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GCSE Chemistry · key term
A mixture of two or more elements in which at least one element is a metal.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification 4.1.2.3, 4.2.2.7, 4.10.3.2 · Paper 1, Paper 2
A substance containing a metal mixed with one or more other elements.
Revise: Metals and Non-MetalsTwo metals generally form a mixture called an alloy rather than an ionic or covalent compound of the usual type.
A mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, that has metallic properties.
Specification 5.5C, 5.6C, 5.7C · Paper 1
A mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal.
Revise: Alloys and StrengthAn alloy contains two or more elements, at least one of them a metal. Its structure still has metallic bonding, but atoms of different sizes disrupt the regular arrangement. If a force tries to make one layer slide past another, this distortion makes sliding more difficult.
A mixture containing a metal and one or more other elements, chosen to give useful properties.
A mixture of a metal with one or more other elements, made to give the material useful properties.
Specification C2.1e, C6.1o · Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher), Paper 4 (Higher)
Revise: Formulations and MixturesAn alloy is a mixture of two or more elements in which at least one element is a metal. Most metals used in everyday products are alloys rather than pure metals because their composition can be chosen to provide properties suited to a particular use.
Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher), Paper 4 (Higher)
Revise: AlloysChemists extend the possible uses of metals by making alloys: mixtures of elements in which at least one element is a metal. Bronze, for example, is a mixture of copper and tin, while steel is based on iron and carbon.
When comparing an alloy with a pure metal, mention differently sized atoms, distortion of the regular layers and greater difficulty sliding.
Do not describe an alloy as a compound: its elements are mixed rather than chemically combined in a fixed ratio.
For unfamiliar alloys, use the data provided and consider trade-offs rather than simply choosing the material with the highest value for one property.
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