GCSE Chemistry formula sheet

GCSE Chemistry equations

Higher: Higher tier only. Chemistry only: not in Combined Science. Labels follow AQA.

Atoms and formula mass

Relative atomic mass from isotopes: $\displaystyle A_r = \frac{\sum(\text{mass number} \times \text{abundance})}{100}$ Abundance as a percentage.
Relative formula mass: $\displaystyle M_r = \sum A_r$ Add the $A_r$ of every atom in the formula.
Percentage by mass of an element: $\displaystyle \frac{A_r \times \text{number of those atoms}}{M_r} \times 100$
Conservation of mass: Total mass of reactants = total mass of products. In a balanced equation the $M_r$ values add up the same on both sides.

Moles

Moles from massHigher: $\displaystyle \text{moles} = \frac{\text{mass (g)}}{M_r}$
Number of particlesHigher: $\displaystyle \text{particles} = \text{moles} \times 6.02 \times 10^{23}$ $6.02 \times 10^{23}$ is the Avogadro constant.

Concentration

Concentration in g/dm³: $\displaystyle \text{concentration} = \frac{\text{mass of solute (g)}}{\text{volume (dm}^3)}$
Concentration in mol/dm³HigherChemistry only: $\displaystyle \text{concentration} = \frac{\text{moles of solute}}{\text{volume (dm}^3)}$
Volume units: 1 dm³ = 1000 cm³. Divide a volume in cm³ by 1000 to get dm³.

Yield and atom economy

Percentage yieldChemistry only: $\displaystyle \frac{\text{mass of product actually made}}{\text{maximum theoretical mass}} \times 100$
Atom economyChemistry only: $\displaystyle \frac{M_r \text{ of desired product}}{\text{sum of } M_r \text{ of all reactants}} \times 100$ Use the balanced equation, with each $M_r$ times its number in front.

Gas volumes

Volume of a gas at room temperature and pressureHigherChemistry only: $\displaystyle \text{volume (dm}^3) = \text{moles} \times 24$ One mole of any gas fills 24 dm³ at 20 °C and 1 atmosphere.

Rates of reaction

Mean rate of reaction: $\displaystyle \text{mean rate} = \frac{\text{quantity}}{\text{time taken}}$ Quantity of reactant used, or of product formed. Units g/s or cm³/s; Higher tier also mol/s.
Rate at one momentHigher: The gradient of the tangent to the curve at that time.

Energy, acids and chromatography

Energy change from bond energiesHigher: $\displaystyle \text{energy change} = \text{broken} - \text{made}$ Energy to break the reactants' bonds minus energy released making the products' bonds, counting every bond in the balanced equation. Negative: exothermic. Positive: endothermic.
pH and hydrogen ionsHigher: Each fall of 1 in pH means 10 times the hydrogen ion concentration.
Rf value: $\displaystyle R_f = \frac{\text{distance moved by substance}}{\text{distance moved by solvent}}$ Always between 0 and 1. Measure to the centre of the spot.

gcsegenius.co.uk/gcse-tools/gcse-chemistry-formula-sheet · our own wording, checked October 2026

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GCSE Chemistry has no formula sheet: AQA papers come with a periodic table only, so you learn these 17 equations.

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Questions people ask

Do you get a formula sheet in GCSE Chemistry?

No. AQA's chemistry papers come with a periodic table and nothing else, so every equation on this sheet has to be learnt. Physics is different: it has an equation sheet.

Which equations are only for separate Chemistry?

Percentage yield, atom economy, concentration in mol/dm³ and the volume of a gas from moles. Combined Science leaves them out.

Which equations are Higher tier only?

Moles from mass, the number of particles, concentration in mol/dm³, gas volumes, the rate from a tangent, energy change from bond energies and the pH rule.

What is the molar volume of a gas at GCSE?

24 dm³ (24,000 cm³) for one mole of any gas at room temperature and pressure, 20 °C and 1 atmosphere.

Can I print this formula sheet as a PDF?

Yes. Press Print or save as PDF: the sheet prints on its own, on one or two pages, without the quiz.

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How we work this out

What it does

Every equation GCSE Chemistry asks you to use, on one printable page, with a recall quiz.

GCSE Chemistry and the chemistry in Combined Science, England. Labels follow AQA (8462 and 8464); Edexcel (1CH0) and OCR (J248) ask for the same calculations.

Method

Each equation is our own wording of a calculation the specifications ask students to use.
Every quiz answer was worked by us and solved again, blind, by a separate checker.