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VCE · VCE Units 3 & 4 · official past papers

VCE Chemistry past exams 2016–2025, by year and topic

The official VCAA exams, marking guides and examiner reports we index, organised by topic and subtopic and labelled with the study design it was written under. Open the official paper, work the question in your own workspace, or bring a tutor into it live.

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ATARMAxxing indexes 10 official VCAA Chemistry papers from 2016 to 2025, across 5 areas of study. Every paper opens on the VCAA website.

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Units 3 & 4: 2024–2027 study design (current) · 2024–2027Units 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study design · 2017–2023Units 3 & 4: 2013–2016 study design (incl. 2016 amended paper) · 2013–2016

VCE Chemistry exams by year: official papers & marking guidance

Past exams indexed: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016. Open the official VCAA papers, with marking guidance where available.

YearStudy designOfficial paper(s)Marking guidance
2025 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2024–2027 study design (current)Written examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2024 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2024–2027 study design (current)Written examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2023 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2022 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2021 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2020 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination (COVID-adjusted study design) ↗Marking guidance ↗
2019 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2018 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2017 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2017–2023 study designWritten examination ↗Marking guidance ↗
2016 VCE Chemistry examUnits 3 & 4: 2013–2016 study design (incl. 2016 amended paper)Written examination (amended) ↗Marking guidance ↗

10 official papers across 10 years (2016–2025), 10 with marking guidance, published by VCAA. These span more than one study design; the most recent is Units 3 & 4: 2024–2027 study design (current). Earlier papers may cover material that has since changed.

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The rest of the study design

Question-level mapping for these areas is still being verified. Every official paper covering them is in the year table above.

  • Unit 3 AOS1 — What are the current and future options for supplying energy? — Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) as energy sources: extraction, refining, combustion · Biofuels (biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas) production and comparison to fossil fuels · Energy content, efficiency and environmental impact of different fuels · Fuels and energy sources for the human body (food as fuel) · Thermochemistry: exothermic/endothermic reactions, enthalpy, calorimetry · Galvanic cells and fuel cells
  • Unit 3 AOS2 — How can the rate and yield of chemical reactions be optimised? — Rates of reaction and factors affecting reaction rate; collision theory · Dynamic chemical equilibrium and the equilibrium law · Le Chatelier's principle and optimising percentage yield · Electrolytic cells and electrolysis for industrial production
  • Unit 4 AOS1 — How are organic compounds categorised and synthesised? — Structure, nomenclature and properties of organic compounds (including functional groups) · Reactions of organic compounds (addition, substitution, oxidation, esterification) · Structure and properties of biomacromolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) · Condensation and hydrolysis reactions; metabolism of macromolecules
  • Unit 4 AOS2 — How are organic compounds analysed and used? — Laboratory and instrumental analysis of organic compounds · Redox titrations and quantitative analysis (excluding back titrations) · Mass spectrometry (MS) interpretation · Infrared spectroscopy (IR) interpretation · ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy · High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) · Combined use of analytical techniques to determine structure · Medicinal chemistry: drug extraction, purification and design
  • Unit 4 AOS3 — Scientific investigation: sustainable production of energy and/or materials — Student-designed scientific investigation (energy, chemicals, or organic compound analysis/synthesis) · Presentation of findings in scientific poster format · Generating and evaluating primary data · Evidence-based conclusions from primary data · Scientific investigation design and key science skills

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