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The Periodic Table (Edexcel GCSE Combined Science: Chemistry): Exam Questions

1 hour15 questions
Easy
Medium
1a3 marks

The atomic symbols of the first twenty elements in the Periodic Table are shown in Figure 3.

fig-3-q2a-1cho-2f-specimen-2018


Figure 3

i) From the position of beryllium, Be, in the Periodic Table, beryllium is most likely to be a

(1)

A

metal

B

halogen

C

compound

D

gas at room temperature

ii) Give the symbol of the element that is in Period 2 and in Group 3.

(1)

iii) State the number of electron shells in an atom of potassium, K.

(1)

How did you do?

1b1 mark

Figure 4 shows information about some of the elements in Group 7 of the Periodic Table.

element

melting point / °C

boiling point / °C

fluorine

–220

–188

chlorine

–101

–35

bromine

7

59

iodine

114

184

Figure 4

Astatine is below iodine in Group 7 of the periodic table.

Estimate the boiling point of astatine.

boiling point of astatine = .............................................................. °C

How did you do?

1c2 marks

Chlorine reacts with potassium iodide to form iodine and potassium chloride.

Complete the word equation for the reaction between bromine and potassium astatide.

   bromine + potassium astatide →              +

How did you do?

1d2 marks

Hydrogen reacts with chlorine to form hydrogen chloride.

H–H + Cl–Cl → 2H–Cl

The symbol – is used to show a covalent bond.

The electronic configuration of hydrogen is 1.

The electronic configuration of chlorine is 2.8.7.

Draw the dot-and-cross diagram for the molecule of hydrogen chloride.

Show outer electrons only.

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2a4 marks

The diagram shows the positions of some elements in the Periodic Table.

screen-shot-2022-10-17-at-19-10-35

Use symbols from this table to answer these questions.

Each symbol may be used once, more than once or not at all.

i) Give the symbol of a metal.

(1)

ii) Give the symbol of a noble gas.

(1)

iii) Give the symbol of a liquid at room temperature.

(1)

iv) Give the symbols of the two elements in Period 3

(1)

   ............................................................and ..................................................................

How did you do?

2b1 mark

Deduce the electronic configuration of Na.

How did you do?

2c2 marks

Here are five statements about Mendeleev's Periodic Table. 

Place ticks in boxes by the two statements that are correct.

Mendeleev left gaps for undiscovered elements 

 

 Mendeleev arranged his Periodic Table in order of relative atomic mass 

 

 Mendeleev swapped elements around based on the number of electrons they had

 

 Mendeleev arranged his Periodic Table in order of atomic number

 

 Mendeleev considered isotopes when arranging his Periodic Table

How did you do?

2d1 mark

Table 1 shows part of Mendeleev's Periodic Table of 1871.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

H

 

 

 

 

 

 

Li

Be

B

C

N

O

F

Na

Mg

Al

Si

P

S

Cl

Which Group from the modern Periodic Table is not included in this table?

  • The alkali metals

  • The noble gases 

  • The halogens

  • The alkaline earth metals

Choose your answer

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3a2 marks

This question is about electronic configuration.

Use the Periodic Table to answer this question.

i) Name the element whose atoms have the electronic configuration 2.8.

[1]

ii) Give the electronic configuration of the element in Period 3 Group 7.

[1]

How did you do?

3b2 marks

Figure 1 shows the three electron shells of a magnesium atom.

edx-1-2e-paper-2-q3b-magnesium-atom-shells

Figure 1

i) Draw the electronic structure of magnesium in Figure 1.

[1]

ii) Give the electronic configuration of magnesium.

[1]

How did you do?

3c1 mark

An element has the electronic configuration 2.8.3.

Predict the electronic configuration for the element on the right of it in the Periodic Table.

How did you do?

3d4 marks

An element has the electronic configuration 2.8.8.2.

i) State the group in the Periodic Table that this element is in.

Give a reason for your answer.

[2]

ii) State the period in the Periodic Table the element is in.

Give a reason for your answer.

[2]

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4a2 marks

This question is about the Periodic Table.

Use words from the box to complete the sentence about how elements are arranged in the Periodic Table.

groups             number            mass               periods

Elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic ………………….., in rows called ………………..

How did you do?

4b2 marks

Magnesium, iodine, barium and krypton are elements in the Periodic Table.

i) Name the two elements that are non-metals.

ii) Name the two elements that are in the same group in the Periodic Table.

How did you do?

4c1 mark

Which of these elements is a non-metal in Group 4 of the Periodic Table?

  • Carbon

  • Nitrogen

  • Lead

  • Tin

Choose your answer

4d1 mark

Use the Periodic Table to help you answer this question.

Name the element that has 3 electron shells and 4 electrons in its outer shell.

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5a1 mark

This question is all about atomic number.

What does the atomic number of an atom tell you?

  • How many particles are in its nucleus

  • How many neutrons it has

  • How many protons it has

  • How many electron shells it has

Choose your answer

5b3 marks

Use the Periodic Table to answer these questions.

i) Name the element with the atomic number 35.

[1]

ii) Name the element whose atoms have 19 protons.

[1]

iii) Give the atomic number of the element in Period 2 Group 2.

[1]

How did you do?

5c4 marks

Potassium and bromine react to form the compound potassium bromide.

Both elements are in Period 4 in the Periodic Table.

i) Give the group number of each element:

Potassium ……………..

Bromine …………….

[2]

ii) State if each element is a metal or non-metal:

Potassium ……………..

Bromine …………….

[2]

How did you do?

5d1 mark

State what happens to atomic number as you go across a period in the Periodic Table.

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11 mark

The diagram shows the electron structures of some elements. 

different-atoms

Which two elements have similar chemical properties? 

  • A and B

  • A and C

  • B and C 

  • B and D 

Choose your answer

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2a3 marks

In Figure 8, the letters A, E, G, J, X and Z show the positions of six elements in the periodic table.

These letters are not the symbols of the atoms of these elements.  

fig-8-q8-1cho-1f-paper-1-june-2019

Figure 8

Using the letters A, E, G, J, X and Z

i) give the letters of the two elements that are non-metals

(1)

ii) give the letters of two elements in period 2 

(1)

iii) give the letter of an element that normally forms an ion with a charge of +1.

(1)

How did you do?

2b3 marks

Element E has an atomic number of 5. In a sample of E there are two isotopes. One isotope has a mass number of 10 and the other isotope has a mass number of 11.

i) Explain, in terms of subatomic particles, what is meant by the term isotopes. 

(2)

ii) All atoms of element E in this sample contain

(1)

☐

A

5 protons 

☐

B

5 neutrons 

☐

C

6 protons 

☐

D

6 neutrons 

How did you do?

2c1 mark

Element X has an atomic number of 18.

State the electronic configuration of an atom of element X. 

 

How did you do?

2d
Sme Calculator3 marks

In an experiment, 3.5 g of element A reacted with 4.0 g of element G to form a compound.

Calculate the empirical formula of this compound. (relative atomic masses: A = 7, G = 16)

You must show your working. 

empirical formula of this compound=...........................

How did you do?

2e2 marks

An oxygen atom has six electrons in its outer shell.

A hydrogen atom has one electron in its outer shell.

Complete the dot and cross diagram of a molecule of water, H2O.

Show outer shell electrons only.

fig-q8e-1cho-1f-paper-1-june-2019

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31 mark

An element has the configuration 2.8.3. 

Which group and period is this element in?

 

 

 

Group

Period

☐

A

2

8

☐

B

3

3

☐

C

2

3

☐

D

3

2

    Choose your answer

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    41 mark

    Mendeleev arranged the elements in order of atomic mass. 

    He then reversed the order of some pairs of elements. 

    Why did he do this?

    • To put them in order of atomic number

    • To group elements according to their properties

    • To leave gaps for undiscovered elements 

    • To ensure elements were in the same period 

    Choose your answer

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    5a1 mark

    Figure 1 below shows the periodic table Mendeleev produced in 1869.

    His periodic table was more widely accepted than previous versions

    Figure 1 

    1-2-the-periodic-table-5a

    The atomic weight of iodine (I) is 127 and that of tellurium (Te) is 128.

    Why did Mendeleev reverse the order of these two elements?

    How did you do?

    5b1 mark

    Why did Mendeleev leave gaps for undiscovered elements?

    How did you do?

    5c1 mark

    Name the particle that allowed the elements to be arranged in order of their atomic number in the modern Periodic Table.

    How did you do?

    5d4 marks

    Mendeleev's periodic table shows lithium, sodium and potassium all in the same column. 

    These elements are in the same column, Group 1, of the modern periodic table. 

    Explain the reactivity of these elements going down Group 1. 

    How did you do?

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    61 mark

    The modern periodic table is arranged in order of: 

    • Atomic number

    • Relative atomic mass 

    • Group number

    • Period number

    Choose your answer

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    71 mark

    The positions of four elements are shown on the Periodic Table. 

    The letters are not the atomic symbols of these elements. 

    abcd-periodic-table

    Which element will react with oxygen to form an acidic oxide? 

    How did you do?

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    8a1 mark

    Figure 1 shows part of the Periodic Table, with elements represented by the letters L, M, Q, R and T.

    The letters in the diagram represent elements but are not their chemical symbols.

    1-2-the-periodic-table-3a

    Figure 1

    Give the letter from the diagram that represents a noble gas.

    How did you do?

    8b1 mark

    Elements L and M are in the same group.

    State why they have similar chemical reactions.

    How did you do?

    8c2 marks

    An atom of element Q has 31 protons.

    Use this information to explain how you can determine the number of protons in an atom of element R.

    How did you do?

    8d2 marks

    Compare the electronic structures of atoms M and R. 

    How did you do?

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    9a1 mark

    This question is about the Periodic Table. 

    What did Mendeleev arrange his elements in order of?

    • Atomic number

    • Relative atomic mass 

    • Group number

    • Period number

    Choose your answer

    9b1 mark

    Once Mendeleev had arranged his Periodic Table, he swapped the positions of some elements around. 

    Explain why he did this. 

    How did you do?

    9c2 marks

    The elements in Mendeleev's Periodic Table didn't always end up in order of increasing relative atomic mass because the existence of isotopes was unknown.

    Explain, in terms of subatomic particles, what is meant by an isotope. 

    How did you do?

    9d2 marks

    Higher Only 

    Some information about the mass number and percentage abundance for the isotopes of gallium is shown in Figure 1. 

    mass number

    percentage abundance (%)

    69

    60

    71

    40

    Figure 1

    Calculate the relative atomic mass of gallium. 

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    10a3 marks

    The electronic structures of atoms from three different elements are shown.

        2.8.1                         2.8.8                        2.8.8.1
    element W               element Y                  element Z

    Name the elements W, Y and Z.

    How did you do?

    10b2 marks

    Explain why element Z is more reactive than element W.

    How did you do?

    10c2 marks

    Explain why element Y is unreactive.

    How did you do?

    10d1 mark

    Give the formula of the ion formed by element W.

    How did you do?

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