Question 1

What does Cambridge International (CIE / Cambridge Assessment International Education) IGCSE Chemistry cover?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) is built around twelve topics, taking you from the fundamentals of particle theory and atomic structure through to organic chemistry and chemical analysis.

| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1 | States of matter |
| 2 | Atoms, elements and compounds |
| 3 | Stoichiometry |
| 4 | Electrochemistry |
| 5 | Chemical energetics |
| 6 | Chemical reactions |
| 7 | Acids, bases and salts |
| 8 | The Periodic Table |
| 9 | Metals |
| 10 | Chemistry of the environment |
| 11 | Organic chemistry |
| 12 | Experimental techniques and chemical analysis |

As an Extended candidate, you study both the Core content and the Supplement, which adds extra depth and additional material to most chapters. Our notes cover all twelve topics in full, including the Supplement content, so you are well prepared for the complete A* to G grade range.

Question 2

How is practical work assessed in Cambridge International (CIE / Cambridge Assessment International Education) IGCSE Chemistry?

Accepted Answer

Practical work accounts for 20% of your Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) qualification, all assessed through AO3 (Experimental skills and investigations). Your centre enters you for one of two practical papers: Paper 5 (the Practical Test, 1 hour 15 minutes, 40 marks) where you carry out real experiments in a laboratory setting, or Paper 6 (the Alternative to Practical, 1 hour, 40 marks) where you answer written questions about practical methods, planning, and data interpretation without performing any lab work. Both papers test exactly the same skills and carry the same marks, so whichever your centre chooses, the content you need to learn is identical. Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry does not publish a defined list of named practicals to complete during the course; instead, practical skills are woven throughout the specification, covering areas such as planning investigations, making and recording measurements, interpreting data, and evaluating methods. Our notes walk through these practical skills topic by topic, and our exam practice includes the kinds of questions that appear on both Paper 5 and Paper 6 so you can build confidence in whichever route your centre takes.

Question 3

How does the Core tier differ from the Extended tier?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) uses entirely separate paper codes for each route rather than versions of the same paper at different difficulty levels, so the distinction goes beyond content alone.

**Grades:** Core candidates are eligible for grades C to G. Extended candidates can achieve grades A* to G.

**Topics:** Core candidates study the Core syllabus content only. Extended candidates study the Core content plus the Supplement, which adds deeper theory and additional concepts across every chapter of the spec.

**Required practicals:** Both routes sit the same practical paper (Paper 5 or Paper 6), so the practical skills content and assessment are identical whichever route you take.

**Exam structure:**

| Route | MCQ | Theory | Practical (choose one) | Grades |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | Paper 1, 45 min, 40 marks | Paper 3, 1h 15m, 80 marks | Paper 5 or Paper 6, 40 marks | C to G |
| Extended | Paper 2, 45 min, 40 marks | Paper 4, 1h 15m, 80 marks | Paper 5 or Paper 6, 40 marks | A* to G |

**Question types:** MCQ papers each contain 40 four-option multiple-choice questions; theory papers contain short-answer and structured questions. Extended papers draw on both Core and Supplement content, while Core papers are based on Core content only.

Question 4

Where should I start with IGCSE Chemistry revision?

Accepted Answer

A great place to start is working through the content topic by topic using our notes, which cover all 12 areas of the Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) syllabus, from States of matter and Atomic structure through to Organic chemistry and Experimental techniques and chemical analysis.

As an Extended candidate, you're studying both Core and Supplement content, so it's worth paying attention to which parts of each topic carry the Supplement label as you work through each chapter. Since AO1 (knowledge with understanding) makes up 50% of the qualification, building solid recall across the content is where your revision time pays off most. We'd suggest pairing our notes with active recall using our flashcards to help the content stick before moving on to our exam practice questions.

Question 5

What's on Cambridge International (CIE / Cambridge Assessment International Education) IGCSE Chemistry's papers?

Accepted Answer

As an Extended candidate on Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620), you sit three papers in total, covering everything from knowledge and problem-solving to practical skills.

| Paper | Topics covered | Length | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2: Multiple Choice (Extended) | All Extended content (Core + Supplement); 40 four-option questions | 45 minutes | 30% |
| Paper 4: Theory (Extended) | All Extended content (Core + Supplement); short-answer and structured questions | 1 hour 15 minutes | 50% |
| Paper 5: Practical Test* | Practical skills; hands-on lab work in the exam | 1 hour 15 minutes | 20% |
| Paper 6: Alternative to Practical* | Practical skills; written questions only, no lab work | 1 hour | 20% |

*Your centre enters you for either Paper 5 or Paper 6, not both. Our notes walk through all the Core and Supplement content you need for Papers 2 and 4, and our exam practice helps you build confidence across both the multiple-choice format and the longer written questions in Paper 4.

Question 6

Can I use these notes as my Cambridge International (CIE / Cambridge Assessment International Education) IGCSE Chemistry textbook?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Our notes are written to follow the Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) Extended syllabus, covering both the Core content and the Supplement material you need for grades A* to G.

They walk through all 12 topics in the specification, from States of matter through to Experimental techniques and chemical analysis, so you can use them as your primary reference for understanding the content. That said, we'd suggest pairing our notes with our exam practice, since Cambridge's Paper 2 and Paper 4 reward applying knowledge to unfamiliar contexts as well as recalling it. Using spaced retrieval alongside our notes (revisiting topics at intervals rather than in one sitting) helps the content stick far more effectively than a single read-through.

Question 7

How do I get a grade A* in Cambridge International (CIE / Cambridge Assessment International Education) IGCSE Chemistry Extended?

Accepted Answer

An A* on Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry Extended requires strong performance across all three assessment objectives: AO1 (knowledge with understanding, 50% of the qualification), AO2 (handling information and problem-solving, 30%) and AO3 (experimental skills and investigations, 20%). Because half your marks come from AO1, building solid recall of both the Core and Supplement content is essential; our notes walk through every topic in spec 0620, and using active recall as you work through them helps the content stick far better than re-reading alone.

AO2 questions often present unfamiliar contexts, so working through our exam practice builds the habit of applying syllabus principles to new situations, which is exactly where A*-grade responses tend to pull ahead. The remaining 20% comes from Paper 5 or Paper 6, where the exam rewards candidates who can plan experiments, interpret data and suggest improvements confidently. Grade boundaries for an A* shift from year to year depending on how each paper performs, so we'd suggest checking Cambridge International's most recently published boundaries alongside your revision.