REVISION QUESTIONS (INORGANIC)

1. Although Boron is in Group (III) of the periodic table, it resembles silicon

which is in Group (IV) in some properties.
a) State four properties in which Boron resembles silicon.
b) Give one reason for the anomalous behavior of boron.
2. Draw the structure and name the shape of the following compounds;

Compound Shape Name of shape

PH3

SF4

2−¿¿
CrO 4

HCCl3

−¿¿
NH 2

NO−¿¿
2

SO 2

SO 3

1
 H2O

CO2

H3O+

PCl5

NH3

2−¿ ¿
SO 4

3. a) Explain what is meant by the term first electron affinity.

b) State three factors that can affect electron affinity.
c) The first electron affinities of some elements of period 3 are given in the
table below;

2
 Element Al Si P S
First electron
affinity (KJmol-) -44 -134 -71.7 -200
(i) State the trend in variation of electron affinities.
(ii) Explain your answer in (c)(i) above.
4. a) What is meant by the term electropositivity?
b) Explain the variation of electropositivity;
i) across the elements of a period in the periodic table
ii) down the members of a group in the periodic table
c) The table below shows decomposition temperature of the carbonates of
group(ii) elements;

Metal carbonate MgCO3 CaCO3 SrCO3 BaCO3

Decomposition
temperature(oC) 404 826 1098 1370
i) State how the decomposition temperature varies for the metal carbonates
shown in the table.
ii) Explain your answer in (b)(i).

5. The atomic number of Aluminium is 13.

a) Write the electronic configuration of Aluminium.
b) (i)Sketch a graph to represent the successive ionization energies of
aluminium.
(ii)Explain the shape of your graph.
c) Explain why the first ionization energy of aluminium is lower than that of
magnesium. (atomic number of magnesium is 12)
6. a) Define the term bond polarization.
b) Why is aluminium hydride covalent while sodium hydride is ionic?

7. The first ionization energies of some group II metals of the periodic table and
the melting points of their chlorides are given below;

Metal Mg Ca Sr Ba
First ionization

3
 energies (KJmol-) 738 590 549 505
Melting point of
chlorides(oC) 708 772 873 967
Explain why;
i) Ionization energy decreases with increasing atomic number.
ii) Melting points of the chlorides of these metals increase with increase in
atomic number.
8. Explain the following observations;
a) Silicon and phosphorus are both covalent substances, but the melting point
of silicon is much higher than that of phosphorus.
b) Lattice energy of magnesium oxide is more exothermic than that of
magnesium chloride.
c) Carbon tetrachloride is not deflected by a charged rod while trichloro
methane is deflected.
d) Nitrogen is a gas at room temperature whereas phosphorus is a solid at the
same temperature yet both of them belong to the same group in the periodic
table.
e) Water is a liquid while hydrogen sulphide is a gas at room temperature yet
the formula mass of hydrogen sulphide is greater than that of water.
f) Boron trichloride is a non-polar molecule whereas nitrogen trichloride is
polar.
9. a) State two properties in which beryllium shows diagonal relationship with
aluminium.
b) Write equations to illustrate the properties stated in (a).

10. State the coordination number and oxidation state of the central atom.

Formula of compound Coordination number Oxidation state

2−¿¿
CoCl4
Fe(CN )3−¿¿
6

Ag¿ ¿ )2

END