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GCSE · Last updated November 2026

GCSE Chemistry (9-1) Exam: free practice test

GCSE Chemistry is the separate (triple) science chemistry GCSE, graded 9 to 1. With AQA (8462) it is assessed by two written papers of 1 hour 45 minutes and 100 marks each, sat at Foundation or Higher tier, with questions on the 8 required practicals built into the papers. Exams run in the May/June series only; for summer 2027 AQA has set Paper 1 for 17 May and Paper 2 for 15 June.

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About the GCSE Chemistry exam

GCSE Chemistry is the separate (triple) science chemistry GCSE, graded 9 to 1. With AQA (8462) it is assessed by two written papers of 1 hour 45 minutes and 100 marks each, sat at Foundation or Higher tier, with questions on the 8 required practicals built into the papers. Exams run in the May/June series only; for summer 2027 AQA has set Paper 1 for 17 May and Paper 2 for 15 June.

What's on the exam

GCSE Chemistry
Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
8 key facts
Bonding, Structure and Properties
8 key facts
Quantitative Chemistry
8 key facts
Chemical Changes and Energy Changes
8 key facts
Rates and Equilibrium
8 key facts
Organic Chemistry and Chemical Analysis
8 key facts
The Atmosphere and Using Resources
8 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the GCSE Chemistry exam

  • 100 marks in 105 minutes is about 1 minute a mark. Use the multiple-choice and 1-mark recall questions to bank time for the 6-mark extended answers.
  • Show every step in calculations: write the equation, substitute with units, then give the answer to the significant figures asked for. Method marks are awarded even if the final answer is wrong.
  • Paper 2 can also test the fundamentals from topics 1 to 3 (atomic structure, bonding, moles), so keep revising them right up to the second exam.
  • Learn the 8 required practicals as method, variables, risks and expected results. AQA says at least 15% of marks test practical skills.
  • Read command words carefully: 'describe' means say what happens, 'explain' means give the reason, and 'compare' needs a statement about both things.

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Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the GCSE Maths Formula Sheet.

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What's in the premium GCSE Chemistry prep

Premium GCSE Chemistry prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 50 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 7 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 450 practice questions in 18 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Bonding, Structure and Properties9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25
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  3. 3
    Quantitative Chemistry9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25
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  4. 4
    Chemical Changes and Energy Changes9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25
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  5. 5
    Rates and Equilibrium8 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25
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  6. 6
    Organic Chemistry and Chemical Analysis8 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    The Atmosphere and Using Resources8 key notes, 110 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like exam day. Hit your target on them before your first paper.
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Read the complete GCSE Chemistry study notes for “Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 18 minutes of reading: Atoms, elements and compounds · Inside the atom · Isotopes and relative atomic mass · How the model of the atom developed · Electronic structure and the periodic table · Group 0 and Group 1 · Group 7 and the transition metals, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.

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Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organised topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready for exam day. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. An atom of potassium has the symbol ³⁹K and atomic number 19. How many neutrons does it have?
Answer: 20. Neutrons = mass number − atomic number = 39 − 19 = 20. The atomic number gives protons (19), and in a neutral atom also electrons.
2. Why do the Group 1 metals become more reactive going down the group?
Answer: The outer electron is further from the nucleus and more shielded, so it is lost more easily. All Group 1 atoms have one outer electron. Down the group there are more shells, so the attraction between the nucleus and the outer electron is weaker and the electron is lost more easily in reactions.
3. Why does sodium chloride have a high melting point?
Answer: Strong electrostatic forces between oppositely charged ions in a giant lattice need lots of energy to overcome. Sodium chloride is a giant ionic lattice. Melting it means overcoming the strong electrostatic attraction between Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in all directions, which needs a lot of energy.
4. Why can graphite conduct electricity?
Answer: Each carbon atom has one delocalised electron that can move through the structure. In graphite each carbon atom forms three covalent bonds, leaving one electron per atom delocalised between the layers. These electrons carry charge. The sliding layers explain softness, not conductivity.
5. What is the relative formula mass (Mr) of calcium carbonate, CaCO₃? (Ar: Ca = 40, C = 12, O = 16)
Answer: 100. Mr = 40 + 12 + (3 × 16) = 40 + 12 + 48 = 100. A common slip is to add only one oxygen (68).
6. Magnesium burns in oxygen: 2Mg + O₂ → 2MgO. What mass of magnesium oxide is made from 12 g of magnesium? (Ar: Mg = 24, O = 16)
Answer: 20 g. Moles of Mg = 12 ÷ 24 = 0.5 mol. The ratio Mg : MgO is 2 : 2, so 0.5 mol MgO. Mass = 0.5 × 40 = 20 g.
7. 0.25 mol of sodium hydroxide is dissolved in water to make 500 cm³ of solution. What is the concentration?
Answer: 0.5 mol/dm³. Convert the volume: 500 cm³ = 0.5 dm³. Concentration = moles ÷ volume = 0.25 ÷ 0.5 = 0.5 mol/dm³.
8. Sodium chloride solution is electrolysed using inert electrodes. What is produced at the negative electrode (cathode)?
Answer: Hydrogen. Sodium is more reactive than hydrogen, so H⁺ ions from the water are discharged instead: 2H⁺ + 2e⁻ → H₂. Chlorine forms at the positive electrode.
9. H₂ + Cl₂ → 2HCl. Bond energies (kJ/mol): H–H 436, Cl–Cl 243, H–Cl 432. What is the overall energy change?
Answer: −185 kJ/mol. Energy to break bonds = 436 + 243 = 679 kJ. Energy released making bonds = 2 × 432 = 864 kJ. Change = 679 − 864 = −185 kJ/mol, so the reaction is exothermic.
10. How does a catalyst increase the rate of a reaction?
Answer: It provides a different reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. A catalyst is not used up. It provides an alternative pathway with a lower activation energy, so a greater proportion of collisions are successful. It does not change the yield at equilibrium.
11. In the Haber process, N₂(g) + 3H₂(g) ⇌ 2NH₃(g), what happens to the yield of ammonia if the pressure is increased?
Answer: It increases, because there are fewer molecules of gas on the right-hand side. There are 4 molecules of gas on the left and 2 on the right. Raising the pressure shifts the equilibrium towards the side with fewer gas molecules, so more ammonia forms.
12. Bromine water is shaken with an alkene. What is the colour change?
Answer: Orange to colourless. Bromine adds across the C=C double bond, so the orange bromine is used up and the solution goes colourless. Alkanes have no C=C bond and leave bromine water orange.
13. In a paper chromatography experiment, a spot moves 3.0 cm and the solvent front moves 7.5 cm. What is the Rf value?
Answer: 0.4. Rf = distance moved by substance ÷ distance moved by solvent = 3.0 ÷ 7.5 = 0.4. Rf is always less than 1, so 2.5 means the division was done the wrong way round.
14. Which of these gases in the atmosphere is NOT a greenhouse gas?
Answer: Nitrogen. Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour absorb long-wavelength (infrared) radiation re-emitted by the Earth. Nitrogen makes up about 80% of the air but does not absorb this radiation.
15. How is potable water usually produced from rainwater collected in reservoirs in the UK?
Answer: Passing it through filter beds, then sterilising it with chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet light. Fresh water in the UK is filtered to remove solids, then sterilised to kill microbes. Distillation and reverse osmosis are used to desalinate seawater, which needs much more energy.

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Exam guide

GCSE Chemistry exam guide (2027): GCSE Chemistry is the separate (triple) science chemistry GCSE, graded 9 to 1. This guide uses AQA 8462, the most widely taken specification, and notes where Pearson Edexcel (1CH0) and OCR Gateway (J248) differ. You sit two written papers at the end of Year 11 at either Foundation or Higher tier, and there is no coursework: the required practicals are tested inside the exams.

GCSE Chemistry exam FAQ

How many questions are on the GCSE Chemistry exam?

AQA: 2 written papers, 100 marks each (200 marks in total), Foundation or Higher tier, with a time limit of 3 hours 30 minutes in total (2 × 1 hour 45 minutes). Format: written exam, calculator allowed, periodic table provided. foundation tier covers grades 1 to 5 and higher tier grades 4 to 9.

What is the passing score for GCSE Chemistry?

Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass. Boundaries are set after every exam series, so aim for 70% in practice.

How much does the GCSE Chemistry exam cost?

No fee for school and college students (the school pays). Private candidates pay the exam centre; fees vary by centre. School and college students don't pay exam fees themselves. Private candidates pay the exam centre, and fees vary by centre and board.

Which languages is the GCSE Chemistry exam offered in?

English.

Where do I take the GCSE Chemistry exam?

At your school or college, or as a private candidate at an exam centre that accepts them.

Is this GCSE Chemistry practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full GCSE Chemistry prep is Premium at £29 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium GCSE Chemistry prep?

3,000 practice questions organised topic by topic (Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table: 450; Bonding, Structure and Properties: 425; Quantitative Chemistry: 425; Chemical Changes and Energy Changes: 425; Rates and Equilibrium: 425; Organic Chemistry and Chemical Analysis: 425; The Atmosphere and Using Resources: 425), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 50 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 7 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

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Exam details are summarised from the exam boards' published specifications available in November 2026. the exam boards changes formats and fees, so confirm with AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR before you book. Kennington College is not affiliated with any exam board or with Ofqual.

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