GCSE Chemistry (AQA) chapter 10: Using resources MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
41 exam-style questions on Using resources, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
4.10.1 Using the Earth's resources and obtaining potable water10 questions
4.10.2 Life cycle assessment and recycling9 questions
4.10.3 Using materials11 questions
4.10.4 The Haber process and NPK fertilisers11 questions
Ten Using resources questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. Which is a synthetic material made from crude oil that is used to replace a natural material?
A
silk, used instead of natural cotton
B
wood, used instead of natural rubber
C
polyester, used instead of natural wool
D
cotton, used instead of synthetic nylon
Show answer
Answer: C. Polyester is a synthetic polymer made from crude oil. Cotton, wood and silk are all natural materials, so none of them is synthetic.
2. Aluminium is quite reactive, but aluminium objects hardly corrode. Why?
A
aluminium objects are always painted or coated with plastic to stop this
B
aluminium is below iron in the reactivity series, so it cannot corrode
C
a thin layer of aluminium oxide forms and protects the metal below
D
aluminium does not react with oxygen or with water in any conditions
Show answer
Answer: C. The oxide layer is tough and does not flake off like rust, so it stops further corrosion.
3. In the UK, how is fresh water from rain made potable?
A
it is distilled, and then small amounts of salt are added back
B
it is passed through filter beds to remove solids and then sterilised
C
it is passed through a chromatography column to remove the microbes
D
it is boiled for ten minutes and then left to cool in tanks
Show answer
Answer: B. Filter beds remove solids; chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet light kills microbes.
4. Which list gives the stages considered in a life cycle assessment (LCA)?
A
mining ores, transporting them and selling the finished product only
B
research, design, advertising, selling and use by the customer
C
raw materials, manufacturing and packaging, use, and disposal
D
manufacturing, use and disposal, with no account of raw materials
Show answer
Answer: C. An LCA covers the whole life of a product, from raw materials to disposal, including energy, water and pollution at each stage.
5. What is the percentage of nitrogen by mass in ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3? (Ar H = 1, N = 14, O = 16)
A
17.5%
B
28%
C
35%
D
50%
Show answer
Answer: C. Mr = 14 + (4 × 1) + 14 + (3 × 16) = 80. There are two nitrogen atoms, so the mass of nitrogen = 28. Percentage = 28 ÷ 80 × 100 = 35%. 17.5% counts only one nitrogen atom.
6. Which example is reuse rather than recycling?
A
washing a glass milk bottle and filling it again with milk to be sold
B
melting used aluminium cans in a furnace to make new cans
C
crushing old glass bottles and melting them to make new jars
D
pulping old newspapers to make new sheets of recycled paper
Show answer
Answer: A. Reuse keeps the object in its original form; recycling breaks it down and processes it into new products.
7. How is soda-lime glass made?
A
by heating clay and firing it in a furnace until it hardens
B
by heating sand with boron trioxide to a very high temperature
C
by cooling molten iron oxide quickly to stop crystals forming
D
by heating a mixture of sand, sodium carbonate and limestone together
Show answer
Answer: D. Soda-lime glass is made from sand, sodium carbonate and limestone. Borosilicate glass uses sand and boron trioxide and melts at a higher temperature.
8. Scrap steel is added to iron from the blast furnace when making new steel. What is the main benefit?
A
it raises the carbon content of the steel, making it much harder
B
it lowers the transport costs of moving ore to the furnace
C
it reduces the amount of iron ore that has to be extracted
D
it makes the steel rust more slowly than steel made from ore
Show answer
Answer: C. Using scrap steel means less iron ore is mined and reduced, saving resources and energy.
9. Three iron nails are set up. X is in boiled water covered by a layer of oil. Y is in dry air with calcium chloride. Z is in tap water in an open test tube. Only nail Z rusts. What does this show?
A
iron rusts in water only, because dry air has no effect on it
B
iron rusts whenever it is in contact with air
C
iron needs oxygen only, as water is not involved
D
iron needs both water and oxygen in order to rust
Show answer
Answer: D. X has water but no oxygen (boiled water is oxygen-free and the oil keeps air out) and Y has air but no water, and neither rusts. Z has both and rusts, so both water and oxygen are needed.
10. How is copper obtained by phytomining?
A
the ore is heated strongly with carbon to reduce the copper compounds to copper
B
plants take up copper compounds and are burned to give ash containing copper
C
scrap iron is added directly to the crushed rock to displace the copper from it
D
bacteria feed on low-grade ore and produce a solution containing copper compounds
Show answer
Answer: B. Plants concentrate metal compounds as they grow; burning them gives ash rich in copper compounds. The bacterial method is bioleaching.
41, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 4 topics: 4.10.1 Using the Earth's resources and obtaining potable water, 4.10.2 Life cycle assessment and recycling, 4.10.3 Using materials, 4.10.4 The Haber process and NPK fertilisers. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the GCSE Chemistry (AQA) chapter 10 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
