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2026 SACE Chemistry exam: What to learn from last year's mistakes
Exam: Wednesday 4 November 2026, 9 am. South Australia local time. The examination runs for 130 minutes.
I've gone through last year's examiner advice. Knowing the chemistry wasn't always the problem. A lot of marks went because the explanation stopped one step too early, or answered a different part of the question.
These examples come from the 2025 paper. The report doesn't give question averages, so I'm using its feedback on what students actually missed.
1. Q1(b)(i): Protein structure needs a chain of reasoning
Where students went wrong
Listing hydrogen bonding and other interactions without explaining why this protein has its particular shape.
What they should have done
Start with the amino acid sequence. The side chains occur in a particular order, and interactions between them influence how the polypeptide folds into its three-dimensional structure. Naming an interaction is only part of the answer. Connect the sequence, side chains, interactions and final shape.
2. Q1(d): Read chromatography the right way around
Where students went wrong
Confusing Rf values with retention times, or saying the substance with a larger Rf was more strongly attracted to the stationary phase.
What they should have done
For the conditions in this question, stronger attraction to the stationary phase means less movement relative to the solvent front. The report identifies albumin as the most polar protein. Keep Rf = distance travelled by substance / distance travelled by solvent front beside your working.
When asked how to improve the TLC separation, suggest a change to TLC. Trial a different solvent and stationary-phase combination. Naming a completely different technique doesn't answer that task.
3. Q3(c)(ii): Titration calculations need visible steps
Where students went wrong
Averaging all four titres, missing the mL-to-L conversion, applying the wrong mole ratio or giving the wrong number of significant figures.
What they should have done
Average the three concordant titres. Convert the volume to litres before using n = cV, apply the balanced equation's mole ratio, then use the relevant sample volume in the concentration calculation. Label which substance each amount belongs to.
The report specifies three significant figures because the dichromate concentration was supplied to three. Show the intermediate steps. That lets the marker see the correct method even if one earlier value is wrong.
4. Q5(c): Heating under reflux has two jobs
Where students went wrong
Explaining reflux but leaving out why the mixture was heated. Most students missed at least one of the two available marks.
What they should have done
Heating increases the reaction rate. Reflux condenses volatile material and returns it to the reaction mixture, reducing its loss through evaporation. Those are two separate points. Reflux isn't the same process as collecting a distillate.
5. Q7(b): Producing hydrogen isn't the same as using it
Where students went wrong
Describing the benefits of hydrogen fuel, claiming a fuel cell produces hydrogen, or naming electrolysis without addressing where its electricity comes from.
What they should have done
Explain the production method asked for. Electrolysis can produce hydrogen, but a claim about avoiding fossil-fuel emissions also needs the electricity to come from a source that avoids fossil fuels. A fuel cell uses hydrogen to generate electrical energy.
For the thermochemical equation, check the coefficient and the energy together:
H₂(g) + ½O₂(g) → H₂O(l), ΔH = −286 kJ mol⁻¹.
If you double the equation, the energy released for that reaction also doubles. Keep the physical states and the negative sign.
Open the 2025 official Chemistry paper alongside the SACE examiner advice. Check your own answer before reading the explanation. Official 2026 exam timetable.
Sorry guys, shameless plug, I gotta do this. I'm the founder of ATARMAXXING, so take a look at the SACE Chemistry practice exams with worked solutions if you want more practice. You can preview the Chemistry pack before buying. With the exam tomorrow, I'd use a fresh question to check a weakness you've just fixed, rather than rush through papers without reviewing them.
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