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Combustion, pollution and fuels: Edexcel GCSE Chemistry questions

Every Edexcel GCSE Chemistry exam question on Combustion, pollution and fuels (specification points 8.7–8.14), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,880 questions

  1. Q7(c)

    June 2025 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2 Higher, question 7(c): A Bunsen burner burns methane gas, CH4. A student investigates the time taken to heat up a beaker of water using this Bunsen burner. Figure 9 shows the apparatu

  2. Q5(b)

    June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher

    4 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(b): A fossil fuel contains carbon and sulfur. Explain how the products of the complete combustion of this fossil fuel would affect the environment. (4)

  3. Q5(c)

    June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(c): Incomplete combustion of fuels may produce carbon monoxide. Write the balanced equation for the incomplete combustion of heptane, C7H16 , where all of the carbo

  4. Q6(b)(i)

    June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 6(b)(i): When hydrocarbon fuels are burned, the products are water and carbon dioxide. Describe what needs to be done to the apparatus in Figure 8 to collect the water a

  5. Q6(b)(ii)

    June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher

    4 marksCombustion, pollution and fuelsConservation of mass and moles
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 6(b)(ii): A hydrocarbon, CxHy , is burned in excess oxygen, forming 26.4 g of carbon dioxide and 5.4 g of water. The relative formula mass of CxHy is 78. Calculate the mo

  6. Q5(c)

    June 2024 · Paper 2 Foundation

    3 marksNeutralisation and making saltsCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2 Foundation, question 5(c): When some impure hydrocarbon fuels are burned, sulfur dioxide is one of the products. Some sulfur dioxide gas is dissolved in water to form solution W. When sol

  7. Q5(c)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Higher

    3 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(c): Acid rain is caused by some pollutant gases present in the atmosphere. Explain how impurities in fossil fuels can result in acid rain. (3)

  8. Q5(d)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Higher

    1 markCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(d)(i): State what piece of equipment the student could use to measure the pH of each liquid. (1)

  9. Q5(d)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(d)(ii): Explain one improvement that the student could make to the method to make the results more valid. (2)

  10. Q9(c)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Higher

    6 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Higher, question 9(c): Large quantities of methane are used as a fuel. Figure 16 shows a Bunsen burner. Methane can be used as fuel for the Bunsen burner. chimney air-hole Figure 16 T

  11. Q7(a)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Foundation

    1 markCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Foundation, question 7(a)(i): What is the value of w needed to balance the equation for the reaction? (1) A 2 B 5 C 8 D 12

  12. Q7(a)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Foundation

    1 markCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Foundation, question 7(a)(ii): What happens to pentane in this reaction? (1) A pentane is cracked B pentane is distilled C pentane is oxidised D pentane is reduced

  13. Q7(b)(iii)

    June 2023 · Paper 2 Foundation

    6 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2 Foundation, question 7(b)(iii): A student is asked to compare the amount of energy released during the combustion of two alkanes, hexane and octane. The student is given the apparatus shown in

  14. Q5(a)(i)

    June 2022 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(a)(i): Give two ways in which the data in Figure 8 shows that the diesel engine is more damaging to the environment than the petrol engine. (2)

  15. Q5(a)(ii)

    June 2022 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(a)(ii): Explain, using information from Figure 8, one way in which the diesel engine is less damaging to the environment than the petrol engine. (2)

  16. Q5(b)(iii)

    June 2022 · Paper 2 Higher

    3 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2 Higher, question 5(b)(iii): Write the balanced equation for the complete combustion of octane, C8H18. (3)

  17. Q7(d)

    June 2022 · Paper 2 Foundation

    6 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2 Foundation, question 7(d): Alkanes can be burned in air. Different products can be formed as the combustion of alkanes can be complete or incomplete. An investigation was carried out to c

  18. Q3(c)

    November 2021 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2 Higher, question 3(c): When fuels such as diesel oil are burned, the high temperatures produced can cause nitrogen and oxygen in the air to form the pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Comple

  19. Q9(a)(i)

    November 2021 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2 Higher, question 9(a)(i): Explain why the incomplete combustion of pentadecane can produce carbon monoxide as one of the products. (2)

  20. Q9(a)(ii)

    November 2021 · Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksCombustion, pollution and fuels
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2 Higher, question 9(a)(ii): Explain how carbon monoxide behaves as a toxic gas. (2)
All 37 questions on Combustion, pollution and fuels, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(c) (2 marks): A Bunsen burner burns methane gas, CH4. A student investigates the time taken to heat up a beaker of water using this Bunsen burner. Figure 9 shows the apparatu
  2. June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(b) (4 marks): A fossil fuel contains carbon and sulfur. Explain how the products of the complete combustion of this fossil fuel would affect the environment. (4)
  3. June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(c) (2 marks): Incomplete combustion of fuels may produce carbon monoxide. Write the balanced equation for the incomplete combustion of heptane, C7H16 , where all of the carbo
  4. June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): When hydrocarbon fuels are burned, the products are water and carbon dioxide. Describe what needs to be done to the apparatus in Figure 8 to collect the water a
  5. June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q6(b)(ii) (4 marks): A hydrocarbon, CxHy , is burned in excess oxygen, forming 26.4 g of carbon dioxide and 5.4 g of water. The relative formula mass of CxHy is 78. Calculate the mo
  6. June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(c) (3 marks): When some impure hydrocarbon fuels are burned, sulfur dioxide is one of the products. Some sulfur dioxide gas is dissolved in water to form solution W. When sol
  7. June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(c) (3 marks): Acid rain is caused by some pollutant gases present in the atmosphere. Explain how impurities in fossil fuels can result in acid rain. (3)
  8. June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(d)(i) (1 mark): State what piece of equipment the student could use to measure the pH of each liquid. (1)
  9. June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(d)(ii) (2 marks): Explain one improvement that the student could make to the method to make the results more valid. (2)
  10. June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(c) (6 marks): Large quantities of methane are used as a fuel. Figure 16 shows a Bunsen burner. Methane can be used as fuel for the Bunsen burner. chimney air-hole Figure 16 T
  11. June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): What is the value of w needed to balance the equation for the reaction? (1) A 2 B 5 C 8 D 12
  12. June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): What happens to pentane in this reaction? (1) A pentane is cracked B pentane is distilled C pentane is oxidised D pentane is reduced
  13. June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(b)(iii) (6 marks): A student is asked to compare the amount of energy released during the combustion of two alkanes, hexane and octane. The student is given the apparatus shown in
  14. June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (2 marks): Give two ways in which the data in Figure 8 shows that the diesel engine is more damaging to the environment than the petrol engine. (2)
  15. June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain, using information from Figure 8, one way in which the diesel engine is less damaging to the environment than the petrol engine. (2)
  16. June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q5(b)(iii) (3 marks): Write the balanced equation for the complete combustion of octane, C8H18. (3)
  17. June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7(d) (6 marks): Alkanes can be burned in air. Different products can be formed as the combustion of alkanes can be complete or incomplete. An investigation was carried out to c
  18. November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q3(c) (2 marks): When fuels such as diesel oil are burned, the high temperatures produced can cause nitrogen and oxygen in the air to form the pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Comple
  19. November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the incomplete combustion of pentadecane can produce carbon monoxide as one of the products. (2)
  20. November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain how carbon monoxide behaves as a toxic gas. (2)
  21. November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(d) (2 marks): Methane gas, CH4 , was burned using the apparatus shown in Figure 13. burning methane cold water methane gas → water droplets Figure 13 Explain why water drople
  22. November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(c) (2 marks): When fuels such as diesel oil are burned, the high temperatures produced can cause nitrogen and oxygen in the air to form the pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Comple
  23. November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9(e) (6 marks): Diesel oil can contain impurities of sulfur. Burning diesel oil containing impurities of sulfur can result in acid rain. Acid rain is harmful to the environment
  24. November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(a) (3 marks): An impure hydrocarbon fuel is burned in the apparatus in Figure 7. tube A tube B to pump impure funnel indicator hydrocarbon solution fuel ice Figure 7 When the
  25. November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(c) (6 marks): Petrol and diesel are used as fuels for cars. The emissions from three similar sized cars were investigated. The first car was the oldest, had no catalytic conv
  26. November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a)(i) (2 marks): Complete the word equation for the complete combustion of methane in oxygen. (2) methane + → water +
  27. November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a)(ii) (1 mark): The incomplete combustion of methane can produce carbon and carbon monoxide. Give the reason why carbon and carbon monoxide are produced in the incomplete combu
  28. June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): The incomplete combustion of ethene in air produces water as one of the products. Give the name of another product of the incomplete combustion of ethene. (1)
  29. June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c)(iii) (2 marks): Butane burns completely in air to form carbon dioxide and water. Write the word equation for this reaction. (2)
  30. June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(i) (1 mark): Substance C can be formed by burning an element in oxygen. Write the word equation for this reaction. (1)
  31. June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): Consider substances A, B, and D. Give the letters of the two substances that can be formed by burning an element in oxygen. (1)
  32. Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q3(c)(iii) (2 marks): When decane undergoes complete combustion, a mixture of carbon dioxide and water is formed. Complete the balanced equation for this reaction. (2) 2C10H22 + O2 →
  33. Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(a) (2 marks): A student carried out an experiment to prove that candle wax, a hydrocarbon, produces carbon dioxide and water vapour when it burns. The equipment used is shown
  34. Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): Write the word equation for this reaction. (2)
  35. Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(b)(ii) (1 mark): Propane is a fuel. Give the reason why fuels are burned. (1)
  36. Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(c) (1 mark): Which product is formed when there is incomplete combustion of propane? (1) A sulfur dioxide B oxygen C hydrogen D carbon monoxide
  37. Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c) (6 marks): Diesel is the fuel used in most bus engines. Research is being carried out into the use of hydrogen, instead of diesel, as a fuel for buses. Discuss the advanta

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