OCR GCSE Chemistry periodic table (J248): what it shows and how to use it
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Formula sheet
OCR gives its periodic table as a stand-alone two page Data Sheet. Press the card to sit today's paper with a table beside you. The facts are from the June 2027 sheet for Chemistry A, J248, shown here in our own drawing.
GCSE Chemistry Foundation
Relative atomic masses as OCR prints them
The first 20 elements. OCR prints one decimal place.
| Atomic number | Symbol | Name | Relative atomic mass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H | hydrogen | 1 |
| 2 | He | helium | 4 |
| 3 | Li | lithium | 6.9 |
| 4 | Be | beryllium | 9 |
| 5 | B | boron | 10.8 |
| 6 | C | carbon | 12 |
| 7 | N | nitrogen | 14 |
| 8 | O | oxygen | 16 |
| 9 | F | fluorine | 19 |
| 10 | Ne | neon | 20.2 |
| 11 | Na | sodium | 23 |
| 12 | Mg | magnesium | 24.3 |
| 13 | Al | aluminium | 27 |
| 14 | Si | silicon | 28.1 |
| 15 | P | phosphorus | 31 |
| 16 | S | sulfur | 32.1 |
| 17 | Cl | chlorine | 35.5 |
| 18 | Ar | argon | 39.9 |
| 19 | K | potassium | 39.1 |
| 20 | Ca | calcium | 40.1 |
What OCR prints
- Every element has its atomic number, symbol, name and mass in one box.
- Group labels appear twice: (1) to (7) and (0), and 1 to 18.
- Lanthanoids (57 to 71) and actinoids (89 to 103) each get a single block.
- Polonium, astatine and other heavy elements are printed without a mass.
- The front page says you may write on the sheet and that it is not collected.
Two boards, 20 elements
| Number | Symbol | Name | AQA | OCR (Chemistry A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H | hydrogen | 1 | 1.0 |
| 2 | He | helium | 4 | 4.0 |
| 3 | Li | lithium | 7 | 6.9 |
| 4 | Be | beryllium | 9 | 9.0 |
| 5 | B | boron | 11 | 10.8 |
| 6 | C | carbon | 12 | 12.0 |
| 7 | N | nitrogen | 14 | 14.0 |
| 8 | O | oxygen | 16 | 16.0 |
| 9 | F | fluorine | 19 | 19.0 |
| 10 | Ne | neon | 20 | 20.2 |
| 11 | Na | sodium | 23 | 23.0 |
| 12 | Mg | magnesium | 24 | 24.3 |
| 13 | Al | aluminium | 27 | 27.0 |
| 14 | Si | silicon | 28 | 28.1 |
| 15 | P | phosphorus | 31 | 31.0 |
| 16 | S | sulfur | 32 | 32.1 |
| 17 | Cl | chlorine | 35.5 | 35.5 |
| 18 | Ar | argon | 40 | 39.9 |
| 19 | K | potassium | 39 | 39.1 |
| 20 | Ca | calcium | 40 | 40.1 |
OCR's figures round to AQA's, but answer with the table you are given: argon is 39.9 here and 40 on AQA.
Not on the Data Sheet
- Any formula, equation or data table: the sheet is the periodic table only.
- Trends, electron arrangements and ion charges.
- The sheets for Chemistry B and Combined Science, which are separate OCR files with their own guides.
Worked example: Mg(OH)₂ with one-decimal masses
Then 11.6 g is 11.6 ÷ 58.3 = 0.199 mol, which is 0.20 mol to two significant figures.
Worked example: oxygen in Ca(OH)₂
Give your answer to the precision the question asks for. The Molar Mass Calculator will confirm the sum.
Worked example: reading a group
Calcium shows Group 2 on both labelling schemes, so it has 2 outer electrons, and it sits in Period 4, which means 4 shells.
Check your skill at reading a relative atomic mass in our Atomic Structure course, then press Mark to see it marked there:
Work out the relative atomic mass of an element from its isotopes and their abundances.
Press Mark to have your answer marked in the Atomic Structure course.
Other boards
AQA's insert has whole-number masses and symbols without names. Our AQA guide covers it. CCEA's leaflet is in our CCEA guide. See the GCSE Chemistry guide for papers and boundaries.
Mock practice
The daily Foundation and Higher papers hold 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks and are not OCR papers.
Exam answers
Answers and a worked mark scheme come with today's paper after marking. OCR's official answers are not published here.
Common questions
What does the J248 Data Sheet contain?
How exact are the masses?
Does it name elements?
Can I write on it?
Is it the same for Chemistry B?
Revision cards
Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.
Where to go next
- Solve it
Molar Mass Calculator
Find the relative formula mass of any compound
Open the tool - Learn it
Atomic Structure
Electron shells, orbitals and the periodic table: the foundation of all chemistry
Start the course - Test it
GCSE Chemistry Foundation
A new exam-style paper every day, with instant marking and a mark scheme
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UK · GCSEOCR GCSE Chemistry (J248): papers, marks and gradesOCR GCSE Chemistry A Gateway Science (J248) explained: two papers per tier, topics C1 to C6, calculators, worked examples and June 2026 grade boundaries.