Lesson Y9-U03-L04

Weapons and Technology of WW1 Quiz: KS3 History, Unit 16

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson Y9-U03-L04, Weapons and Technology of WW1: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 History (National Curriculum), Unit 16: Year 9: WW1 Warfare, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Roughly what share of all WW1 casualties did artillery cause?

    • About 90%
    • About 60%
    • About 25%
    • About 6%

  2. How many rounds a minute could a machine gun fire?

    • Around 40 to 60
    • Around 4,000 to 6,000
    • Around 400 to 600
    • Around 10 to 20

  3. How many men were needed to crew a machine gun?

    • One alone
    • Ten or more
    • Exactly eight
    • Two to four

  4. What major drawback did long artillery bombardments have before an attack?

    • Warned the enemy
    • Blocked telephone lines
    • Destroyed own tanks
    • Poisoned the water

  5. Where was poison gas first used by Germany?

    • Ypres, in April 1915
    • Gallipoli, in April 1915
    • Cambrai, in November 1917
    • Verdun, in February 1916

  6. Which poison gas burned and blistered its victims?

    • Tear gas
    • Chlorine gas
    • Mustard gas
    • Phosgene gas

  7. Roughly what share of WW1 casualties did poison gas cause?

    • About 15%
    • About 3%
    • About 60%
    • About 30%

  8. Why did poison gas sometimes backfire on the troops using it?

    • Shifting wind direction
    • Premature detonation
    • Defective gas masks
    • Damp storage conditions

  9. When were tanks first deployed in battle during WW1?

    • 1 July 1916
    • 11 November 1914
    • 20 November 1917
    • 15 September 1916

  10. Roughly how many tanks were used in the 1917 attack at Cambrai?

    • Nearly 400
    • Nearly 40
    • Nearly 4,000
    • Exactly 12

  11. Approximately what was the top speed of a WW1 tank?

    • 4 miles per hour
    • 1 mile per hour
    • 12 miles per hour
    • 25 miles per hour

  12. What specific battlefield obstacle was the tank designed to cross?

    • Deep rivers
    • Barbed wire
    • Mountain passes
    • Pontoon bridges

  13. What caused the limited success of early tanks at the Battle of the Somme?

    • Frequent mechanical breakdowns
    • Being captured by infantry
    • Excessive flying speed
    • Running out of petrol

  14. What was the main military use of aircraft during WW1?

    • Troop transport
    • Reconnaissance
    • Heavy bombing
    • Naval blockade

  15. How did aerial photography significantly improve artillery attacks?

    • Night vision guidance
    • Detailed enemy mapping
    • Faster reloading
    • Weather forecasting

  16. Which nickname was given to a famous German fighter ace of WW1?

    • The Red Baron
    • The Silver Fox
    • The Black Knight
    • The Iron Duke

  17. Why did the British fail to hold ground gained at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917?

    • Lack of ammunition
    • Surrender of allies
    • Lack of infantry support
    • Heavy snowfall

  18. Why did aircraft fail to win the ground war independently in WW1?

    • Lack of compasses
    • Pilot reluctance
    • Government bans
    • Fragile aircraft design

  19. Why were machine guns and artillery primarily considered defensive weapons?

    • Fired rapidly
    • Mounted easily
    • Cost less
    • Stopped advances

  20. What was the main military strategy known as attrition in World War One?

    • Trench digging
    • Naval blockade
    • Swift invasion
    • Wearing down

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