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Edexcel · GCSE · Chemistry

Free Edexcel GCSE Chemistry
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real Edexcel GCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 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.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Chemistry syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

A student adds dilute hydrochloric acid to a white powder. A colourless gas is produced that turns limewater milky. Which anion is present in the powder?

  1. Sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻)
  2. Carbonate ion (CO₃²⁻)
  3. Chloride ion (Cl⁻)
  4. Nitrate ion (NO₃⁻)
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Carbonate ion (CO₃²⁻)
Carbonate ions react with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce carbon dioxide gas, which turns limewater milky (forms a white precipitate of calcium carbonate). Sulfate ions produce a white precipitate with barium chloride, not a gas with HCl. Chloride ions are detected using silver nitrate solution. Nitrate ions do not produce a gas with dilute HCl.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

A student tests an unknown gas by holding a glowing splint near the mouth of the test tube. The splint reignites. Which gas is present?

  1. Oxygen
  2. Carbon dioxide
  3. Hydrogen
  4. Chlorine
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Oxygen
Oxygen relights a glowing splint, which is the standard test for oxygen gas. Carbon dioxide extinguishes a burning splint. Hydrogen produces a squeaky pop when a lighted splint is applied. Chlorine bleaches damp litmus paper.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

The vertical columns of the periodic table are called:

  1. shells
  2. blocks
  3. groups
  4. periods
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — groups
Vertical columns are groups.
Q4 · Difficulty 1/3

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?

  1. It causes acid rain
  2. It smells bad
  3. It is colourless and odourless, and binds to haemoglobin preventing oxygen transport
  4. It is explosive
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — It is colourless and odourless, and binds to haemoglobin preventing oxygen transport
CO from incomplete combustion binds irreversibly to haemoglobin. This reduces the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. CO is undetectable by smell — hence CO alarms are vital.
Q5 · Difficulty 1/3

The central part of an atom containing protons and neutrons is the:

  1. electron cloud
  2. membrane
  3. nucleus
  4. shell
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — nucleus
Protons and neutrons are in the nucleus.
Q6 · Difficulty 1/3

Which statement best describes a dipeptide?

  1. A molecule made of two amino acids joined by a peptide bond
  2. A molecule made of two identical amino acids only
  3. A molecule formed when a protein is fully broken down
  4. A molecule made of two amino acids joined by a hydrogen bond
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — A molecule made of two amino acids joined by a peptide bond
A dipeptide is specifically two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond formed via a condensation reaction. Hydrogen bonds stabilise protein shape but do not link amino acids in the primary structure. The two amino acids in a dipeptide may be the same or different. A fully broken-down protein yields individual amino acids, not dipeptides.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

What is crude oil?

  1. A complex mixture of hydrocarbons formed from the remains of ancient sea organisms
  2. A single compound
  3. Water with dissolved minerals
  4. A pure substance
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — A complex mixture of hydrocarbons formed from the remains of ancient sea organisms
Crude oil formed from dead marine organisms over millions of years under heat and pressure. It is a finite (non-renewable) resource.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

How many electrons can the first three electron shells hold?

  1. 2, 8, 8
  2. 2, 8, 18
  3. 2, 6, 10
  4. 1, 8, 8
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — 2, 8, 8
First shell: max 2 electrons. Second shell: max 8. Third shell: max 8 (at GCSE level). Fourth shell then begins filling.
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Edexcel GCSE Chemistry FAQ

What does the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry exam look like?
The Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 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 Edexcel GCSE Chemistry past paper?
Real Edexcel past papers are published directly by Edexcel 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 Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 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.