plumiProperties of materials: OCR GCSE Combined Science A questions
Every OCR GCSE Combined Science A exam question on C2.3 Properties of materials, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
All papers
Exam
All years
Calculations
Q11(c)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
Q14(a)
The whole paper ↗Q14(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
Q12(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q12(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q12(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q12(a)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Q12(b)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
- Your answer
Q15(e)(iv)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
Q11(e)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Q13(a)
The whole paper ↗Q13(b)
The whole paper ↗Q13(c)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
All 60 questions on Properties of materials, as a list
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q11(c) (1 mark): The table shows the properties of four elements. Appearance at Element Melting point (°C) Electrical conductivity room temperature A black solid 114 low B brown
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q3 (1 mark): Which substance is made from rings of carbon atoms? A Carbon monoxide B Copper carbonate C Graphene D Poly(ethene) Your answer [1]
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q14(a) (4 marks): The table shows some information about four materials. Does it Does it Does it Does it Appearance at Melting point Material dissolve conduct conduct react with
- June 2025, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q14(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why ethene has a low boiling point. Use ideas about structure and bonding. [2]
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q10 (1 mark): Which element in the table is a non-metal? Appearance at room temperature Melting point (°C) Electrical conductivity A silver liquid –39 high B orange-red solid
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(a)(i) (1 mark): Which element is diamond made from? [1]
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(a)(ii) (1 mark): What is the maximum number of covalent bonds that each atom in diamond can form? [1]
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(a)(iii) (1 mark): The atoms in diamond have a diameter of 0.000000000154 m. What is the diameter of the atoms in standard form? Tick (3) one box. 1.54 × 10–13 m 1.54 × 10–10 m 1.
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(a)(iv) (2 marks): The properties of diamond can be explained in terms of its structure and bonding. Draw lines to connect each property with its correct explanation. Property Exp
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(b) (2 marks): This diagram shows the structure of graphite. Which statements about the properties of graphite are true and which are false? Tick (3) one box in each row. Prop
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15 (6 marks): 15* This question is about the ionic compound sodium chloride, NaCl. It is made from sodium ions, Na+, and chloride ions, Cl – ions. The diagram shows the struc
- June 2024, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q2 (1 mark): Which element in the table is a non-metal? Appearance at Melting point (°C) Electrical conductivity room temperature A silver liquid –39 high B orange-red solid
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q2 (1 mark): The table shows the properties of four different substances. Which substance is a metal? Appearance at Melting point and Substance Conducts heat? room temperatu
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(e)(iv) (3 marks): The ionic compound formed in Fig. 15.2 has a high melting point. Explain why. Use ideas about structure and bonding. [3]
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q5 (1 mark): Which row lists the material that has the weakest intermolecular forces? Melting point Material Structure (°C) A giant covalent 1713 B ionic compound 801 C meta
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(e)(iv) (3 marks): The ionic compound formed in Fig. 11.2 has a high melting point. Explain why. Use ideas about structure and bonding. [3]
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q13(a) (3 marks): Describe and explain one property of graphite that is different from diamond. Property Explanation [3]
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q13(b) (3 marks): Describe and explain one property that is similar for both diamond and graphite. Property Explanation [3]
- June 2023, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q13(c) (1 mark): A student thinks that the models used to represent diamond and graphite have limitations. Give one reason why they are correct. [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q8 (1 mark): Which particles in a metal allow it to conduct electricity? A Atoms B Electrons C Ions D Protons Your answer [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(a)(i) (1 mark): Which group of allotropes contain this fullerene? Tick one (✓) box. Inorganic Organic Physical [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(a)(ii) (1 mark): What is the approximate size of a molecule of this fullerene? Tick one (✓) box. 1 × 10–15 m 1 × 10–10 m 1 × 10–5 m [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(c) (2 marks): The model used to show the molecule of fullerene in Fig. 15.1 has limitations. The table shows some statements about the model. Which statements about this mode
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(d)(i) (2 marks): Explain why fullerenes can be used as lubricants. Use ideas about the structure and bonding of the fullerene shown in Fig. 15.1 in your answer. [2]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(d)(ii) (3 marks): A lubricant may need to be used at high temperatures. Explain why fullerenes can be used at high temperatures. Use ideas about the structure and bonding of the
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(a)(i) (1 mark): Which group of allotropes contain this fullerene? Tick one (✓) box. Inorganic Organic Physical [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(a)(ii) (1 mark): What is the approximate size of a molecule of this fullerene? Tick one (✓) box. 1 × 10–15 m 1 × 10–10 m 1 × 10–5 m [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain how two atoms of carbon form a covalent bond. [2]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(b)(ii) (1 mark): How many covalent bonds does one atom of carbon form in a molecule of fullerene, as shown in Fig. 11.1? [1]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(c) (2 marks): The model used to show the molecule of fullerene in Fig. 11.1 has limitations. The table shows some statements about the model. Which statements about this mode
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(d)(i) (2 marks): Explain why fullerenes can be used as lubricants. Use ideas about the structure and bonding of the fullerene shown in Fig. 11.1 in your answer. [2]
- June 2022, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(d)(ii) (3 marks): A lubricant may need to be used at high temperatures. Explain why fullerenes can be used at high temperatures. Use ideas about the structure and bonding of the
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q2 (1 mark): Look at the information about four different substances, A, B, C and D. State at room Conducts heat? Conducts electricity? temperature A gas no no B liquid no y
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q3 (1 mark): The diagrams show two different macromolecules. Which element are these macromolecules made from? A Carbon B Hydrogen C Oxygen D Silicon Your answer [1]
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(c) (2 marks): Sodium chloride has a high melting point. Explain why. Use ideas about the structure and bonding in sodium chloride in your answer. [2]
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(d)(ii) (1 mark): Tick (3) one box in each column of the table to show if solid sodium chloride and a solution of sodium chloride conduct electricity. [1]
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q15(d)(iii) (2 marks): Complete the table by writing in the explanation for the student’s results. Use ideas about the structure and bonding in sodium chloride in your answer. [2]
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q4 (1 mark): An O-H bond has a length of 9.6 × 10–11 nm. O H H What is the approximate size of a water molecule, H2O? 1 × 10–11 nm A 5 × 10–11 nm B 1 × 10–10 nm C 3 × 10–10
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q13(c) (2 marks): Solder conducts electricity like a typical metal. Explain why. Use knowledge of the properties of metals in your answer. [2]
- November 2021, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q14 (6 marks): 14* Boron nitride is a compound made from boron and nitrogen. Boron nitride can exist in two different forms similar to graphite and diamond. The diagrams show
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q2: Look at the information about four different substances, A, B, C and D. 2 Conducts Substance Melting point (°C) electricity? -30 A no 3550 no 1660 yes 124 D no
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q6 (1 mark): The diagrams show different structures of carbon. A B Which structure is Buckminsterfullerene? Your answer [1]
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q14 (6 marks): This question is about ionic and simple covalent compounds. 14 Look at the information about two compounds, Y and Z. Compound Y Compound Z Appearance at white s
- November 2020, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q15 (6 marks): 15* Diamond and chlorine are both covalently bonded. The table shows the melting points of two substances, X and Y. Substance Melting point (°C) X 3550 Y –102 A
- June 2019, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q11(d) (2 marks): A new element has been discovered and has these properties: • a high melting point • reacts with oxygen to form oxides • conducts electricity • solid at room te
- June 2019, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(c)(i) (1 mark): Which substance, X or Y, is made up of molecules? Tick (✓) one box. X Y Explain your answer. [1]
- June 2019, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q12(c)(ii) (2 marks): Explain the difference between the melting points of substances X and Y. Use ideas about the forces between the particles. [2]
- June 2019, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q13(c)(ii) (2 marks): Aluminium oxide and phosphorus pentoxide have different types of bonding. The boiling point of aluminium oxide is 2977 °C. The boiling point of phosphorus pento
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q9 (1 mark): Graphite is used in pencils. Why can graphite make marks on paper? A All the bonds in graphite are weak. B Atoms in graphite are in layers. C Forces between lay
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q18(a) (2 marks): Nanotubes are more than 100 times stronger than iron. Explain why nanotubes are so strong. Use ideas about bonding. [2]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q18(b) (2 marks): Carbon is a non-metal. Carbon nanotubes conduct electricity. Explain why carbon nanotubes conduct electricity. [2]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q18(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate how many times more dense iron is than carbon nanotubes. Answer = [2]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q18(c)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why iron is more dense than carbon nanotubes. [1]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 3 Foundation, Q18(c)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest a reason why carbon nanotubes have a higher melting point than iron. [1]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(a) (2 marks): Nanotubes are more than 100 times stronger than iron. Explain why nanotubes are so strong. Use ideas about bonding. [2]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(b) (2 marks): Carbon is a non-metal. Carbon nanotubes conduct electricity. Explain why carbon nanotubes conduct electricity. [2]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate how many times more dense iron is than carbon nanotubes. Answer = [2]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(c)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why iron is more dense than carbon nanotubes. [1]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q11(c)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest a reason why carbon nanotubes have a higher melting point than iron. [1]
- June 2018, Chemistry Paper 9 Higher, Q16(a) (2 marks): Explain why the molecule has a low boiling point. [2]
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