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Metals - Alloys
Bronze and cupronickel are both used to make coins. They are both examples of alloys.

Metals - Alloys

Metals are chosen for strength, conductivity, and cost, and alloys improve performance. This GCSE Chemistry quiz covers metals and alloys, including properties, uses, and why mixing metals changes behaviour.

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Fascinating Fact:

Aluminium alloys are lighter than many other metals but can still be strong. They are used in vehicles and aircraft where mass matters.

In GCSE Chemistry, metals and alloys help you link structure to properties. You compare pure metals with alloys, explain why alloys are often harder, and connect properties like conductivity and malleability to real-world uses.

Key Terms

  • Alloy: A mixture of a metal with other elements, designed to improve properties such as strength or resistance to corrosion.
  • Malleable: Able to be hammered or rolled into shape without cracking.
  • Corrosion: The gradual breakdown of a metal caused by chemical reactions with substances in the environment, such as oxygen and water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are alloys harder than pure metals in GCSE Chemistry?

Alloys are harder because the different-sized atoms disrupt the regular layers in a pure metal. This makes it harder for the layers to slide over each other, so the material is stronger.

What are common properties of metals that GCSE students need to know?

Metals usually conduct electricity and heat, have high melting points, and are shiny when freshly cut. Many are also malleable and ductile, which makes them useful for wires and sheets.

What is the difference between a metal and an alloy?

A pure metal is one element, such as copper or aluminium. An alloy is a mixture, such as steel or brass, made to change properties like strength, hardness, or corrosion resistance.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .
Iron is mixed with other elements including carbon, chrominium and nickel to make steel. The percentage of the elements added determine the type of steel and also the properties of the steel produced. Which type of steel is likely to be used to make cutting tools?
High carbon steel
Low carbon steel
Stainless steel
Pure iron
This is a hard wearing type of steel
2 .
Gold that is used to make jewellery is usually an alloy. It is mixed with copper and silver. Apart from making it harder, what other property is changed by mixing it with other metals?
Increases its density
Lowers its melting point
Colour
Decreases its hardness
The colour of gold is dependent on the metals it has been alloyed with. The amount of copper added to gold determines how 'red' the gold is
3 .
Metals are often mixed with other elements to make alloys. Which of the following is NOT a good reason for producing an alloy?
It can produce harder materials
It can produce different coloured materials
It can produce more malleable materials
It can produce more brittle materials
Alloys are produced to make the properties of the materials more beneficial
4 .
Nitinol is a 'smart' alloy. Why can it be described as a 'smart' alloy?
It expands when it is heated
It is flexible
It is made by mixing two metals
It returns to its original shape when heated
The discovery that nitinol has this property was discovered by accident in 1961
5 .
Bronze is an alloy made from...
copper and tin
copper and brass
copper and zinc
copper and iron
Bronze can be used to make statues, musical instruments and medals
6 .
Some alloys have very special properties. They return to their original shape after becoming deformed. These alloys are called...
shape memory alloys
shape remembering alloys
bend memory alloys
bendy alloys
This can be very useful in things like spectacles. How many people break their spectacles by sitting on them?
7 .
Bronze and cupronickel are both used to make coins. They are both examples of...
compounds
alloys
elements
ores
These alloys are resistant to corrosion
8 .
Brass is an alloy made from...
copper and tin
copper and bronze
copper and zinc
copper and iron
Brass can be used to make doorknobs, ammunition and musical instruments
9 .
Nitinol is an alloy made from...
copper and titanium
nickel and copper
neon and titanium
nickel and titanium
This alloy was developed in 1959 during research to produce better nose cones for military missiles
10 .
Which type of steel is likely to be used for cutlery?
High carbon steel
Low carbon steel
Stainless steel
Pure iron
Stainless steel is highly resistant to rusting so the cutlery will remain shiny and not corroded
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Metals and alloys

Author:  Kate Gardiner (Chemistry Educator & GCSE Quiz Writer)
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