2020-DSE

CHEM
Candidate Number :
PAPER 1A

HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION 2020

MOCK EXAM
CHEMISTRY PAPER 1
19 February 2020

8:25 am – 10:55 am (2 hours and 30 minutes)

This paper must be answered in English

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. There are TWO sections, A and B, in this Paper. You are advised to finish Section A in about 45
minutes.

2. Section A consists of multiple-choice questions in this question paper, while Section B contains
conventional questions printed separately in Question-Answer Book B.

3. Answers to Section A should be marked on the Multiple-choice Answer Sheet while answers to
Section B should be written in the spaces provided in Question-Answer Book B. The Answer
Sheet for Section A and the Question-Answer Book for Section B will be collected separately at
the end of the examination.

4. A Periodic Table is printed on page 22 of Question-Answer Book B. Atomic numbers and relative
atomic masses of elements can be obtained from the Periodic Table.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECTION A (MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS)

1. Read carefully the instructions on the Answer Sheet and insert the information required in the spaces
provided (including shading the boxes for Class and Class No).

2. When told to open this book, you should check that all the questions are there. Look for the words
‘END OF SECTION A’ after the last question.

3. All questions carry equal marks.

4. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS. You are advised to use an HB pencil to mark all the answers on the
Answer Sheet, so that wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. You must mark the
answer clearly; otherwise you will lose marks if the answers cannot be captured.

5. You should mark only ONE answer for each question. If you mark more than one answer, you will
receive NO MARKS for that question.

6. No marks will be deducted for wrong answers.

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–1 (MOCK EXAM)

1
This section consists of two parts. There are 24 questions in PART I and 12 questions in PART II.

Choose the best answer for each question.

Candidates may refer to the Periodic Table printed on page 22 of Question-Answer Book B.

PART I

1. The following diagram shows how the components of air can be separated in a fractionating column :

air

gas A

gas B
gas D and
water vapour are
gas C
removed

Which of the following statements concerning the gases being separated out is INCORRECT ?

A. The ascending order of the boiling points of gases A, B and C is A < B < C.
B. Gas B exists as diatomic molecules in the atmosphere.
C. Gas C supports the combustion of fuels.
D. Gas D is an essential component for making soft drinks.

2. Which of the following processes only involves physical change ?

A. extracting sodium chloride from sea water

B. bubbling carbon dioxide gas into limewater
C. adding water to quicklime
D. heating marble strongly in air

3. Which of the following statements concerning the Periodic Table is / are correct ?

(1) Electronegativity of elements decreases down the group.

(2) An element with the electronic arrangement of 2,8,18,8,2 is identified as Ba in the Periodic Table.
(3) The lower the element located in each group, the more reactive the element is.

A. (1) only
B. (1) and (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–2 (MOCK EXAM)

2
4. Sodium is an important element for human health. It is recommended that the maximum daily intake of sodium
by an adult should not exceed 2.4 g. Monosodium glutamate (C5H8NO4Na) is a flavor enhancer commonly added
to food. What is the mass of sodium intake when 1.3 g of monosodium glutamate is consumed ?

(Relative atomic masses : H = 1.0, N = 14.0, C = 12.0, O = 16.0, Na = 23.0)

A. 0.12 g
B. 0.18 g
C. 0.26 g
D. 0.33 g

5. 1.173 g of CoCl2nH2O was heated, cooled and reweighed. The mass of the residue was 0.641 g. Which of the
following is the value of n ?

(Relative atomic masses : H = 1.0, O = 16.0, Cl = 35.5, Co = 58.9)

A. 2
B. 5
C. 6
D. 10

6. 60.0 cm3 of 0.13 M nitric acid was added to 40.0 cm3 of 0.16 M potassium hydroxide. What is the pH of the
resulting solution ?

A. 0.89
B. 1.63
C. 1.85
D. 2.25

7. A colourless aqueous solution of compound P can conduct electricity and turns red litmus paper blue. It can be
deduced that

A. P must be an ionic compound.

B. P must contain hydroxide ion in its chemical formula.
C. solution of P must contain more ions than molecules.
D. solution of P must contain more OH- ions than H+ ions.

8. Which of the following acids can react with silver ?

(1) dilute sulphuric acid

(2) concentrated nitric acid
(3) concentrated hydrochloric acid

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–3 (MOCK EXAM)

3
9. Which of the following hazard warning labels should be displayed on the reagent bottle of glacial ethanoic acid ?

(1) (2) (3)

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

10. In an experiment, a copper rod wrapped with an iron wire is placed in dilute sulphuric acid. The following
diagram shows the set-up :

copper rod iron wire

dilute sulphuric acid

Which of the following statements about the experiment is INCORRECT ?

A. The iron wire gradually gets thinner.

B. The solution turns pale green eventually.
C. Silvery grey solid slowly deposits on the immersed part of the copper rod.
D. The mass of the copper rod remains constant throughout the experiment.

11. The following diagram shows the structure of a S12 molecule. Each ball represents a sulphur atom :

Which of the following statements about S12 are correct ?

(1) S8 and S12 are allotropes.

(2) Each sulphur atom is joined to two other sulphur atoms by covalent bonds.
(3) The molecule obeys the octet rule.

A. (1) and (2) only

B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–4 (MOCK EXAM)

4
12. Which of the following compounds can form hydrogen bonds between its / their own molecules ?

(1) CH2Cl2
(2) N 2H 4
(3) HCOOCH3

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

13. Four petroleum fractions are collected using the following set-up.

thermometer
stand

mineral wool soaked bent delivery tube

with petroleum

ice
heat water

petroleum fraction

Which of the following would increase with the sequence that the petroleum fractions are collected ?

(1) volatility
(2) viscosity
(3) sootiness of flame when burnt

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

14. Which of the following statements about vinyl acetate given below is / are correct ?

CH3COOCH=CH2

(1) It has the same molecular formula as methyl propenoate.

(2) It can decolorize acidified potassium dichromate solution.
(3) It can undergo addition polymerization.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–5 (MOCK EXAM)

5
15. A fuel cell sensor can be used for alcohol detection. A simplified diagram of the fuel cell sensor is shown below.

ethanol
(from breath sample)

anode (coated with

platinum black)

acidic solution as
electrolyte
cathode (coated with
platinum black)

The fuel cell sensor consists of an acidic solution as electrolyte. The electrodes are porous and coated with finely
divided platinum (called platinum black).

Which of the following statements about the fuel cell sensor is INCORRECT ?

A. Ethanol (from the breath sample) is the reducing agent.

B. The reaction occurred at the anode is : C2H5OH + 3H2O  2CO2 + 12H+ + 12e-
C. The reaction occurred at the cathode is : O2 + 2H2O + 4e-  4OH
D. The overall reaction in the fuel cell sensor is : C2H5OH + 3O2  2CO2 + 3H2O

16. Consider the following electrolytic cells, in which electrodes P and S are made of copper while Q and R are made
of graphite :

P Q R S

H2SO4(aq) CuSO4(aq)

What would happen during electrolysis ?

A. Oxygen forms around P.

B. Hydrogen forms around Q.
C. Copper forms around R.
D. Copper(II) ions form around S.

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–6 (MOCK EXAM)

6
17. Consider the following reaction :

A+B→C+D ∆H < 0

Which of the following statements concerning the reaction is / are correct ?

(1) The enthalpies of A + B can be determined experimentally.

(2) The energy absorbed for bond-breaking processes is less than the energy released during bond-
formation processes.
(3) The enthalpies of the products are higher than those of the reactants.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

18. Which of the following equations represents the standard enthalpy change of combustion ?

1
A. H2(g) + .O2(g)  H2O(l)
2
1
B. C(s) + .O2(g)  CO(g)
2
C. 2C2H6(g) + 7O2(g)  4CO2(g) + 6H2O(l)
1
D. H2S(g) + .O2(g)  S(s) + H2O(g)
2

19. 75.0 cm3 of 1.0 M nitric acid was mixed with 75.0 cm3 of 1.0 M sodium hydroxide solution in a simple calorimeter.
The temperature of the reaction mixture rose from 22.0C to 28.5C. What is the enthalpy change of the reaction
between nitric acid and sodium hydroxide solution ?

(Assume that the specific heat capacity and the density of the reaction mixture are the same as those of water, i.e.
4.2 J g1 K1 and 1.0 g cm–3 respectively.)

A. 27.3 kJ mol1
B. 52.9 kJ mol1
C. 54.6 kJ mol1
D. 109.2 kJ mol1

20. Which of the following does NOT exhibit a characteristic of vanadium as a transition metal ?

A. Vanadium is a silvery metal that resists corrosion.

B. Vanadium(II) sulphate solution is violet.
C. Vanadium(III) ion is reduced to vanadium(II) ion by zinc.
D. Vanadium(V) oxide can be used as a catalyst in Contact Process.

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–7 (MOCK EXAM)

7
21. Consider the following four oxides of Period 3 elements :

Na2O Al2O3 P4O10 Cl2O

Which of the following statements about the oxides above are INCORRECT ?

(1) Na2O has a higher melting point than Al2O3.

(2) The acid formed by dissolving Cl2O in water is stronger than that formed by dissolving P4O10 in water.
(3) Al2O3 can react with both dilute sulphuric acid and dilute potassium hydroxide.

A. (1) and (2) only

B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

22. Both silicon and sulphur are elements in Period 3 of the Periodic Table. Which of the following about their oxides
is correct ?

A. Both silicon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are colourless gases at room conditions.
B. Both sulphur dioxide and sulphur trioxide molecules are non-polar.
C. Both silicon dioxide and sulphur dioxide dissolve in water to form hydrogen ions.
D. Both silicon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are acidic oxides.

23. Which of the following is the correct ascending order of boiling points of the four compounds as shown below ?

P Q R S

A. S<R<Q<P
B. R<S<P<Q
C. R<S<Q<P
D. Q<S<P<R

24. Consider the following statements and choose the best answer :

1st statement 2nd statement

All ionic compounds contain ionic bonds only. Ionic bonds are the attractive forces between
oppositely charged ions.

A. Both statements are true and the 2nd statement is a correct explanation of the 1st statement.
B. Both statements are true but the 2nd statement is NOT a correct explanation of the 1st statement.
C. The 1st statement is false but the 2nd statement is true.
D. Both statements are false.

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–8 (MOCK EXAM)

8
PART II

25. NO(g) and O2(g) are added to a 2 dm3 sealed container. The following reaction occurs :

2NO(g) + O2(g) 2NO2(g)

The change in number of moles of NO(g) is shown in the following table.

Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5

Number of moles of
0.020 0.010 0.008 0.007 0.007 0.007
NO(g) (mol)

What is the average rate of consumption of O2(g) in the first two seconds ?

A. 0.0015 mol dm3 s1

B. 0.0030 mol dm3 s1
C. 0.0450 mol dm3 s1
D. 0.0060 mol dm3 s1

26. In the graphs below, Curve (i) was obtained when 3 g of zinc granules reacted with excess 2.0 M hydrochloric acid.
Curves (ii) and (iii) were obtained after replacing excess 2.0 M hydrochloric acid with the following acids.

Curve (ii) : excess 2.0 M ethanoic acid

Curve (iii) : excess 2.0 M sulphuric acid

Which of the following graphs represents the Curves (i), (ii) and (iii) correctly ?

A. B.

ii
Volume of H2

i
iii

Time

C. D.

iii
Volume of H2

i
ii

Time

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–9 (MOCK EXAM)

9
27. Consider the following alkaline hydrolysis reaction :

HCOOCH3(aq) + NaOH(aq)  HCOONa(aq) + CH3OH(aq)

Which of the following methods can be used to follow the progress of the above reaction?

A. Measure the change in mass of the reaction mixture

B. Measure the change in colour intensity of the reaction mixture
C. Measure the change in change in pressure of the reaction system
D. Measure the change in concentration of NaOH(aq) by titrimetric analysis

28. Which of the following statements about the use of a positive catalyst is / are correct ?

(1) It increases the yield of products.

(2) It remains chemically unchanged at the end of a reaction.
(3) It increases the rate of backward reaction.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

29. Consider the following three equilibrium systems :

(1) PCl5(g) PCl3(g) + Cl2(g)

(2) H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g)
(3) N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)

Initially, the underlined species have the same equilibrium concentration. The volumes of the equilibrium
mixtures are then reduced by half at the same temperature. What is the correct order of the concentrations of the
underlined species when the reactions restore equilibrium ?

A. [NH3] > [HI] > [PCl3]

B. [PCl3] > [HI] > [NH3]
C. [HI] > [NH3] > [PCl3]
D. [NH3] > [PCl3] > [HI]

30. Consider the following chemical equilibrium in a sealed container with constant volume :

2NO(g) + 2CO(g) N2(g) + 2CO2(g)

Which of the following can indicate that an equilibrium has been established ?

(1) When two moles of carbon monoxide are consumed, one mole of nitrogen forms.
(2) The pressure of the reaction mixture remains unchanged.
(3) The density of the reaction mixture remains unchanged.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–10 (MOCK EXAM)

10
31. Consider the following reaction :

C(aq) A(aq) + B(aq) ΔH = +ve

The following graph shows the change in concentrations of the reactant and products with time :

Concentration
C(aq)
B(aq)
A(aq)

Time
t

Which of the following changes is done to the system at time t ?

A. decreasing the temperature

B. increasing the temperature
C. increasing the concentration of C(aq)
D. decreasing the concentration of C(aq)

32. Consider the following conversion of organic compounds :

O O O O
step 1 step 2

H OH HO Cl Cl
OH

Which of the following combinations of steps is correct ?

Step 1 Step 2
A. LiAlH4, dry ether ; then H+( aq) HCl(g)
B. NaBH4, ethanol ; then H+(aq) HCl(g)
C. LiAlH4, dry ether ; then H+(aq) PCl3(l)
D. NaBH4, ethanol ; then H+(aq) PCl3(l)

33. Which of the following processes can form sodium ethanoate ?

(1) heating ethanoic acid with NaOH(aq)

(2) heating ethanamide with NaOH(aq) under reflux
(3) heating chloroethane with NaOH(aq)

A. (1) and (2) only

B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–11 (MOCK EXAM)

11
34. Which of the following is the major product formed when the following compound is refluxed with excess acidified
potassium dichromate solution ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

35. Which of the following can be used to remove cooking oil stains ?

(1) CH3(CH2)17COONa(aq)
(2) NaOH(aq)
(3) CH3COCH3(aq)

A. (1) only
B. (1) and (2) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

36. Consider the following statements and choose the best answer :

1st statement 2nd statement

The larger the Kc value, the faster is the reaction to If a reaction has a very large Kc value, the
reach equilibrium. equilibrium concentrations of products are much
higher than that of reactants.

A. Both statements are true and the 2nd statement is a correct explanation of the 1st statement.
B. Both statements are true but the 2nd statement is NOT a correct explanation of the 1st statement.
C. The 1st statement is false but the 2nd statement is true.
D. Both statements are false.

END OF SECTION A

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–12 (MOCK EXAM)

12
Paper 1A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

There is an excellent collection of school experiments taken from the RSC and Nuffield
Foundation's Practical Chemistry website. These cover a wide variety of topics, classified
by topic and by academic level - introductory, intermediate or advanced, as well as a few
exciting demonstrations and "enhancement chemistry".
http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/wiki/Lab:Experiments

Lab:List of advanced level Practical Chemistry experiments

http://www.rsc.org/learn-
chemistry/wiki/Lab:List_of_advanced_level_Practical_Chemistry_experiments

Fun Experiments
http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-chemistry/fun-experiments

2020-DSE-CHEM 1A–13 (MOCK EXAM)

13