Multiple choice questions
Multiple choice questions appear throughout both exam papers, and at both foundation tier and higher tier. Multiple choice questions are usually asked as questions, often starting with 'what is...' or 'why...'.
You have three or four options to choose from in a multiple choice question. You must choose the number of options asked for in the question by placing ticks in boxes. Most multiple choice questions require just one tick, but a few ask for two ticks. You will not get a mark if you leave all the boxes blank, or if you put a tick in more than the required number of boxes.
Multiple choice questions often have two answers that could, at first glance, be correct. It is important to check all the answers before deciding which box to tick. It is also important to check that your chosen statement answers the question - some questions might include an option that is a correct statement, but that does not answer the question.
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Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
The diagram shows a gas syringe during an investigation to measure the rate of a chemical reaction.
What is the volume of the gas in the syringe? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | 5.3 cm3 | |
| B | 6.0 cm3 | |
| C | 6.5 cm3 | |
| D | 7.0 cm3 |
| A |
|---|
| 5.3 cm3 |
| B |
|---|
| 6.0 cm3 |
| C |
|---|
| 6.5 cm3 |
| D |
|---|
| 7.0 cm3 |
This question has been written by a Bitesize consultant as a suggestion to the type of question that may appear in an exam paper.
| A | 5.3 cm3 | |
| B | 6.0 cm3 | |
| C | 6.5 cm3 | ✔ |
| D | 7.0 cm3 |
| A |
|---|
| 5.3 cm3 |
| B |
|---|
| 6.0 cm3 |
| C |
|---|
| 6.5 cm3 |
| ✔ |
| D |
|---|
| 7.0 cm3 |
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
The diagram shows the apparatus that a student used to investigate the reaction between marble chips and hydrochloric acid.
What is A? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | Cotton wool | |
| B | Limestone | |
| C | Poly(ethene) | |
| D | Rubber bung |
| A |
|---|
| Cotton wool |
| B |
|---|
| Limestone |
| C |
|---|
| Poly(ethene) |
| D |
|---|
| Rubber bung |
This question is AQA material which is reproduced by permission of AQA.
| A | Cotton wool | ✔ |
| B | Limestone | |
| C | Poly(ethene) | |
| D | Rubber bung |
| A |
|---|
| Cotton wool |
| ✔ |
| B |
|---|
| Limestone |
| C |
|---|
| Poly(ethene) |
| D |
|---|
| Rubber bung |
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
The reaction for the Haber process is shown below.
N2(g) + 3H2(g) ⇌ 2NH3(g)
What will be the effect of increasing the pressure on the amount of ammonia present at equilibrium? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | Increase | |
| B | No change | |
| C | Decrease |
| A |
|---|
| Increase |
| B |
|---|
| No change |
| C |
|---|
| Decrease |
This question has been written by a Bitesize consultant as a suggestion to the type of question that may appear in an exam paper.
| A | Increase | ✔ |
| B | No change | |
| C | Decrease |
| A |
|---|
| Increase |
| ✔ |
| B |
|---|
| No change |
| C |
|---|
| Decrease |
Sample question 4 - Higher
Question
What is the surface area to volume ratio of a cube which has a length of 1 mm? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | 1 | |
| B | 0.17 | |
| C | 6 | |
| D | 8 |
| A |
|---|
| 1 |
| B |
|---|
| 0.17 |
| C |
|---|
| 6 |
| D |
|---|
| 8 |
This question has been written by a Bitesize consultant as a suggestion to the type of question that may appear in an exam paper.
| A | 1 | |
| B | 0.17 | |
| C | 6 | ✔ |
| D | 8 |
| A |
|---|
| 1 |
| B |
|---|
| 0.17 |
| C |
|---|
| 6 |
| ✔ |
| D |
|---|
| 8 |
