Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 1

Nuffield Advanced Chemistry Special Study: Materials science

Sample examination questions

Q1 [Adapted from Edexcel Chemistry (Nuffield)1996]

(a) Alloys are made by adding an alloying element to a metal. This element will
normally be soluble in the liquid metal and form a solid solution when the alloy
solidifies.

The table gives some information about three metals.

Metal Packing Atomic radius/nm

Copper FCC 0.128

Nickel FCC 0.125
Zinc HCP 0.133
Lithium BCC 0.152

(i) Distinguish by means of diagrams between FCC (face-centred cubic) and HCP
(hexagonal close-packed) structures. (2)

(iii) What is meant by the expression unit cell as applied to a metal structure? (1)

(iii) Name two types of solid solution which occur in alloys and illustrate their
differences by means of diagrams. (4)

(iv) The unit cell of lithium is often represented as a cube with one lithium atom at
each corner and one in the centre of the cube, hence the name body-centred
cubic, BCC. What is the coordination number of each lithium atom in such
a structure? Give a reason for your answer. (2)

(v) Lithium has a much lower density than any of the other metals in the table.
Suggest three contributory reasons why this should be so. (3)

(vi) What physical technique has allowed the materials scientist to obtain such
detailed information about the arrangement of atoms in metals? (1)

(b) (i) What chemical reaction(s) happen when a metal deteriorates by dry
corrosion?
Why do some metals (e.g. aluminium) resist dry corrosion better than others?
(2)

(ii) The rusting of iron is an example of wet corrosion. Give balanced chemical
equations for the reactions which happen to the iron and to the oxygen when
rusting occurs. (3)

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 2

(c) High density poly(ethene), HDPE, is well known for its resistance to
corrosion by water, acids, alkalis and oxidising agents.

(i) Explain in terms of its chemical nature why HDPE is resistant to such
chemical attack. (2)

(ii) What reactions happen when HDPE is exposed to prolonged sunlight? (2)

(iii) How does the addition of titanium(IV) oxide reduce the effect of sunlight? (1)

(d) (i) For each of the two items mentioned below, state three properties required of
the material to be used for making it. In each case, suggest two alternative
materials which might be chosen which fulfil these requirements.

• A replacement front tooth (5)

• A turbine blade for use in an aircraft engine. (5)

Total 30 marks

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 3

Q2 [Adapted from Edexcel Chemistry (Nuffield) 1997]

(a) The diagram represents a load-extension curve for a typical metal wire.

(i) State and explain (in terms of the structure of metal crystals) what type
of deformation occurs in the region OA (2)

(ii) State and explain (in terms of the structure of metal crystals) what type
of deformation occurs in the region AB (2)

(iii) Make a copy of the graph as far as point B. Indicate on your copy how
the graph would continue from point B as the load was gradually
reduced to zero. (1)

(iv) What would be observed about the specimen at point C ? (1)

(v) What happens to the specimen at point D? (1)

(vi) It is more usual to plot strain rather than elongation and stress rather
than load. Define strain and stress and give the units of each. (3)

(b) (i) How should a specimen of a metal be polished and etched for
metallographic examination? (3)

(ii) How does etching reveal the crystal structure of the metal? (2)

(c) Liquid metal is poured into a cylindrical mould and allowed to cool in air.
The solid sample is then split down its length.

(i) Sketch and label the appearance and position of the three types of crystal
which are likely to be observed in the resulting exposed surfaces. (4)

(ii) What would be the observed effect on the crystal structure if the
cooling had been controlled at a very slow rate? (1)

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 4

(d) The diagram shows a cross-section through the two parts of a total hip
replacement.

(i) State and briefly explain the importance of four necessary properties
of materials for making an artificial hip-joint. (4)

(ii) Suggest why the cup part of the joint is often made of a polymer but
the stem is more usually made of metal. (2)

(iii) Suggest two reasons for using ceramics based on aluminium oxide
rather than metal for the ball part of the stem. (2)

(iv) An alloy of aluminium and magnesium is used in making lightweight

frames. Suggest two reasons for not using this alloy for hip-joints. (2)

TOTAL 30 Marks

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 5

Q3 Adapted from Edexcel Chemistry (Nuffield) 1998

(a) The four major classes of materials are metals, polymers, ceramics and
composites.

(i) What is a composite? (1)

(ii) Suggest two advantages which arise from the use of carbon-fibre based
composites in aircraft construction. (2)

(iii) Concrete is a composite material which is strong in compression but weak

in tension. How is concrete reinforced so as to improve its performance in
tension? (2)

(iv)Almost all metals crystallise into one or more of the three systems: body-
centred cubic BCC, face-centred cubic FCC, and hexagonal close-packed
HCP. By the use of diagrams or by description show the structure of each of
these systems. (3)

(v) Explain in terms of their structures why metals are more easily subject to
plastic deformation than ceramics. (2)

(b) The diagram shows an iron shelf-bracket. Two stainless steel screws were
used to fasten the bracket to a brick wall via the holes D and E. Copper screws
were used to fix the wooden shelf in place using holes B and C.

After 2 years there was extensive corrosion in some parts of the bracket as
well as general overall corrosion.

Explain each of the following:

(i) The extensive corrosion at the bend A (2)

(ii) The fairly extensive corrosion round the screw holes B and C (2)

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 6

(iii) The corrosion around the cut edge (1)

(iv) The general overall corrosion of the bracket (2)

How might each of the areas mentioned in (ii), (iii) and (iv) have been
better protected against corrosion? (3)

(c) There is ever-increasing public awareness of the need to re-cycle materials so

as to reduce the bulk of waste going into landfill sites. Apart from the
avoidance of such waste, suggest one advantage and one disadvantage in each
case of the use of each of the following methods of disposal:

(i) Incineration of plastics (2)

(ii) Melting and re-forming plastics articles without prior separation (2)

(iii) Re-use of metals (2)

(iv) Repeated re-pulping of paper (2)

(v) Collection and re-use of wine bottles (2)

TOTAL 30 Marks

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 7

Q4 [Adapted from Edexcel Chemistry (Nuffield) 1999]

(a) (i) Explain what is meant by the term coordination number of an

atom in a metallic structure. (1)

(ii) The table gives some data for four metals.

Element Crystal structure

Copper FCC
Nickel FCC
Sodium BCC
Zinc HCP

What is the coordination number of the atoms in:

• a face centred cubic (FCC) structure
• a body centred cubic structure (BCC) (2)

(iii) Draw the unit cell of a sodium (BCC) structure and use it to explain why
this unit cell contains the equivalent of 2 sodium atoms. (4)

(iv)Titanium transforms from the BCC structure to the HCP structure when it
cools. Suggest, giving reasons, whether titanium contracts or expands or
remains unchanged in volume when this cooling takes place. (4)

(b) The phase diagram below is for mixtures of zinc and tin.

(i) Draw labelled sketches of the microstructures formed at room

temperature for the solidified alloys P, Q and R, clearly stating and
explaining the differences between the microstructures. (5)

(ii) Make a sketch of a cooling curve for mixture P as it cools from 400°C
to room temperature. Label points of significance. (4)

(c) (i) What is meant by the statement that concrete is a composite material?
(3)

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 8

(ii) Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension. Explain how pre-
stressing is used to combat this problem. (2)

(iii) The cement used in concrete is made from two principal raw materials.
What are these materials, and how is a mixture of them treated to produce
cement? (3)

(iv) Describe the relationship between compressive strength and setting

times for concrete. (2)

TOTAL 30 Marks

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 9

Q5 [Adapted from Edexcel Chemistry (Nuffield) 2000]

(a) Bismuth and cadmium form a eutectic system. The melting points of bismuth
and cadium are 271°C and 321°C respectively and the eutectic is at 38%
cadmium and 144°C.

(i) Sketch and label the bismuth – cadmium equilibrium (phase) diagram.
This should be done to approximate scale but there is no need to use
graph paper. (4)

(ii) Sketch and label the cooling curve obtained when an alloy containing
60% cadmium is cooled from 400°C to room temperature. (2)

(b) A carefully degreased and cleaned piece of mild steel sheet is placed on a
horizontal surface, and a large drop of ferroxyl solution is placed at its centre.
The experiment is observed after a few hours had elapsed.

(i) Describe what changes of colour would be expected and where these
changes would be observed. (4)
(ii) Write balanced chemical equations for the reactions of iron and of
oxygen which cause these changes of colour. (3)
(iii) How might the degreasing of the steel sheet be carried out? (1)
(iv) Give an example of poor design that might lead to this type of
corrosion. (2)

(v) The presence of sodium chloride in water is known to encourage the

corrosion of iron, but the presence of magnesium chloride inhibits such
corrosion. Explain why this is so. (2)

(c) Nucleation and grain growth are of major importance in the casting of metals.

(i) Describe how nucleation and growth produce

• Columnar grains
• Equi-axed grains (4)

(ii) Outline one practical way of controlling the balance between

nucleation and growth and indicate how the size of the casting
determines whether your method is appropriate. (3)

(d) Poly(ethene) is very sensitive to degradation by sunlight.

(i) What region of the spectrum is particularly damaging to polymers such

as poly(ethene)? (1)
(ii) What type of particle is produced when sunlight degrades polymers
such as poly(ethene)? What two reactions may these particles
subsequently undergo? (3)
(iii) Why may the inclusion of a white pigment help to reduce the effect of
sunlight on the polymer? (1)

TOTAL 30 Marks

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005

 Nuffield Chemistry Materials science Special Study • Sample exam questions • page 10

Q6. [Adapted from Edexcel Chemistry (Nuffield) January 2002]

(a) (i) Explain what is meant by nucleation in the formation of metal

castings. Give two ways in which nucleation can be controlled.
(3)

(ii) Describe with the aid of a diagram how large single crystals of a metal
may be produced. (3)

(iii) What kind of metal crystals would be obtained by allowing molten

metal to solidify in a well-insulated mould? Justify your answer. (3)

(iv) When the metal in a casting solidifies, a pipe or indentation is often

produced at the point where the molten metal enters the mould.
Suggest a method of preventing pipe formation from spoiling the
casting . (2)

(a) An experiment is performed to investigate the development of strength in

concrete over a period of time. A mixture of cement, sand and coarse
aggregate is mixed with water and poured into moulds to produce sticks of
concrete 1 x 1 x 20 cm in size.

(i) How may the strength of a stick of concrete be estimated? (2)

(ii) Sketch a graph of compressive strength against time which might be

expected from such an investigation, mentioning particularly the time-
scale over which the changes occur. (3)

(b) It is well-known that, when iron rusts, oxygen and water are both involved.

(i) In some parts of a piece of iron the iron atoms oxidise. Give an
equation for the ionic half-reaction involved. (1)

(ii) Elsewhere oxygen is reduced. Give an equation for this ionic half-
reaction. (2)

(iii) Adding sodium chloride to the water accelerates the rusting process
whereas adding magnesium chloride slows it. Explain why this is so.
(4)
(iv) Iron can be protected from rusting by cathodic protection. Explain
how cathodic protection works and mention two ways in which it can
be put into practice. (5)

(v) How does alloying iron with other metals, as in stainless steel, protect
the iron from rusting? (2)

TOTAL 30 Marks

based on Edexcel past papers © in this format Nuffield Foundation 2005