AQA GCSE COMBINED SCIENCE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION–
ANSWER DIGEST
◉ what changes when you compress a material?.
Answer: the mass does not change, it is only the volume that
decreases
◉ what are the three states of matter?.
Answer: solid, liquid, and gas. the particles of a substance in each
state are the same - only the arrangement and energy of the
particles are different
◉ S O L I D S.
Answer: strong forces of attraction hold the particles close together
in a fixed, regular arrangement. the particles don't have much
energy so they can only vibrate about their fixed positions. the
density is generally highest in this state as the particles are closest
together
◉ L I Q U I D S.
Answer: there are weaker forces of attraction between the particles.
the particles are close together, but can move past each other, and
,form irregular arrangements. they have more energy than the
particles in a solid - they move in random directions at low speeds.
liquids are generally less dense than solids
◉ G A S E S.
Answer: there are almost no forces of attraction between the
particles. the particles have more energy than in liquids and solids -
they're free to move, and travel in random directions at high speeds.
gases are generally less dense than liquids - they have low densities
◉ method for finding the density of regular objects.
Answer: use a ruler to measure the volume - lxwxh - and then record
your results into a table, convert cm into m by the volume times 10-
6, measure the mass with a mass balance, convert g into kg by
dividing by 1000 and then record results, calculate the density by
doing mass/volume
◉ method for finding the density of irregular objects.
Answer: measure the mass of the object with a mass balance and
convert g into kg, fill the Eureka beaker with water up to just below
the hole where the water will flow out of once an object is placed
inside, place the object inside the Eureka beaker and wait until the
water has stopped dripping into the measuring cylinder - this is the
volume, calculate the density
, ◉ disadvantages of a mass balance (required practical).
Answer: may have forgotten to press the clear button first before
placing items onto the balance, breathing onto the balance,
simplified the number
◉ disadvantages of the Eureka beaker and measuring cylinder
(required practical).
Answer: didn't always wait until all of the water had dripped out of
beaker, inaccurate reading from the measuring cylinder
◉ inaccuracy in the actual density (required practical).
Answer: rounded the numbers to one or two decimal points because
we couldn't the whole number into the table which makes our
results less reliable
◉ why do particles in a system vibrate or move around?.
Answer: because they have energy in their kinetic energy store, and
potential energy store due to their positions
◉ how is the energy stored in a system?.
Answer: by its particles. the internal energy of a system is the total
energy that its particles have in their kinetic and potential energy
stores
GUIDE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION–
ANSWER DIGEST
◉ what changes when you compress a material?.
Answer: the mass does not change, it is only the volume that
decreases
◉ what are the three states of matter?.
Answer: solid, liquid, and gas. the particles of a substance in each
state are the same - only the arrangement and energy of the
particles are different
◉ S O L I D S.
Answer: strong forces of attraction hold the particles close together
in a fixed, regular arrangement. the particles don't have much
energy so they can only vibrate about their fixed positions. the
density is generally highest in this state as the particles are closest
together
◉ L I Q U I D S.
Answer: there are weaker forces of attraction between the particles.
the particles are close together, but can move past each other, and
,form irregular arrangements. they have more energy than the
particles in a solid - they move in random directions at low speeds.
liquids are generally less dense than solids
◉ G A S E S.
Answer: there are almost no forces of attraction between the
particles. the particles have more energy than in liquids and solids -
they're free to move, and travel in random directions at high speeds.
gases are generally less dense than liquids - they have low densities
◉ method for finding the density of regular objects.
Answer: use a ruler to measure the volume - lxwxh - and then record
your results into a table, convert cm into m by the volume times 10-
6, measure the mass with a mass balance, convert g into kg by
dividing by 1000 and then record results, calculate the density by
doing mass/volume
◉ method for finding the density of irregular objects.
Answer: measure the mass of the object with a mass balance and
convert g into kg, fill the Eureka beaker with water up to just below
the hole where the water will flow out of once an object is placed
inside, place the object inside the Eureka beaker and wait until the
water has stopped dripping into the measuring cylinder - this is the
volume, calculate the density
, ◉ disadvantages of a mass balance (required practical).
Answer: may have forgotten to press the clear button first before
placing items onto the balance, breathing onto the balance,
simplified the number
◉ disadvantages of the Eureka beaker and measuring cylinder
(required practical).
Answer: didn't always wait until all of the water had dripped out of
beaker, inaccurate reading from the measuring cylinder
◉ inaccuracy in the actual density (required practical).
Answer: rounded the numbers to one or two decimal points because
we couldn't the whole number into the table which makes our
results less reliable
◉ why do particles in a system vibrate or move around?.
Answer: because they have energy in their kinetic energy store, and
potential energy store due to their positions
◉ how is the energy stored in a system?.
Answer: by its particles. the internal energy of a system is the total
energy that its particles have in their kinetic and potential energy
stores
