Air quality and climate: past paper questions

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• Question 30May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row about carbon dioxide and methane is correct?

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• Question 29Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Carbon dioxide, methane and oxygen are gases involved in the carbon cycle. Which of these gases cause global warming?

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• Question 30Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Three processes are shown. 1 the decomposition of vegetation 2 emissions from a car engine 3 photosynthesis Which row shows a gas produced in each process?

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• Question 31Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Gases that may be present in the air are listed. 1 neon 2 carbon monoxide 3 nitrogen 4 methane Which gases are atmospheric pollutants?

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• Question 30May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Z is a pollutant gas that is formed in car engines. An aqueous solution of Z is acidic. Z is removed from the exhaust gases in a catalytic converter by reduction.

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• Question 29Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Dry air is a mixture of gases. 99% of the mixture is nitrogen and oxygen. What is in the highest abundance in the remaining 1%?

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row about the adverse effects of air pollutants is correct?

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• Question 32Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Different strategies to reduce the effects of environmental issues have been suggested. Which row is correct?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured5 marks

  Air is a mixture of gases. State the percentage by volume of oxygen in clean, dry air.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 6.1 shows the structures of zinc sulfide and disulfur dichloride. Zinc sulfide has a structure similar to diamond. Explain why zinc sulfide does not conduct electricity.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured5 marks

  Choose from the list of compounds to answer these questions. calcium oxide carbon dioxide carbon monoxide lead chloride propan-1-ol sodium nitrate sodium sulfate sulfur dioxide water Each compound may be used once, more than once or not at all.

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• Question 30May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row states an adverse effect for the named pollutant?

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• Question 19May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In the Haber process, hydrogen and nitrogen react to form ammonia in the presence of a catalyst. Which reactant is obtained by fractional distillation and what is the catalyst used in the Haber process?

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured7 marks

  The equation for the Haber process used in the production of ammonia is shown. $${\mathrm{N}}_2+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\rightleftharpoons 2{\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}}_3$$ The nitrogen for this process comes from the air. State the percentage by volume of nitrogen in clean, dry air.

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• Question 31May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three statements about global warming and greenhouse gases are listed. 1 Global warming is occurring because more of the Earth's thermal energy is released to space. 2 Greenhouse gases both absorb and emit thermal energy.

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• Question 6May/June 2024, paper 21Structured7 marks

  Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is linked to increased global warming. Describe one adverse effect of increased global warming.

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured11 marks

  Dilute ethanoic acid reacts with aqueous calcium hydroxide.

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• Question 31May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which strategy reduces methane emissions?

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• Question 6May/June 2024, paper 22Structured7 marks

  Methane, nitrogen monoxide and sulfur dioxide are air pollutants. Describe one adverse effect of higher levels of methane in air.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured7 marks

  Steam reacts with carbon to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. $$\text{steam}+\text{carbon}\rightleftharpoons \text{carbon monoxide}+\text{hydrogen}$$ The forward reaction is endothermic.

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• Question 5May/June 2025, paper 21Structured12 marks

  Vehicles that use petrol as a fuel produce several air pollutants. Petrol is a mixture of hydrocarbons which includes octane, ${\mathrm{C}}_8{\mathrm{H}}_{18}$. Explain why octane is a hydrocarbon.

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured11 marks

  Dilute hydrochloric acid reacts with aqueous sodium carbonate.

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• Question 5May/June 2025, paper 22Structured11 marks

  The combustion of fossil fuels is used in some power stations. Some power stations use diesel oil as a fuel. One compound in diesel oil has the formula ${\mathrm{C}}_{12}{\mathrm{H}}_{26}$.

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• Question 32May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about global warming is correct?

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• Question 33May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about air pollutants is correct?

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• Question 9May/June 2023, paper 21Structured8 marks

  Oxides of nitrogen such as nitrogen monoxide, NO, are atmospheric pollutants. The exhaust gas from a car engine contains 0.00200% by volume of nitrogen monoxide.

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• Question 9May/June 2023, paper 22Structured8 marks

  A sample of clean, dry air contains 0.0400% carbon dioxide by volume. Calculate the number of molecules of carbon dioxide in $480{\mathrm{d}\mathrm{m}}^3$ of clean, dry air at room temperature and pressure.

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