Properties, Uses & Alloys of Metals (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Chemistry)

Exam Questions

3 hours32 questions
11 mark

Which diagram shows an alloy?

q1-9-2-easy-cie-igcse-chemistry
  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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21 mark

Copper is sometimes used to make cooking utensils and pans.

Three properties of copper are shown below:

1

Good conductor of electricity.

2

Corrosion resistant.

3

Good conductor of heat.

Which of these properties make it good for making cooking utensils?

  • 1 and 3

  • 1 only

  • 2 and 3

  • 2 only

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31 mark

Most of the elements on the Periodic Table are metals. Metals can be distinguished from non-metals by differences in their physical properties.

Which row correctly describes a metal?

 

Malleability

Heat & electrical conductivity

A

cross times

✓

B

✓

cross times

C

✓

✓

D

cross times

cross times

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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41 mark

Zinc has many uses in the home. The diagram shows two items that contain zinc.

q4-9-1-easy-cie-igcse-chemistry

In which of these items is zinc used as an alloy?

 

bucket

door-knocker

A

cross times

✓

B

✓

✓

C

cross times

cross times

D

✓

cross times

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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51 mark

Extended Only

Why are alloys harder than the pure metals from which they are made?

  • There are stronger bonds between the atoms

  • The atoms are all the same size 

  • The layers of atoms are distorted

  • The properties of each element have combined

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11 mark

A sample of element Y is shiny and can be shaped by hammering.

Which row of the table corresponds to the properties of element Y?

 

conducts electricity

melts below 25℃

A

cross times

✓

B

cross times

cross times

C

✓

✓

D

✓

cross times

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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21 mark

Some of the properties of four different elements Q, P, R and S are listed below:

1

Q melts at 1410 °C and forms an acidic oxide.

2

P has a high density and is easily drawn into wires.

3

R acts as a catalyst and its oxide reacts with acids

4

S is a red-brown solid used to make alloys.

Which of the elements are metals?

  • 1 and 3 only

  • 2 and 4 only

  • 2, 3 and 4

  • 1,2 and 3

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31 mark

The table shows some properties of four metals

Which of the four metals would be the most suitable for aircraft construction?

 

density

strength

resistance to corrosion

A

high

low

low

B

low

high

high

C

high

high

low

D

low

low

high

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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41 mark

Brass is an alloy of two metals.

Which row describes the correct use of the two metals that brass is made from?

 

metal 1

metal 2

A

galvanising steel

making aircraft

B

electrical wiring

galvanising steel

C

making aircraft

making cutlery

D

making cooking pans

electrical wiring

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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51 mark

The structure of an alloy is shown below. Alloys are mixtures of metals with other metals or non-metals.

q5-9-1-medium-cie-igcse-chemistry

They are usually much stronger and harder than pure metals. Which statement explains these features?

  • The irregular sizes of the atoms distorts the regular arrangement in the metal structure, meaning more force is required to bend the metal

  • The irregular sizes of the atoms distorts the regular arrangement in the metal structure as the bonding is disrupted when the atoms are added

  • The regular sizes of the atoms distorts the irregular arrangement in the metal structure, meaning more force is required to bend the metal

  • A mixture of metals is tougher than a pure metal because a mixture has more intermolecular forces than a pure metal.

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11 mark

Properties of four elements are shown below.

Which of these elements is a metal?

 

electrical conductivity when solid

electrical conductivity when liquid

melting point ℃

A

low

low

-7

B

high

low

801

C

high

high

1535

D

low

low

3550

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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21 mark

Brass is an alloy of two metals

Which is the correct statement? 

  • The alloy will completely dissolve in dilute hydrochloric acid.

  • Brass is formed by a chemical reaction between two metals 

  • Brass can be represented by a chemical formula

  • One of the metals in the alloy will dissolve in dilute hydrochloric acid

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31 mark

Element Y is malleable and ductile.

Which correctly describes the properties of element Y?

 

Electrical conductivity (solid)

Electrical conductivity (molten)

Melting Point / oC

1

 ✓

 2861

2

63

3

801

  • 1 and 2 only

  • 1 and 3 only

  • 2 and 3 only

  • 1, 2 and 3

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41 mark

The three statements below about aluminium are all correct.

1

Aluminium reacts readily to form aluminium oxide

2

Aluminium is extracted from its ore by electrolysis as it cannot be extracted by reduction with carbon

3

Aluminium is used in electrical wiring because of its good electrical conductivity

In which of these statements can 'aluminium' be replaced by 'copper' and still be correct?

 

1

2

3

A

B

C

D

  • Option A

  • Option B

  • Option C

  • Option D

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51 mark

Some properties of elements K, LM and N are given.

1

K acts as a catalyst and its oxide reacts with hydrochloric acid

2

L is a dull dark grey solid that conducts electricity and has a melting point of 3600 oC

3

M is easily hammered into shape and has a high density

4

N has a melting point of 113 oC and forms an acidic oxide

Which of the elements are metals?

  • 1 and 3 only

  • 2, 3 and 4

  • 2 and 3 only 

  • 2 and 4 only

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