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Atoms and isotopes: AQA GCSE Combined Science questions

Every AQA GCSE Combined Science exam question on 6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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3,069 questions

  1. Q01.1

    June 2025 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 01.1: What is the difference between the atoms of different isotopes of lead? [1 mark] Tick () one box. The number of electrons The number of neutrons The number of

  2. Q02.2

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    Mark scheme (PDF)
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 02.2: Number of neutrons =

  3. Q02.3

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    6 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 02.3: The alpha particle scattering experiment led to the plum pudding model of the atom being replaced by the nuclear model. Figure 2 shows the results predicted by

  4. Q02.4

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 02.4: Scientists did not know that neutrons existed when they first did alpha particle scattering experiments. Which scientist did the experiments that provided evide

  5. Q03.1

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 03.1: How are atoms of radium-228 different from atoms of radium-226? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Radium-228 atoms have one more neutron and one more proton. Radium-22

  6. Q07.2

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    Mark scheme (PDF)
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 07.2: Number of neutrons =

  7. Q07.3

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    6 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 07.3: The alpha particle scattering experiment led to the plum pudding model of the atom being replaced by the nuclear model. Figure 11 shows the results predicted by

  8. Q07.4

    June 2024 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 07.4: Scientists did not know that neutrons existed when they first did alpha particle scattering experiments. Which scientist did the experiments that provided evide

  9. Q01.2

    June 2023 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    Mark scheme (PDF)
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 01.2: How many protons are there in a particle of radiation represented by He 2 4 ? [1 mark] Tick () one box. 2 4 6 8

  10. Q05.3

    June 2022 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 05.3: The flash unit emits light from xenon gas in a fluorescent tube. What happens when a xenon atom emits light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Electrons in the atom fa

  11. Q06.2

    June 2022 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    2 marks6.4.2 Atoms and nuclear radiation6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 06.2: Actinium (Ac) is one source of alpha radiation. An actinium (Ac) nucleus emits an alpha particle (α) and turns into a francium (Fr) nucleus. This can be represe

  12. Q02.1

    November 2021 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 02.1: An alpha particle is the same as a helium nucleus. How many times bigger is the radius of a helium atom than the radius of an alpha particle? [1 mark] Tick ()

  13. Q02.2

    November 2021 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    2 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 02.2: Alpha particles can ionise atoms in the air. What happens to an atom when it is ionised by an alpha particle? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. A neutron in the ato

  14. Q06.1

    November 2021 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 06.1: An alpha particle is the same as a helium nucleus. How many times bigger is the radius of a helium atom than the radius of an alpha particle? [1 mark] Tick ()

  15. Q06.2

    November 2021 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 06.2: Alpha particles can ionise atoms in the air. What happens to an atom when it is ionised by an alpha particle? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. A neutron in the ato

  16. Q02.5

    November 2020 · Physics Paper 1 Higher

    6 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes6.4.2 Atoms and nuclear radiation
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Physics Paper 1 Higher, question 02.5: Explain the differences between the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations. [6 marks]

  17. Q06.5

    November 2020 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    6 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes6.4.2 Atoms and nuclear radiation
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 06.5: Explain the differences between the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations. [6 marks]

  18. Q03.1

    June 2019 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 03.1: Most of the alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil. Alpha particles which passed close to the nucleus of a gold atom did not pass straight throug

  19. Q03.2

    June 2019 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marks6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 03.2: Diameter = nm

  20. Q03.3

    June 2019 · Physics Paper 1 Foundation

    1 mark6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Physics Paper 1 Foundation, question 03.3: Further experiments showed that gold nuclei are surrounded by electrons in different energy levels. Figure 4 shows three of the energy levels around the nucleus
All 25 questions on Atoms and isotopes, as a list
  1. June 2025, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.1 (1 mark): What is the difference between the atoms of different isotopes of lead? [1 mark] Tick () one box. The number of electrons The number of neutrons The number of
  2. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q02.2 (1 mark): Number of neutrons =
  3. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q02.3 (6 marks): The alpha particle scattering experiment led to the plum pudding model of the atom being replaced by the nuclear model. Figure 2 shows the results predicted by
  4. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q02.4 (1 mark): Scientists did not know that neutrons existed when they first did alpha particle scattering experiments. Which scientist did the experiments that provided evide
  5. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.1 (1 mark): How are atoms of radium-228 different from atoms of radium-226? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Radium-228 atoms have one more neutron and one more proton. Radium-22
  6. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.2 (1 mark): Number of neutrons =
  7. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.3 (6 marks): The alpha particle scattering experiment led to the plum pudding model of the atom being replaced by the nuclear model. Figure 11 shows the results predicted by
  8. June 2024, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.4 (1 mark): Scientists did not know that neutrons existed when they first did alpha particle scattering experiments. Which scientist did the experiments that provided evide
  9. June 2023, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.2 (1 mark): How many protons are there in a particle of radiation represented by He 2 4 ? [1 mark] Tick () one box. 2 4 6 8
  10. June 2022, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q05.3 (1 mark): The flash unit emits light from xenon gas in a fluorescent tube. What happens when a xenon atom emits light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Electrons in the atom fa
  11. June 2022, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q06.2 (2 marks): Actinium (Ac) is one source of alpha radiation. An actinium (Ac) nucleus emits an alpha particle (α) and turns into a francium (Fr) nucleus. This can be represe
  12. November 2021, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q02.1 (1 mark): An alpha particle is the same as a helium nucleus. How many times bigger is the radius of a helium atom than the radius of an alpha particle? [1 mark] Tick ()
  13. November 2021, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q02.2 (2 marks): Alpha particles can ionise atoms in the air. What happens to an atom when it is ionised by an alpha particle? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. A neutron in the ato
  14. November 2021, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.1 (1 mark): An alpha particle is the same as a helium nucleus. How many times bigger is the radius of a helium atom than the radius of an alpha particle? [1 mark] Tick ()
  15. November 2021, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.2 (2 marks): Alpha particles can ionise atoms in the air. What happens to an atom when it is ionised by an alpha particle? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. A neutron in the ato
  16. November 2020, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q02.5 (6 marks): Explain the differences between the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations. [6 marks]
  17. November 2020, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.5 (6 marks): Explain the differences between the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations. [6 marks]
  18. June 2019, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.1 (1 mark): Most of the alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil. Alpha particles which passed close to the nucleus of a gold atom did not pass straight throug
  19. June 2019, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.2 (2 marks): Diameter = nm
  20. June 2019, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.3 (1 mark): Further experiments showed that gold nuclei are surrounded by electrons in different energy levels. Figure 4 shows three of the energy levels around the nucleus
  21. June 2019, Physics Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.1 (1 mark): An atom of one isotope of protactinium contains 91 protons and 143 neutrons. What is the correct symbol for this atom? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Pa 91 143 Pa 9
  22. June 2018, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q01.1 (4 marks): Write the labels on Figure 1 Choose the answers from the box. [4 marks] atom electron nucleus neutron orbit proton
  23. June 2018, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q01.2 (2 marks): Explain why the total positive charge in every atom of an element is always the same. [2 marks]
  24. June 2018, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q01.3 (2 marks): The results from the alpha particle scattering experiment led to the nuclear model. Alpha particles were fired at a thin film of gold at a speed of 7% of the sp
  25. June 2018, Physics Paper 1 Higher, Q01.4 (2 marks): Figure 2 shows two atoms represented as solid spheres. Figure 2 A hydrogen atom has a radius of 2.5 × 10–11 m Determine the radius of a magnesium atom. Use meas

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