Properties of metals & alloys

This question is about iron.

Iron is a metal.

Describe how iron conducts thermal energy.

Pure iron is too soft for many uses.

Explain why mixing iron with other metals makes alloys which are harder than pure iron.

When iron reacts with chlorine, 0.12 mol of iron reacts with 0.18 mol of chlorine (Cl₂).

Which is the correct equation for the reaction?

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The most common oxides of iron are Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄

What is the ratio of the numbers of ions in Fe₃O₄?

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Calculate the percentage (%) by mass of iron in Fe₃O₄

Relative atomic masses (A_r): O = 16 Fe = 56

Fe₂O₃ reacts with carbon to produce carbon dioxide.

The equation for the reaction is:

Calculate the volume of carbon dioxide gas at room temperature and pressure that is produced from 40.0 kg of Fe₂O₃ using excess carbon.

Relative formula mass (M_r): Fe₂O₃ = 160

The volume of 1 mole of any gas at room temperature and pressure is 24 dm³.

This question is about alloys. Solders are alloys of tin and lead. Different solders have different percentages of tin and lead. Figure 4 shows the arrangement of atoms in pure tin and in a solder.

The solder in Figure 4 has 6 lead atoms for every 24 tin atoms. Determine the percentage of atoms that are lead atoms in the solder in Figure 4.

Explain why solder is harder than pure tin. Complete the sentences. Use Figure 4. In solder the layers are distorted.

Therefore the layers cannot easily

Figure 5 shows how the melting point of the solder changes with the percentage by mass of tin in the solder.

Describe what happens to the melting point of the solder as the percentage by mass of tin increases. Use data from Figure 5.

What is the melting point of pure tin? Use Figure 5.

What happens to the atoms in pure tin as the tin melts? Tick (✓) one box.

This question is about uses of metals in electrical wires. Electrical wires can be made from:

• aluminium

• copper

• silver.

Figure 6 shows three uses of electrical wires.

Table 5 shows information about the metals. The higher the value for electrical conductivity, the better the metal is at conducting electricity.

Evaluate the use of aluminium, copper and silver for the types of electrical wires shown in Figure 6. Use Table 5.

Describe how metals conduct electricity.

Electrical wires are usually made of pure metals and not alloys. This is because pure metals are better electrical conductors. Suggest why alloys do not conduct electricity as well as pure metals. Answer in terms of structure and bonding.

This question is about metals and non-metals.

Figure 15 shows an outline of part of the periodic table.

Element Q is a dull solid with a melting point of 44 °C.

Element Q does not conduct electricity.

Which section of the periodic table in Figure 15 is most likely to contain element Q ?

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Element R forms ions of formula R²⁺ and R³⁺

Which section of the periodic table in Figure 15 is most likely to contain element R ?

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Give two differences between the physical properties of the elements in Group 1 and those of the transition elements.

Complete Figure 16 to show the electronic structure of an aluminium atom.

Use the periodic table.

Aluminium is a metal.

Describe how metals conduct electricity.

Answer in terms of electrons.

Name the type of bonding in compounds formed between metals and non-metals.

Magnesium oxide is a compound formed from the metal magnesium and the non-metal oxygen.

Describe what happens when a magnesium atom reacts with an oxygen atom.

You should refer to electrons in your answer.

This question is about metals and non-metals. Figure 1 shows an outline of part of the periodic table.

Element Q is a dull solid with a melting point of 44 °C. Element Q does not conduct electricity. Which section of the periodic table in Figure 1 is most likely to contain element Q ?

Tick (✓) one box.

Element R forms ions of formula R²⁺ and R³⁺ Which section of the periodic table in Figure 1 is most likely to contain element R ?

Tick (✓) one box.

Give two differences between the physical properties of the elements in Group 1 and those of the transition elements.

Complete Figure 2 to show the electronic structure of an aluminium atom. Use the periodic table.

Aluminium is a metal. Describe how metals conduct electricity. Answer in terms of electrons.

Name the type of bonding in compounds formed between metals and non-metals.

Magnesium oxide is a compound formed from the metal magnesium and the non-metal oxygen. Describe what happens when a magnesium atom reacts with an oxygen atom. You should refer to electrons in your answer.

This question is about metals.

Table 3 shows information about four substances.

Which substance could be a metal? Tick (✓) one box.

Explain why alloys are harder than pure metals.

A student wants to compare the reactivity of an unknown metal, Q, with that of zinc. Both metals are more reactive than silver. The student is provided with:

• silver nitrate solution

• metal Q powder

• zinc powder

• a thermometer

• normal laboratory equipment.

No other chemicals are available. Describe a method the student could use to compare the reactivity of metal Q with that of zinc. Your method should give valid results.

This question is about aluminium.

Aluminium is a metal. Draw one line from each property of aluminium to the correct reason for that property.

Property Reason

Aluminium can be used to make alloys. What is meant by an ‘alloy’?

Aluminium is extracted from bauxite. Bauxite is a mixture which contains aluminium oxide.

Bauxite contains between 15% and 25% aluminium. Aluminium oxide always contains 53% aluminium. How does this show that bauxite is a mixture and not a compound?

The waste material from the bauxite is stored in lakes of mud. The lakes of mud are held in place by dams. Figure 6 shows one of these lakes.

Suggest two possible problems with storing the waste material in lakes of mud.

Aluminium is extracted by electrolysis. The aluminium oxide is mixed with cryolite and melted. The mixture is then electrolysed.

The formula of cryolite is Na₃AlF₆ Give the total number of atoms in the formula.

What is the reason for adding cryolite to the aluminium oxide? Tick (✓) one box.

Complete the sentences. Choose answers from the box.

When the molten aluminium oxide and cryolite mixture is electrolysed the product

This product reacts with the positive electrode because the positive electrode is

A sample of bauxite contains 25% aluminium. Calculate the maximum mass of aluminium that can be extracted from 300 000 kg of the sample of bauxite. Give your answer in standard form.

This question is about materials and their properties.

Figure 13 shows a carbon nanotube.

The structure and bonding in a carbon nanotube are similar to graphene. Carbon nanotubes are used in electronics because they conduct electricity. Explain why carbon nanotubes conduct electricity.

Figure 14 shows a badminton racket.

Table 4 shows some properties of materials. The materials could be used to make badminton racket frames.

Evaluate the use of the materials to make badminton racket frames. Use Table 4.

Zinc oxide can be produced as nanoparticles and as fine particles.

A nanoparticle of zinc oxide is a cube of side 82 nm Figure 15 represents a nanoparticle of zinc oxide.

Calculate the surface area of a nanoparticle of zinc oxide. Give your answer in standard form.

Some suncreams contain zinc oxide as nanoparticles or as fine particles. Suggest one reason why it costs less to use nanoparticles rather than fine particles in suncreams.

This question is about materials and their properties.

Figure 3 shows a carbon nanotube.

The structure and bonding in a carbon nanotube are similar to graphene. Carbon nanotubes are used in electronics because they conduct electricity. Explain why carbon nanotubes conduct electricity.

Figure 4 shows a badminton racket.

Table 1 shows some properties of materials. The materials could be used to make badminton racket frames.

Evaluate the use of the materials to make badminton racket frames. Use Table 1.

Zinc oxide can be produced as nanoparticles and as fine particles.

A nanoparticle of zinc oxide is a cube of side 82 nm Figure 5 represents a nanoparticle of zinc oxide.

Calculate the surface area of a nanoparticle of zinc oxide. Give your answer in standard form.

Some suncreams contain zinc oxide as nanoparticles or as fine particles. Suggest one reason why it costs less to use nanoparticles rather than fine particles in suncreams.

This question is about mixtures.

Substances are separated from a mixture using different methods.

Draw one line from each substance and mixture to the best method of separation.

Substance and mixture
Method of separation

A student filters a mixture.

Figure 1 shows the apparatus.

Suggest one improvement to the apparatus.

Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of atoms in a pure metal and in a mixture of metals.

Calculate the percentage of metal B atoms in the mixture of metals shown in Figure 2.

What is a mixture of metals called?

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Why is the mixture of metals in Figure 2 harder than the pure metal?

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A nanoparticle of pure metal A is a cube.

Each side of the cube has a length of 20 nm.

Figure 3 shows the cube.

What is the volume of the nanoparticle?

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