Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions

Final - December, 2022-2023

1. How do elements achieve noble gas configuration?

Elements achieve noble gas configuration by:
a) Sharing electrons & form covalent bonds
b) Outright transfer of electrons & form ionic bonds.

2. What is ionic bonding? Give 2 examples of ionic compounds.

Ionic bonding is where elements give or take electrons and form positive & negative
ions. Example – NaCl, PbBr2

3. What is empirical formula? Explain by giving an example

The formulae that give ratio of atoms of elements in a compound, rather than the
actual numbers are empirical formulae. Ionic compound formulae are empirical
formulae. Eg. NaCl
Sodium chloride consists of a typical arrangement of anions and cations next to each
other. There is no limit on how large this salt can be and there is no definite ‘end’ of
the lattice. There is a chloride ion for each sodium ion. The empirical formula of
sodium chloride is (Na+Cl-)n

4. Positive ions are called cations

5. Negative ions are called anions

6. Elements in the center to the right of the periodic table form covalent compounds.

7. Give 5 examples of covalent molecules and show the covalent bonding in them.

Covalent molecules Structure

Br2

N2

Cl2

O2

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H2

8. The weak forces between pairs of covalent molecules are called intermolecular forces.

9. The strong electrostatic attraction between pairs of ions makes ionic substances hard.

10. Ionic compounds are brittle due to the strong bond between the positive and negative
ions that make up the molecules. These positive and negative bonds create crystals in
rigid, lattice structures. Applying pressure shifts the alignment of the ions and results
in brittleness.

11. Draw electron dot structures for the following:

Name Structure
Bromide ion

Oxide ion

Barium atom

Caesium atom

Sulfide ion

Magnesium atom

12. Give four differences between ionic and covalent molecular substances.

Ionic substances Covalent molecular substances

Solids at room temperature
High melting points (400°C and above)
High boiling points (1000°C and above)
Hard & brittle
Solid – do not conduct electricity
Liquid/Solution – conduct electricity
Generally gases (N₂, SO₂, NH₃)
Or liquids (H₂O, CCl₄, Ch₃OH)
Few solids (I₂, CBr₄, PCl₅)
Low melting points (below 200°C)
Low boiling points (below 400°C)
When solid, they are soft
Pure – don’t conduct electricity

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

13. Covalent compounds have low melting and boiling points because the intermolecular
forces between these compounds are weak. That is the reason why these compounds
melt & boil at low temperatures.

14. Why do ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points?
The electrostatic forces between these compounds are very strong. That is the reason
why these compounds melt & boil at very high temperatures.

15. Why do ionic compounds when melted or dissolved in water conduct electricity?
When ionic compounds are melted or made into solutions, the orderly arrangement of
ions break and they are free to move.

16. Why covalent compounds do not conduct electricity?

Covalent compounds do not have free electrons. That is the reason, they don’t
conduct electricity.

17. Why are metals good conductor of electricity?

Metals have delocalized electrons to move freely. These electrons help metals conduct
electricity.

18. Give 3 examples of covalent network solids.

a. Mica
b. Quartz
c. Clay

19. What do you mean by:

a. Metals are malleable means that metals can be rolled into sheets
b. Metals are ductile means that metals can be drawn into wires.

20. Give three differences between physical and chemical change.

Physical change Chemical change

No new substance is formed At least one new substance is formed
Easily reversed Difficult to reverse
Very small energy is required A large amount of energy is required

21. What is law of conservation of mass?

Matter can neither be created nor be destroyed, it only changes its form from one to
another.
Total mass of products = total mass of the reactants.

22. Identify the following. Physical Change or Chemical Change. & WHY?

Physical OR Why?
# Scenario
Chemical

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

Umm! A student removes a

loaf of bread hot from the A process of making
1. oven. The student cuts a Physical small pieces & no other
slice off the loaf and change
spreads butter on it.
Your friend decides to toast
a piece of bread, but leaves
it in the toaster too long. The bread is burnt and
2. Chemical
The bread is black and the CO2 is released.
kitchen if full of
smoke

You forgot to dry the bread The knife is probably

knife when you washed it made up iron & rusting in
3. Chemical
and reddish brown spots the presence of moisture
appeared on it. & oxygen.

Water evaporating to
4. You blow dry your wet hair Physical
steam. Steam is also H2O.

In baking cookies and other

quick breads, the baking
The baking power is
powder reacts to release
5. Chemical reacting with the
carbon dioxide bubbles. ingredients to release CO2.
The carbon dioxide bubbles
cause the dough to rise.

You take out your best

Silver reacted with
silver spoons and notice
6. Chemical oxygen, hence black
that they are very dull and spots.
have some black spots

A straight piece of wire is The wire shape is

7. Physical
coiled to form a spring. changed.

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

Food color is dropped into Mixing of food color into

8. Physical
water to give it color. water.

Chewing food to break it

down into smaller particles
represents a _________ Food broken into small
Physical
change, but the changing of pieces.
9. starch into sugars by
enzymes in the digestive Chemical
Food broken down
system represents a chemically for absorption
__________change.

In a fireworks show, the The chemicals present in

10. fireworks explode giving Chemical fireworks burn and heat &
off heat and light light is released.

23. True or False

# T/F Statement
Changing the size and shapes of pieces of wood would be a chemical
1. F
change.
2. T In a physical change, the makeup of matter is changed.

3. T Evaporation occurs when liquid water changes into a gas.

4. T Evaporation is a physical change.

5. F Burning wood is a physical change.

6. F Combining hydrogen and oxygen to make water is a physical change.

7. T Breaking up concrete is a physical change.

8. F Sand being washed out to sea from the beach is a chemical change.

9. F When ice cream melts, a chemical change occurs.

10. F Acid rain damaging a marble statue is a physical change.

24. Give two examples of decomposition reactions

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

a. Breaking Copper nitrate into Copper oxide & Nitrogen dioxide by heat
b. Breaking of Lead Bromide into lead metal & Bromine gas by electricity

25. Give two examples of direct combination reactions.

a. Burning of silver Magnesium (Mg) strip to form white powder, Magnesium
Oxide (MgO). A lot of light & heat energy is released during this reaction.
b. Reddish brown Copper (Cu) combines with yellow Sulphur (S), when heated,
forms black Copper Sulphide (Cu2S) & heat energy is released.

26. What is the difference between electrolysis and boiling of water?

Electrolysis – During this process, water breaks down into Hydrogen & Oxygen gas.
This is a chemical change.
Boiling – During this process, water changes from liquid to gas (steam). This is a
physical change as only the state of matter is changes because steam is also H2O.

27. What are the three ways of decomposing substances? Explain by giving examples.

# Ways to decompose substances Examples

Heat Breaking Copper nitrate into Copper oxide
1.
& Nitrogen dioxide.
Electricity Breaking of Lead Bromide into lead metal
2.
& Bromine gas
Light Breakdown of Silver Chloride into Silver
3.
metal.

28. Define decomposition reaction.

Break down of pure substances (compounds) into their components.

29. Define electrolysis.

Decomposition of any compound with an electric current is called electrolysis.

30. Define electrodes.

The conductors used in the process of electrolysis, that introduce current to a liquid or
solution are called electrodes.

31. Copper nitrate decomposes into

Copper Oxide (CuO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Oxygen gas (O2)

32. Lead bromide decomposes into

Lead Metal (Pb) & Bromine Gas (Br2)

33. Water decomposes into Hydrogen (H2) & Oxygen (O2) gas

34. Is pure water good or bad conductor of electricity? Give reasons to support your
answer.

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

Pure water is a bad conductor of electricity. This happens because water has covalent
bonding between hydrogen & oxygen and no free electrons are there to conduct the
electricity.

Objectives Questions:
35. Which of these could be the electronic configuration of a noble gas?

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

a. 2, 8, 2 c. 2,8,6,
b. 2,8,8 d. 2,8,4

36. Why are ions formed?

a. To make our lives difficult c. Atom donates neutrons
b. Atoms want 8 valence d. Atoms gained neutrons.
electrons

37. Cations are.

a. Positive c. Neutral
b. Negative d. Atoms

38. An atom becomes positive when it gains electrons.

a. True b. False

39. When one atom transfers one or more valence electrons to another atom,
a. Ionic Bond is formed
b. Covalent bond is formed.
c. Metallic bond is formed.
d. Electrostatic bond is formed.

40. When forming bonds, metals tend to

a. Gain electron c. Gain proton
b. Loose electron d. Loose proton.

41. In general, bonds between a nonmetal and a nonmetal are,

a. Ionic Bond c. Hydrogen bond
b. Covalent bond d. Electrostatic bond

42. Any halogen needs to gain 1 additional electron(s) to complete its octet.
a. True b. False

43. How many valence electrons are there in the Lewis electron-dot
structure of Carbon (C)?
a. 6 c. 2
b. 4 d. 3

44. How many valence electron should Lithium have in its Lewis dot model?
a. 1 c. 3
b. 2 d. 0

45. How many valence electrons should Oxygen have in its Lewis dot model?
a. 1 c. 3
b. 2 d. 6

46. What is the correct formula of this?

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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

a. NH3 c. HN
b. N3H d. H2N

47. How many electrons must be shown in the Lewis structure of the Chlorine?
a. 1 c. 8
b. 6 d. 7

48. The substance whose Lewis structure shows three covalent bonds is
a. H2O c. O2
b. NH3 d. H2

49. In Lewis structure, the number of electrons present in the valence shell of the Boron
atom in the BF3 molecule is are
a. 1 c. 3
b. 2 d. 4

50. Which of the following substances does not conduct electricity?

a. Brass c. Iron
b. Copper d. Carbon (diamond)

51. Which of the following does not have a covalent network solid property?
a. Diamond c. Iodine
b. Graphite d. Silicon dioxide

52. Ionic substance are solids at room temperature.

a. True b. False

53. Diamond is a covalent network solid?

a. True b. False

54. Which of these describes the arrangement of particles in a metal?

a. Closely packed electrons with delocalized ions
b. Alternating layers of metal ions and electrons
c. Layers of metal ions surrounded by delocalized electrons
d. Electrovalent bonds

55. NaCl (common salt) have a very high melting point?

a. True b. False

56. Is burning wood is…

a. Physical change c. Natural Change
b. Chemical change d. BBQ change

57. Is breaking of glass …

a. Physical change c. Natural Change
b. Chemical change d. Ignorance change

58. Is a rusting bicycle …

a. Physical change c. Natural Change
b. Chemical change d. Automatic change
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 Upper Chemistry – Practice Questions
Final - December, 2022-2023

59. Is a frying egg

a. Physical change c. Natural Change
b. Chemical change d. Automatic change

60. A decomposition reaction can be recognized because it has...

a. Only one product
b. Only one reactant
c. 2 or more reactants and 2 or more products
d. The presence of a catalyst

61. A decomposition reaction can be represented as,

a. AB  → A + B c. AB + CD → AC + BD
b. A + B → AB d. A + BC → B + AC

62. What type of reaction is this? Al(OH)3 → Al2O3 + H2O

a. Combination c. Single Replacement
b. Decomposition d. Double Replacement

63. The stronger the chemical bond in the compound

a. More energy requires to break the bond
b. Less energy requires to break the bond
c. No energy requires to break the bond
d. Equilibrium

64. Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) decomposes to form

a. Calcium Oxide & Carbon dioxide
b. Calcium & Carbonate
c. Calcium, Carbon & Oxygen
d. Cobalt & Carbonate

65. When two substances were combined, bubbles were produced and the temperature
dropped. This most likely means that:
a. Chemical reaction took place
b. One substance is non-reactive
c. One substance dissolved in the other
d. Both substances are non-reactive.

66. When Copper Nitrate is heated in the test tube,

a. Decomposes into copper oxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen gas
b. Decomposes into copper, nitrogen and oxygen gas
c. Decomposes into nitrogen oxide, copper dioxide and oxygen gas
d. Decomposes into Carbon, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen gas

67. Chemical formula of lime stone is :

a. CaO c. CaCO3
b. Ca(OH)2 d. CO2

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