IGCSE Chemistry Paper 5 (Practical Test): Lab Skills and Preparation Guide (0620 / 0971)
In one line
IGCSE Chemistry Paper 5 lasts 1 hour 15 minutes, carries 40 marks, and contributes 20% of the final grade.
Key points
- It assesses the same practical skills as Paper 6, but with actual lab work.
- The recurring skills are titration, qualitative analysis, rates, energetics, separation, measurement precision, safety, and evaluation.
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- Quick Paper 5 Map
- 1 Paper 5 at a glance
- 2 Core Chemistry practical contexts
- 3 Paper 5 versus Paper 6
Q: What is IGCSE Chemistry Paper 5?
A: Paper 5 is the hands-on Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry Practical Test. Candidates perform experiments with real apparatus, record observations, process data, and evaluate the method.
TL;DR
IGCSE Chemistry Paper 5 lasts 1 hour 15 minutes, carries 40 marks, and contributes 20% of the final grade. It assesses the same practical skills as Paper 6, but with actual lab work. The recurring skills are titration, qualitative analysis, rates, energetics, separation, measurement precision, safety, and evaluation.
Quick Paper 5 Map
| Read time | What to take away |
| 1 second | Paper 5 is the hands-on Chemistry practical exam. |
| 10 seconds | You need careful observation, safe technique, accurate readings, clean calculations, and specific evaluation. |
| 100 seconds | Treat each experiment as a chain: set up, observe, record, calculate, conclude, then explain one realistic source of error. |
| Concrete example | In titration, read the burette at eye level, record titres to two decimal places where appropriate, then average only concordant results. |
| Best next step | Practise one full titration or qualitative-analysis write-up using the exact table format expected in the exam. |
1 Paper 5 at a glance
| Feature | Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry Paper 5 |
| Paper name | Practical Test |
| Duration | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Marks | 40 |
| Weighting | 20% of final grade |
| Format | Hands-on laboratory exam |
| Alternative | Paper 6 Alternative to Practical |
Paper 5 is usually taken by school candidates whose centre can run the practical exam. Singapore private candidates should confirm with their exam centre whether Paper 5 is available, because Paper 5 requires centre-managed apparatus, reagents, and supervision.
2 Core Chemistry practical contexts
Titration
Titration rewards method discipline:
- Rinse the burette with the solution it will contain
- Record initial and final readings
- Read the meniscus at eye level
- Record readings consistently to 2 decimal places where appropriate
- Average only concordant titres
See the O-Level Chemistry titration playbook for table habits that transfer well to IGCSE Chemistry.
Qualitative analysis
Paper 5 candidates must perform tests, not just interpret them. You need accurate reagent sequence and observation language:
- Sodium hydroxide and ammonia tests for cations
- Silver nitrate tests for halides
- Barium tests for sulfate
- Acid tests for carbonate
- Gas tests with litmus, splints, or limewater
Write what you see before naming the ion. Observation first, inference second.
Rates and energetics
Rates questions may use gas volume, mass loss, colour change, or precipitate formation. Energetics questions may use temperature change in a cup or beaker.
Practical marks come from timing, measurement intervals, graph presentation, and controlling variables. Formula work matters, but it does not replace a clear method.
Separation and purification
Filtration, crystallisation, chromatography, and distillation may appear as context. Students lose marks when they skip the practical reason for each step, such as washing crystals, drying crystals, or using a pencil baseline in chromatography.
3 Paper 5 versus Paper 6
| Feature | Paper 5 Practical Test | Paper 6 Alternative to Practical |
| Apparatus | Used directly | Shown in diagrams or descriptions |
| Observations | Made during the exam | Supplied or predicted |
| Calculations | Based on your readings | Based on supplied readings |
| Evaluation | Based on your practical | Based on a described practical |
If your centre enters you for Paper 6, use the IGCSE Chemistry Paper 6 guide as the main route.
4 Preparation plan
- Run timed titration practice until table setup is automatic.
- Drill qualitative analysis with real reagents where possible.
- Practise graphing rates data by hand.
- Build a safety phrase bank tied to specific reagents and apparatus.
- After every practical, write one evaluation paragraph naming the error, effect, and improvement.
5 Related resources
References
- Cambridge International, Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) 2026-2028 syllabus.
- Cambridge International, Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (9-1) (0971).
