Cambridge IGCSE™

COMBINED SCIENCE 0653/62

Paper 6 Alternative to Practical February/March 2023
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 40

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 February/March 2023 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 7 printed pages.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Question Answer Marks

1(a)(i) all results recorded ; 3

number score used instead of, words / descriptions ;
correct values assigned ;

1(a)(ii) higher concentration of acid gives higher clotting score / ORA ; 1

1(a)(iii) the higher the concentration of acid the more the protein has changed shape ; 1

1(a)(iv) temperature recorded as 24.5 (°C) ; 1

1(a)(v) not a source of error because 1

all test-tubes exposed to same temperature ;

1(a)(vi) idea that time in water bath not controlled / clotting score is subjective / insufficient mixing ; 1

1(b)(i) 67 / 66.7% ; 1

1(b)(ii) (yes because ….) 1

both show same trend / results (in Table 4.1) show more, solid / clotting when more acid is added ;

1(c)(i) 47 (mm) ; 1

1(c)(ii) 47 ÷ 15 000 ; 2
0.0031 / 3.1  10–3 (mm) ;

Question Answer Marks

2(a)(i) 21.0 ; 1

2(a)(ii) y-axis labelled temperature in °C AND x-axis labelled (total) volume (of acid added) in cm3 ; 3

suitable linear scales so that points occupy at least half of the grid ;

plots correct  ½ small square ;

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Question Answer Marks

2(a)(iii) best fit curve drawn ; 1

2(a)(iv) as the volume of acid increases the temperature increases ; 2

and (after increase) then decreases ;

2(a)(v) to ensure an even temperature ; 1

2(a)(vi) less thermal energy lost between experiments / less cooling / do not need to keep refilling burette ; 1

2(a)(vii) use a plastic beaker / use a polystyrene cup / wrap beaker with insulation ; 1

2(b)(i) iron(II) ; 1

2(b)(ii) it is a qualitative test not a quantitative test / only depends on the observation not any numerical values ; 1

2(b)(iii) blue precipitate / ppt ; 1

Question Answer Marks

3(a) keep your eyes level with the, point being measured / top of the spring / avoid parallax / look perpendicular to the, point 1
behind measured / top of the spring / fiducial aid / keep ruler as close as possible to the spring ;

3(b)(i) 43  1 ; 1

3(b)(ii) 20 ; 1

3(b)(iii) 0.03 ; 1

3(c) anomalous value = 0.05 ; 2

reason: other values are all 0.03 / is different from the other k values ;

3(d) measure as load is both added and removed, to check that l is the same / check spring has not stretched / repeat the 1
measurement and see if it is the, same / similar / close to original ;

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Question Answer Marks

4 One mark from each section and any two other marking points: 7

additional apparatus:
(Max two from this section)
measuring cylinder / balance ;
stop-watch ;
thermometer ;

method and measurements:

measure volume / mass of liquid before starting / states a volume or mass for the liquid ;
measure temperature of liquid before starting and after heating ;
heat the liquid for a fixed time and measure temperature (increase) / heat the liquid for a fixed temperature increase and
measure the time taken ;

control variables:
use constant mass or volume of each liquid ;
voltage and / or current of heater ;
use the same initial temperature of liquid ;

table of results:
table shown with four liquids and columns for voltage, current, temperature and / or time (depending on their method) ;
with units for each column shown ;

conclusion:
describes how to calculate energy transferred for each liquid ;
compare the results in the table to see which is greatest ;
repeat to, identify anomalies / increase confidence (take average) ;

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