WACE Chemistry ATAR data booklet: formulae, solubility, colours and potentials
Year 12 Chemistry
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Formula sheet
The card below opens today's Year 12 Chemistry paper with the sheet in a drawer, including a periodic table. The formulae, constants, solubility, colour and potentials data follow in our own layout. SCSA publishes the 2026 booklet on the Chemistry course page, so check any value against it.
Year 12 Chemistry
Formulae
Units
Volumes in litres (L) or millilitres (mL). Temperatures in °C or kelvin (K), and you may assume 0.0 °C = 273.15 K. Energy changes in kilojoules (kJ). Pressures in kilopascals (kPa). Concentrations in mol L⁻¹, g L⁻¹ or parts per million (ppm).
Constants
| Quantity | Symbol | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| universal gas constant | R | 8.314 | J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ |
| Avogadro constant | N | 6.022×10²³ | mol⁻¹ |
| volume of 1.00 mol of an ideal gas at 0.0 °C and 100.0 kPa (STP) | Vm | 22.71 | L |
| equilibrium constant for water at 25 °C | Kw | 1.00×10⁻¹⁴ |
Solubility rules: soluble in water
Soluble means more than 0.1 mol dissolves per litre, slightly soluble means between 0.01 and 0.1 mol per litre, and insoluble means less than 0.01 mol per litre.
| Soluble | Exceptions: insoluble | Exceptions: slightly soluble |
|---|---|---|
| Most chlorides | AgCl | PbCl₂ |
| Most bromides | AgBr | PbBr₂ |
| Most iodides | AgI, CuI, PbI₂ | |
| All nitrates | No exceptions | |
| All ethanoates | No exceptions | |
| Most sulfates | SrSO₄, BaSO₄, PbSO₄ | CaSO₄, Ag₂SO₄ |
Solubility rules: insoluble in water
| Insoluble | Exceptions: soluble | Exceptions: slightly soluble |
|---|---|---|
| Most hydroxides | NaOH, KOH, Ba(OH)₂, NH₄OH*, AgOH** | Ca(OH)₂, Sr(OH)₂ |
| Most carbonates | Na₂CO₃, K₂CO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃ | |
| Most phosphates | Na₃PO₄, K₃PO₄, (NH₄)₃PO₄ | |
| Most sulfides | Na₂S, K₂S, (NH₄)₂S |
Colours of selected ionic solids
In general, ionic solids have the colour of any coloured ion they contain, and two colourless ions produce a white solid. These are the listed exceptions.
| Ionic solid | Colour |
|---|---|
| copper(II) carbonate | green |
| copper(II) chloride | green |
| copper(II) oxide | black |
| copper(II) sulfide | black |
| lead(II) iodide | yellow |
| lead(II) sulfide | grey |
| manganese(IV) oxide | black |
| silver carbonate | yellow |
| silver iodide | pale yellow |
| silver oxide | brown |
| silver sulfide | black |
Coloured ions in aqueous solution
| Ion | Colour | Ion | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cr³⁺ | deep green | Fe³⁺ | pale brown |
| Co²⁺ | pink | Mn²⁺ | pale pink |
| Cu²⁺ | blue | Ni²⁺ | green |
| Fe²⁺ | pale green | CrO₄²⁻ | yellow |
| Cr₂O₇²⁻ | orange | MnO₄⁻ | purple |
Other coloured substances and halogens
| Substance | Colour |
|---|---|
| copper(s) | salmon pink |
| gold(s) | yellow |
| nitrogen dioxide(g) | brown |
| sulfur(s) | yellow |
| F₂(g) | yellow |
| Cl₂(g) | greenish-yellow |
| Br₂(l) | red |
| I₂(g) | purple |
| I₂(s) | grey |
| Cl₂(aq) | pale yellow |
| Br₂(aq) | orange |
| I₂(aq) | brown |
| Br₂ in an organic solvent | red |
| I₂ in an organic solvent | purple |
Standard reduction potentials at 25 °C: part 1
| Half-reaction | E° (volts) |
|---|---|
| F₂(g) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2F⁻(aq) | +2.89 |
| H₂O₂(aq) + 2H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2H₂O(l) | +1.76 |
| PbO₂(s) + SO₄²⁻(aq) + 4H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ PbSO₄(s) + 2H₂O(l) | +1.69 |
| 2HClO(aq) + 2H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Cl₂(g) + 2H₂O(l) | +1.63 |
| MnO₄⁻(aq) + 8H⁺(aq) + 5e⁻ ⇌ Mn²⁺(aq) + 4H₂O(l) | +1.51 |
| Au³⁺(aq) + 3e⁻ ⇌ Au(s) | +1.50 |
| HClO(aq) + H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Cl⁻(aq) + H₂O(l) | +1.49 |
| PbO₂(s) + 4H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Pb²⁺(aq) + 2H₂O(l) | +1.46 |
| Cl₂(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2Cl⁻(aq) | +1.40 |
| Cl₂(g) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2Cl⁻(aq) | +1.36 |
| Cr₂O₇²⁻(aq) + 14H⁺(aq) + 6e⁻ ⇌ 2Cr³⁺(aq) + 7H₂O(l) | +1.36 |
| O₂(g) + 4H⁺(aq) + 4e⁻ ⇌ 2H₂O(l) | +1.23 |
| Br₂(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2Br⁻(aq) | +1.10 |
| Br₂(l) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2Br⁻(aq) | +1.08 |
| Ag⁺(aq) + e⁻ ⇌ Ag(s) | +0.80 |
| Fe³⁺(aq) + e⁻ ⇌ Fe²⁺(aq) | +0.77 |
| O₂(g) + 2H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ H₂O₂(aq) | +0.70 |
| I₂(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2I⁻(aq) | +0.62 |
| I₂(s) + 2e⁻ ⇌ 2I⁻(aq) | +0.54 |
| O₂(g) + 2H₂O(l) + 4e⁻ ⇌ 4OH⁻(aq) | +0.40 |
| Cu²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Cu(s) | +0.34 |
Standard reduction potentials at 25 °C: part 2
| Half-reaction | E° (volts) |
|---|---|
| S(s) + 2H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ H₂S(aq) | +0.17 |
| 2H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ H₂(g) | 0 exactly |
| Pb²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Pb(s) | −0.13 |
| Sn²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Sn(s) | −0.14 |
| Ni²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Ni(s) | −0.24 |
| Co²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Co(s) | −0.28 |
| PbSO₄(s) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Pb(s) + SO₄²⁻(aq) | −0.36 |
| Cd²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Cd(s) | −0.40 |
| 2CO₂(g) + 2H⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ H₂C₂O₄(aq) | −0.43 |
| Fe²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Fe(s) | −0.44 |
| Cr³⁺(aq) + 3e⁻ ⇌ Cr(s) | −0.74 |
| Zn²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Zn(s) | −0.76 |
| 2H₂O(l) + 2e⁻ ⇌ H₂(g) + 2OH⁻(aq) | −0.83 |
| Mn²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Mn(s) | −1.18 |
| Al³⁺(aq) + 3e⁻ ⇌ Al(s) | −1.68 |
| Mg²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Mg(s) | −2.36 |
| Na⁺(aq) + e⁻ ⇌ Na(s) | −2.71 |
| Ca²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Ca(s) | −2.87 |
| Sr²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Sr(s) | −2.90 |
| Ba²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⇌ Ba(s) | −2.91 |
| K⁺(aq) + e⁻ ⇌ K(s) | −2.94 |
How the exam works with the booklet
The 2026 Chemistry ATAR examination front cover lists what the supervisor provides and what you bring:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reading time | 10 minutes before commencing work |
| Working time | 3 hours |
| Supervisor provides | The question/answer booklet, a multiple-choice answer sheet and the data booklet |
| Calculators | Up to three, which cannot create or store programs or text |
Compare it with the QCE Chemistry data booklet guide and the HSC chemistry data sheet guide, since each state gives a different set of tables.
What is not in the WACE Chemistry booklet
- Specific heat capacity of water and the q = mcΔT line. Neither is printed, so you need both for calorimetry.
- Equilibrium expressions. No Kc, Ka or Kb expression and no pOH or Kw = [H⁺][OH⁻] line, though Kw itself is a constant.
- Enthalpy formulas and bond energies. No ΔH lines and no bond table.
- Faraday's constant and cell potential rules. The potentials are listed, but how to use them is not.
- Infrared, NMR and mass spectrometry data. There are no spectroscopy tables.
- Rate of reaction formulas. Not given.
- Molar masses. You read them from the periodic table.
How to use the booklet in the exam
- In reading time, mark the page for reduction potentials and the solubility rules, because the periodic table is on its own page.
- Write the formula, then the substitution with units.
- Check the units note: volumes in litres, pressures in kilopascals and energy in kilojoules.
- For redox, place the two half-reactions from the table, flip the oxidation one, and decide the sign.
Example 1: moles and concentration
How many moles are in 2.50 L of a 0.40 mol L⁻¹ solution, and what mass of NaOH (M = 40.00 g mol⁻¹) is that?
The mass comes from the first formula rearranged, since the booklet writes n = m/M. Practise this in the Atomic Structure course.
Example 2: the ideal gas law
A 2.00 L container holds a gas at 150 kPa and 300 K. Using R = 8.314 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, with pressure in kPa and volume in L so that the units match:
The booklet says pressures are in kilopascals and volumes in litres, so no conversion is needed.
Example 3: an aluminium and copper cell
Aluminium is paired with copper. The reduction potential table gives Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻ ⇌ Cu as +0.34 V and Al³⁺ + 3e⁻ ⇌ Al as −1.68 V, so copper is reduced:
The booklet gives the two values, but the subtraction rule is yours to remember. The pH Calculator helps with the pH line.
Example 4: parts per million
A 0.250 kg water sample contains 0.45 mg of a pollutant. The ppm line gives:
The mass of solute must be in milligrams and the mass of solution in kilograms, as the formula states.
Practise with the booklet open
Our Year 12 Chemistry daily paper is a short timed paper of 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks. It is not a SCSA paper. Use it as a short mock with the sheet open. Year 11 Chemistry covers the earlier units.
Exam answers
The answers and a worked mark scheme come with today's paper once it is marked. They show which line of the sheet each question wanted. We do not publish official answers, past paper answers or leaked papers.
Common questions
Do you get a data booklet in WACE Chemistry?
How many formulae are in the WACE Chemistry data booklet?
Are reduction potentials given?
Is the specific heat capacity of water in the booklet?
How long is the exam?
Revision cards
Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.
Where to go next
- Solve it
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