Overall, the 2025 IB Chemistry examination appears to have been easier than many students expected. Paper 1A included one or two challenging items, but most questions were based on familiar concepts and standard problem types.
Paper 1B also stayed within a predictable range. Questions on preparing a solution, interpreting an absorbance curve, separation methods, volumetric flasks, and laboratory equipment closely matched the practical material we had reviewed during the final week before the exam.
Many students independently described the papers as manageable. Several specifically recognised the practical questions from lessons and revision, which made the exam feel much more familiar under pressure.
Paper 2 contained a few difficult sub-parts, but much of it followed patterns that had appeared before. Students were still reminded not to become overconfident: even after an encouraging first paper, careful preparation for the remaining components was important.
Another notable point was how little distinctly new-syllabus content appeared. Topics such as rechargeable batteries, carbon dioxide, and greenhouse gases had seemed likely to receive more attention, yet they were relatively limited in the papers students described.
The conversations below capture the same pattern: the solution-preparation task appeared almost exactly as practised, photometry felt reasonable, and students generally thought the overall difficulty was acceptable. Attention then shifted to Paper 2 and the IA score.
Some of these students studied with me for two years, while others continued for as long as four or five. I am grateful for their trust and hard work throughout that time.
As one group completes the examination, another begins preparing for the next cycle. I hope every student receives a result that reflects the effort they invested.