AQA GCSE Chemistry · Topic 4.7

Organic chemistry questions

Practice questions covering organic chemistry from this specification. Every question below is the real AQA question as it is printed on the paper, with its mark scheme.

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Questions to attempt

6 questions on Organic chemistry, each with its mark scheme and worked method. Reveal the answer when you have had a go.

4.7.1.1 · Crude oil, hydrocarbons and alkanes
Q1
ORIGINAL
An alkane molecule contains seven carbon atoms. Determine its molecular formula and explain how you obtained the hydrogen count.
[3 marks]
Total for this question: 3
4.7.1.2 · Fractional distillation and petrochemicals
Q2
ORIGINAL
Hydrocarbon A has a boiling point of $75\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$ and hydrocarbon B has a boiling point of $210\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$ . Explain which one condenses lower in a fractionating column.
[3 marks]
Total for this question: 3
4.7.1.3 · Properties of hydrocarbons
Q3
ORIGINAL
Complete and balance the equation for the complete combustion of propane: $\mathrm{C_3H_8 + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O}$ .
[2 marks]
Total for this question: 2
4.7.1.4 · Cracking and alkenes
Q4
ORIGINAL
Complete the cracking equation $\mathrm{C_{12}H_{26} \rightarrow C_8H_{18} + X}$ and identify the homologous series of X.
[3 marks]
Total for this question: 3
4.7.2.1 · Structure and formulae of alkenes (chemistry only)
Q5
ORIGINAL
A displayed molecule contains three carbon atoms, one C=C bond and six hydrogen atoms. Name the molecule and explain why it is unsaturated.
[2 marks]
Total for this question: 2
4.7.2.2 · Reactions of alkenes (chemistry only)
Q6
ORIGINAL
Draw the fully displayed structural formula of the product when ethene reacts with hydrogen. Name the product and state the catalyst used.
[3 marks]
Total for this question: 3

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Printable question pack — 4.7 Organic chemistryAll 122 questions across 12 specification points — 116 more than the 6 above — with the full mark scheme. Guest accessible · browser print.

4.7 Organic chemistry revision notes

Real past-paper questions

33 questions shown as printed, 11 reference-only · newest series first

Question and mark-scheme extracts © AQA. Reproduced for educational use; the original paper is linked on every question. Contact hello@oscarsongtutoring.co.uk for removal.

AQA 8462 · June 2025 · Paper 2F · Q9 · 6 marks
6 marks
$AQA 8462 · June 2025 · Paper 2F · Q9 · 6 marks — This question is about hydrocarbon fuels. Crude oil is heated and its vapours enter a fractionating column, where fractions condense at different heights. Boiling ranges: petrol 40-110 °C, kerosene 18…$
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Examiner report
[09.6] A quarter of students named butane correctly. Propane was the most common incorrect answer.
Text version
This question is about hydrocarbon fuels. Crude oil is heated and its vapours enter a fractionating column, where fractions condense at different heights. Boiling ranges: petrol 40-110 °C, kerosene 180-260 °C, diesel 260-320 °C, heavy fuel oil 320-400 °C, petroleum gases below 30 °C.
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AQA 8462 · June 2025 · Paper 2H · Q2 · 6 marks
6 marks
$AQA 8462 · June 2025 · Paper 2H · Q2 · 6 marks — This question is about hydrocarbon fuels. Crude oil is heated and vapours enter a fractionating column where fractions condense at different heights. Boiling ranges: petrol 40-110 °C, kerosene 180-260…$
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Examiner report
[02.1] Over 90% of students correctly identified fractional distillation.
Text version
This question is about hydrocarbon fuels. Crude oil is heated and vapours enter a fractionating column where fractions condense at different heights. Boiling ranges: petrol 40-110 °C, kerosene 180-260 °C, diesel 260-320 °C, heavy fuel oil 320-400 °C, petroleum gases below 30 °C.
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AQA 8462 · June 2025 · Paper 2H · Q5 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[05.5] Around three quarters of students correctly identified propene. The most common incorrect response was butene. Very few students did not identify an alkene.
Text version
This question is about unsaturated hydrocarbons. Boiling points: C2H4 -104 °C, C3H6 -47 °C, C4H8 unknown, C5H10 30 °C, C6H12 63 °C.
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AQA 8462 · June 2025 · Paper 2H · Q7 · 6 marks
6 marks
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[07.3] Just over two thirds of students correctly identified water as the small molecule produced during this condensation polymerisation reaction.
Text version
This question is about condensation, amino-acid and thermosetting polymers.
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AQA 8462 · June 2024 · Paper 2F · Q6 · 7 marks
7 marks
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[06.7] ‘Sustainable’ is a poorly understood term with only one third of students correctly answering this question. Incorrect responses included reference to different stages in a life cycle assessment including comparisons in terms of the environmental consequences of different disposal methods for each material. Some students struggled to express that paper was made from a renewable resource, suggesting that paper is renewable or that paper can be regrown.
Text version
This question is about addition reactions and polymers. Poly(chloroethene) has density 1.5 g/cm3 and completely melts at 260 °C; poly(ethene) has density 0.9 g/cm3 and completely melts at 120 °C.
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AQA 8462 · June 2024 · Paper 2H · Q5 · 12 marks
12 marks
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[05.4] Over one-third of students gained all three marks. However, some students appeared to believe that the other 80% of the air was hydrogen. Some tried to involve the relative atomic masses, even though these were not provided. A few unnecessarily converted the volume of hydrogen to moles and then the moles of oxygen to volume, not realising that the mole ratio is the volume ratio for gases. This did score full marks if correct.
Text version
For each 1 dm3 burned: hydrogen releases 11.9 kJ, 0.00 g CO2, 0.75 g water vapour and 6.6x10-4 g nitrogen oxides; natural gas releases 37.1 kJ, 1.83 g CO2, 1.50 g water vapour and 4.9x10-4 g nitrogen oxides.
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AQA 8462 · June 2024 · Paper 2H · Q8 · 9 marks
9 marks
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[08.1] Around 60% of students correctly identified the C=C bond. For students who were not awarded the mark common mistakes were incorporating the 3 Hs and 1 O atom attached to the C=C group in their circle or also circling the C=O group. Others circled only the double bond and not the carbon atoms on either side.
Text version
Compound A contains both alkene and ester functional groups and has formula C4H6O2. It is flammable and forms polymer B by joining many molecules.
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AQA 8462 · June 2023 · Paper 2F · Q2 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[02.3] More than half of students successfully identified boron trioxide as a raw material for making borosilicate glass.
Text version
This question is about glass and polymers. Borosilicate-glass beakers begin melting at 850 °C, do not burn, shatter on impact and cost £1.50 per 100 cm3 beaker. Poly(propene) beakers begin melting at 160 °C, burn, are tough and cost £2.00. Propene has molecular formula C3H6.
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AQA 8462 · June 2023 · Paper 2F · Q9 · 7 marks
7 marks
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Examiner report
[09.1] The calculation discriminated well. More than 25% of students successfully completed the calculation, usually showing full details of their working. Students need to be sufficiently familiar with their calculator to understand when it is appropriate to include a recurring dot over one or more digits, and also when it is not. Weaker responses included rounding errors.
Text version
Alcohols are used as fuels. Energy released by burning 1.00 g: ethanol C2H5OH 29.6 kJ/g; propanol 33.6; butanol 36.1; pentanol 37.7; hexanol 38.9; heptanol 39.8. Carbon dioxide from combustion is tested with limewater. Ethanoic acid can be produced from ethanol.
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AQA 8462 · June 2023 · Paper 2H · Q2 · 7 marks
7 marks
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[02.3] Around two-thirds of students gained this mark. The answer, within the tolerances stated in the mark scheme, was estimated from the plotted points alone, and was as stated in the mark scheme unless misplotted points (usually for hexanol and/or heptanol) suggested otherwise.
Text version
This question is about alcohols and carboxylic acids. Alcohols are used as fuels. A student burned 1.00 g of six alcohols and determined the energy released from each. Table 2 shows the results (Alcohol | Formula | Energy released in kJ/g): Ethanol, C2H5OH, 29.6; Propanol, C3H7OH, 33.6; Butanol, C4H9OH, 36.1; Pentanol, C5H11OH, 37.7; Hexanol, C6H13OH, 38.9; Heptanol, C7H15OH, 39.8.
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AQA 8462 · June 2023 · Paper 2H · Q8 · 4 marks
4 marks
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[08.7] The most common correct answers seen were starch, cellulose or glycogen. Polysaccharide was less commonly seen. Incorrect responses included alcohol, amino acids, proteins and a whole range of polymer names including polyester. Fewer than one- third of students gained this mark.
Text version
This question is about polymers.
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AQA 8462 · June 2022 · Paper 2F · Q2 · 9 marks
9 marks
$AQA 8462 · June 2022 · Paper 2F · Q2 · 9 marks — Crude-oil fractions: petrol has 5-12 carbons, diesel 15-19, heavy fuel oil 20-40. Source J contains 13% kerosene and 30% heavy fuel oil; source K contains 4% and 44%. Large hydrocarbons can be cracked…$
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Examiner report
[02.8] Only 20% of the students gained two marks, although carbon dioxide was often seen alongside an incorrect response, usually hydrogen.
Text version
Crude-oil fractions: petrol has 5-12 carbons, diesel 15-19, heavy fuel oil 20-40. Source J contains 13% kerosene and 30% heavy fuel oil; source K contains 4% and 44%. Large hydrocarbons can be cracked; alkanes have formula CnH2n+2.
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AQA 8462 · June 2022 · Paper 2F · Q3 · 8 marks
8 marks
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[03.8] The answer required the idea of limited evidence or that it was billions (or millions) of years ago. Lack of proof or data or that it was a long time ago were insufficient. Just over 20% of the students answered this question correctly.
Text version
Estimated early atmosphere/current atmosphere percentages: nitrogen 1.8/X; oxygen 0.2/20.95; carbon dioxide 96.0/0.04; other gases 2.0/0.92.
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AQA 8462 · June 2022 · Paper 2F · Q4 · 13 marks
13 marks
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[04.4] Students found this question challenging, with fewer than 15% of students recognising that yeast must be added.
Text version
Ethanol has formula C2H5OH and can be made by fermentation. Fuel E5 is 5% ethanol/95% petrol by mass; E10 is 10%/90%. Energy content: ethanol 30.0 MJ/kg, petrol 46.4 MJ/kg.
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AQA 8462 · June 2022 · Paper 2H · Q4 · 16 marks
16 marks
$AQA 8462 · June 2022 · Paper 2H · Q4 · 16 marks — Crude-oil fractions include lubricating oil (300-350 °C), naphtha (90-200 °C) and petroleum gases (<25 °C). Kerosene molecules have 11-15 carbon atoms and heavy-fuel-oil molecules 20-40.$
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Examiner report
[04.1] The vast majority of students wrote detailed answers to this question and the full range of marks was awarded although relatively few answers were awarded full marks. About 1 in 10 students scored all four marks, while a quarter scored three. Students often neglected to state the crude oil must be heated to begin the separation process. Some students failed to score the second marking point in the mark scheme because their description of a temperature gradient was not in the context of gases rising through a fractionating column or fractionating tower. A handful of students illustrated this idea by referring to a labelled diagram. The idea of fractions collecting at different levels in the fractionating column was well understood but many described the collection of fractions without mentioning condensing and so could not access this mark. Some students incorrectly suggested that petroleum gases would condense at the top of the column. The idea that the separation of crude oil is based on differences in boiling points was an accessible mark but many failed to mention boiling points or simply quoted boiling point ranges from the table.
Text version
Crude-oil fractions include lubricating oil (300-350 °C), naphtha (90-200 °C) and petroleum gases (<25 °C). Kerosene molecules have 11-15 carbon atoms and heavy-fuel-oil molecules 20-40.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2F · Q3 · 13 marks
13 marks
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Window frames use poly(chloroethene), density 1.4 g/cm3 and relative strength 72, or HDPE, density 0.92 and strength 25. A 6.00 kg aluminium alloy contains 5.94 kg Al, 0.04 kg Mg and 0.02 kg Si.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2F · Q7 · 11 marks
11 marks
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Ethene and steam reversibly produce ethanol. Actual yield is 380 kg from a 400 kg theoretical yield. Fermentation uses renewable sugar, low energy, slow rate and gives 15% ethanol; hydration uses crude oil, high energy, fast rate and gives 98% ethanol.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2F · Q9 · 5 marks
5 marks
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Alkane boiling points: C4 0 degC, C5 36, C6 69, C7 unknown, C8 126, C9 (nonane) 151.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2H · Q2 · 5 marks
5 marks
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[02.3] Two thirds of students identified that the y-axis did not fall below 0°C.
Text version
Alkane boiling points: C4 0 degC, C5 36, C6 69, C7 unknown, C8 126, C9 (nonane) 151.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2H · Q4 · 5 marks
5 marks
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[04.4] Approaching half of the students scored one mark but only a tiny number scored both. The fact that the chains are closer together or unbranched was well known but not how that linked to density.
Text version
This question concerns thermosoftening poly(ethene), HDPE, LDPE and polyester formation.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2H · Q6 · 6 marks
6 marks
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[06.3] Only around a third of students gained at least one mark in this demanding question.
Text version
Cycloalkenes are ring hydrocarbons with one C=C bond. Cyclobutene C4H6, cyclopentene C5H8, cyclohexene C6H10. Chlorine adds to cyclohexene to form C6H10Cl2.
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AQA 8462 · November 2021 · Paper 2H · Q10 · 17 marks
17 marks
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[10.4] Fermentation was well known.
Text version
Ethene is made from large crude-oil hydrocarbons. Ethene and steam reversibly form ethanol exothermically. A yeast process and bacterial butanol production from sugar are also considered. Ethanol energy content=1300 kJ/mol; car needs 1.95 kJ/m over 200 km.
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AQA 8462 · November 2020 · Paper 2F · Q6 · 10 marks
10 marks
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Paper, ceramic and poly(propene) can make plates. Crude oil provides propene. Polymer A has crosslinks whereas polymer B does not.
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AQA 8462 · November 2020 · Paper 2F · Q7 · 11 marks
11 marks
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Ethanol is made from grape juice by fermentation. Vinegar contains ethanoic acid; 400 cm3 vinegar contains 20 g ethanoic acid.
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AQA 8462 · November 2020 · Paper 2F · Q10 · 10 marks
10 marks
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Hexane and hexene each contain six carbon atoms; ethane and ethene each contain two. This question compares alkane and alkene formulae, bromine-water reactions and bonding.
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AQA 8462 · November 2020 · Paper 2H · Q3 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[03.3] This part was not very well answered by many, usually because they focused exclusively on structure and bonding at the expense of reactions, which could indicate that they didn’t read the question carefully enough or didn’t refer back to the question when constructing their response. Structure and bonding were well understood, but few of the reactions were mentioned. Additionally, students often reversed their answers because they confused ethane and ethene or the formation of their handwriting made it unclear whether a compound name ended ‘ane’ or ‘ene’. The command word ‘compare’ demands that students mention both compounds to access level 2 and there were some imprecise comparisons such as ‘ethane undergoes complete combustion whereas ethene undergoes incomplete combustion’. Because of these points, rather fewer than half of students were able to access level 2.
Text version
Hexane and hexene each contain six carbon atoms; ethane and ethene each contain two. This question compares alkane and alkene formulae, bromine-water reactions and bonding.
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AQA 8462 · November 2020 · Paper 2H · Q7 · 11 marks
11 marks
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[07.3] This part was quite well answered. Most students stated that the mass decreases. Not all of the students who identified carbon dioxide as a product of the reaction went on to explain that it is the escape of this gas that causes the mass to decrease.
Text version
Carboxylic acid data at 0.01 mol/dm3: methanoic pH 2.91; ethanoic CH3COOH pH 3.39; propanoic CH3CH2COOH pH 3.44. Ethanoic acid ionises reversibly.
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AQA 8462 · June 2018 · Paper 2H · Q2 · 10 marks
10 marks
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[02.7] 45% of the students knew that hydrogen would be the gas produced.
Text version
Methylated spirit is a useful mixture containing 265.5 g ethanol, 23.3 g methanol, 3.0 g pyridine and 1.5 g methyl violet. Ethanol is made from sugar solution and reacts with sodium/oxidising agents.
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AQA 8462 · June 2018 · Paper 2H · Q6 · 3 marks
3 marks
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[06.2] Of those students who lost marks here, there was no clear-cut marking point that caused the problem. Some students did not make it clear that the bond joined on to the C atom of the methyl group, but were given benefit of the doubt provided it didn’t join to the H3. 28% of students gave faultless answers.
Text version
This question concerns condensation polyesters, poly(propene), carpets and firefighter-uniform fibres.
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AQA 8462 · sample1 · Paper 2F · Q12 · 6 marks
6 marks
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Milk-bottle data, glass/HDPE respectively: raw materials sand, limestone and salt/crude oil; production starts by making sodium carbonate/producing naphtha; maximum temperature 1600/850 degC; uses per bottle 25/1; sizes 0.5 dm3/0.5, 1, 2 and 3 dm3; recycled content 50%/10%.
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AQA 8462 · sample1 · Paper 2H · Q4 · 6 marks
6 marks
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Milk-bottle data, glass/HDPE respectively: raw materials sand, limestone and salt/crude oil; production starts by making sodium carbonate/producing naphtha; maximum temperature 1600/850 degC; uses per bottle 25/1; sizes 0.5 dm3/0.5, 1, 2 and 3 dm3; recycled content 50%/10%.
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AQA 8462 · sample1 · Paper 2H · Q6 · 4 marks
4 marks
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Poly(ethene) is made by addition polymerisation; polyesters form by condensation polymerisation.
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AQA 8462 · sample1 · Paper 2H · Q10 · 5 marks
5 marks
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Ethanol is made reversibly from ethene and steam; the forward reaction is exothermic and has fewer gas molecules on the product side.
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June 20251 question

Paper 2F · Q2Foundation · 9 marks · multi · easyView question in paper (p.5)Mark scheme (p.9)

June 20242 questions

Paper 2F: Q1 (p.2, 9 marks), Q4 (p.15, 10 marks)

November 20201 question

Paper 2H: Q9 (p.25, 8 marks)

June 20183 questions

Paper 2F: Q2 (9 marks), Q6 (4 marks), Q9 (10 marks)

sample14 questions

Paper 2F: Q6 (p.15, 7 marks), Q8 (p.20, 11 marks)

Paper 2H: Q1 (p.2, 4 marks), Q7 (p.18, 16 marks)

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Organic chemistry questions

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