GCSE Chemistry Cheat Sheets

14 free one-page cheat sheets across seven areas of GCSE Chemistry: bonding and structure, atomic structure, chemical changes, energy changes, organic chemistry, rate and extent of chemical change, and chemical analysis. View any sheet online, or download and print it.

  • Ionic, Covalent & Metallic Bonding

    Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, dot-and-cross diagrams, properties and how bonding type affects melting point and conductivity.

  • States of Matter & the Particle Model

    The three states of matter, particle arrangements and forces, changing state, energy changes during melting and boiling, and state symbols in equations.

  • Atomic Structure & Electron Shells

    Atoms, elements, compounds, isotopes, relative atomic mass and electron shell rules for GCSE Chemistry.

  • The Periodic Table

    Groups, periods, trends in reactivity, noble gases and how the periodic table is organised.

  • Acids, Bases & Titration

    pH scale, acid-alkali neutralisation, strong vs weak acids, acid reactions and salt naming, and the titration method with concordant titres.

  • Electrolysis

    Splitting ionic compounds using electricity - what electrolysis is, the molten aluminium oxide example, and rules for aqueous solutions.

  • Energy Changes

    Exothermic vs endothermic reactions, reaction profiles with activation energy, and bond energy calculations including worked examples.

  • Alkanes, Alkenes & Alcohols

    Naming rules, alkane and alkene structures, alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters - functional groups, reactions, general formulae and the first four members of each family.

  • Addition & Condensation Polymers

    Addition and condensation polymerisation, polyesters and polypeptides with worked equations, examples of common polymers, and disposal issues.

  • Crude Oil, Fractions & Combustion

    Hydrocarbons and alkanes, fractional distillation column, cracking long-chain alkanes, complete and incomplete combustion, and atmospheric pollutants.

  • Rate of Reaction

    What rate of reaction means, how to measure and calculate it, collision theory, the four factors that affect rate, and how catalysts work.

  • Reversible Reactions & Equilibrium

    Reversible reactions, dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier's principle and how temperature, pressure and concentration shift equilibrium.

  • Chemical Tests

    Gas tests, flame tests, cation tests with NaOH, and anion tests for halides, sulfates, nitrates and carbonates.

  • Separation Techniques

    Filtration, crystallisation, simple and fractional distillation, and paper chromatography - methods, apparatus, and when to use each technique.

Frequently asked questions