Self-assessment practice test

Test 2 – Material from Chapters 5–8  |  45 minutes

Click on the correct answer to each question.

1 Metals and non-metals generally produce different types of oxides when reacted with air or
oxygen. Which row in the table correctly lists the nature of two elements’ oxides?

Forms an acidic oxide Forms a basic oxide

A phosphorus sulfur
B magnesium sulfur
C sulfur phosphorus
D sulfur magnesium

2 The growth of plants can be significantly affected by the pH of the soil. The table below shows
the pH range over which a plant takes up nutrients from fertilisers.

Nutrient pH range
nitrogen (N) 6.0–8.0
phosphorus (P) 6.5–7.5
potassium (K) 7.0–8.0

Over which pH range does the plant take up all three nutrients?

A 5.0–6.0
B 7.0–7.5
C 6.0–6.5
D 7.5–8.0

3 A compound is a salt if it:

A can neutralise an acid

B is a product of the reaction between an acid and a base
C contains more than one element
D dissolves in water

4 Which of the following substances can neutralise hydrochloric acid?

A water
B litmus solution
C carbon dioxide
D ammonia

© Cambridge University Press 2014  IGCSE Chemistry Self-assessment practice test 2 1

5 The growth of plants can be significantly affected by the pH of the soil. The diagram shows
the results of a pH test on a sample of garden soil.

soil reading

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
pH

What could be added to the soil to bring its pH back up to 7?

A sand
B lime
C hydrochloric acid
D potassium chloride

6 Which of the following reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce hydrogen gas?

A copper
B chlorine
C carbon
D zinc

7 The method of salt preparation in the laboratory has certain clear stages. Which three steps
are needed to make sodium sulfate crystals from sodium hydroxide solution and dilute
sulfuric acid?

First step Second step Third step

A evaporation crystallisation neutralisation
B neutralisation evaporation crystallisation
C neutralisation crystallisation evaporation
D evaporation neutralisation crystallisation

8 Which of the following properties is common to all acids?

A Their aqueous solutions have a pH greater than 7.

B They are solid at room temperature.
C They react with bases.
D They react with copper to give hydrogen.

9 Which gas is released when magnesium reacts with hydrochloric acid?

A oxygen
B carbon dioxide
C hydrogen
D chlorine

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10 Which pH change occurs when water dissolves an alkali such as sodium hydroxide?

A 7→1
B 1 → 12
C 1→7
D 7 → 12

11 Certain gases are very soluble in water. They dissolve to produce acidic or alkaline
solutions. The graph shows the change in pH when a gas X was bubbled into water.

7
pH

0
Time

What could gas X be?

A ammonia
B sulfur dioxide
C hydrogen
D carbon dioxide

12 What is missing from the equation?

acid + base → salt + ………………

A carbon dioxide
B water
C oxygen
D hydrogen

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13 To help prevent damage to the environment it is important to treat industrial waste
to avoid extremes of pH. The graph shows how the pH of an industrial waste changed
when treated with substance X.

7
pH

0
Time
substance X added

Which of the following must be substance X?

A coal
B water
C lime
D salt

14 Some air is polluted with sulfur dioxide from local industries. A sample of the
polluted air is passed through water to dissolve the sulfur dioxide.

What is the pH of the solution formed and how does it affect litmus paper?

pH Effect on litmus paper

A above 7 red to blue
B below 7 blue to red
C above 7 blue to red
D below 7 red to blue

15 A company needs to build a storage tank to be used to store either water or dilute
sulfuric acid. Which material cannot be used for making the tank?

A copper
B glass
C zinc
D poly(ethene)

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16 Various factors affect the rate of a chemical reaction. One of these is the surface area
of a solid that is available to react when in contact with a liquid. A chemical reaction
between pieces of a solid and an acid is very fast.

What changes would make the reaction slower?

Acid Pieces of solid

A less concentrated larger
B more concentrated larger
C less concentrated smaller
D more concentrated smaller

17 Measuring the volume of gas produced against time for a reaction in which a gas is
produced is one way of finding the rate of reaction. The speed with which a solid reacts
with a solution to produce a gas can be measured by using the apparatus shown.

syringe

solution

solid

What essential item for carrying out the experiment is missing from the diagram?

A a thermometer
B a balance
C a Bunsen burner
D a clock

18 A newspaper carries headlines and photographs about an explosion at a flour mill.

What factor could have increased the risk of such an explosion?

A opening the windows

B employing more staff in the mill
C grinding the flour more finely
D adding salt to the flour

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19 How can the rate of reaction between dilute hydrochloric acid and marble chips
(calcium carbonate) be increased?

A by using a larger volume of acid

B by making the acid more concentrated
C by using larger marble chips
D by adding water to the acid to dilute it

20 Experiments were carried out on the factors that increased the rate of a particular
reaction. In different experiments, a catalyst is added to a reaction mixture and the
temperature of the mixture is decreased. What is the effect of these changes on the
rate of the reaction?

Catalyst added Temperature decreased

A faster slower
B slower faster
C faster faster
D slower slower

21 Dilute sulfuric acid is added to copper(ii) oxide in the apparatus shown.

flask

sulfuric acid copper(II) oxide

balance

The readings of the balance are taken after 30 time intervals. Which graph shows how
the balance reading changes during the reaction?

A B C D
Mass
Mass

Mass
Mass

0 0 0 0
0 Time 0 Time 0 Time 0 Time

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22 For a reaction that produces a gas, the rate of reaction can be followed by measuring the
amount of gas collected in a gas syringe with time. The graph below shows how the total
volume of a gas given off from a reaction changes with time. In which time interval is
the least gas given off indicating that the reaction is slowest in that period?

Volume of gas

0 A B C D Time

23 Excess hydrochloric acid was added to calcium carbonate in two experiments and the
volume of carbon dioxide gas produced was measured every minute. The graphs below
show the results of the two experiments.

100 experiment 2
Volume of gas produced

50 experiment 1

0 Time

When we compare experiment 1 and experiment 2, we can deduce that experiment 1

was carried out using:

A a lower temperature
B larger pieces of calcium carbonate
C half as much calcium carbonate
D twice as much acid

24 Four experiments were carried out on the reaction between zinc and nitric acid.
Portions of powdered zinc are added to dilute nitric acid under the different conditions.

In which experiment is the rate of reaction greatest at the beginning?

Experiment Temperature of acid / °C Concentration of acid

A 20 high
B 30 high
C 30 low
D 20 low

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25 A piece of zinc is placed in dilute sulfuric acid. Which change mentioned below
would slow down the speed of reaction?

A adding a catalyst
B powdering the zinc
C heating the acid
D adding water

26 Every atom has its own atomic mass, Ar . These are added together to find the relative
formula mass, Mr , of a substance. The value for calcium carbonate, CaCO3, is 100.

What mass of carbon is present in 100 g of calcium carbonate?

A 12 g B 60 g C 48 g D 36 g

27 Butenedioic acid is a relatively complex acid molecule and has the structure shown
below.

C
H H
C O

C O
H H
C

What is the molecular formula of butenedioic acid?

A CHO
B C4H4O4
C C6H4O6
D C4HO2

28 For butenedioic acid, using the structure given above, what is its empirical formula?

A CHO
B C2H2O2
C C3H2O3
D C4HO2

29 A molecule of the organic compound X contains the following:

2 atoms of carbon, (C)
2 atoms of oxygen, (O)
4 atoms of hydrogen, (H).
What is the empirical formula of X?

A (CH2)2O
B (CH2)2O2
C C2(OH)4
D CH2O

© Cambridge University Press 2014  IGCSE Chemistry Self-assessment practice test 2 8

30 Arsenic is in the same group of the Periodic Table as nitrogen. It forms a compound
with hydrogen just as nitrogen does. A molecule contains one atom of arsenic, As, and
three atoms of hydrogen.
What is the formula of this molecule?

A 3AsH B As3H C AsH3 D (AsH)3

31 Each element in the Periodic Table has its own chemical symbol. What are the correct
symbols for the elements chlorine, nitrogen and potassium?

Chlorine Nitrogen Potassium

A Cl N K
B C Ni P
C Cl Ni P
D C N K

32 Ethanol has the formula shown below.

CH3CH2OH
What is the relative molecular mass, Mr , of ethanol?

A 26 B 9 C 40 D 46

33 The diagram shows a blast furnace for extracting iron from hematite.

hematite + X + Y

waste
gases

hot air
iron
slag

What are X and Y?

X Y
A lime coal
B limestone coal
C lime coke
D limestone coke

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34 Metals have different reactivities and this affects their method of extraction and the
types of reaction they can take part in. The table below contains some information
about the reactivity of three different metals X, Y and Z.

Metal Reaction with water or Reaction with dilute

steam hydrochloric acid
X reacts with cold water reacts with cold acid
Y no reaction when heated no reaction when boiled
in steam with acid
Z reacts when heated in steam reacts when warmed
with acid

What is the order of reactivity of these three metals?

most reactive → least reactive

A X Z Y
B X Y Z
C Z X Y
D Y Z X

35 What is the purpose of limestone being used in the blast furnace extraction of iron?

A to generate heat for the furnace

B to produce carbon monoxide
C to remove impurities
D to reduce iron ore

36 The transition metals have distinctive properties of their own.

The table below gives information about four elements.
Which element is a transition metal?

Colour of Electrical conductivity Colour of

element of element oxide
A yellow low colourless
B grey high red
C black high colourless
D grey low white

37 There is one property which distinguishes metals from non-metals most clearly. Which
of these properties is a property of all metals without exception?

A They conduct electricity.

B They have high melting points.
C They have low densities.
D They have a grey or silver colour.

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38 The diagram shows one method for changing a metal oxide into a metal.

metal oxide
excess
hydrogen
burning
hydrogen

Which oxide can be changed into a metal using this method?

A calcium oxide
B sodium oxide
C aluminium oxide
D copper(ii) oxide

39 Metals have extensive use in our lives. The use of a particular metal depends on its
properties. Which line in the table below correctly links the property of the metal and its
use?

Metal Property Use

A mild steel conducts electricity making garden tools
B aluminium resists corrosion making food containers
C aluminium conducts electricity making aeroplanes
D mild steel high density making car bodies

40 What is produced when sodium metal reacts with water?

A oxygen gas and an acidic solution

B hydrogen gas and a neutral solution
C hydrogen gas and an alkaline solution
D oxygen gas and an alkaline solution

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