Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
Polymers are commonly known as:
- metals
- woods
- ceramics
- plastics
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — plastics
Polymers are plastics.
AQA · GCSE · Design and Technology
Free AQA GCSE Design and Technology
Practice Paper
8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real AQA GCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.
Take a Mini Mock →What the real AQA GCSE Design and Technology paper looks like
Paper 1
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification.
Paper 2
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification.
Paper 3
Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions.
Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Grading: Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass.
Grading: Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass.
Mini practice paper: 8 questions
Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Design and Technology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.
Q2 · Difficulty 2/3
Iron left in damp air will slowly form:
- plastic
- wood
- rust
- glass
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — rust
Iron rusts in damp air (oxidation).
Q3 · Difficulty 2/3
A short statement of the problem a designer must solve is the design:
- logo
- sketch
- brief
- budget
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — brief
The design brief states the problem.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
A metal that is a good conductor and used in wiring is:
- glass
- copper
- wood
- plastic
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — copper
Copper conducts electricity well.
Q5 · Difficulty 3/3
The thickness of paper and board is measured by its:
- colour
- length only
- smell
- weight (gsm)
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — weight (gsm)
Paper is measured in grams per square metre (gsm).
Q6 · Difficulty 3/3
Most polymers are made from crude:
- oil
- water
- iron
- wood
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — oil
Polymers are made from crude oil.
Q7 · Difficulty 2/3
A synthetic (man-made) fibre is:
- cotton
- wool
- linen
- polyester
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — polyester
Polyester is synthetic.
Q8 · Difficulty 3/3
A mechanism that changes rotary motion into up-and-down motion is a:
- cam
- resistor
- LED
- switch
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — cam
A cam converts rotary to reciprocating motion.
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AQA GCSE Design and Technology FAQ
What does the AQA GCSE Design and Technology exam look like?
The AQA GCSE Design and Technology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification. Paper 2: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification. Paper 3: Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions. Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Can I download a free AQA GCSE Design and Technology past paper?
Real AQA past papers are published directly by AQA on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is AQA GCSE Design and Technology graded?
Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.