4.

Inorganic Chemistry

Question Acceptable Answer Mark Additional Guidance

1 a) decreases down a group 1 Allow
b) increase in the size of atom / 1 valence electron further from
increase in shielding effect of filled inner electrons/ 1 nucleus
Decrease in force of attraction between nucleus and Decrease net nuclear charge
valence electrons
2 a) cream colour 1
b) dilute ammonia: no change 1
concentrated ammonia: ppt dissolves 1
c) AgBr(s) + 2NH3 (aq)→ [Ag(NH3 )2] + (aq) + Br - (aq) 1 Do not allow without state
symbols
3 a) Insoluble 1
b) Mg (s) + 2 H2O (l) →Mg(OH)2 (aq) + H2 (g) 1
c) react with increasing vigour 1
d) Magnesium burns in steam to produce 1
magnesium oxide and hydrogen. The Mg would
burn with a bright white flame.
Mg (s) + H2O (g) →MgO (s) + H2 (g) 1 Do not Allow without state
symbols
4 a)
1
b) Group 2 carbonates are more thermally stable as
you go down the group. 1
As the cations get bigger they have less of a
polarising effect and distort the carbonate ion less. 1
The C-O bond is weakened less so it less easily
breaks down 1

c) heat a known mass of carbonate in a side arm

boiling tube and pass the gas produced through lime 1
water.
Time for the first permanent cloudiness to appear in
the limewater. 1
Repeat for different carbonates using the same
moles of carbonate/same volume of
limewater/same Bunsen flame and height of tube 1
above flame.
5 a) nichrome is an unreactive metal and will not give 1
out any flame colour
b) Lithium: red; Sodium : yellow-orange; Potassium : 2 0.5 marks for each correct
lilac; Rubidium : red (reddish-violet) colour
c) heat causes the electron to move to a higher

1
 energy level.
The electron is unstable at the higher energy level 1
and so drops back down.
As it drops back down from the higher to a lower 1
energy level, energy is emitted in the form of visible
light energy with the wavelength of the observed 1
light
6 a) Trend: The reducing power of the halides 1
increases down group 7
Explanation: A reducing agent donates electrons. As 1
the ions get bigger, it is easier for the outer
electrons to be given away as the pull from the
nucleus on them becomes smaller
b) NaCl(s) + H2SO4 (l) → NaHSO4 (s) + HCl(g) 1
Observations: White steamy fumes of HCl are 1
evolved
7 a) Disproportionation is the name for a reaction 1
where an element simultaneously oxidises and
reduces.
b) 1
c) first turn red due to the acidity of both reaction
products. 1
It will then turn colourless as the HClO bleaches the
colour. 1
8 a) The reactivity of the halogens decreases down the 1
group
as the atoms get bigger with more shielding so they 1
less easily attract and accept electrons. They
therefore form -1 ions less easily down the group
b)
i)
1 Do not Allow if equations are
ii) not balanced
1
iii)
1
iv)
1

9 a) warm sodium hydroxide 1 Allow NaOH

b) a pungent gas is evolved which turns damp red 1
litmus paper blue
c) 1
10 a) Silver chloride
Dilute Ammonia 1

2
 Silver bromide
Conc Ammonia 1

Silver iodide 1
No reaction
11 a) barium, calcium, magnesium 1
b) it is safe to use here because of its low solubility. 1 Do not Allow The Barium
suphate absorbs the x-rays
and so the gut shows up on
the x-ray image
Although true that is not what
c) Insoluble Barium sulphate produced will cover the 1 the question is about
surface of the metal and act as a barrier to further
attack.
12 a) Carbonate ions 1
b) The hydrochloric acid is needed to react with 1
carbonate impurities that are often found in salts
which would form a white Barium carbonate 1
precipitate and so give a false result.
b) carbon dioxide 1
13 a) i) before: yellow 1
after: colourless 1
b) Br2(aq) + 2NaOH(aq)→ NaBr(aq) + NaBrO(aq) +
H2O(l) 1
14 a) Electronegativity is the relative tendency of an 1
atom in a molecule to attract electrons in a
covalent bond to itself. 1
b) down the group the electronegativity of the 1
elements decreases.
As one goes down the group the atomic radii 1
increases due to the increasing number of shells.
The nucleus is therefore less able to attract the
bonding pair of electrons
15 a) carbon dioxide evolved 1
pass gas through lime water- lime water turns milky 1
1 Do not accept ionic equation
b)
16 a) White steamy fumes of HCl 1
b) Phosphoric acid is more suitable for producing
hydrogen halides than the ones with concentrated 2 Allow ‘phosphoric acid is not
sulphuric acid because there are no extra redox oxidizing agent- does not
reactions taking place and no other products oxidize product/hydrogen
halide’
c) HCl more dense than air 1
17 a) Missed acidifying the solution (with nitric acid) 1
The role of nitric acid is to react with any carbonates 1
present to prevent formation of the precipitate
Ag2CO3

3
 b) Ag+ (aq) + X- (aq) →AgCl(s) 1
c) it darkens 1
18 a) The reducing power of the halides increases down 1
group 7
They have a greater tendency to donate electrons. 1
This is because as the ions get bigger it is easier for 1
the outer electrons to be given away as the pull
from the nucleus on them becomes smaller.

b)
1
1
19 a) 2Mg (s)+ O2 (g) → 2MgO (s) 1
b) white solid 1
c) MgO (s) + 2HCl (aq) →MgCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) 1
d) it will react more rapidly 1
rate of reaction increases down group because 1
electrons more easily lost
20 a) Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq)→ MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g) 0.5
MgO (s) + 2HCl (aq) → MgCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) 0.5
b) Mg ribbon will have a thin layer of magnesium 1
oxide on it formed by reaction with oxygen in air.
testing for reaction rates with Mg and acid, an un-
cleaned Mg ribbon would give a false result because
both the Mg and MgO would react but at different
rates.
leaned off by emery paper before doing reactions 1
with Mg ribbon

4
Question Acceptable Answer Mark Additional Guidance
1 a) A Bronsted-Lowry acid is defined as a substance 1
that can donate a proton.
A Bronsted-Lowry base is defined as a substance 1
that can accept a proton.
b)
2 1 mark for equations
1 mark for link

c) In the products of an acid-base reaction the 1

substance with bigger Ka will act as the acid 1

2 a) pH= -log [H+] 1

[H+ ] is the concentration of hydrogen ions in the 1
solution 1
b) [H+ ] = 1 x 10-1.35 1

5
 = 0.045M

3 a) The concentration of hydrogen ions in a 1

monoprotic strong acid will be the same as the 1
concentration of the acid. Therefore relationship is:
hydrogen ion in a solution = concentration of the 1
acid in a solution 1
a) pH= –log[0.7] =.15 1
b) Both are strong acids. For HCl and HNO3 the [H+
(aq)] will be the same as the original
concentration of the acid.
4 a) 1

b) Re-arranging the Kc expression gives:

1
Kc x [H2O (l)] = [H+ (aq) ][OH- (aq)]
1
Because [H2O (l)] is much bigger than the
concentrations of the ions, we assume its value is
1
constant and make a new constant Kw.
Kw = [H+ (aq) ][OH- (aq)]
5 a)
1
1
1

b)
[H+ (aq) ] = √ Kw = √ 6.326 x 10-14 =2.52 x 10- 1
7mol dm-3 1
pH = - log 2.52 x 10-7 = 6.6 1
It is still neutral though as [H+ (aq) ] = [OH- (aq)]

6 a)
1

b)
1) [H+ (aq)]eqm = [A-(aq)] eqm because they have 1
dissociated according to a 1:1 ratio.
2) As the amount of dissociation is small we 1
assume that the initial concentration of the
undissociated acid has remained constant. So
[HA (aq) ] eqm = [HA(aq) ] initial
c) 1

6
 1

7 a) pKw = -log Kw so Kw = 10-pKw 1

If Kw = 1x10-14 then pKw =14 1
b) At different temperatures to 25oC the pH of pure
water changes. Le Chatelier’s principle can predict 1
the change. 1
The dissociation of water is endothermic so 1
increasing the temperature would push the
equilibrium to the right giving a bigger
concentration of H+ ions and a lower pH
8 a) 1

b) Sometimes Ka values are quoted as pKa values

pKa = -log Ka 1
so Ka = 10-pKa
c) The larger the Ka the stronger the acid 1
d)
1

9 a)

1
Allow e.c.f
1

10 a) 2

b) From the volumes and concentrations spot it is 1

half neutralization:
pH = pka = -log (1.7 x 10-5 ) 1
= 4.77

7
11 a) At half neutralisation we can make the
assumption that 1
[HA] = [A-] 1
and pH = pka
b) From the volumes and concentrations calculate 1
pH = pka = -log (1.7 x 10-5 ) 1
= 4.77
c) 1

12 a)
1

1
b) Because pH is a logarithmic scale, diluting a
strong acid 10 times will increase its pH by one unit, 1
and diluting it 100 times would increase its pH by
two units
Weak acids would not change in the same way as 1
when they are diluted. They increase by less than 1
unit
CH3CH2CO2H +H2O↔ H3O+ + CH3CH2CO2 1
Diluting the weak acid pushes the equilibrium to
the right so the degree of dissociation increases and
more H+ ions are produced meaning pH increases
less than expected
13 a) An acidic buffer solution is made from a weak acid 1
and a salt of that weak acid ( made from reacting
the weak acid with a strong base). 1
A basic buffer solution is made from a weak base
and a salt of that weak base (made from reacting 1
the weak base with a strong acid). 1
b) acidic buffer solution: ethanoic acid and sodium 1
ethanoate
basic buffer solution: ammonia and ammonium 1
chloride
c) If small amounts of acid is added to the buffer:
Then the equilibrium will shift to the left removing
nearly all the H+ ions added.
If small amounts of alkali is added to the buffer. The
OH ions will react with H+ ions to form water

14

8
 a)
1

Here we assume the [A-] concentration is due to the

1
added salt only.
1
We also assume the Initial concentration of the acid
has remained constant, because amount that has
1
dissociated or reacted is small.
b) The salt content can be added in several ways: a
1
salt solution could be added to the acid or some
solid salt added.
A buffer can also be made by partially neutralizing a
weak acid with alkali and therefore producing salt.
15 b) Work out the moles of both solutions
Moles ethanoic = conc x vol = 0.1 x 0.045 = 1
0.0045mol 1
Moles sodium ethanoate = conc x vol = 0.15 x 1
0.050 = 0.0075

b) 1

16 a) A carbonic acid – hydrogen carbonate equilibrium 1

acts as a buffer in the control of blood pH.
b) The H2CO3 /HCO3 – buffer is present in blood 1
plasma, maintaining a pH between 7.35 and 7.45. 1
c) Adding alkali reacts with H+ so the above 1
Equilibrium would shift right forming new H+ and
more HCO3- 1
H2CO3 ⇌ H+ + HCO3-
17 a) If a small amount of acid is added to a buffer then 1
the moles of the buffer salt would reduce by the
number of moles of acid added and the moles of
buffer acid would increase by the same amount so a
new calculation of pH can be done with the new 1

9
 values.
H + + CH3CO2-(aq) CH3CO2H (aq) 1

b) If a small amount of alkali is added to a buffer

then the moles of the buffer acid would reduce by
the number of moles of alkali added and the moles 1
of salt would increase by the same amount so a new
calculation of pH can be done with the new values.
CH3CO2H (aq) +OH- CH3CO2-(aq) + H2O (l)

18 a)
1. Transfer 25cm3 of acid to a conical flask
with a volumetric pipette 1
2. Measure initial pH of the acid with a pH
meter
3. Add alkali in small amounts (2cm3 ) 1
noting the volume added
4. Stir mixture to equalise the pH 1
5. Measure and record the pH to 1 d.p.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 but when approaching 1
endpoint add in smaller volumes of alkali
7. Add until alkali in excess 1
b) Calibrate meter first by measuring known pH of a
buffer solution. This is necessary because pH meters
can lose accuracy on storage. Most pH probes are 1
calibrated by putting probe in a set buffer (often pH
4) and pressing a calibration button/setting for that
pH. Sometimes this is repeated with a second buffer
at a different pH. 2
c)

19 a)

10
 1

At the start the pH rises quickly and then levels off.

The flattened part is called the buffer region and is
formed because a buffer solution is made.

b)

c)

20 a) An indicator will work if the pH range of the 1

indicator lies on the steep part of the titration curve.
In this case the indicator will change color rapidly
and the color change will correspond to the
neutralization point. 1 Ignore state symbols

1
We can apply Le Chatelier to give us the color. In an
acid solution the H+ ions present will push this
1
equilibrium towards the reactants. Therefore color A
is the acidic color. In an alkaline solution the OH-

11
ions will react and remove H+ ions causing the
equilibrium to shift to the products. Color B is the 1
alkaline color. 1

b) The end-point of a titration is defined as the point

when the color of the indicator changes color. The
end-point of a titration is reached when [HIn] = [In-].
To choose a correct indicator for a titration one
should pick an indicator whose end-point coincides
with the equivalence point for the titration.

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