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AQA Style
GCSE
CHEMISTRY
Higher Tier Chemistry Paper 1

Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes

Materials
Question Mark
• A ruler
1
• A pen and pencil

• A calculator 2

• Periodic Table of Elements 3

Instructions and Information 4

• Answer all the questions using a black pen.

5
• Answer the questions in the space available and cross out any
work you do not want to be marked. 6

• In any calculations make sure you show your working out. 7

• The marks for each question are shown in brackets. 8

• The maximum mark for the paper is 100.
9
• You must make your work as neat as possible and use good
English in your answers. 10

• You should make sure you leave time to check your answers. Total

Name 

Date 
 2 of 24

0 1 Table 1 shows the melting and boiling points of the halogens.

Table 1

Halogen Melting Point Boiling Point

fluorine -220 -188
chlorine -101 -35
bromine -7 59
iodine 114 184

0 1 . 1 Determine the state of chlorine at room temperature.

[1 mark]


0 1 . 2 Table 2 shows the melting and boiling points of the halogens.

Table 2

Halogen Observation of Reaction

fluorine explosive
chlorine explosive in light, reacts slowly in the dark
bromine only reacts at temperatures over 300°C in the
presence of a catalyst

Explain the trend in reactivity.

[4 marks]






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0 1 . 3 Chlorine reacts with potassium bromide.

Complete the word equation to show the products of the reaction.

[2 marks]

potassium  
chlorine + +
bromide  

0 1 . 4 What is the name of the type of reaction shown by the equation in 01.3?

[1 mark]


0 1 . 5 A student adds iodine to potassium bromide.

Explain what will happen.

[2 marks]



10

Turn over for the next question

 4 of 24

0 2 The discovery of the electron led to the plum pudding model of the atom.

Twelve years later, new experimental evidence caused the plum pudding
model to be replaced with the nuclear model.

0 2 . 1 Describe the difference between the plum pudding model and the nuclear
model of the atom and explain why the new evidence led to the plum pudding
model being replaced.

[6 marks]

























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0 2 . 2 We now know that atoms contain protons, neutrons and electrons.

11
A boron atom has the symbol B.
5
Determine the number of neutrons in an atom of boron.

[1 mark]



number of neutrons = 

0 2 . 3 There are two isotopes of boron.

10 11
5
B 5
B
Give one similarity and one difference between the two isotopes of boron.

[2 marks]
Similarity 


Difference 


10
0 2 . 4 The abundance of 5 B is 20%.

11
The abundance of B is 80%.
5
Calculate the relative atomic mass of boron.

[2 marks]





relative atomic mass =

11
 6 of 24

0 3 Table 3 describes the reactions of some metals in water and in acid at room
temperature.

Table 3

Metal Reaction with Water Reaction with Dilute Acid

A very slow reaction fizzes
B no reaction no reaction
C fizzes violent reaction

0 3 . 1 Identify each metal.

Draw one line from each box.

[2 marks]
Metal Name

A copper

B lithium

C zinc
 7 of 24

0 3 . 2 Figure 1 shows the apparatus used for the electrolysis of 100cm3 sodium
chloride.

Figure 1

inert carbon electrode

sodium chloride solution

The sodium chloride solution has a concentration of 300 grams per dm3.

Calculate the mass of sodium chloride used in the experiment.

[3 marks]




mass of sodium chloride =  g

0 3 . 3 An extra 10g of solid sodium chloride is added to the solution.

Describe how this will affect the concentration of the solution.

[1 mark]


0 3 . 4 Name the gas produced at the positive electrode (anode).

[1 mark]

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0 3 . 5 Hydrogen is produced at the negative electrode (cathode)

Complete the half equation for the reaction at the cathode.

[1 mark]

2H+

0 3 . 6 Aluminium is extracted from aluminium oxide by electrolysis.

Aluminium oxide is not electrolysed in its pure form.

Explain why a molten mixture is used as the electrolyte.

You should name the other ionic compound in the mixture in your answer.

[4 marks]













12
 9 of 24

0 4 Figure 2 shows a diagram of a simplified cell.

Figure 2
voltmeter

metal 1 metal 2

electrolyte

0 4 . 1 Which combination of metals would produce the highest reading on the

voltmeter?

Tick one box.

[1 mark]
copper and copper

copper and iron

copper and magnesium

copper and zinc

0 4 . 2 Explain why water cannot be used as an electrolyte.

[3 marks]






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0 4 . 3 Explain why alkaline batteries eventually stop working.

[1 mark]



0 4 . 4 Some cars are powered by batteries.

There are 11 188 locations across the UK where the car batteries can be
recharged.
Explain why rechargeable batteries can be recharged.

[1 mark]



0 4 . 5 Some cars are powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

There are only seven locations in the UK where cars with hydrogen fuel cells
can be recharged. If there were more locations where hydrogen fuel cells could
be recharged then more people could use them.

Give two benefits of using hydrogen fuel cells over rechargeable batteries.

[2 marks]





8
 11 of 24

0 5 This question is about carbon.

0 5 . 1 Methane is formed when a carbon atom forms bonds with four hydrogen
atoms.

Complete the dot and cross diagram in Figure 3 to show the bonds in methane.

You should only show the electrons in the outer shells.

[1 mark]
Figure 3

H H

H H

0 5 . 2 Calculate the percentage by mass of hydrogen in methane (CH4).

Relative atomic masses (Ar): C = 12, H = 1

[3 marks]




percentage by mass of hydrogen = %

0 5 . 3 Explain why methane is a gas at room temperature.

[3 marks]




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0 5 . 4 Carbon can bond to other carbon atoms to form graphite and diamond.

A scientist set up an electrical circuit as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4
battery

bulb

The scientist placed the graphite core of a pencil in position X to complete the
circuit. The bulb lit up.

They then placed a diamond in position X. The bulb did not light up.

Explain the scientist’s observations.

[4 marks]







11
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0 6 Iron (III) chloride (FeCl3) is used to purify water.

0 6 . 1 Name the type of bonding in iron (III) chloride.

[1 mark]


0 6 . 2 Iron chloride can be made by reacting iron with hydrochloric acid.

The balanced equation for the reaction is:

2Fe + 6HCl 2FeCl3 + 3H2

A student uses 112g of iron in a reaction with 182.5g hydrochloric acid.

Relative atomic masses (Ar): Cl = 35.5, Fe = 56, H = 1

Relative formula mass (Mr): HCl = 36.5

Explain which reactant is the limiting reactant.

You must show your working.

[4 marks]









Question 6 continues on the next page.

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0 6 . 3 The ionic equation for the reaction is:

2Fe + 6H+ 2Fe3+ + 3H2

Which statement about the reaction between iron and hydrochloric acid is
correct?

Tick one box.

[1 mark]

Hydrogen has been oxidised because the hydrogen atoms

have gained electrons.

Hydrogen has been oxidised because the hydrogen atoms

have lost electrons.

Iron has been oxidised because the iron atoms have gained
electrons.

Iron has been oxidised because the iron atoms have lost
electrons.

6
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0 7 Magnesium chloride is used in medicine as a source of magnesium ions.

0 7 . 1 Magnesium chloride can be made by reacting magnesium carbonate (MgCO3)

with hydrochloric acid.

The balanced equation for the reaction is:

2HCl + MgCO3 MgCl2 + H2O + CO2

A chemist uses 210g of magnesium carbonate in the reaction.

Relative atomic masses (Ar): C = 12, Cl = 35.5, H = 1, Mg = 24, O = 16

Relative formula mass (Mr): HCl = 36.5, MgCO3 = 84

Calculate the mass of hydrochloric acid needed for the magnesium carbonate
to react completely.

[4 marks]






mass = g

Question 7 continues on the next page.

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0 7 . 2 When the reaction was complete, the students measured the mass of the
products. The equipment they used is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

The chemist’s measurement of mass was 282.5g.

Explain why the mass was different to what the chemist expected.

[2 marks]





6
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0 8 Sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide react in a neutralisation reaction.

Some students investigated how the temperature change of the reaction

mixture was affected by the volume of sodium hydroxide added.

They used the following method:

1. Pour 30cm3 of dilute sulfuric acid into a polystyrene cup.
2. Measure the temperature of the acid using a thermometer.
3. Add 5cm3 sodium hydroxide to the polystyrene cup and stir gently.
4. When the reading on the thermometer stops changing, record the
maximum temperature reached.
5. Rinse out the polystyrene cup with water.
6. Repeat the experiment 5 more times, increasing the volume of the sodium
hydroxide by 5cm3 each time.

A diagram of the equipment is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6

thermometer

polystyrene cup

reaction mixture

beaker

0 8 . 1 Explain why the students used a polystyrene cup.

[2 marks]



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0 8 . 2 Suggest one improvement the students could make to their method.

[1 mark]





0 8 . 3 Table 4 shows the students’ results.

Table 4

Volume of Sodium Start Temperature Mean Maximum

Hydroxide Added (cm3) (°C) Temperature (°C)
5 19 22
10 19 23
15 19 24
20 20 26
25 20 27
30 20 28

Figure 7 shows part of the reaction profile for the reaction between sulfuric
acid and sodium hydroxide.

Complete the reaction profile in Figure 7.

[2 marks]
Figure 7

reactants

Energy

Progress of Reaction
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0 8 . 4 Complete the balanced symbol equation for the reaction.

The SO4 ion has a charge of 2 .

[2 marks]
____H2SO4 + ____ NaOH ____________ + ____ H2O

0 8 . 5 Sulfuric acid is made in three stages.

In the final stage, sulfur trioxide reacts with water to make sulfuric acid.

The equation for the reaction is:

SO3 + H2O H2SO4

Figure 8 shows the displayed formulae for the reaction.

Figure 8

O O
S + H O H H O S O H
O O
O
Table 5 shows the bond energies.

Table 5

Bond Bond Energy (kJ/mol)

S=O 522
S- O 265
O- H 460

Calculate the overall energy change for the reaction.

[3 marks]







overall energy change = kJ/mol

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0 8 . 6 Sulfuric acid is a strong acid.

Citric acid is a weak acid.

Explain why, for a given concentration, strong acids have a lower pH than weak
acids.

[2 marks]





0 8 . 7 A 0.1mol/dm3 solution of sulfuric acid has a pH of 1.

Distilled water is added to the solution until the concentration is 0.001mol/

dm3.

Determine the pH after the distilled water is added.

[2 marks]







pH = 

14
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0 9 Copper is a transition metal.

0 9 . 1 Give two differences between the properties of copper and the properties of
the Group 1 metals.

[2 marks]
1. 


2. 


0 9 . 2 Copper can be found in different minerals in the Earth’s crust.

One of these minerals is cuprite, which contains copper (I) oxide (Cu2O).

Copper can be extracted from copper oxide using carbon.

The balanced equation for the reaction is:

Cu2O + C 2Cu + CO

Calculate the percentage atom economy for the production of copper in this
reaction.

Relative atomic masses (Ar): C = 12, Cu = 63.5

Relative formula mass (Mr): Cu2O = 143

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

[4 marks]




percentage atom economy = %

0 9 . 3 Explain why carbon can be used to extract copper from copper oxide.

[2 marks]




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0 9 . 4 Copper can also be found in the ore chalcocite, which contains copper sulfide
(Cu2S).

Copper can be produced by reacting copper sulfide with oxygen.

The balanced equation for the reaction is:

Cu2S + O2 Cu + SO2

The atom economy for the production of copper in this reaction is 66.5%.

Explain why you might choose to extract copper from copper oxide (Cu2O)
rather than copper sulfide (Cu2S).

[1 mark]





0 9 . 5 The sulfur dioxide (SO2) can also be used to make sulfuric acid.
How will this affect the atom economy of the reaction?
[1 mark]





10
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1 0 A student carries out a titration using the equipment shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9

hydrochloric acid
burette

indicator

conical flask aluminium hydroxide

1 0 . 1 Describe how the student should use the equipment in Figure 9 to find the
volume of a 0.20mol/dm3 aluminium hydroxide solution that reacts with
300cm3 of hydrochloric acid.

You should include:

• any extra equipment they might use;

• any measurements that the student should make.

[6 marks]











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1 0 . 2 The student carried out five titrations. Table 6 shows their results.

Table 6
Titration Titration Titration Titration Titration
1 2 3 4 5
Volume of
aluminium
32.90 33.10 34.10 33.15 33.10
hydroxide
(cm3)

Calculate the mean volume of aluminium hydroxide added.

Use only the student’s concordant results.

Concordant results are those within 0.10cm3 of each other.

[2 marks]



mean volume = cm3

1 0 . 3 The balanced equation for the reaction is:

Al(OH)3 + 3HCl AlCl3 + 3H2O

Calculate the concentration of the hydrochloric acid in mol/dm3.

Use your answer from 10.2.

(If you did not give an answer to 10.2 assume that the mean volume is 35.54cm3.
This is not the correct answer to 10.2.)

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

[4 marks]





concentration = mol/dm3

12
END OF QUESTIONS