Contest 25

Round 1A
State the following laws as applied to chemical reactions:
1. The law of conservation of mass
Ans: In any system undergoing a chemical change, the total mass of the products is
equal to the total mass of the reactants. OR Amount of matter in the system remains
constant (i.e. mass is neither created nor destroyed).

2. The law of definite proportions

Ans: A given chemical compound always contains the exact same proportions by mass
of elements.

3. The law of multiple proportions

Ans: When two elements combine to form more than one compound, the mass of one
element, which combines with a fixed mass of the other element, will always be in ratios
of small/simple whole numbers.

Round 1B
A 50.0 cm3 of a 0.010 moldm-3 solution of HNO3 is titrated against 0.020 moldm-3 of NaOH.

1. Determine the pH before any amount of NaOH has been added.

Ans: pH = 2.0

[HNO3] = [H+] = 0.010 moldm-3

pH = -log (0.010) = 2.0

2. Determine the pH when 25 cm3 of NaOH has been added.

Ans: pH = 7.0

After adding 25 cm3 of NaOH, moles of NaOH is equal to moles of HNO3

Mole of NaOH = 0.050 × 0.010 = 5.0 × 10-4
Mole of HNO3 = 0.025 × 0.020 = 5.0 × 10-4
At equivalence point, only NaNO3 will be present
Since NaNO3 does not contribute to pH, pH of solution will be from water

3. What concentration of NaOH is left unreacted when 50 cm3 of NaOH has been added?

Ans: [NaOH] = 5.0 × 10-3 moldm-3

Mole of HNO3 = 0.050 × 0.010 = 5.0 × 10-4

Mole of NaOH = 0.050 × 0.020 = 1.0 × 10-3
Hence [NaOH] left = 5.0 × 10-4/0.10 = 5.0 × 10-3 moldm-3
 Contest 25

Round 2
1. The half-life of sodium – 24 is 15 hours. Calculate how long it takes for a 48 g sample of
sodium – 24 to decay to 3.0 g.
Ans: 60 hours
From 48 g to 3.0 g is equivalent to 4 half-lives
Hence time taken = 4 × 15 hours = 60 hours

2. Upon heating, CaCO3 produces CaO and CO2. Given that 25.2 g of CaCO3 was heated to
produce 10.8 g of CaO, calculate the mass of CO2 produced given that matter is
conserved. Atomic mass (g/mol) of Ca = 40, O=16, C=12.

Ans: 14.4 g
25.2 g = 10.8 g + mass of CO2
Hence mass of CO2 = 25.2 – 10.8 g = 14.4 g

3. What is the main product formed from the oxidation of ethyl benzene with KMnO4?
Ans: Benzoic acid OR benzene carboxylic acid

Round 4A

1. As the number of protons in the nucleus increases, nuclear charge increases Ans: T

2. As nuclear charge increases, electron affinity decreases Ans: F

3. The closer an electron is to the nucleus, the higher the attraction on it Ans: T
 Contest 25

Round 4B

1. A molecule of Carbon (IV) oxide is linear in shape Ans: T

2. A molecule of phosphorus (III) fluoride is trigonal pyramidal in shape Ans: T

3. A molecule of Sulphur (IV) oxide is linear in shape Ans: F

Round 5

1. I am present at the beginning and at the end

2. I don’t change

3. Others around me change and I am happy to help them do so

4. My role is to help others overcome barriers

5. I facilitate change from reactants to products

Who am I?

Ans: Catalyst