LEAVING CERT CHEMISTRY HIGHER AND ORDINARY LEVEL:EXHAUSTED CHEMISTRY students were cut some slack yesterday with a higher level paper that was described as "lovely" and "green" by teachers and students.

The 7,536 students taking yesterday's paper were the only ones with an afternoon exam following English Paper II.

"All the old reliables were there, waiting for them after their long morning," said chemistry teacher Tara Lyons from Dublin's Institute of Education.

The question on organic chemistry was a rerun of the 2002 exam, so students who practised on past papers were rewarded. The pictured scientist, Mosely, was widely recognised.

Yesterday's exam also had a strong environmental theme.

"The students were asked about the upcoming taxation on engine size, and tasked with comparing the carbon emissions of a diesel car and an SUV," says Ms Lyons.

Teacher Camille King also applauded the paper's cutting-edge approach.

"Because the students were calculating the carbon emissions of a school-run they were actually taking part in an exercise to measure their own carbon footprint. That shows students a very practical, relevant and meaningful aspect of studying chemistry."

Chemistry is the least popular of the three science subjects on the Leaving Cert, and industry groups have expressed concerns about the take-up of a subject that is critical to Ireland's strong pharmachem sector.

Participation rates in the subject peaked at 20 per cent at the end of the 1980s, and fell as low as 11 per cent in 1999. There has been a slight increase in participation rates since then.

A new draft syllabus for chemistry is due to arrive in schools at the end of this year, which is hoped will revitalise the subject and attract more entrants.

"The new syllabus is expected to comprise two modes of assessment, a practical and written exam," says Ms King.

the new assessment format may relieve worries that students have about chemistry's place in the revised exam timetable.

"The burden of three-hour chemistry exams following on from three hours and 20 minutes of English II is extraordinary," said ASTI spokeswoman Marie Lawlor. "English II is a very heavy exam, and they literally only had one hour before they could change their frame of mind and go do their chemistry exam."

At ordinary level, taken by only 500 students, no major problems were reported.