge with understanding — 50% of the qualification

AO2 handling information and problem-solving — 30%

AO3 experimental skills and investigations — 20% (Papers 5 and 6 only)

About a third of every theory and multiple-choice paper is AO2: data, graphs and unfamiliar contexts that you have to reason about using what you know. Practise reading tables and graphs, not only recalling facts.

📑What is printed in the paper

The Periodic Table, with proton numbers, relative atomic masses and names — use its A_r values.
The statement that one mole of any gas occupies 24 dm³ at r.t.p.
In Papers 5 and 6, the notes for qualitative analysis (the tests on topic 12b).

Not printed: formulae of ions, the reactivity series, the solubility rules, the conditions for industrial processes, the colours of indicators and the tests in the theory papers. Those you learn.

💬Command words

State / Give: a short answer, no explanation

Describe: say what happens or what something is like

Explain: give reasons or causes — “because”

Suggest: apply what you know to a situation you have not met

Deduce: reach a conclusion from the information given

Calculate: work it out, showing the working

Predict: say what will happen, from a pattern or rule

Identify: name or select from the information

The meanings above are our summaries; the syllabus has the full list.

📅Which syllabus?

These notes follow the 0620 syllabus for 2026, 2027 and 2028 (version 2, August 2026) and were checked against the syllabus for 2029 and the one for 2023–2025. Cambridge’s own change notes say there are no changes that affect teaching: the subject content, papers and weightings are the same. Version 2 only updated the assessment overview page, and the 2029 syllabus changes wording such as “formulae” to “formulas”. Past papers from 2023 onwards all test what these notes cover.

🧭How to use these notes

Work through the topics in order the first time — later topics use the ideas of bonding (2b) and moles (3b).
Cover the answers and do every practice question; then check them against the answer and the method.
Core candidates can skip anything marked EXTENDED. Extended candidates cannot skip anything.
Before the exam, do timed past papers: about 1 minute per multiple-choice question and a mark a minute on theory papers.