AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy · 5.2

Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter

Revision questions with answers for 5.2 Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter in AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (spec 8464). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below.

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Question 1 · Spec 5.2.1.1
Name the three main types of strong chemical bonding.
Answer:
Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding.
Question 2 · Spec 5.2.1.2
What happens to electrons when an ionic bond forms?
Answer:
Electrons transfer from a metal atom to a non-metal atom, producing oppositely charged ions.
Question 3 · Spec 5.2.1.2
Define ionic bonding.
Answer:
Strong electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.
Question 4 · Spec 5.2.1.2
How do sodium and chlorine form Na⁺ and Cl⁻?
Answer:
Sodium loses one electron; chlorine gains one. Both acquire full outer electron shells.
Question 5 · Spec 5.2.1.2
Why is the formula of magnesium chloride MgCl₂?
Answer:
Magnesium forms Mg²⁺ and chlorine forms Cl⁻. Two chloride ions balance one magnesium ion's charge.
Question 6 · Spec 5.2.1.3
What is a giant ionic lattice?
Answer:
A regular three-dimensional arrangement of oppositely charged ions held by electrostatic attractions in all directions.
Question 7 · Spec 5.2.2.3
Why do ionic compounds usually have high melting points?
Answer:
Large amounts of energy are needed to overcome strong electrostatic attractions between oppositely charged ions.
Question 8 · Spec 5.2.2.3
Why does solid sodium chloride not conduct electricity?
Answer:
Its ions are fixed in place and cannot move to carry charge.
Question 9 · Spec 5.2.2.3
Why can molten sodium chloride conduct electricity?
Answer:
Its ions can move and carry electrical charge.
Question 10 · Spec 5.2.2.3
Why can an aqueous ionic solution conduct electricity?
Answer:
Dissolved ions are free to move through the solution and carry charge.
Question 11 · Spec 5.2.1.4
What is a covalent bond?
Answer:
A shared pair of electrons between atoms.
Question 12 · Spec 5.2.1.4
How many pairs of electrons are shared in H₂ and Cl₂?
Answer:
One pair in each molecule, forming one single covalent bond.
Question 13 · Spec 5.2.1.4
How is the bond in hydrogen chloride formed?
Answer:
Hydrogen and chlorine share one electron pair; hydrogen gains a full first shell and chlorine a full outer shell.
Question 14 · Spec 5.2.1.4
How many single bonds are in water and ammonia?
Answer:
Water, H₂O, has two O-H bonds; ammonia, NH₃, has three N-H bonds.
Question 15 · Spec 5.2.1.4
Describe the bonding in methane.
Answer:
One carbon atom shares four electron pairs with four hydrogen atoms, forming four single covalent bonds.
Question 16 · Spec 5.2.1.4
How many electron pairs are shared in O₂?
Answer:
Two shared pairs form a double covalent bond between the oxygen atoms.
Question 17 · Spec 5.2.1.4
How many electron pairs are shared in N₂?
Answer:
Three shared pairs form a triple covalent bond between the nitrogen atoms.
Question 18 · Spec 5.2.2.4
Why do small molecular substances often have low boiling points?
Answer:
Only weak intermolecular forces are overcome when molecules separate; their strong internal covalent bonds remain intact.
Question 19 · Spec 5.2.2.4
Why do larger molecules usually have higher boiling points?
Answer:
They generally have stronger intermolecular forces, requiring more energy to overcome.
Question 20 · Spec 5.2.2.4
Why do simple molecular substances generally not conduct electricity?
Answer:
They have no mobile ions or delocalised electrons to carry charge.
Question 21 · Spec 5.2.2.5
What is a polymer?
Answer:
A substance made of very large molecules containing many repeating units of atoms.
Question 22 · Spec 5.2.2.5
Why are many polymers solids at room temperature?
Answer:
Their large molecules have sufficiently strong intermolecular forces to require substantial energy to separate.
Question 23 · Spec 5.2.1.5
Describe metallic bonding.
Answer:
Strong electrostatic attraction between positive metal ions and delocalised electrons throughout a giant structure.
Question 24 · Spec 5.2.2.8
Why do metals conduct electricity?
Answer:
Delocalised electrons move through the structure and carry charge.
Question 25 · Spec 5.2.2.7
Why can pure metals often be bent or shaped?
Answer:
Layers of atoms can slide over each other while metallic bonding is maintained.
Question 26 · Spec 5.2.2.7
Why are alloys usually harder than pure metals?
Answer:
Different-sized atoms distort the regular layers, making it harder for them to slide.
Question 27 · Spec 5.2.2.1
Compare particle arrangement in solids, liquids and gases.
Answer:
Solids: closely packed and ordered. Liquids: close but irregular. Gases: widely spaced and irregular.
Question 28 · Spec 5.2.2.1
What happens to particles when a solid melts?
Answer:
They gain energy and can move past one another as some attractive forces are overcome.
Question 29 · Spec 5.2.2.1
What happens when a liquid boils?
Answer:
Particles gain enough energy to overcome attractions and separate to form a gas.
Question 30 · Spec 5.2.2.1
A substance melts at -10 °C and boils at 60 °C. What is its state at 20 °C?
Answer:
Liquid, because 20 °C is above its melting point and below its boiling point.
Question 31 · Spec 5.2.2.1 · Higher only
Give two limitations of a simple solid-sphere particle model.
Answer:
It does not show forces between particles and represents particles as solid inelastic spheres, unlike real atoms or molecules.
Question 32 · Spec 5.2.2.1
Why should an individual atom not be described as having a melting point?
Answer:
Melting is a bulk property involving interactions between many particles, rather than a property of one isolated atom.
Question 33 · Spec 5.2.2.2
What do (s), (l), (g) and (aq) mean in an equation?
Answer:
Solid, liquid, gas and aqueous: dissolved in water.
Question 34 · Spec 5.2.2.6
Why do giant covalent substances have high melting points?
Answer:
Many strong covalent bonds throughout the structure must be broken, requiring much energy.
Question 35 · Spec 5.2.3.1
Describe the bonding in diamond.
Answer:
Each carbon atom forms four covalent bonds to other carbon atoms in a giant three-dimensional structure.
Question 36 · Spec 5.2.3.1
Why is diamond hard?
Answer:
Strong covalent bonds extend throughout its rigid three-dimensional structure.
Question 37 · Spec 5.2.3.1
Why does diamond not conduct electricity?
Answer:
All outer electrons are involved in covalent bonds, leaving no delocalised electrons to carry charge.
Question 38 · Spec 5.2.3.2
Describe the bonding in graphite.
Answer:
Each carbon bonds to three others in hexagonal layers, leaving one electron per carbon delocalised.
Question 39 · Spec 5.2.3.2
Why is graphite soft and slippery?
Answer:
Weak forces between layers allow them to slide over one another.
Question 40 · Spec 5.2.3.2
Why does graphite conduct electricity?
Answer:
Its delocalised electrons can move through the layers and carry charge.
Question 41 · Spec 5.2.3.3
What is graphene?
Answer:
A single layer of graphite, one carbon atom thick, with strong covalent bonds and delocalised electrons.
Question 42 · Spec 5.2.3.3
What are fullerenes?
Answer:
Molecules of carbon with hollow shapes, including cages and tubes, based mainly on hexagonal rings with some other ring sizes.
Question 43 · Spec 5.2.3.3
What is buckminsterfullerene?
Answer:
A spherical fullerene molecule containing 60 carbon atoms, with formula C₆₀.
Question 44 · Spec 5.2.3.3
What is a carbon nanotube?
Answer:
A cylindrical fullerene with a very large length-to-diameter ratio.
Question 45 · Spec 5.2.3.3
Why are nanotubes useful in materials and electronics?
Answer:
They have high tensile strength and can conduct electricity and thermal energy.
Question 46 · Spec 5.2.1.4
Give a limitation of a ball-and-stick molecular model.
Answer:
The sticks are not physical rods, and displayed gaps and relative sizes may misrepresent the real electron distribution.
Question 47 · Spec 5.2.2.8
How do metals transfer thermal energy well?
Answer:
Delocalised electrons transfer energy rapidly through the structure, alongside vibrations of the particles.
Question 48 · Spec 5.2.2.6
What type of structure does silicon dioxide have?
Answer:
A giant covalent structure with many strong covalent bonds throughout.
Question 49 · Spec 5.2.1.4
What does one line between atoms represent in a displayed formula?
Answer:
A single covalent bond: one shared electron pair.
Question 50 · Spec 5.2.2.3
A solid melts at high temperature and conducts only when molten. What structure is likely?
Answer:
Giant ionic: strong attractions cause the high melting point, and ions carry charge only when free to move.

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