Practical questions
You will complete eight required practical activities if you are studying GCSE Chemistry, and 21 if you are studying GCSE combined science: Trilogy.
There is one required practical activity in the Energy changes section:
- investigate the variables that affect temperature changes in reacting solutions such as acid plus metals, acid plus carbonates, neutralisations, displacement of metals
There will be a number of different types of practical based questions. Some will be on the set required practicals, some will cover the working scientifically terms and some will be on other science practicals which you might have done in class. Use all the information given in the question particularly any diagrams to help you understand what the question is about.
Learn about practicals with Dr Alex Lathbridge
Listen to the full series on BBC Sounds.
Dr Alex Lathbridge answers questions about practicals.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
Some students investigated the reactivity of four unknown metals, W, X, Y and Z. The students used solutions of copper nitrate, magnesium sulfate and zinc chloride. The students added each metal to all three of the solutions. The table shows the students' results.
| Solution | Metal W temp increase | Metal X temp increase | Metal Y temp increase | Metal Z temp increase |
| Copper nitrate | 46°C | 10°C | 29°C | No change |
| Magnesium sulfate | No change | No change | No change | No change |
| Zinc chloride | 15°C | No change | No change | No change |
| Solution | Copper nitrate |
|---|---|
| Metal W temp increase | 46°C |
| Metal X temp increase | 10°C |
| Metal Y temp increase | 29°C |
| Metal Z temp increase | No change |
| Solution | Magnesium sulfate |
|---|---|
| Metal W temp increase | No change |
| Metal X temp increase | No change |
| Metal Y temp increase | No change |
| Metal Z temp increase | No change |
| Solution | Zinc chloride |
|---|---|
| Metal W temp increase | 15°C |
| Metal X temp increase | No change |
| Metal Y temp increase | No change |
| Metal Z temp increase | No change |
How do the results show that magnesium is more reactive than the metals W, X, Y and Z?
[1 mark]
This question is AQA material which is reproduced by permission of AQA.
Magnesium sulfate does not react with any of the metals. [1]
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
How do the results show that the reaction between metal Y and copper nitrate solution is exothermic?
[1 mark]
This question has been written by a Bitesize consultant as a suggestion to the type of question that may appear in an exam paper.
There is a temperature increase. [1]
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
A student used displacement reactions to investigate the relative reactivity of four metals, W, X, Y and Z. The table below shows the student's results.
| Solution | Metal W observation | Metal X observation | Metal Y observation | Metal Z observation |
| Copper nitrate | Brown layer formed on metal | Brown layer formed on metal | Brown layer formed on metal | No change |
| Magnesium sulfate | No change | No change | No change | No change |
| Sulfuric acid | Gas bubbles produced | Few gas bubbles produced | Gas bubbles produced | No change |
| Zinc chloride | Grey layer formed on metal | No change | No change | No change |
| Solution | Copper nitrate |
|---|---|
| Metal W observation | Brown layer formed on metal |
| Metal X observation | Brown layer formed on metal |
| Metal Y observation | Brown layer formed on metal |
| Metal Z observation | No change |
| Solution | Magnesium sulfate |
|---|---|
| Metal W observation | No change |
| Metal X observation | No change |
| Metal Y observation | No change |
| Metal Z observation | No change |
| Solution | Sulfuric acid |
|---|---|
| Metal W observation | Gas bubbles produced |
| Metal X observation | Few gas bubbles produced |
| Metal Y observation | Gas bubbles produced |
| Metal Z observation | No change |
| Solution | Zinc chloride |
|---|---|
| Metal W observation | Grey layer formed on metal |
| Metal X observation | No change |
| Metal Y observation | No change |
| Metal Z observation | No change |
Give the order of the reactivity of the metals W, X, Y and Z. Justify your answer using information from the table.
[3 marks]
This question is AQA material which is reproduced by permission of AQA.
- W > Y > X > Z [1]
- W is more reactive than Z because W reacts with most of the solutions but X reacts with none of them. [1]
- Y is more reactive than X because Y reacts more with sulfuric acid. [1]
Sample question 4 - Higher
Question
The student concluded that these results could also be used to justify the order of reactivity of copper, magnesium, hydrogen and zinc. The student is not completely correct. Use the results in the table above to explain why. Suggest one further experiment that would provide evidence for the student's conclusion.
[4 marks]
This question has been written by a Bitesize consultant as a suggestion to the type of question that may appear in an exam paper.
The following are vaild points that could be included in your answer. It is important that you do not bullet point your answer but write your sentences in full.
- Magnesium is most reactive because it is not displaced by any metal. [1]
- Zinc is the second most reactive because it is displaced by only one metal. [1]
- Copper and hydrogen cannot be placed in order of reactivity or are least reactive because they both are displaced by the most/three metals. [1]
- Improvement - add sulfuric acid to copper because copper is less reactive than hydrogen, then copper would not react with sulfuric acid to displace hydrogen. [1]
