plumiUsing materials: AQA GCSE Chemistry questions
Every AQA GCSE Chemistry exam question on 4.10.3 Using materials, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q03.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Higher, question 03.2: Aluminium has an oxide coating that protects the metal from corrosion. Explain how the oxide coating protects aluminium from corrosion. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622h-jun25-03-2-qp.webp)
Q07.8
The whole paper ↗
Q03.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 03.4: Pre-stressed concrete is a composite. Draw one line from each component of a composite to a material in pre-stressed concrete. [2 marks] Component of composite](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-03-4-qp.webp)
Q03.5
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 03.5: Which metal do all steels contain? [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-03-5-qp.webp)
Q03.6
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 03.6: Bricks are also building materials. Bricks are ceramics. Which material is used to make bricks? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Aluminium Clay Poly(ethene)](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-03-6-qp.webp)
Q07.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.1: Calculate the mass of gold in a 4 g jewellery ring made from 18 carat gold. [2 marks] Mass = g](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-07-1-qp.webp)
Q07.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.2: What is the simplest whole-number ratio of the mass of gold : mass of other metals in 18 carat gold? [1 mark] Tick () one box. 1 : 3 3 : 1 6 : 18 18 : 6](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-07-2-qp.webp)
Q07.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.3: What other two metals may also be present in 18 carat gold? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Copper Magnesium Potassium Silver Sodium](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-07-3-qp.webp)
Q07.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.4: Figure 6 represents the structure of 18 carat gold and of 24 carat gold. Figure 6 Explain why 18 carat gold is harder than 24 carat gold. [3 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-07-4-qp.webp)
Q07.5
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.5: Gold is used to make jewellery. Give one reason why iron is not used to make jewellery. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-07-5-qp.webp)
Q10.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 10.2: Aluminium has an oxide coating that protects the metal from corrosion. Explain how the oxide coating protects aluminium from corrosion. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun25-10-2-qp.webp)
Q06.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 06.1: Evaluate the use of aluminium alloy and of bamboo for making bicycle frames. Use Table 3. [6 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622h-jun24-06-1-qp.webp)
Q06.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 06.2: Explain why aluminium alloy bicycle frames do not need protection from corrosion. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622h-jun24-06-2-qp.webp)
Q06.3
The whole paper ↗
Q06.4
The whole paper ↗
Q08.7
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 08.7: What word is used to describe polymers which melt when heated? [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622h-jun24-08-7-qp.webp)
Q08.8
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 08.8: Explain why some polymers do not melt when heated. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622h-jun24-08-8-qp.webp)
Q06.6
The whole paper ↗
Q07.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.1: Which two words describe the high carbon steel bars? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Alloy Binder Matrix Ore Reinforcement Limestone is mainly calcium carbonate.](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun24-07-1-qp.webp)
Q07.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Foundation, question 07.4: Explain why pre-stressed concrete rather than plain concrete is used to make bridges that carry heavy lorries. Use Table 4. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84622f-jun24-07-4-qp.webp)
All 63 questions on Using materials, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.2 (2 marks): Aluminium has an oxide coating that protects the metal from corrosion. Explain how the oxide coating protects aluminium from corrosion. [2 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q07.8 (2 marks): Poly(tetrafluoroethene) is a thermosoftening polymer. Some other polymers are thermosetting polymers. Describe the structure of a thermosetting polymer. [2 mark
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.4 (2 marks): Pre-stressed concrete is a composite. Draw one line from each component of a composite to a material in pre-stressed concrete. [2 marks] Component of composite
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.5 (1 mark): Which metal do all steels contain? [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.6 (1 mark): Bricks are also building materials. Bricks are ceramics. Which material is used to make bricks? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Aluminium Clay Poly(ethene)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.1 (2 marks): Calculate the mass of gold in a 4 g jewellery ring made from 18 carat gold. [2 marks] Mass = g
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.2 (1 mark): What is the simplest whole-number ratio of the mass of gold : mass of other metals in 18 carat gold? [1 mark] Tick () one box. 1 : 3 3 : 1 6 : 18 18 : 6
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.3 (2 marks): What other two metals may also be present in 18 carat gold? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Copper Magnesium Potassium Silver Sodium
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.4 (3 marks): Figure 6 represents the structure of 18 carat gold and of 24 carat gold. Figure 6 Explain why 18 carat gold is harder than 24 carat gold. [3 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.5 (1 mark): Gold is used to make jewellery. Give one reason why iron is not used to make jewellery. [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.2 (2 marks): Aluminium has an oxide coating that protects the metal from corrosion. Explain how the oxide coating protects aluminium from corrosion. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q06.1 (6 marks): Evaluate the use of aluminium alloy and of bamboo for making bicycle frames. Use Table 3. [6 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q06.2 (2 marks): Explain why aluminium alloy bicycle frames do not need protection from corrosion. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q06.3 (1 mark): Bicycle chains are made from an alloy of iron. Bicycle chains rust without protection. Paint is not used to protect bicycle chains from rusting. Suggest how bic
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q06.4 (2 marks): Bicycle frames can also be made from a composite of carbon fibres embedded in a polymer resin. What description is given in this composite to: • the carbon fibr
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.7 (1 mark): What word is used to describe polymers which melt when heated? [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.8 (2 marks): Explain why some polymers do not melt when heated. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.6 (1 mark): Poly(ethene) and poly(chloroethene) can both be used to make pipes. Suggest why neither polymer is suitable for pipes carrying steam at a temperature of 300 °C.
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.1 (2 marks): Which two words describe the high carbon steel bars? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Alloy Binder Matrix Ore Reinforcement Limestone is mainly calcium carbonate.
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.4 (2 marks): Explain why pre-stressed concrete rather than plain concrete is used to make bridges that carry heavy lorries. Use Table 4. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.5 (2 marks): Figure 9 shows a garden path made of plain concrete slabs. Figure 9 Suggest two reasons why plain concrete rather than pre-stressed concrete is used to make sla
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.3 (1 mark): Poly(ethene) can be strengthened with wood particles to make a building material. The building material consists of a wood particle reinforcement embedded in a
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.2 (1 mark): Poly(propene) beakers are more expensive than borosilicate glass beakers. Suggest one reason why using poly(propene) beakers instead of borosilicate glass beake
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.3 (1 mark): Which is a raw material used to make borosilicate glass? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Boron trioxide Clay Limestone Poly(propene) is produced from propene. The di
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.1 (1 mark): Which non-metal element is in all steels? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Carbon Iodine Sulfur
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.2 (2 marks): Which two elements other than iron are in stainless steels? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Chromium Gold Magnesium Nickel Zinc
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.3 (2 marks): Give two properties of stainless steels. Choose answers from the box. [2 marks] brittle hard low density resistant to corrosion soluble in water Property 1 Prop
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.4 (3 marks): Calculate the mass of titanium in 5.0 kg of titanium alloy C. Use Table 6. [3 marks] Mass = kg
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.5 (1 mark): Suggest why alloy A and alloy B are used to make aircraft parts. Use Table 6. [1 mark]
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.6 (1 mark): Titanium alloys used for medical purposes must not be toxic. Suggest why alloy B is not used for medical purposes. Use Table 6. [1 mark]
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.2 (2 marks): Poly(ethene) is a thermosoftening polymer. Suggest why poly(ethene) is easier to recycle than thermosetting polymers. [2 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.3 (1 mark): Ethene produces different forms of poly(ethene). How can different forms of poly(ethene) be produced from ethene? [1 mark]
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.4 (2 marks): Two different forms of poly(ethene) are: • high density poly(ethene) (HDPE) • low density poly(ethene) (LDPE). Figure 4 represents part of the structures of HDP
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.1 (1 mark): Solder B and solder C are now used more frequently than solder A for health reasons. Suggest one reason why. Use Table 4. [1 mark]
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.2 (1 mark): Suggest one reason why solders B and C have different melting points. Use Table 4. [1 mark] Copper can be obtained by: • processing copper ores • recycling scra
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.1 (2 marks): Glass is made by heating sand with two other materials. Which two other materials are used to make glass? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Clay Graphite Limestone
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.2 (2 marks): Suggest one advantage of using poly(chloroethene) compared with HDPE to make window frames. Give one reason for your answer. Use Table 3. [2 marks] Advantage Re
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.3 (2 marks): Suggest one advantage of using HDPE compared with poly(chloroethene) to make window frames. Give one reason for your answer. Use Table 3. [2 marks] Advantage Re
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.7 (2 marks): 6.00 kg of the alloy is used to make a window frame. Table 4 shows the mass of each element in 6.00 kg of the alloy. Table 4 Element Mass in kg Aluminium 5.94 M
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.8 (1 mark): Why is an alloy used instead of pure aluminium to make window frames? [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q05.3 (2 marks): Describe how ceramic food plates are produced from clay. [2 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.1 (1 mark): Bronze is an alloy of copper and one other metal. What is the other metal in bronze? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Aluminium Tin Zinc
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.2 (1 mark): Give one use of brass. [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.3 (2 marks): The proportion of gold in an alloy is measured in carats: • pure gold is 24 carat • 50% gold is 12 carat. Table 3 shows information about two gold rings, A and
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.4 (2 marks): Suggest two reasons why alloys of gold are used instead of pure gold to make jewellery. [2 marks] 1 2 Steels are alloys of iron.
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.5 (1 mark): Spoons are made of stainless steel. Spoons: • are washed after use • must not wear away quickly. Suggest one reason why stainless steel is suitable for making s
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.6 (1 mark): Steel horseshoes are shaped to fit the feet of horses. Which type of steel is most easily shaped into horseshoes? [1 mark] Tick () one box. High carbon steel L
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.2 (2 marks): Which two processes are used to make ceramic plates? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Forming a composite Galvanising with zinc Heating in a furnace Melting sand a
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.6 (1 mark): What type of polymer is polymer A? Use Table 4. [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.7 (1 mark): Why does polymer A behave differently to polymer B when heated? You should refer to crosslinks in your answer. [1 mark]
- June 2018, Paper 2 Higher, Q10.3 (2 marks): Melamine is a polymer used to make non-disposable cups. Melamine does not melt when it is heated. Explain why. [2 marks]
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.1 (1 mark): What is the resolution of the balance the student used? [1 mark Tick one box. 1 × 10−3 g 1 × 10−2 g 1 × 10−1 g 1 × 102 g 0
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.2 (4 marks): Calculate the difference in percentage increase in mass after 6 days of the nail in test tube 1 and the nail in test tube 5. Give your answer to three significa
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.3 (6 marks): Use the results of the student’s investigations to draw conclusions about the factors affecting the rusting of iron. Include an evaluation of the effectiveness
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.4 (2 marks): Rust is hydrated iron(III) oxide. Complete the word equation for the reaction. [2 marks] + + → hydrated iron(III) oxide
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.1: What is the percentage of gold in 12 carat gold? [1 m Tick one box. 12 % 30 % 50 % 80 %
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.2 (1 mark): Give the percentage of silver in 18 carat gold. [1 mark
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.3 (2 marks): Suggest two reasons why 9 carat gold is often used instead of pure gold to make jewellery. [2 marks 1 2 8 9
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q11.1: What is the resolution of the balance the student used? [1 ma Tick one box. 1 × 10−3 g 1 × 10−2 g 1 × 10−1 g 1 × 102 g 33
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q11.2 (4 marks): Calculate the difference in percentage increase in mass after 6 days of the nail in test tube 1 and the nail in test tube 5. Give your answer to three significa
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q11.3 (6 marks): Use the results of the student’s investigations to draw conclusions about the facto affecting the rusting of iron. Include an evaluation of the effectiveness of
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q11.4 (2 marks): Rust is hydrated iron(III) oxide. Complete the word equation for the reaction. [2 marks + + → hydrated iron(III) oxid 35
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q12.1 (3 marks): Plot the points and draw a line on Figure 13 to show the percentage of milk bottles made from materials other than glass between 1975 and 2010. [3 marks] 36
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