Metals: past paper questions
Real questions on metals
The newest 20 of 33 written questions, plus 43 multiple-choice. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 5129/21 · October/November 2025 · Q11a[2]
Copper is a metal. The melting point of copper is 1083 °C. The boiling point of copper is 2595 °C. Use this data to deduce the physical state of copper at 2000 °C. Explain your reasoning. explanation physical state
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2025 · Q11b[2]
State a use for copper metal and the property that makes it suitable for that use. use property
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2025 · Q11b(i)[1]
State one other use of aluminium.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2025 · Q11b(ii)[2]
State two other general properties of metals. property
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · May/June 2025 · Q12b(i)[2]
A metal tube is heated using natural gas so that it can be joined to a cold metal shaft. hot metal tube The hot metal tube has an internal diameter d and the cold metal shaft has a diameter D as shown in Fig. 12.1. cold metal shaft d D The cold metal shaft is placed inside the hot metal tube and the hot metal tube is t...
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · May/June 2025 · Q12b(ii)[2]
The metal tube has a black outer surface. Explain how the black outer surface makes the process of joining the metal shaft to the metal tube take less time. (ii)
See it on the paper → - 5129/32 · May/June 2025 · Q2b(ii)[2]
Suggest why there is an increase in the mass of the contents of the glass tube.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · May/June 2024 · Q6e[1]
is ductile.
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · May/June 2023 · Q3c[1]
Titanium has similar physical properties to aluminium. Suggest a property of titanium which makes it suitable for use in the manufacture of aircraft.
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2022 · Q5b[1]
State the name of an ore that contains iron oxide.
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2022 · Q5c[1]
The iron produced in reaction 3 is brittle and not very strong. Describe one way that the properties of the iron can be changed.
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2022 · Q8b[1]
The substance that is used to make cutlery is
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2022 · Q8d[1]
The substance that is used to make brass is
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q3a(i)[2]
Deduce the order of reactivity of the four metals. most reactive least reactive
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q3a(ii)[1]
Suggest the name of metal C.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q3b[1]
State the name of the gas produced by the reaction of a metal with hydrochloric acid.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q3c[1]
Aluminium is above zinc in the reactivity series but reacts more slowly with hydrochloric acid. Explain the apparent unreactivity of aluminium.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q3d[1]
State one general physical property of metals.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q3e[1]
Suggest why copper and zinc are sometimes mixed together to form the alloy brass rather than either being used as the pure metal.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q12a(iii)[1]
Name the type of reaction that iron undergoes when it reacts with water and air.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Most candidates were able to describe an appropriate property of titanium.
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 5129/21 Q3(c) (Cambridge)
Some candidates were able to state that hematite is an ore of iron that contains iron oxide.
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 5129/21 Q5(b) (Cambridge)
The idea that making iron into an alloy to change its properties was not well understood by many candidates.
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 5129/21 Q5(c) (Cambridge)
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