2024-DSE

CHEM
PAPER 2 Candidate Number :

HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION 2024

MOCK EXAM
CHEMISTRY PAPER 2

23 February 2024

11:30 am – 12:30 pm (1 hour)

This paper must be answered in English

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) This paper consists of TWO sections, Section A and Section C. Attempt ALL questions in the TWO
sections.

(2) Write your answers in the Answer Book provided. Start each question (not part of a question) on a
new page.

(3) A Periodic Table is printed on page 9 of this Question Paper. Atomic numbers and relative atomic
masses of elements can be obtained from the Periodic Table.

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–1 (MOCK EXAM)

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 Section A – Industrial Chemistry

Answer ALL parts of the question.

1. (a) Answer the following short questions :

(i) Suggest how nitrogen can be obtained for the Haber process.
(1 mark)
(ii) Ethanol can be produced by fermentation of glucose in the presence of yeast as follows :

C6H12O6(aq)  2C2H5OH(aq) + 2CO2(g)

Calculate the atom economy of the above reaction.

(Relative atomic masses : H = 1.0, C = 12.0, O = 16.0)
(1 mark)
(iii) Flowing mercury cell is one type of cell that can be used in the chloroalkali industry.

product formed at
titanium anode
the anode

used brine
brine product formed at the
flow of mercury cathode flows into a
separate tank

mercury cathode

(1) What is the product formed at the anode ? Explain its formation.
(1 mark)
(2) The product formed at the cathode is added to water in a separate tank. Write the
equation involved.
(1 mark)
(3) Suggest ONE disadvantage of using flowing mercury cell over membrane cell in the
chloroalkali industry.
(1 mark)

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–2 (MOCK EXAM)

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1. (b) An experiment was performed to study the following reaction at a certain temperature.

2ClO2(aq) + 2OH(aq)  ClO2(aq) + ClO3(aq) + H2O(l)

The table below lists the results of the experiment.

Initial concentration (mol dm3) Initial rate

Experiment
[ClO2(aq)] [OH(aq)] (mol dm3 s1)
1 0.3 1.2 0.0540
2 0.3 1.5 0.0675
3 1.2 0.6 0.4320

(i) Deduce the rate equation for the reaction.

(3 marks)
(ii) Calculate the rate constant of the reaction at that temperature.
(1 mark)
–1
(iii) The activation energy for the above reaction is 206 kJ mol . The rate constant of the reaction
at 377 oC is k1. Calculate the rate constant of the reaction at 477 oC in terms of k1.
(Gas constant R = 8.31 J K1 mol1)

(2 marks)

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–3 (MOCK EXAM)

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1. (c) Today, 90% of methanol is manufactured industrially from natural gas. There are three main stages in
the process : syngas production, methanol synthesis and crude methanol purification.

(i) In the syngas production stage, methane and steam react over a catalyst at 700 C and 10 atm.

(1) Write the equation for the production of syngas.

(1 mark)
(2) With the aid of a labelled energy profile (using dotted line ‘----’ to represent the
reaction pathway with catalyst; using solid line ‘⎯⎯’ to represent the one without
catalyst), explain the effect of catalyst on the reaction rate.
(3 marks)

(ii) To adjust the ratio of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in syngas for methanol synthesis, a shift
reaction, in which H2 reacts with CO2, is used to consume some of the hydrogen. Write the
chemical equation for the shift reaction involved.
(1 mark)

(iii) In the methanol synthesis stage, syngas is heated over a catalyst at around 250 C and 100
atm.
CO(g) + 2H2(g) ⇌ CH3OH(g)

(1) State the catalyst used for the reaction shown above.
(1 mark)
(2) Explain the effect on the equilibrium position when the pressure increases to over
100 atm.
(1 mark)

(iv) Carbonylation of methanol is commonly used to produce acetic acid in the chemical industry.

HI
CH3OH + CO CH3COOH
methanol acetic acid

(1) Suggest ONE reason why the carbonylation of methanol is considered as a green
process.
(1 mark)
(2) State ONE advantage of CATIVA process over Monsanto process for the
manufacture of acetic acid.
(1 mark)

END OF SECTION A

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–4 (MOCK EXAM)

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 Section C – Analytical Chemistry

Answer ALL parts of the question.

3. (a) Answer the following short questions :

(i) Suggest a chemical test to show how Na2CO3(aq) and K2SO3(aq) can be distinguished.
(2 marks)
(ii) Suggest a chemical test to show how hexanal and hexan-3-one can be distinguished.
(2 marks)
(iii) Formaldehyde is a common air pollutant. Suggest a source of formaldehyde in indoor air.
(1 mark)

(b) The following dinitrobenzenes were investigated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC).

1,2-dinitrobenzene 1,4-dinitrobenzene

In the first TLC experiment, carried out in a fume cupboard, a student spotted a concentrated solution
of 1,4-dinitrobenzene on a TLC plate. Hexane was used as the mobile phase in a beaker with a lid. The
experimental set-up was shown below :

lid

baseline drawn in ink

hexane

sample solution containing

1,4-dinitrobenzene

(i) Suggest a possible stationary phase for the TLC plate.

(1 mark)
(ii) Identify ONE mistake in the above experimental set-up. Briefly explain what problem the
mistake would cause.
(1 mark)

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–5 (MOCK EXAM)

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3. (b) (iii) After correcting the mistakes in (b)(ii), a second TLC experiment was carried out using
1,2-dinitrobenzene and 1,4-dinitrobenzene. An identical TLC plate was used under the same
conditions with the same solvent. By considering the relative polarities between
1,2-dinitrobenzene and 1,4-dinitrobenzene, state and explain which compound would give a
greater Rf value.
(2 marks)
(iv) The spots obtained in the experiment were invisible. Suggest ONE way to make the spots
visible.
(1 mark)
(v) The student obtained and purified a solid sample of 1,2-dinitrobenzene in the laboratory.
Suggest how she could check whether the solid obtained after purification was pure or not.
(1 mark)

(c) The following experimental procedures were used to determine the value of x in the formula of a sample
of hydrated barium chloride, BaCl2xH2O(s) :

Step 1 : 1.57 g of BaCl2xH2O(s) was dissolved in distilled water and made up to 250.0 cm3 in a
volumetric flask.
Step 2 : 10.0 cm3 of barium chloride solution was transferred to a conical flask. Excess sodium
sulphate solution was added and the mixture was swirled thoroughly.
Step 3 : Three drops of potassium chromate solution was added to the conical flask.
Step 4 : The resulting mixture was titrated with 0.0324 M silver nitrate solution until the end point was
reached. The end point was shown by the appearance of a precipitate of a certain colour.
Step 5 : The above steps were repeated several times until consistent results were obtained. The mean
titre was 15.85 cm3.

(i) Explain why it is necessary to add sodium sulphate solution before the titration in Step 2.
(1 mark)
(ii) Suggest the colour of the precipitate formed when the end point was reached in Step 4.
(1 mark)
(iii) Determine the value of x in the formula of a sample of hydrated barium chloride,
BaCl2xH2O(s).
(Relative atomic masses : Ba = 137.3, Cl = 35.5, H = 1.0, O = 16.0)
(2 marks)

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–6 (MOCK EXAM)

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3. (d) A bag containing a white powder was discovered, and it was suspected that the powder might be either
cocaine or starch. To confirm its identity, the powder was analysed using infrared spectroscopy and
mass spectrometry. The structures of starch and cocaine are shown below :

starch

cocaine

(i) The infrared spectrum of the white powder is shown below :

With reference to the information given in the infrared spectrum, explain whether the white
powder was starch or not.

Characteristic Infra-red Absorption Wavenumber Ranges (Stretching modes)

Bond Compound type Wavenumber range / cm–1
C=C Alkenes 1610 to 1680
C=O Aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives 1680 to 1800
C≡C Alkynes 2070 to 2250
C≡N Nitriles 2200 to 2280
O–H Acids (hydrogen-bonded) 2500 to 3300
C–H Alkanes, alkenes, arenes 2840 to 3095
O–H Alcohols, phenols (hydrogen-bonded) 3230 to 3670
N–H Amines 3350 to 3500

(1 mark)

2024-DSE-CHEM 2–7 (MOCK EXAM)

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3. (d) (ii) Mass spectrometry was also used to analyse the white powder. The mass spectrum of cocaine
(C17H21NO4) is shown below :

(1) State and explain the relative molecular mass of cocaine.

(1 mark)
(2) Suggest the chemical species corresponding to the peaks at m/z = 272 and 182
respectively.
(2 marks)
(3) Suggest ONE advantage of using mass spectrometry in forensic investigation.
(1 mark)

END OF SECTION C
END OF PAPER

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2024-DSE-CHEM 2–10 (MOCK EXAM)
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