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Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources: AQA GCSE Combined Science questions

Every AQA GCSE Combined Science exam question on 5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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3,069 questions

  1. Q02.4

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    2 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 02.4: Describe how sulfur dioxide emissions are produced. [2 marks]

  2. Q02.5

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 02.5: Give one harmful effect of sulfur dioxide emissions. [1 mark]

  3. Q02.6

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 02.6: Suggest one reason why the percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has decreased since 1980. [1 mark]

  4. Q03.3

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 03.3: Incomplete combustion happens when glycerol burns in limited oxygen. Incomplete combustion produces carbon monoxide gas. Why can the production of carbon monoxi

  5. Q06.4

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    2 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 06.4: Describe how sulfur dioxide emissions are produced. [2 marks]

  6. Q06.5

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 06.5: Give one harmful effect of sulfur dioxide emissions. [1 mark]

  7. Q06.6

    June 2025 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 06.6: Suggest one reason why the percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has decreased since 1980. [1 mark]

  8. Q03.2

    June 2024 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    2 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 03.2: Suggest how sulfur dioxide can be produced by transport. [2 marks]

  9. Q03.3

    June 2024 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    2 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 03.3: Give two problems caused by sulfur dioxide as an atmospheric pollutant. [2 marks] 1 2

  10. Q03.4

    June 2024 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    2 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 03.4: Describe how carbon monoxide can be produced by transport. [2 marks]

  11. Q03.5

    June 2024 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    2 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    Mark scheme (PDF)
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 03.5: Catalytic converters are fitted to car exhausts to reduce the amount of pollution from cars. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) react in a catalytic con

  12. Q01.4

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    1 mark5.9.1 The composition and evolution of the Earth's atmosphere5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 01.4: When diesel burns in car engines, oxides of nitrogen are produced. Where does the nitrogen come from? [1 mark]

  13. Q01.5

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 01.5: When diesel burns, particulates may be produced. What environmental effect do particulates from burning diesel cause? [1 mark]

  14. Q01.6

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 01.6: Carbon monoxide may be produced when diesel burns. Give one reason why carbon monoxide is difficult to detect. [1 mark]

  15. Q01.7

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    2 marks5.2.2 How bonding and structure are related to the properties of substances5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 01.7: Explain why water vapour and not liquid water is produced when diesel burns. [2 marks]

  16. Q01.8

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Higher

    3 marks5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, question 01.8: Sulfur is a common impurity in diesel. Explain why this causes an environmental problem. [3 marks]

  17. Q05.4

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    1 mark5.9.1 The composition and evolution of the Earth's atmosphere5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 05.4: When diesel burns in car engines, oxides of nitrogen are produced. Where does the nitrogen come from? [1 mark]

  18. Q05.5

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 05.5: When diesel burns, particulates may be produced. What environmental effect do particulates from burning diesel cause? [1 mark]

  19. Q05.6

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    1 mark5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 05.6: Carbon monoxide may be produced when diesel burns. Give one reason why carbon monoxide is difficult to detect. [1 mark]

  20. Q05.7

    June 2023 · Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation

    2 marks5.2.2 How bonding and structure are related to the properties of substances5.9.3 Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, question 05.7: Explain why water vapour and not liquid water is produced when diesel burns. [2 marks]
All 42 questions on Common atmospheric pollutants and their sources, as a list
  1. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q02.4 (2 marks): Describe how sulfur dioxide emissions are produced. [2 marks]
  2. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q02.5 (1 mark): Give one harmful effect of sulfur dioxide emissions. [1 mark]
  3. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q02.6 (1 mark): Suggest one reason why the percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has decreased since 1980. [1 mark]
  4. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.3 (1 mark): Incomplete combustion happens when glycerol burns in limited oxygen. Incomplete combustion produces carbon monoxide gas. Why can the production of carbon monoxi
  5. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.4 (2 marks): Describe how sulfur dioxide emissions are produced. [2 marks]
  6. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.5 (1 mark): Give one harmful effect of sulfur dioxide emissions. [1 mark]
  7. June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.6 (1 mark): Suggest one reason why the percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has decreased since 1980. [1 mark]
  8. June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q03.2 (2 marks): Suggest how sulfur dioxide can be produced by transport. [2 marks]
  9. June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q03.3 (2 marks): Give two problems caused by sulfur dioxide as an atmospheric pollutant. [2 marks] 1 2
  10. June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q03.4 (2 marks): Describe how carbon monoxide can be produced by transport. [2 marks]
  11. June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q03.5 (2 marks): Catalytic converters are fitted to car exhausts to reduce the amount of pollution from cars. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) react in a catalytic con
  12. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q01.4 (1 mark): When diesel burns in car engines, oxides of nitrogen are produced. Where does the nitrogen come from? [1 mark]
  13. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q01.5 (1 mark): When diesel burns, particulates may be produced. What environmental effect do particulates from burning diesel cause? [1 mark]
  14. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q01.6 (1 mark): Carbon monoxide may be produced when diesel burns. Give one reason why carbon monoxide is difficult to detect. [1 mark]
  15. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q01.7 (2 marks): Explain why water vapour and not liquid water is produced when diesel burns. [2 marks]
  16. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q01.8 (3 marks): Sulfur is a common impurity in diesel. Explain why this causes an environmental problem. [3 marks]
  17. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.4 (1 mark): When diesel burns in car engines, oxides of nitrogen are produced. Where does the nitrogen come from? [1 mark]
  18. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.5 (1 mark): When diesel burns, particulates may be produced. What environmental effect do particulates from burning diesel cause? [1 mark]
  19. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.6 (1 mark): Carbon monoxide may be produced when diesel burns. Give one reason why carbon monoxide is difficult to detect. [1 mark]
  20. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.7 (2 marks): Explain why water vapour and not liquid water is produced when diesel burns. [2 marks]
  21. June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.8 (3 marks): Sulfur is a common impurity in diesel. Explain why this causes an environmental problem. [3 marks]
  22. June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q05.3 (1 mark): The combustion of 1.0 kg of coal produces more carbon dioxide than the combustion of 1.0 kg of natural gas. Suggest why. [1 mark]
  23. June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q01.5 (2 marks): Which two times have the highest concentrations of oxides of nitrogen in the atmosphere? [2 marks] 1 2
  24. June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q01.6 (1 mark): Suggest why there are the highest concentrations of oxides of nitrogen at these times. [1 mark]
  25. June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.3 (1 mark): Name the gas produced when sulfur burns in oxygen. [1 mark]
  26. June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.4 (2 marks): Give two problems caused by the gas produced when sulfur burns in oxygen. [2 marks] 1 2
  27. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q05.1 (3 marks): Describe how nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is produced in the engine of a car that burns fossil fuels. [3 marks]
  28. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q05.2 (2 marks): The mean value for nitrogen dioxide in the air for the whole week in the city centre is 33 micrograms per m3. Calculate the value (X) for the concentration of n
  29. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q05.3 (2 marks): Each value in Table 3 has an uncertainty of ± 2 micrograms per m3. Explain why this uncertainty is most significant for countryside data. [2 marks]
  30. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q05.4 (2 marks): In a catalytic converter nitrogen dioxide (NO2) reacts to produce nitrogen and oxygen. Complete the equation for the reaction. You should balance the equation.
  31. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.1 (1 mark): Figure 2 shows the percentage of cars in the UK using different energy sources. Figure 2 The percentage of cars using petrol is 54%. Draw the bar for petrol on
  32. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.2 (1 mark): Which column of data has the greatest range? [1 mark] Tick () one box. City centre Countryside Motorway
  33. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.3 (2 marks): Explain why the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air is lower on Sunday. [2 marks]
  34. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.4 (2 marks): Calculate the mean value for the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air in the city centre for the days from Monday to Friday. Use Table 1. [2 marks] Mean
  35. November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.3 (1 mark): Producing copper from recycling waste copper reduces emissions of sulfur dioxide. Why is reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide important? [1 mark]
  36. November 2020, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q03.4 (1 mark): Give one problem oxides of nitrogen cause. [1 mark]
  37. November 2020, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q03.5 (2 marks): Figure 3 shows the mass of oxides of nitrogen produced from car engines from 1986 to 2016. Figure 3 Suggest why the mass of oxides of nitrogen produced from car
  38. June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q02.1 (2 marks): Fuel burns in a car engine. Describe how oxides of nitrogen are produced in a car engine. [2 marks]
  39. June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q02.2 (6 marks): Table 1 shows the carbon footprint during the manufacture and use of three cars. Table 1 Car Mass of CO2 produced during manufacture in kg Mass of CO2 produced
  40. June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q04.4 (2 marks): Copper is a catalyst in a reaction to produce ethanol from carbon dioxide. Ethanol (C2H5OH) is used as a fuel. Suggest why producing ethanol from carbon dioxide
  41. June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q07.2 (1 mark): Two equations for the combustion of butane are: • 2 C4H10 + 13 O2 → 8 CO2 + 10 H2O • 2 C4H10 + 5 O2 → 8 C + 10 H2O Why are different products formed? [1 mark]
  42. June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q07.3 (1 mark): One other product of the combustion of butane is carbon monoxide. Balance the equation. [1 mark] C4H10 + O2 → CO + H2O

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