Bonding, Structure, and the Properties of Matter | AQA GCSE Chemistry, Higher tier (8462)
Bonding, Structure, and the Properties of Matter
- 201 questions
- 14 subtopics
- Paper 1
- Paper 1
Bonding, Structure, and the Properties of Matter is examined in Chemistry Paper 1.
It covers chemical bonds, including metallic bonding, ionic bonding, ionic compounds, covalent bonding and how it is represented, the three states of matter and changes of state, predicting state, state symbols, and the limits of the particle model, properties of ionic compounds, properties of small molecules, polymers and giant covalent structures, properties of metals and alloys, and why metals conduct, diamond and graphite, graphene and fullerenes, sizes of particles and their properties and uses of nanoparticles.
Sample questions from Bonding, Structure, and the Properties of Matter
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Chemical bonds, including metallic bonding
Magnesium oxide is made from magnesium and oxygen. Name its type of bonding and give a reason.
Show the answer
Ionic bonding, because it is a compound of a metal with a non-metal. -
Ionic bonding
How does the group number of a Group 2 metal relate to the charge on its ion?
Show the answer
It has two outer electrons to lose, so it forms a 2+ ion. -
Covalent bonding and how it is represented
What does a ball and stick model of a molecule show that a dot and cross diagram does not?
Show the answer
The shape of the molecule and how its bonds are arranged in space. -
The three states of matter and changes of state
Why does one substance have a much higher boiling point than another?
Show the answer
The forces between its particles are stronger, so more energy is needed to separate them. -
Properties of ionic compounds
Are the boiling points of ionic compounds high or low, and why?
Show the answer
High, because many strong bonds between the ions have to be broken. -
Properties of small molecules
Why do substances made of small molecules not conduct electricity?
Show the answer
Their molecules have no overall electric charge, so there are no free charged particles to carry it. -
Properties of metals and alloys, and why metals conduct
Why can a pure metal be bent and shaped?
Show the answer
Its layers of atoms can slide over one another. -
Diamond and graphite
Why does each carbon atom in graphite have an electron available to be delocalised?
Show the answer
It uses only three of its four outer electrons in covalent bonds, so the fourth is left free.
The 14 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical bonds, including metallic bonding | The three types of strong chemical bond, ionic bonding between metals and non-metals, covalent bonding in non-metal elements and compounds, metallic bonding in metals and alloys, electron transfer and shared pairs, and the delocalised electrons that make metallic bonds strong. | 17 |
| Ionic bonding | Electron transfer from metal atoms to non-metal atoms, why metals form positive ions and non-metals negative ions, noble gas electronic structures, dot and cross diagrams for sodium chloride, magnesium oxide and calcium chloride, and working out ionic charges from group numbers. | 14 |
| Ionic compounds | The giant lattice of ions, the electrostatic forces holding it together, the arrangement in sodium chloride, the limits of ball and stick, two-dimensional and dot and cross models, and empirical formulae from a model. | 12 |
| Covalent bonding and how it is represented | What a covalent bond is, small molecules, polymers and giant covalent structures, recognising each from formulae, bonds drawn as lines, ball and stick models and shortened polymer formulae, dot and cross diagrams for molecules such as hydrogen, chlorine, water, ammonia and methane, the limits of two-dimensional diagrams, and deducing molecular and polymer formulae from models and diagrams. | 26 |
| The three states of matter and changes of state | The three states of matter, melting, boiling, condensing and freezing, particles modelled as small solid spheres, the arrangement and movement of particles in a solid, explaining melting and condensing, how the forces between particles set the energy needed, and the limitations of the sphere model. | 13 |
| Predicting state, state symbols, and the limits of the particle model | Predicting state from melting and boiling points, why ionic solids melt far above molecular ones, why boiling takes more energy than melting, the limits of the particle model, and the four state symbols. | 13 |
| Properties of ionic compounds | The giant ionic lattice and its strong electrostatic forces acting in all directions, why ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points, why they conduct when melted or dissolved but not when solid, and why these properties hold for every ionic lattice. | 12 |
| Properties of small molecules | The states and low melting and boiling points of molecular substances, the weak intermolecular forces overcome on melting and boiling, how molecule size affects them, and why molecular substances do not conduct electricity. | 13 |
| Polymers and giant covalent structures | The very large molecules and strong covalent bonds of polymers, why polymers are solid at room temperature and how to recognise one from a diagram, and giant covalent structures such as diamond, graphite and silicon dioxide, why they have very high melting points and how to identify one. | 13 |
| Properties of metals and alloys, and why metals conduct | Structure and bonding of a metal, why an alloy is harder than a pure metal and why metals are good conductors of thermal energy. | 13 |
| Diamond and graphite | Why diamond has a very high melting point, bonding between the layers in graphite and why graphite conducts electricity. | 14 |
| Graphene and fullerenes | Graphene as a single layer of graphite, its uses and why it conducts electricity and is strong, fullerenes as hollow carbon molecules built from rings, Buckminsterfullerene C₆₀, carbon nanotubes and their uses, recognising graphene and fullerenes from descriptions, and fullerenes delivering drugs. | 15 |
| Sizes of particles and their properties | The size ranges of nanoparticles, fine particles and coarse particles, how surface area to volume ratio rises as particles shrink, and why nanoparticles can behave differently from the bulk material. | 12 |
| Uses of nanoparticles | Where nanoparticles are used, from medicine and electronics to sun creams and deodorants, why they work as catalysts and drug carriers, and the advantages and unknown risks weighed when judging them. | 14 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA GCSE Chemistry, Higher tier Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,648 questions with their answers.