O Level / IGCSE Chemistry chapter 9: Metals MCQs with answers

By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026

132 exam-style questions on Metals, 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.

132 questions · 6 topics · 10 per test

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What chapter 9 covers

Ten Metals questions with answers

Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.

1. Which statement about the uses of aluminium is correct?

  1. A
    it is used for cables because it is a better conductor than copper
  2. B
    it is used for food containers because it reacts with acids in food
  3. C
    it is used for aircraft because it is denser than steel
  4. D
    it is used for aircraft because of its low density
Show answer

Answer: D. Aluminium’s low density suits aircraft. It conducts less well than copper, but its low density makes it better for long cables; it is used for food containers because it does not corrode.

2. Why is cutlery not made from pure iron?

  1. A
    pure iron is too dense to hold
  2. B
    pure iron is brittle and shatters when dropped
  3. C
    pure iron does not conduct heat
  4. D
    pure iron is fairly soft and rusts, while stainless steel is hard and resists rusting
Show answer

Answer: D. Pure iron rusts in damp conditions and its layers of atoms slide easily. Stainless steel is hard and resists rusting, so it suits cutlery that is washed many times.

3. Magnesium is more reactive than copper. What does this mean in terms of ions?

  1. A
    magnesium atoms have more protons than copper atoms
  2. B
    magnesium atoms gain electrons more readily than copper atoms
  3. C
    magnesium atoms lose electrons more readily than copper atoms do
  4. D
    copper atoms form positive ions more readily than magnesium atoms
Show answer

Answer: C. Reactivity of metals is their tendency to form positive ions. That is why magnesium displaces Cu2+: Mg + Cu2+ → Mg2+ + Cu.

4. Which two substances must both be present for iron to rust?

  1. A
    water and salt
  2. B
    nitrogen and water
  3. C
    oxygen and carbon dioxide
  4. D
    oxygen and water
Show answer

Answer: D. Rusting is the oxidation of iron by oxygen in the presence of water, forming hydrated iron(III) oxide. Salt speeds it up but is not needed.

5. A layer of grease is spread over a steel garden tool. How does this stop the tool from rusting?

  1. A
    the grease corrodes instead of the iron, as zinc would
  2. B
    the grease keeps oxygen and water away from the iron surface
  3. C
    the grease turns any rust back into iron
  4. D
    the grease forms an alloy with the iron that cannot rust
Show answer

Answer: B. Greasing is a barrier method: it excludes oxygen and water. It does not give sacrificial protection; only a more reactive metal can do that.

6. Which statement about the rusting of iron is correct?

  1. A
    iron is oxidised, because iron atoms lose electrons to form iron(III) ions
  2. B
    iron is reduced, because it gains oxygen to form iron(III) oxide
  3. C
    rusting needs carbon dioxide as well as oxygen and water
  4. D
    rusting is faster in dry air because water forms a protective layer
Show answer

Answer: A. Fe → Fe3+ + 3e− is electron loss, so iron is oxidised (gaining oxygen is also oxidation, not reduction). Only oxygen and water are needed.

7. Which metal can be extracted by heating its oxide with carbon?

  1. A
    magnesium
  2. B
    sodium
  3. C
    aluminium
  4. D
    zinc
Show answer

Answer: D. Carbon can only reduce oxides of metals below it in the reactivity series. Zinc is below carbon; magnesium, aluminium and sodium are above it.

8. Why would steel be a poor choice for long overhead power cables compared with aluminium?

  1. A
    steel is too ductile, so the cables would stretch and snap
  2. B
    steel has a low melting point, so the cables would melt
  3. C
    steel is magnetic, so it would be attracted towards the pylons
  4. D
    steel has a much higher density, so the cables would be too heavy
Show answer

Answer: D. Steel conducts, but its density is nearly three times that of aluminium. Heavy cables would need many more supports.

9. Equal masses of magnesium and zinc are each added to excess dilute hydrochloric acid. Both metals form ions with a 2+ charge. Which statement is correct? (Mg 24, Zn 65)

  1. A
    both give the same volume of hydrogen, because both form 2+ ions
  2. B
    zinc gives the larger volume of hydrogen, because zinc has the larger Ar
  3. C
    magnesium gives the larger volume of hydrogen, because the same mass contains more moles of magnesium
  4. D
    magnesium gives the larger volume of hydrogen, because magnesium is more reactive
Show answer

Answer: C. Each metal gives 1 mol H2 per mol of metal. The same mass of magnesium (Ar 24) is more moles than of zinc (Ar 65), so more hydrogen forms. Reactivity affects how fast the gas is given off, not how much.

10. Why is aluminium extracted by electrolysis rather than by heating its oxide with carbon?

  1. A
    carbon is less reactive than aluminium, so it cannot remove the oxygen
  2. B
    the oxide layer on aluminium stops carbon from reacting with it
  3. C
    electrolysis is always cheaper than heating an oxide with carbon
  4. D
    aluminium oxide is insoluble in water, so carbon cannot reach the metal
Show answer

Answer: A. Only metals below carbon in the reactivity series can be extracted by carbon reduction. Aluminium is above carbon, so its molten oxide (in cryolite) is electrolysed.

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Ways to practise this chapter

Metals: questions students ask

How many Metals MCQs are there?

132, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 6 topics: Properties of metals, Uses of metals, Alloys and their properties, Reactivity series, Corrosion of metals, Extraction of metals. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.

Is the O Level / IGCSE Chemistry chapter 9 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.

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