Atomic Structure Practice Questions
GCSE · GCSE Physics · 128 free MCQs with instant results and detailed explanations.
128
Total
26
Easy
71
Medium
31
Hard
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Sample Questions from Atomic Structure
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Q1
Easy
Which particle is found in the nucleus of an atom and has no charge?
A.
Electron
B.
Proton
C.
Neutron
D.
Positron
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: C
Neutrons are neutral particles located in the nucleus of an atom, contributing to the atomic mass but not to the charge.
Q2
Easy
What is the overall charge of an atom that has 11 protons and 10 electrons?
A.
+1
B.
-1
C.
0
D.
Cannot be determined
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
An atom with more protons than electrons has a positive charge. In this case, the excess charge is +1, because there is one more proton than electrons.
Q3
Easy
Which of the following particles is found in the nucleus of an atom?
A.
Electron
B.
Neutron
C.
Photon
D.
Meson
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
Neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom along with protons. Electrons are located in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. Photons and mesons are not found in atomic nuclei.
Q4
Medium
Which subatomic particle has a positive charge and is found in the nucleus of an atom?
A.
Proton
B.
Neutron
C.
Electron
D.
Positron
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
Protons are positively charged particles located in the nucleus of an atom, whereas neutrons are neutral, electrons are negatively charged, and positrons are the antimatter counterpart of electrons.
Q5
Medium
An atom has an atomic number of 12 and a mass number of 24. How many neutrons does it contain?
A.
12
B.
24
C.
0
D.
6
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number. Here, 24 - 12 = 12 neutrons.
Q6
Medium
Which of the following correctly describes an isotope?
A.
Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
B.
Atoms with the same number of neutrons but different numbers of protons
C.
Atoms with different atomic numbers
D.
Atoms that have equal mass numbers
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
Isotopes are variants of the same chemical element that have the same number of protons (and thus the same atomic number) but different numbers of neutrons, leading to different mass numbers.
Q7
Medium
If an atom contains 6 protons, how many electrons does it have if it is neutral?
A.
6
B.
12
C.
3
D.
0
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons. Therefore, if the atom has 6 protons, it must also have 6 electrons to balance the positive charge.
Q8
Hard
An atom has a mass number of 12 and contains 6 neutrons. How many protons does this atom have?
A.
6
B.
12
C.
18
D.
6.5
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. If the mass number is 12 and there are 6 neutrons, the number of protons is 12 - 6 = 6.
Q9
Hard
Which of the following statements correctly describes isotopes?
A.
Isotopes have the same number of protons but different numbers of electrons.
B.
Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of protons.
C.
Isotopes have the same number of neutrons but different mass numbers.
D.
Isotopes have different numbers of protons and neutrons, but the same chemical properties.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: D
Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element which share the same number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons. This results in different mass numbers while retaining identical chemical properties due to the same electron configuration.
Q10
Hard
A sample of a radioactive substance has a half-life of 4 years. If you start with 80 grams of the substance, how much will remain after 12 years?
A.
10 grams
B.
20 grams
C.
5 grams
D.
40 grams
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
After 12 years, which is three half-lives (4 years each), the amount remaining can be calculated as follows: 80 g → 40 g → 20 g → 10 g. Therefore, after 12 years, 20 grams of the substance will remain.
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Atomic Structure — GCSE GCSE Physics Practice Questions Online
This page contains 128 practice MCQs for the chapter Atomic Structure in GCSE GCSE Physics. The questions are organized by difficulty — 26 easy, 71 medium, 31 hard — so you can choose the right level for your preparation.
Every question includes a detailed explanation to help you understand the concept, not just memorize answers. Take a timed quiz to simulate exam conditions, or practice at your own pace with no time limit.