CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different.

Coursebook answers
Chapter 9
Science in context
This activity introduces rate of reaction in terms
of slow or fast reactions and widens the idea of
rate to slow and fast biological processes. Slow
and fast are relative terms but the idea that very
slow reactions take a few days or more to complete
and very fast ones are complete in a second or less
could be a guide. It might be useful to arrange the
groups so that there are learners taking biology in
each group to help discuss the first question.
Foods which go bad quickly are usually those
which have some water in them which then allows
bacteria and fungi to grow. Although these appear
to be slow reactions because it takes time to release
sufficient enzymes into the growth medium to
decompose it, enzyme- catalysed reactions are
usually rapid and once decomposition of the food
has started, rapid growth of the bacteria or fungus
occurs. Foods which have some sugar in them are
also likely to spoil quickly because the sugar serves
as a good growth medium for bacteria and fungi.
Some fresh foods may also have minute amounts
of bacteria or fungal spores in them which ‘spoil’
them quickly. Fresh berries such as raspberries and
fresh vegetables get fungal growths very rapidly
and fresh fruits also ‘spoil’ easily. Tomatoes,
peaches, mushrooms, cooked grains and yoghurt
are also foods which readily go bad even in the
refrigerator.
Methods of stopping food go bad are:
• Refrigeration: decreasing the rate of enzyme-
catalysed reactions
• Freezing: has similar effect as refrigeration but
affects the texture of many foods.
• Addition of preservatives: These slow bacteria
or fungal growth. Examples are sulfur dioxide,
sulfites (added to fruits and wine), sorbic acid
(added to cheese), sodium nitrite (added to
preserved meats) and sodium nitrate (added
to meat). Preservatives such as sodium nitrite,
however, have been linked to ‘blue baby
syndrome’ and they can also react at high
temperatures with proteins to form harmful
nitrosoamines.
• Pickling: Placing in vinegar. Many bacteria
and fungi do not grow well if the pH is too
acidic.
• Curing and drying: Dry food is less likely to
go bad because bacteria and fungi require
moisture. Curing often involves addition of
salt. Salty conditions help dry the food. Many
bacteria and fungi do not grow well in salty
conditions.
• Canning: Storing foods in cans after cooking
prevents air from entering. Most bacteria and
fungi ‘spoiling’ food need oxygen from the air
for respiration.
Some animals lower their body temperature in
cold seasons to conserve energy when there is
little or no food available. This lowers the rate of
the chemical reactions going on in the body so
less energy is used. Hibernation may last days or
months. Animals that hibernate include hedgehogs
and ground squirrels.
Some reaction which are very fast include explosive
reactions, e.g. the effect of a lighted splint on
hydrogen gas and reactions involving ions. Learners
should be able to make a list of ionic reactions
which appear almost instantaneous, e.g. the
addition of sodium hydroxide to iron(II) ions or
the neutralisation of an alkali by the immediate
addition of excess acid. Photolytic reactions, e.g. the
conversion of chlorine molecules to chlorine atoms
in the presence of ultraviolet light, often occur in
picoseconds (link with activity in Chapter 22).

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

Slow reactions include rusting, hardening of
resins, fermentation reactions and biological
reactions such as decomposition of wood.
Self-assessment questions
1 a 0.254 g I2 = 0.254 / (2 × 127)
= 1.00 × 10−3 mol; this is the change in
number of moles in 1 hour;
volume = 1 dm3, so the change in
concentration is 1.00 × 10−3 mol dm−3
in 1 hour.
As 1 hour = 3600 seconds:
rate = 1.00 × 10−3 3600 s mol
= 2.78 × 10−7 mol dm−3 s−1
b 0.0440 g CH3COOC2H5 = 0.0440 / 88.0
= 5.00 × 10−4 mol; this is the change in
number of moles in 1 hour;
volume = 400 cm3 so the change in
iii  easure the volume of oxygen
M
gas produced. This increases with
time.
iv  ither: Measure the decrease in
E
electrical conductivity. As the
reaction proceeds the bromate,
bromide and hydrogen ions
(which are charge carriers in
aqueous solution) are converted
to molecules (which do not carry
charge).
Or: Measure the increase in colour
of the solution by colorimetry.
The reactants are colourless but
the bromine produced is reddish-
brown.
b Change in temperature changes the
reaction rate markedly. Increase in
temperature increases the value of the
rate constant.
3 a i 1.2

concentration is: [propene] / mol dm–3 1.0

5.00 × 10 × 1000 / 400

−4
0.8
= 1.25 × 10 mol dm in 1 min
−3 −3
0.6
As 1 hour = 60 seconds: 0.4
rate = 1.25 × 10−3 / 60 s mol 0.2
= 2.08 × 10−5 mol dm−3 s−1 0
0 10 20 30 40
2 a i  ither: Measure the decrease in
E
Time / min
electrical conductivity. As the
reaction proceeds the iodide and ii 6.68 × 10−4 mol dm−3 s−1
hydrogen ions (which are charge b initial rate = 9.98 × 10−4 mol dm−3 s−1
carriers in aqueous solution) are
converted to molecules (which do at 0.3 mol dm−3: rate = 8.00 × 10−4 mol
not carry charge). dm−3 s−1

Or: Measure the increase in colour at 0.9 mol dm−3: rate = 4.00 × 10−4 mol
of the solution by colorimetry. dm−3
The reactants are colourless but c i  hen [propene] = 0.00 [cyclopropane]
w
the iodine produced is brown. Or: = 1.50 − 0.0 = 1.50 mol dm−3
Sample the solution and titrate when [propene] = 0.30 [cyclopropane]
the sample with sodium thiosulfate. = 1.50 − 0.30 = 1.20 mol dm−3
ii  itrate small samples with
T when [propene] = 0.50 [cyclopropane]
standard strong alkali using a = 1.50 − 0.50 = 1.00 mol dm−3
suitable acid-base indicator. As
the reaction proceeds, the amount when [propene] = 0.90 [cyclopropane]
of methanoic acid formed increases. = 1.5 − 0.90 = 0.60 mol dm−3

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

ii carbonate ions in the marble chips.

Rate of reaction / 10–4 mol dm–3 s–1

10 The volume of acid will not affect the
initial rate of the reaction.
8
6 C
6
7 a The Boltzmann distribution is a
4 frequency graph showing the numbers
of particles with different energies in a
2
sample at a given temperature.
0 b At the higher temperature the particles
0 0.5 1.0 1.5
[cyclopropane] / mol dm–3
have more energy and are moving
around more quickly. This increases
4 a For example: the rate of the reaction for two reasons:
it increases the frequency of collisions
and it increases the chances of
cotton
successful / effective collisions occurring
wool as the proportion of particles exceeding
the activation energy increases. The
second factor is more important.
8 D
top pan
– g balance 9 a i I t is heterogeneous because the
 reactants (which are gases) are in
b i t he minimum energy required for a different phase to the catalyst
a reaction to occur when reactant (which is a solid).
particles collide ii  catalyst lowers the activation
A
ii a substance that speeds up energy of the reaction so, although
a reaction by providing an it does not affect the distribution
alternative route with a of energies of reactant molecules,
lower activation energy; a there is a greater number of
catalyst also remains chemically molecules in the sample with
unchanged at the end of the reaction energy equal or greater than the
activation energy needed to react.
c option B – increasing the proportion
of particles with energy greater than b For example:
the activation energy
d Increasing the surface area will expose EA uncatalysed
Enthalpy, H / kJmol–1

reaction
more particles to attack by reactant reactants EA(cat)
particles, resulting in more frequent catalysed
reaction
collisions, thereby increasing the rate
∆H
of reaction.
products
5 a option B – 10 cm3 of 1.0 mol dm−3
0
b The more concentrated the acid, 0 Reaction pathway
the greater the number of hydrogen
(or the equivalent energy profile
ions dissolved in a given volume of
diagram for an exothermic reaction)
solution, resulting in an increased
frequency in collisions between the
hydrogen ions in solution and the

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Exam-style questions b more particles per cm3 / particles

closer together / more frequent
1 80
collisions [1]
70
c more surface area exposed to reaction; [1]
60
Volume of gas / cm3

50
therefore more frequent collisions [1]
40 d The higher the temperature, the
30
greater the average kinetic energy of
the particles. [1]
20

10
This leads to more frequent collisions. [1]
0 More of the reactant particles possess
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 the activation energy. [1]
Time / s
The frequency of successful / effective
a Correct labelling of axes with units  [1] collisions increases. [1]

plotting points correctly  [1] [Total: 9]

curve of best fit drawn  [1] 3  hen sketching graphs like these, it is
W
important to attend to all the details, as follows:
b initial gradient drawn as tangent to 0-0[1]
Part a: the line starts at the origin, it rises
• 
rise/ run drawn as triangle [1] to a curved peak then descends towards
52/50 = 1.04 cm3 s−1 (allow error the bottom axis, but doesn’t touch it or
carried forward from incorrect cut it. The line is not symmetrical. The
gradient)  [1] label on the left-hand axis is ‘number of
molecules’ or ‘number of molecules with
c rate decreases with time [1]
energy E’, not ‘number of molecules with
the gradient of the curve gets energy EA.
shallower  [1]
Part c: the Boltzmann distribution is most
• 
d Draw a tangent to the curve at 40 s [1] relevant for a slow reaction, i.e. one with a
calculate the rise / run [1] high value of EA, so put your EA well over
0.1875 to the right.
e moles CaCO3 = = 1.873 × 10−3 mol [1]
100.1 Part f: your second curve should also
• 
40 start at the origin. It should rise at a more
moles HCl = × 0.100
1000 shallow angle to the original curve. Its
= 4 × 10 −3 mol [1] peak should be lower and to the right of
Using the 1:2 stoichiometry in the the peak of the original curve. It should
equation for HCl to be in excess moles cross the original curve then stay above
needs to be 2 × moles CaCO3  [1] the original curve as it descends.
1.873 × 10−3 mol (CaCO3) is less than part a
Number of molecules

2 × 10−3 mol HCl / 1.873 × 2 mol

(CaCO3) is less than 4 × 10−3 mol HCl part d
so CaCO3 is limiting  [1]
f Dashed line on graph shows what is
expected. Initial gradient steeper [1]
higher temperature
line levels off at same final volume  [1] part f
part e
[Total: 16] part c
0
2 a more particles per cm3 / particles 0 EA(cat) EA
closer together; [1] Energy
so more frequent collisions [1]

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a x-axis = energy [1] a reactant line and product line linked

y-axis = number of molecules [1] by ‘up and over’ curve with product
line lower than reactant line [1]
graph line rises from (0, 0) to peak [1]
b as part a, but height of ‘up and over’
tails off but doesn’t reach x-axis [1] curve is lower [1]
b The minimum energy [1] c Activation energy shown as vertical
for a collision to be effective. [1] distance from reactant line to top of
curve.  [1]
c EA shown as vertical line; [1]
[Total: 3]
area under graph to the right of EA
line is shaded [1] 5 I t may help with this question to draw an
energy profile diagram first.
d labelled vertical line to the left of the
original EA line [1] a 2NH3(g) → N2(g) + 3H2(g) [3]
e area under graph to the right of [1 mark for correct formulae; 1 mark
EA(cat) line is shaded [1] for balancing; 1 mark for state symbols]
f Graph line starts at (0, 0), has lower b EA = +335 − 92 = +243 kJ mol−1 [3]
slope and peak than original line so its [1 mark for use of these quantities;
peak is moved to the right; [1] 1 mark for subtracting 92 from 335;
tails off above original line. [1] 1 mark for correct answer with units]
[Total: 12] c It will lower the activation energy. [1]
4 part c: [Total: 7]
activation part a:
energies
without catalyst
part b:
Enthalpy

with catalyst

N2(g) + 3H2(g)
2NH3(g)

Reaction pathway

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