All topics › AQA GCSE Chemistry › Properties and effects of atmospheric pollutants9.3.2 Properties and effects of atmospheric pollutantsAQA GCSE Chemistry (8462), Higher tier · Chemistry of the atmosphere › Common atmospheric pollutants
Practise Properties and effects of atmospheric pollutants. 11 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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Sample questions Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1 Easy 4 marks
(a) Which pollutant causes global dimming?one box.[1]
Carbon monoxide Particulates Sulfur dioxide Water vapour (b) Why is carbon monoxide difficult to detect?[1]
(c) Name two pollutants that cause acid rain.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme (a) Answer: Particulates
(b) it is colourless and odourless (c) sulfur dioxide oxides of nitrogen / nitrogen dioxide Question 2 Medium 5 marks
People are advised to fit carbon monoxide detectors in homes that have gas boilers.
(a) Explain why carbon monoxide is dangerous.[2]
(b) Suggest how a faulty gas boiler could produce carbon monoxide.[1]
(c) Particulates are another pollutant from burning fuels.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme (a) it is toxic / poisonous it is colourless and odourless so it is not easily detected (b) not enough air / oxygen reaches the flame so the gas undergoes incomplete combustion (c) global dimming (they reflect sunlight, so less reaches the Earth's surface) health problems for humans (e.g. damage to the lungs when breathed in) Question 3 Hard 6 marks
The exhaust gases from diesel engines contain carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide and particulates.
Explain how each of these pollutants is produced in a diesel engine, and describe the problems each pollutant causes.[6]
Show the answer and mark scheme carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete combustion (limited oxygen) carbon monoxide is toxic, and colourless and odourless so it is not easily detected oxides of nitrogen form when nitrogen and oxygen from the air react at the high temperature in the engine sulfur dioxide forms when sulfur impurities in the fuel react with oxygen sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen cause respiratory problems and acid rain acid rain damages buildings, trees and plants, and harms aquatic life in lakes particulates (soot and unburned hydrocarbons) are produced by incomplete combustion particulates cause global dimming and health problems such as lung damage Marked with levels of response: the full level descriptors are in the app.
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