YEAR 12 SACE CHEMISTRY – START OF YEAR REVISON SOLUTIONS

1. State the electron configuration for the following elements:

a. Sodium 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 OR [Ne] 3s1
2 2 6
b. Neon 1s 2s 2p
c. Copper 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10 OR [Ar] 4s1 3d10
2 2 6 2 6 1 5
d. Chromium 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d OR [Ar] 4s1 3d5
2 2 6 2 1
e. Aluminium 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p OR [Ne] 3s2 3p1
f. Iron 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6 OR [Ar] 4s2 3d6

2. State whether the elements in Q1 are metals, non-metals, metalloids or transition metals.
a. Metal
b. Non-metal
c. Transition metal
d. Transition metal
e. Metal
f. Transition metal

3. State the electron configuration for the following ions:

a. Mg2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6
b. Cu2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d9
-
c. F 1s2 2s2 2p6
d. Ni2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d8
2-
e. O 1s2 2s2 2p6

4. State and explain the following periodic trends:

a. Atomic radius
Increases down a group – additional main electron shell results in a larger atom.
Decreases across a period – more electrons in valence shell results in a larger force
of attraction between the valence shell and the nucleus (the valence shell is ‘pulled
in’ to the centre of the atom).

b. Electronegativity
Decreases down a group – the further down a group, the further the valence
electrons are from the nucleus. This reduces the atom’s ability to attract its valence
electrons.
Increases across a period – an increasing number of electrons in the valence shell
results in a greater negative charge in that shell. This results in a stronger force of
attraction between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged
electrons.

c. Metallic character
Increases down a group – the further down a group, the lower the electronegativity.
It is much easier for an atom to lose electrons (a characteristic of metallic atoms)
when its electronegativity is low.
Decreases across a period – the further across a period, the more likely it is for an
atom to gain electrons instead. Gaining electrons is a property of non-metals.

d. Ionisation energy
Decreases down a group – the further down a group, the further the valence
electrons are from the nucleus. Thus, the force of attraction between the nucleus

12 SACE CHEMISTRY – Start of Year Revision

 and the electrons is reduced. Less energy is required to remove an electron from the
atom – this is the ionisation energy.
Increases across a period – The further across a period, the greater the number of
electrons in an atom’s valence shell. Thus, the electronegativity of atoms increases
across a period. Because of this, greater amounts of energy are required to remove
electrons from the valence shell.

e. Oxidation potential
Increases down a group – Oxidation is a loss of electrons. The further down a group,
the further the valence electrons are from the nucleus. Thus, the force of attraction
between the nucleus and valence electrons is reduced and so it is more likely for
atoms further down a group to lose electrons.
Decreases across a period – The further across a period, the greater the greater the
electronegativity of the atom. Thus, atoms further across a period are

5. Complete the following table:

Electrostatic force of attraction

Bond Type Formed by…
exists between…

Metal cations and delocalised

Metallic Loss of valence electrons
electrons

Transfer of valence electrons from

Ionic Cations and anions
metal atom to non-metal atom

Covalent Sharing of electrons Nuclei and shared electrons

6. Draw Lewis structures for the following molecules and name their shape:
a. Nitrogen atom (N)

b. Nitrogen gas (N2)

linear

c. Methane (CH4)

tetrahedral

d. Bromine gas (Br2)

linear

7. Define the following terms:

a. Polar bond

12 SACE CHEMISTRY – Start of Year Revision

 A polar bond is a covalent bond in which the bonding e – are not shared equally
between the two bonded (non-metallic) atoms.

b. Polar molecule
A molecule where the charges around the central atom are not evenly distributed.

8. Use the VSEPR theory to explain why hydrogen sulfide is polar, whereas carbon dioxide is
nonpolar even though both molecules contain polar covalent bonds.
In CO2 there are 2 regions of negative charge around the central atom (C). They take
+ up positions to minimise repulsion. The furthest apart they
can be in a straight line, so the shape is linear.

CO2 has two polar double covalent bonds. However, the

bond dipoles cancel each other out because they are in
opposite directions. Hence the CO2 molecule is not polar.

In H2S there are four regions of negative charge around the central atom (S).
+
S
These regions of negative charge take up tetrahedral
positions to minimise repulsion. However, we consider
bonding electron pairs only in naming the shape and so the
molecule is v–shaped.

The two S–H dipoles are equal but not at 180 0 to each other so do
not cancel each other out. Hence the H2O molecule is polar.

12 SACE CHEMISTRY – Start of Year Revision

9. Complete the following table:

10. By referring to the bonding structures involved, explain the following:

a. Gold has a very high melting point
Gold is a metallic substance with metallic bonds. These are strong bonds that take
large amounts of energy to overcome and thus, gold has a very high melting point.

b. Diamond is a very hard substance

Diamond is a covalent network. The covalent bonds between the carbon atoms in
diamond are strong and so atoms remain in fixed positions within the lattice when a
force is applied. Thus, diamond is a hard material.

12 SACE CHEMISTRY – Start of Year Revision

 c. Chlorine (Cl2) is a gas at room temperature
Cl2 is a nonpolar molecule. As such, only weak dispersion forces exist between
molecules of chlorine. Given that these secondary interactions are weak, only small
amounts of energy are required to overcome them. This means that chlorine has a
low boiling point, which is why it is a gas at room temperature.

d. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a poor conductor of electricity in the solid state, but a
good conductor of electricity when dissolved in water
In the solid state, sodium and chloride ions are not free to move. They are in fixed
positions and held in place by strong electrostatic forces of attraction between
oppositely charged ions. This means that the solid cannot conduct electricity.
When in solution, the ionic lattice is broken. The charged ions can slide past one
another and will therefore be able to move in response to an electric field and
conduct electricity.

11. Carbon tetrachloride boils at 77oC whereas sodium chloride boils at 1465 oC.
a. Explain this difference in boiling temperature in terms of the bonding involved in
these substances.
Carbon tetrachloride has covalent bonding and is molecular. Sodium chloride has
ionic bonding and a continuous structure.

Ionic compounds need a large amount of energy to make the ions separate (liquid-
>gas) due to the strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely
charged ions. Covalent, molecular compounds have lower boiling points as the
forces between molecules are weak secondary forces and relatively little energy is
needed to overcome them so that molecule separate; hence the lower boiling point
of carbon tetrachloride compared with sodium chloride.

b. State and explain which of the above substances conducts electricity when in liquid
(molten) form.

Molten sodium chloride will conduct as the oppositely charged ions will be able to
slide past one another and respond to an electric field. In liquid carbon tetrachloride
even though there are mobile molecules, these are uncharged and so liquid carbon
tetrachloride cannot conduct electricity.

12. Butan-2-ol and butanal are two organic molecules that have a similar molar mass.
a. Draw and label the secondary interactions that exist between butan-2-ol molecules.

b. Draw and label the secondary interactions that exist between butanal molecules.

12 SACE CHEMISTRY – Start of Year Revision

c. State which molecule would have the highest boiling point and provide reasons for
your answer.
Hydrogen bonding is stronger than dipole-dipole interactions and therefore you
would expect butan-2-ol (hydrogen bonding present) to have a high boiling point
than butanal (no hydrogen bonding but dipole-dipole interactions present).

d. State why methanol is soluble in water. Support your answer with a diagram.
Methanol is a polar molecule (due to the -OH group and short hydrocarbon chain). It
can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, as shown in the diagram below.
This allows it to be soluble.

12 SACE CHEMISTRY – Start of Year Revision