AQA GCSE Chemistry – Atomic Structure, Bonding, and
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Properties of Matter (Verified Exam Questions)
Description:
This document provides exam-style questions and 100% correct answers for GCSE
Chemistry under the AQA specification. It covers atomic structure, ionic and
covalent bonding, metallic bonding, polymers, nanoscience, and the periodic table.
The material is designed to help students master both fundamental concepts and
applied chemistry topics. With clear Q&A formatting, it is ideal for revision and
practice.
What is a compound? - answer✔✔when two or more elements react together
What is an atoms? - answer✔✔the smallest part of an element that can still be
recognised as that element What is a molecule? - answer✔✔when atoms join
together by chemical bonds What is an ion? - answer✔✔a charged particle
produced by the loss or gain of electrons How do the atoms of elements gain stable
electronic structures? - answer✔✔joining together by sharing electrons, or by
transferring electrons What atoms have stable electronic structures? -
answer✔✔atoms of the noble gases What is ionic bonding? - answer✔✔- when
, metallic elements react with non-metallic elements they produce ionic compounds -
metal atoms lose electrons to become positively charged ions - non-metal atoms gain
electrons to become negatively charged ions - the oppositely charged particles
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attract each other in the ionic compound What do the ions in ionic bonding form? -
answer✔✔giant structures of lattices What is a lattice? - answer✔✔regular
grid-like arrangement of atoms in a material What do we use to represent atoms and
ions involved in forming ionic bonds? - answer✔✔- dot and cross diagrams - in
these diagrams we only show the electrons in the outermost shell of each atom or
ion Why are ionic compounds neutral? - answer✔✔because the charges on the
ions in ionic compounds cancel out eachother How can we work out the formula of
an ionic compound? - answer✔✔by balancing the charges What does the formula
of an ionic compound show? - answer✔✔the ratio of ions present in a compound
What is covalent bonding? - answer✔✔when atoms of non-metallic elements join
together by sharing electrons What do covalent bonds form? -
answer✔✔molecules What does the number of covalent bonds depend on? -
answer✔✔the number of electrons it need to achieve a stable electronic structure
How are atoms in a metal arranged? - answer✔✔- closely packed together and
arranged in regular layers - the electrons in the highest energy level are delocalised -
the strong electrostatic forces between these electrons and the positively charged
metal ions hold the metal together What is electrostatic? - answer✔✔It is
generated by differences in electrical charge or can refer to energy at rest. What are
, the properties of giant ionic structures? - answer✔✔- many strong electrostatic
forces hold the ions together - high melting points - high boiling points - cannot
coduct electricity in solid as the ions can only vibrate around fixed positions -
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conductors of electricity when molten/dissolved in water as ions are free to move in
solution What are the properties of simple molecules? - answer✔✔- strong
covalent bonds - low melting point - low boiling point - don't conduct electricity as
molecules have no overall charge, so cannot carry electrical charge Why do simple
molecules have low melting and boiling points? - answer✔✔because the
intermolecular forces between the molecules are weak - these forces are overcome
when a molecular substance melts or boils - this means that substances made of
small molecules have low melting and boiling points What are the properties of giant
covalent structures? - answer✔✔- every atom in the structure is joined to several
other atoms by strong covalent bonds - very high melting points What are examples
of giant covalent structures? - answer✔✔- diamond - graphite What are the
properties of diamond? - answer✔✔- every carbon atom is covalently bonded to
four other carbon atoms - very hard - high melting point - doesn't conduct electricity
What are the properties of graphite? - answer✔✔- form of carbon in which the
atoms are covalently bonded to three other carbon atoms - no covalent bonds
between the layers so slide over each other - can conduct electricity due to the
delocalised electrons in its structure - slippery and grey What are fullerenes? -
answer✔✔- cages and tubes with different numbers of carbon atoms (tubes called
Page | 1
Properties of Matter (Verified Exam Questions)
Description:
This document provides exam-style questions and 100% correct answers for GCSE
Chemistry under the AQA specification. It covers atomic structure, ionic and
covalent bonding, metallic bonding, polymers, nanoscience, and the periodic table.
The material is designed to help students master both fundamental concepts and
applied chemistry topics. With clear Q&A formatting, it is ideal for revision and
practice.
What is a compound? - answer✔✔when two or more elements react together
What is an atoms? - answer✔✔the smallest part of an element that can still be
recognised as that element What is a molecule? - answer✔✔when atoms join
together by chemical bonds What is an ion? - answer✔✔a charged particle
produced by the loss or gain of electrons How do the atoms of elements gain stable
electronic structures? - answer✔✔joining together by sharing electrons, or by
transferring electrons What atoms have stable electronic structures? -
answer✔✔atoms of the noble gases What is ionic bonding? - answer✔✔- when
, metallic elements react with non-metallic elements they produce ionic compounds -
metal atoms lose electrons to become positively charged ions - non-metal atoms gain
electrons to become negatively charged ions - the oppositely charged particles
Page | 2
attract each other in the ionic compound What do the ions in ionic bonding form? -
answer✔✔giant structures of lattices What is a lattice? - answer✔✔regular
grid-like arrangement of atoms in a material What do we use to represent atoms and
ions involved in forming ionic bonds? - answer✔✔- dot and cross diagrams - in
these diagrams we only show the electrons in the outermost shell of each atom or
ion Why are ionic compounds neutral? - answer✔✔because the charges on the
ions in ionic compounds cancel out eachother How can we work out the formula of
an ionic compound? - answer✔✔by balancing the charges What does the formula
of an ionic compound show? - answer✔✔the ratio of ions present in a compound
What is covalent bonding? - answer✔✔when atoms of non-metallic elements join
together by sharing electrons What do covalent bonds form? -
answer✔✔molecules What does the number of covalent bonds depend on? -
answer✔✔the number of electrons it need to achieve a stable electronic structure
How are atoms in a metal arranged? - answer✔✔- closely packed together and
arranged in regular layers - the electrons in the highest energy level are delocalised -
the strong electrostatic forces between these electrons and the positively charged
metal ions hold the metal together What is electrostatic? - answer✔✔It is
generated by differences in electrical charge or can refer to energy at rest. What are
, the properties of giant ionic structures? - answer✔✔- many strong electrostatic
forces hold the ions together - high melting points - high boiling points - cannot
coduct electricity in solid as the ions can only vibrate around fixed positions -
Page | 3
conductors of electricity when molten/dissolved in water as ions are free to move in
solution What are the properties of simple molecules? - answer✔✔- strong
covalent bonds - low melting point - low boiling point - don't conduct electricity as
molecules have no overall charge, so cannot carry electrical charge Why do simple
molecules have low melting and boiling points? - answer✔✔because the
intermolecular forces between the molecules are weak - these forces are overcome
when a molecular substance melts or boils - this means that substances made of
small molecules have low melting and boiling points What are the properties of giant
covalent structures? - answer✔✔- every atom in the structure is joined to several
other atoms by strong covalent bonds - very high melting points What are examples
of giant covalent structures? - answer✔✔- diamond - graphite What are the
properties of diamond? - answer✔✔- every carbon atom is covalently bonded to
four other carbon atoms - very hard - high melting point - doesn't conduct electricity
What are the properties of graphite? - answer✔✔- form of carbon in which the
atoms are covalently bonded to three other carbon atoms - no covalent bonds
between the layers so slide over each other - can conduct electricity due to the
delocalised electrons in its structure - slippery and grey What are fullerenes? -
answer✔✔- cages and tubes with different numbers of carbon atoms (tubes called
