AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462), Higher tier · Bonding, structure and the properties of matter › Bonding, structure and properties
Practise The three states of matter. 12 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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Substances can exist as solids, liquids or gases. Name the change of state when a liquid turns into a gas.
boiling / evaporating
Describe the arrangement and movement of the particles in a liquid.
Close together in a random arrangement; they move around each other.
Complete the sentence. Melting and freezing take place at the same temperature, called the .......... .
melting point
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy4 marks
Substances can exist as solids, liquids or gases.
(a) Name the change of state when a liquid turns into a gas.[1]
(b) At which temperature does a liquid freeze? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
At its melting point
At 0 °C for all substances
At 100 °C for all substances
At room temperature
(c) Which statement describes the particles in a solid? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Far apart and moving randomly at high speed
Close together and moving around each other
Close together in a regular arrangement, vibrating about fixed positions
Far apart in a regular arrangement
(d) Name the change of state when a gas turns into a liquid.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: boiling / evaporating
boiling / evaporating
(b)Answer: At its melting point
(c)Answer: Close together in a regular arrangement, vibrating about fixed positions
(d)Answer: condensing
condensing / condensation
Question 2Medium7 marks
Particle theory can be used to explain changes of state.
(a) Describe the arrangement and movement of the particles in a liquid.[2]
(b) Describe what happens to the particles when a solid melts.[3]
(c) Sodium chloride melts at 801 °C. Ice melts at 0 °C. Explain this difference in terms of the forces between particles.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Close together in a random arrangement; they move around each other.
close together / touching in a random arrangement
(particles) move around / slide past each other
(b)Answer: The particles gain energy and vibrate more; some of the forces between them are overcome; they can then move around each other.
particles gain (kinetic) energy / vibrate more
(some of the) forces between the particles are overcome
the particles can move around / past each other
(c)Answer: The forces between the ions in sodium chloride are much stronger than the forces between water molecules in ice, so much more energy is needed to overcome them.
the forces between ions in sodium chloride are much stronger than the forces between water molecules
so much more energy is needed to overcome them
Question 3Hard7 marks
In the simple particle model, particles are represented as small, solid, inelastic spheres that have no forces between them.
(a) Give three limitations of this model.[3]
(b) A student said: 'A copper atom is orange-brown and conducts electricity.' Explain why the student is wrong.[2]
(c) Oxygen boils at −183 °C. Water boils at 100 °C. Explain why the simple particle model cannot explain this difference.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: There are forces between particles; particles are not solid (mostly empty space); particles are not all spheres; the model does not show different types of particle.
there are forces between particles, which the model does not show
the model cannot explain why substances have different melting / boiling points (or the energy needed to change state)
particles are not solid (atoms are mostly empty space)
particles are not all spherical / molecules have different shapes
it does not show the different types of particle (atoms, ions, molecules) or the bonding between them
(b)Answer: Colour and conductivity are bulk properties of a large number of atoms; they depend on the structure and bonding (e.g. delocalised electrons), not on single atoms.
colour / conductivity are bulk properties of a large number of atoms / the material as a whole
they depend on the structure and bonding, e.g. delocalised electrons, not on individual atoms
(c)Answer: Boiling points depend on the strength of the forces between the particles. The forces between water molecules are much stronger than those between oxygen molecules, but the model has no forces, so it cannot show this difference.
boiling points depend on the strength of the forces between the particles / the energy needed to overcome them
the forces between water molecules are stronger than those between oxygen molecules, but the model has no forces so it cannot show this