plumiAlkali metals: Edexcel GCSE Combined Science questions
Every Edexcel GCSE Combined Science exam question on Alkali metals (specification points 6.1–6.5), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
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Calculations
Q3(a)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q5(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q1(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q1(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q2(a)
The whole paper ↗Q2(b)
The whole paper ↗Q2(c)
The whole paper ↗Q6(a)
The whole paper ↗Q6(b)
The whole paper ↗Q6(c)
The whole paper ↗Q6(e)
The whole paper ↗Q2(a)
The whole paper ↗
All 39 questions on Alkali metals, as a list
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(a) (1 mark): Which row gives two physical properties of the alkali metals? (1) hardness melting point A hard low B hard high C soft low D soft high
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): A teacher adds a small piece of potassium to water. Give two observations that would be seen. (2)
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b)(ii) (3 marks): The reaction of lithium with water is much less vigorous than the reaction of potassium with water. Explain why, in terms of their electronic configurations. (3
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b)(iii) (2 marks): When sodium reacts with water, a solution of sodium hydroxide is formed. When the solution is left in air, the hydroxide ions react with carbon dioxide, 2–, and
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): State which group of the periodic table contains the alkali metals. (1)
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Which of the following is a property of lithium? (1) A hard B high density C high melting point D malleable
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): State the colour change shown by the universal indicator. (1) from to
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): Place ticks () in boxes next to two observations that are made when lithium reacts with water. (2) observations () a green precipitate forms effervescence is
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(iii) (1 mark): When lithium is added to water, lithium hydroxide and a gas are produced. What is the name of the gas produced in this reaction? (1) A carbon dioxide B chlorine
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q5(b)(i) (1 mark): Give the formulae of both products. (1) and
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): Give the name of the container shown in Figure 2. (1)
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): A teacher says that step 3 and step 4 will not work to show that hydrogen gas and an alkaline solution are produced in the reaction. Explain one change that cou
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a) (2 marks): Explain, in terms of their electronic configurations, why these metals are placed in group 1 of the periodic table. (2)
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b) (1 mark): Which row shows two correct properties of group 1 metals? (1) properties of group 1 metals A compounds are white in colour high density B low melting points com
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c) (2 marks): The word equation for the reaction of potassium with bromine is potassium + bromine → potassium bromide Add the missing state symbol and balance the equation fo
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a) (2 marks): Explain, in terms of their electronic configurations, why these metals are placed in group 1 of the periodic table. (2)
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b) (1 mark): Which row shows two correct properties of group 1 metals? (1) properties of group 1 metals A compounds are white in colour high density B low melting points com
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(c) (2 marks): The word equation for the reaction of potassium with bromine is potassium + bromine → potassium bromide Add the missing state symbol and balance the equation fo
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(e) (6 marks): The reactivity of the group 1 metals increases from lithium to caesium. Often, teachers demonstrate the reactions of lithium, sodium and potassium with water. T
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a) (1 mark): When sodium is added to water, hydrogen gas is produced. Which observation shows that a gas has been produced? (1) A a white precipitate forms B effervescence i
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Give the symbol of another element in group 1. (1)
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(a)(iii) (2 marks): Describe the trend in the melting points of the elements in Figure 1. (2)
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): Figure 2 shows a diagram of the container the student suggested for step 3. Figure 2 Give the name of the container shown in Figure 2. (1)
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): A teacher says that the method is not safe because the reaction is too vigorous. Explain changes that could be made to step 2 and to step 3 that would make the
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a) (1 mark): When sodium is added to water, hydrogen gas is produced. Which observation shows that a gas has been produced? (1) A a white precipitate forms B effervescence i
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(a) (1 mark): Which of the following temperatures is most likely to be the melting point of potassium? (1) A –63°C B 6.3°C C 63°C D 630°C
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q5(d) (6 marks): Group 1 metals react with the elements from group 7 to form salts. Some examples of these reactions are shown in Figure 7. reaction word equation W lithium + ch
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (3 marks): Predict what you would see when a small piece of rubidium is placed in a large volume of water. (3)
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Why is rubidium more reactive than potassium? (1) A the metallic bonds in rubidium are weaker than those in potassium B rubidium is a softer metal than potassiu
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d) (3 marks): Potassium reacts with fluorine to form potassium fluoride. Potassium fluoride is a solid. Complete the balanced equation for this reaction and add the state sym
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(e) (1 mark): What are the elements in group 1 of the periodic table called? . (1) A alkali metals B fullerenes C halogens D noble gases
- June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe what you would see when a small piece of rubidium is dropped on to water. (2)
- June 2019, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): The electronic configuration of lithium is 2.1 The electronic configuration of potassium is 2.8.8.1 Lithium is less reactive than potassium. Explain, in terms o
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(b) (3 marks): Sodium reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide solution and hydrogen. Complete the balancing of the equation for this reaction and add the state symbols for
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(c) (1 mark): In an experiment equal-sized pieces of lithium, sodium and potassium are added to separate samples of water. A flame is produced only with potassium because pot
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 2 Higher, Q3(d) (2 marks): Explain, in terms of electronic configurations, the increase in reactivity from lithium to sodium to potassium. (2)
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b) (3 marks): Sodium reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide in solution and hydrogen. Complete the balancing of the equation for this reaction and add the state symbols f
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(c)(i) (1 mark): A flame is produced only with potassium because potassium (1) A is the softest metal B has the lowest melting point C is the most reactive D is the only flammab
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(c)(ii) (6 marks): A teacher demonstrated this experiment. The results are shown in Figure 8. lithium sodium potassium position of metal in water floats floats floats movement of
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