AL CHEMISTRY

0783908624

SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

STRUCTURED QUESTIONS
1 Define an isotope in terms of its sub-atomic particles.
Atoms which have the same number of protons (or same element) but
different numbers of neutrons
2State two of the assumptions of the kinetic theory as applied to an inert gas.
(i) That the volume of the gas molecules is negligible compared to the volume of gas
(ii) That there are no intermolecular forces
OR collisions of the molecules are perfectly elastic
Particles are in constant motion, losing no energy on collision
3 Explain why ammonia is the most likely of these three gases to deviate from ideal
gasbehaviour.
The hydrogen bonds between ammonia molecules
are stronger than the Van De Waals forces between N2 and Ar molecules
Ammonia is polar / has a dipole
4 Argon is used to fill electric light bulbs. These have a fine filament of a metal wire,
usually tungsten, which glows white hot from its electrical resistance to the current.
Suggest why argon, rather than air, is used to fill electric light bulbs.
hot metals will react with oxygen in air (or nitrogen)
to form oxides/will burn out/to a powder
argon will not react
at high temperatures O2 and N2 in air will react to give NOx
5Define the term relative atomic mass.
weighted mean/average mass of an atom (not element)
compared with 12C
one atom of 12C has a mass of exactly 12
6Oxygen and sulphur are both in Group VI of the Periodic Table.
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AL CHEMISTRY
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SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

Suggest why the melting and boiling points of water, H2O, are much higher than those
of H2S.
H2O has hydrogen bonds/H2S does not or
H2S has van der Waals forces only
hydrogen bonds are stronger
than van der Waals forces or
H2S has weaker intermolecular bonds than H2O
7. The use of the Data Booklet is relevant to this question. Complete these sketches
forelements of the third period (sodium to argon) to show how each property changes
along the period.

AL CHEMISTRY
0783908624

SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

8 Define the term standard enthalpy change of combustion.

the enthalpy/energy change when one mole of a substance
is burned in an excess of air/oxygen
orcompletely combusted
under standard conditions
9 The melting and boiling points of hydrazine are much higher than those of ethene.
Suggest reasons for these differences in terms of the intermolecular forces each
compound possesses.
ethene van der Waals forces
hydrazine hydrogen bonds
hydrogen bonds are stronger
orvan der Waals forces are weaker
10 Explain what is meant by the term dynamic equilibrium.
rate of forward reaction equals
rate of backward reaction
orequilibrium concentrations remain constant
while reaction is occurring

AL CHEMISTRY
0783908624

SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

11 When equal volumes of ethoxyethane, C2H5OC2H5, and water are mixed, shaken,
andthen allowed to stand, two layers are formed.
Suggest why ethoxyethane does not fully dissolve in water. Explain your answer.
hydrogen bonds exist between H2O molecules
hydrogen bonds cannot formbetween C2H5OC2H5 molecules
12 Explain why there is a general increase in first ionisation energies from sodium to
argon.
from Na to Ar, electrons
are added to the same shell/have same shielding
are subject to increasing nuclear charge/proton number
are closer to the nucleus or atom gets smaller
13Explain why the first ionisation energy of aluminium is less than that ofmagnesium.
Al and Mg
in Al outermost electron is in 3p rather than 3s
3p electron is at higher energy
oris further away/is more shielded from nucleus
14 Explain why the first ionisation energy of sulphur is less than that of phosphorus.
P and S
for P 3p sub-shell is singly filled
andfor S one 3p orbital has paired electrons
paired electrons repel

15At room temperature, the chloride of titanium, A, is a liquid which does not
conductelectricity.
What does this information suggest about the bonding and structure in A?
covalent/not ionic
simple molecular or
mention of weak intermolecular forces or
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AL CHEMISTRY
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SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

weak van der Waalss forces between molecules

16 Chlorine, Cl2, is a gas at room temperature whereas bromine, Br 2, is a liquid
under thesame conditions.
Explain these observations.
fewer electrons in Cl2 than in Br2
smaller van der Waals forces in Cl2 or stronger van der Waals forces in Br2
17The gases nitrogen, N2, and carbon monoxide, CO, are isoelectronic, that is they
havethe same number of electrons in their molecules.
Suggest why N2 has a lower boiling point than CO.
CO has a permanent dipole or
N2 does not permanent dipole-permanent dipole interactions
permanent dipole-permanent dipole interactions are stronger than those from induced
dipoles
18Although each compound contains the same number of electrons and a strong
triplebond in its molecule, CO and HCN are both very reactive whereas N2 is not.
Suggest a reason for this.
CO and HCN both have a dipole or N2 does not have a dipole
19Explain the meaning of the term activation energy.
the minimum amount of energy molecules must have or energy required
in order for the reaction to take place
20In the sequence of fluorides above, the oxidation number of the elements
increasesfrom NaF to SF6 and then falls at ClF5.
Attempts to make ClF7 have failed but IF7 has been prepared.
Suggest an explanation for the existence of IF7 and for the non-existence of ClF7.
cannot pack 7 F atoms around Clatom
orcan pack 7 F atoms around I atom
21 Explain qualitatively variation in atomic radius in a period.
from Na to Cl
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SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

nuclear charge increases

electrons are in the same shell/have the same shielding
nuclear attraction increases
22 Suggest why it is not possible to use the same type of measurement which use to
measure atomic radius of the elements of the second period from Na to Cl, for argon,
Ar.
argon does not form any bonds/compounds or
argon exists as single atoms/is monatomic
23 Explain the differences in size between the cations and the corresponding atoms.
cations contain fewer electrons than the corresponding atoms or
cations contain fewer electrons than they do protons
nucleus has a greater attraction
24Explain the differences in size between the anions and the corresponding atoms.
anions contain more electrons than the corresponding atoms or
anions contain more electrons than they do protons
nucleus has a smaller attraction
25 How are the two atoms in a covalent bond held together? In your answer, state
whichparticles are attracted to one another and the nature of the force of attraction.
attraction between bonding electrons and nuclei
attraction is electrostatic
26 What is meant by the term bond polarity? Explain why the HCl molecule is polar.
bonding electrons are unequally shared or
the molecule has a dipole/+ and - ends to molecule
the H and Clatoms have different electronegativities
orchlorine is more electronegative than hydrogen
27 Define the term standard enthalpy change of formation.
enthalpy change when
1mol of a compound is formed
from its elements
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SAHAN SATHARASINGHE -

in their standard states under standard conditions

28 Use the Data Booklet to suggest a value for the energy required to form one mole
of the gaseous radium cation from one mole of gaseous radium atoms. Explain your
answer.
less than (502 + 966)
allow answers in the range 10001400 kJ mol1
ionisation energies decrease down the Group
ormust be less than IE for Ba Ba2+
orsize of atom increases down Group/
electrons are further away from nucleus
orthere is increased shielding down Group
29 What is meant by the term homolytic fission?
when a covalent bond breaks the two electrons in the bond
are shared between the two atoms
30 State Hess Law
the overall enthalpy change/energy change/H for a reaction
is independent of the route taken or
is independent of the number of steps involved
provided the initial and final conditions are the same