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IGCSE Combined Science 0653 · Chemistry · 2

0653.C1.1.02 — Describe the structures of solids, liquids and gases in terms of particle separation, arrangement and motion: past paper questions

5 real questionsasked in 3 of the last 10 exam series2022–2025usually: Complete, Explain, Describe

Real questions on 0653.c1.1.02 — describe the structures of solids, liquids and gases in terms of particle separation, arrangement and motion

The newest 5 of 5 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

  1. 0653/43 · October/November 2025 · Q9a(iii)[3]

    Explain why the air in the room exerts a greater pressure on the walls when the temperature of the air increases. Use ideas about particles in your answer.

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  2. 0653/31 · May/June 2025 · Q4b[2]

    Complete the sentences about the particles in a liquid. Use words or phrases from the list. at the same speed as more slowly than more quickly than regular stable random The particles in a liquid move in a solid. Each word or phrase may be used once, more than once or not at all.

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  3. 0653/31 · May/June 2025 · Q4c(i)[1]

    Complete the symbol equation by adding the state symbols.

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  4. 0653/42 · May/June 2024 · Q2c(iii)[2]

    Fig. 2.2 shows the arrangement of particles in water at +10 °C. Fig. 2.2 Complete the diagrams in Fig. 2.3 to show the arrangement of particles in water at –10 °C and at +110 °C. water particles at –10 °C water particles at +110 °C , 

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  5. 0653/32 · February/March 2022 · Q5a(i)[3]

    Describe the separation, arrangement and motion of particles in the solid salt. separation arrangement motion

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What examiners said

This question was generally answered well by most candidates. Incorrect responses for the second marking point included regular and stable as adjectives to describe the arrangement of particles in a liquid instead of random.

— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0653/31 Q4(b) (Cambridge)

The state symbols were not well known by most candidates. State symbols are all lower case and are chosen from (s), (l), (g) and (aq). In this question, the iron is solid (s), and the oxygen is a gas (g). Only a few candidates gained credit. Incorrect responses included attempts to write formulae, numbers, or G for the gaseous state.

— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0653/31 Q4(c)(i) (Cambridge)

While some of the higher-scoring candidates scored quite well in this question, most of the remaining candidates found this question challenging. Many of them misinterpreted the sense of the word separation and described the method of separation of a solid from a liquid by filtration instead of describing the distance between particles in a solid.

— Examiner report, February/March 2022, 0653/32 Q5(a)(i) (Cambridge)

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0653.C1.1.02 — Describe the structures of solids, liquids and gases in terms of particle separation, arrangement and motion — IGCSE Combined Science 0653 past paper questions | AssessPro