Practise 24 exam-style questions on The periodic table for AQA GCSE Chemistry. Write your answer as you would in the exam and get it marked in seconds against the mark scheme, point by point, with an AI tutor on hand if you get stuck.
24 questions
1–6 marks each
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20 questions, marked as you go
Sample questions with model answers
Here are 4 of the questions in this topic, each with a model answer, an explanation of why it earns the marks and the mark scheme an examiner would use.
Question 1
2 marks
Give the name for a vertical column of elements in the periodic table. State what the elements in a vertical column have in common.
Model answer
A vertical column is called a group. The elements in a group have the same number of electrons in their outer shell, so they have similar chemical properties.
Explanation
Columns are groups and rows are periods. Elements in the same group react in similar ways because they have the same number of outer electrons.
Mark scheme
1 mark
a group
do not accept period
1 mark
they have similar chemical properties / the same number of electrons in their outer shell
Question 2
2 marks
Sodium and potassium both react with chlorine in a similar way.
Explain why, in terms of electrons.
Model answer
Sodium (2,8,1) and potassium (2,8,8,1) both have one electron in their outer shell. When they react with chlorine, they both lose this one electron to form ions with a 1+ charge, so they react in the same way.
Explanation
Same number of outer electrons means the same change happens in reactions. That is why group 1 metals all form chlorides with the formula MCl.
Mark scheme
1 mark
both have one electron in their outer shell
allow both are in group 1
1 mark
both lose this one electron (to form 1+ ions) when they react
Question 3
3 marks
Strontium (Sr) is in group 2, below magnesium and calcium. Magnesium burns in oxygen to form magnesium oxide, MgO.
Predict the product formed when strontium burns in oxygen. Write a balanced symbol equation for the reaction.
Model answer
Strontium oxide, SrO, is formed. 2Sr + O₂ → 2SrO
Explanation
Strontium is in the same group as magnesium, so it has the same number of outer electrons and reacts in a similar way, forming an oxide with the same formula type (SrO, like MgO). Oxygen is diatomic, so 2Sr and 2SrO are needed to balance it.
Mark scheme
1 mark
strontium oxide / SrO
1 mark
correct formulae: Sr + O₂ → SrO
allow ecf from an incorrect formula of the oxide
1 mark
balanced: 2Sr + O₂ → 2SrO
allow multiples
Question 4
4 marks
Gallium (Ga) is in group 3, directly below aluminium. Aluminium forms Al³⁺ ions. The formula of aluminium oxide is Al₂O₃ and the formula of aluminium chloride is AlCl₃.
Predict the charge on a gallium ion and the formulae of gallium oxide and gallium chloride. Explain your predictions.
Model answer
Gallium is in the same group as aluminium, so it has the same number of outer electrons (3) and reacts in a similar way. It will lose 3 electrons to form Ga³⁺ ions. So gallium oxide will be Ga₂O₃ and gallium chloride will be GaCl₃, with the same formula types as the aluminium compounds.
Explanation
Elements in the same group form ions with the same charge and compounds with the same type of formula. This lets you predict the formulae of compounds of elements you have not met before.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Ga³⁺ / 3+
1 mark
gallium oxide: Ga₂O₃
1 mark
gallium chloride: GaCl₃
1 mark
gallium is in the same group as aluminium, so it has the same number of outer electrons (3) and similar chemical properties
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