Lesson 5.2.2.7

5.2.2.7 Properties of metals and alloys Quiz: AQA Combined Science, Unit 9

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 5.2.2.7, Properties of metals and alloys: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Combined Science (8464), Unit 9: Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What type of melting and boiling points do most pure metals have?

    • High
    • Variable
    • Zero
    • Low

  2. In pure metals, atoms are arranged in:

    • Layers
    • Separate molecules
    • Random clusters
    • Single chains

  3. Why can pure metals be easily bent and shaped?

    • Ionic lattices
    • Layers slide
    • Weak bonds
    • Soft atoms

  4. Pure metals are too soft for many uses, so they are mixed with other metals to make:

    • Ionic compounds
    • Alloys
    • Polymers
    • Giant covalent structures

  5. How do alloys typically compare to pure metals in terms of hardness?

    • Harder
    • Softer
    • More brittle
    • Identical

  6. Metals have giant structures with:

    • Weak intermolecular forces
    • Ionic attraction only
    • Covalent network bonds
    • Strong metallic bonding

  7. Which property of pure metals is directly caused by their layered atomic structure?

    • High density
    • Malleability
    • Thermal conductivity
    • Electrical conductivity

  8. What key mechanical property is improved when making an alloy from a pure metal?

    • Melting point
    • Hardness
    • Density
    • Conductivity

  9. Why do different-sized atoms in alloys make them harder than pure metals?

    • Distort the layers
    • Form covalent networks
    • Increase electron count
    • Remove metallic bonds

  10. What process is used to make a soft metal much harder for construction?

    • Oxidation
    • Alloying
    • Melting
    • Purification

  11. How is steel best classified scientifically?

    • Pure metal
    • Iron alloy
    • Ionic compound
    • Giant covalent

  12. What happens to the atoms in pure copper when a force is applied?

    • Structure shatters
    • Layers slide
    • Bonds break permanently
    • Atoms fuse together

  13. What type of bonding remains present within the structure of an alloy?

    • Intermolecular forces
    • Covalent bonding
    • Ionic bonding
    • Metallic bonding

  14. Why is steel preferred to pure iron for car bodies?

    • It is cheaper
    • It melts faster
    • It conducts better
    • It is harder

  15. What happens when different-sized atoms are mixed into a pure metal?

    • Layers are distorted
    • Melting point increases
    • Layers slide easier
    • Bonds become ionic

  16. Which of these is an alloy?

    • Diamond
    • Graphite
    • Brass
    • Silicon dioxide

  17. Why are pure metals softer than alloys?

    • Atoms are smaller
    • Electrons are fixed
    • Bonds are weaker
    • Layers slide easily

  18. Why do metals have high melting and boiling points?

    • Strong metallic bonding
    • Free moving protons
    • Low atomic mass
    • Weak covalent bonds

  19. What prevents atoms in an alloy from sliding over one another?

    • Extra covalent bonds
    • Ionic repulsion forces
    • Fixed local electrons
    • Different atom sizes

  20. What effect do carbon atoms have when mixed into iron?

    • Speed up melting
    • Remove delocalised electrons
    • Create ionic bonds
    • Distort atom layers

All AQA Combined Science quizzes