Simultaneous heat and mass transfer in unsteady free convection flow with radiation absorption past an impulsively started infinite vertical porous plate subjected to a strong magnetic field is presented. The governing equations for the problem are solved by a finite difference scheme. The influence of the various parameters on the convectively cooled or convectively heated plate in the laminar boundary layer are considered. An analysis of the effects of the parameters on the concentration, velocity and temperature profiles, as well as skin friction and the rates of mass and heat transfer, is done with the aid of graphs and tables. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.