(a) In this experiment, identify

Magnesium
(i) an element;

Magnesium oxide and magnesium nitride

(ii) two compounds;

The white solid consisting of magnesium oxide and magnesium nitride

(iii) a mixture.

(b) State the evidence to indicate that a chemical change has taken place.
Energy was given off — a bright flame was produced when magnesium was burnt. When magnesium

was heated, new substances such as magnesium oxide and magnesium nitride were formed.

(c) Name two elements that magnesium reacted with.

Oxygen and nitrogen

(d) Magnesium nitride is made up of three atoms of magnesium and two atoms of nitrogen. What
is the formula of magnesium nitride?
Mg3N2

Section C: Free-Response Question

Answer the following question.

1. Read the article below about methods of food preservation.

Micro-organisms cause food to decay. They require water, and sometimes oxygen, to grow and
reproduce. Many micro-organisms can be killed by heat or chemicals such as sodium chloride,
sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and sulfur dioxide. Thus, these methods are used for preserving
food.

In preparing canned food, food is first placed in metal cans. These metal cans are usually
made of steel, an alloy, and coated with tin on the inside and the outside. To preserve the food,
air is sucked out of the cans before they are sealed. The cans are then heated under pressure
to kill the micro-organisms inside.

Another method of preservation is salting. Salt (sodium chloride) is added to meat to kill micro-
organisms. Salting can be done in several ways. Dry-salting involves burying meat in granular
salt, while brine-curing involves soaking meat in concentrated salt solution.

(a) State two differences between compounds and mixtures.

The components in a mixture can be separated by physical methods, while the components of a

compound can only be separated by chemical reactions. The components of a mixture are not fixed in

proportion, while those of a compound are fixed.

© 2013 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Private Limited Worksheet 3 21

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