A LEVEL CHEMISTRY A: PERIODIC TABLE,
ELEMENTS AND PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Ca.
Answer: Calcium
◍ relative mass of a proton.
Answer: 1
◍ relative mass of a neutron.
Answer: 1
◍ relative mass of an electron.
Answer: 1/1840
◍ relative charge of a proton.
Answer: +1
◍ relative charge of a neutron.
Answer: 0
◍ Relative charge of an electron.
Answer: -1
◍ How is the nucleus held together.
Answer: strong nuclear force
◍ Na.
Answer: Sodium
◍ is the nuclear force or electrostatic force stronger.
, Answer: nuclear force
◍ what does the atomic number represent.
Answer: number of protons
◍ the number of protons in an atom.
Answer: atomic number z
◍ what does the mass number represent.
Answer: number of protons and neutrons
◍ the number of nucleons in an atom.
Answer: mass number (A)
◍ atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
Answer: isotopes
◍ what determines the reactivity of an atom.
Answer: electrons
◍ hydrogen isotopes.
Answer: H1/H2/H3
◍ Chlorine isotopes.
Answer: Cl35/Cl37
◍ Bromine isotopes.
Answer: Br79/Br81
◍ Carbon isotope used for carbon dating.
Answer: C-14
◍ Number of electrons the first shell can hold.
Answer: 2
◍ Number of electrons the second shell can hold.
Answer: 8
◍ Number of electrons the third shell can hold.
Answer: 18
, ◍ Ar.
Answer: Relative Atomic Mass
◍ average mass of 1 atom ==== /divide--- 1/12 of 1 atom of C-12.
Answer: Relative Atomic Mass
◍ What does the mass spectrometer do?.
Answer: determines the mass of separate atoms
◍ First step of the TOF Spectrometer.
Answer: Vacuum
◍ TOF spectrometer- full name.
Answer: Time of Flight Mass spectrometer
◍ Vacuum step (TOF).
Answer: Kept under a high vacuum to avoid collisions with air molecules
◍ Cl.
Answer: Chlorine
◍ Second step of the TOF spectrometer.
Answer: Ionisation
◍ First method of ionisation (TOF).
Answer: Dissolved in solvent and passing through needle to a positive
terminal with a high voltage producing positively charged droplets which
have lost electrons
◍ Second method of ionisation (TOF).
Answer: Molecules gain a proton
◍ Third step of the TOF spectrometer.
Answer: Acceleration
◍ Acceleration step (TOF).
Answer: Positive ions attached to a negative plate so they accelerate towards
it, faster depending on their m/z ratio
ELEMENTS AND PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Ca.
Answer: Calcium
◍ relative mass of a proton.
Answer: 1
◍ relative mass of a neutron.
Answer: 1
◍ relative mass of an electron.
Answer: 1/1840
◍ relative charge of a proton.
Answer: +1
◍ relative charge of a neutron.
Answer: 0
◍ Relative charge of an electron.
Answer: -1
◍ How is the nucleus held together.
Answer: strong nuclear force
◍ Na.
Answer: Sodium
◍ is the nuclear force or electrostatic force stronger.
, Answer: nuclear force
◍ what does the atomic number represent.
Answer: number of protons
◍ the number of protons in an atom.
Answer: atomic number z
◍ what does the mass number represent.
Answer: number of protons and neutrons
◍ the number of nucleons in an atom.
Answer: mass number (A)
◍ atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
Answer: isotopes
◍ what determines the reactivity of an atom.
Answer: electrons
◍ hydrogen isotopes.
Answer: H1/H2/H3
◍ Chlorine isotopes.
Answer: Cl35/Cl37
◍ Bromine isotopes.
Answer: Br79/Br81
◍ Carbon isotope used for carbon dating.
Answer: C-14
◍ Number of electrons the first shell can hold.
Answer: 2
◍ Number of electrons the second shell can hold.
Answer: 8
◍ Number of electrons the third shell can hold.
Answer: 18
, ◍ Ar.
Answer: Relative Atomic Mass
◍ average mass of 1 atom ==== /divide--- 1/12 of 1 atom of C-12.
Answer: Relative Atomic Mass
◍ What does the mass spectrometer do?.
Answer: determines the mass of separate atoms
◍ First step of the TOF Spectrometer.
Answer: Vacuum
◍ TOF spectrometer- full name.
Answer: Time of Flight Mass spectrometer
◍ Vacuum step (TOF).
Answer: Kept under a high vacuum to avoid collisions with air molecules
◍ Cl.
Answer: Chlorine
◍ Second step of the TOF spectrometer.
Answer: Ionisation
◍ First method of ionisation (TOF).
Answer: Dissolved in solvent and passing through needle to a positive
terminal with a high voltage producing positively charged droplets which
have lost electrons
◍ Second method of ionisation (TOF).
Answer: Molecules gain a proton
◍ Third step of the TOF spectrometer.
Answer: Acceleration
◍ Acceleration step (TOF).
Answer: Positive ions attached to a negative plate so they accelerate towards
it, faster depending on their m/z ratio
