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.

Bonding and structure

  • 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

  • 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.

Chemical changes

  • 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

  • Energy Changes

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

Organic chemistry

  • 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 and extent of chemical change

  • 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 analysis

  • 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