2009 U. S.

NATIONAL
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD
LOCAL SECTION EXAM
Prepared by the American Chemical Society Olympiad Examinations Task Force

OLYMPIAD EXAMINATIONS TASK FORCE

Arden P. Zipp, State University of New York, Cortland, NY
Chair
James Ayers, Mesa State College, Grand Junction, CO

Paul Groves, South Pasadena HS, South Pasadena, CA

Sherry Berman-Robinson, Consolidated HS, Orland Park, IL (retired) Preston Hays, Glenbrook South HS, Glenbrook, IL
Seth Brown, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN

David Hostage, Taft School, Watertown, CT

Peter Demmin, Amherst HS, Amherst, NY (retired)

Marian Dewane, Centennial HS, Boise, ID

Adele Mouakad, St. Johns School, San Juan, PR

Jane Nagurney, Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton, PA

Valerie Ferguson, Moore HS, Moore, OK

Ronald Ragsdale, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

Kimberly Gardner, US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

DIRECTIONS TO THE EXAMINER

This test is designed to be taken with an answer sheet on which the student records his or her responses. All answers are to be marked
on that sheet, not written in the booklet. Each student should be provided with an answer sheet and scratch paper, both of which must
be turned in with the test booklet at the end of the examination. Local Sections may use an answer sheet of their own choice.
The full examination consists of 60 multiple-choice questions representing a fairly wide range of difficulty. Students should be
permitted to use non-programmable calculators. A periodic table and other useful information are provided on page two of this exam
booklet for student reference.
Suggested Time: 60 questions110 minutes

DIRECTIONS TO THE EXAMINEE

DO NOT TURN THE PAGE UNTIL DIRECTED TO DO SO.
This is a multiple-choice examination with four choices for each question. There is only one correct or best answer to each question.
When you select your choice, blacken the corresponding space on the answer sheet with your pencil. Make a heavy full mark, but no
stray marks. If you decide to change your answer, be certain to erase your original answer completely.

Not valid for use as an ACS Olympiad Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009. STOCK CODE OL09
Distributed by the ACS DivCHED Examinations Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS

n Faraday constant
F molar
A free energy
G molar mass
atm frequency
mole
u gas constant
R Plancks constant
A gram
g pressure
NA hour
h rate constant
C joule
J reaction quotient
c kelvin
K second
C kilo prefix
k speed of light
E liter
L temperature, K
Ea measure of pressure mmHg time
H milli prefix
m volt
S
molal
m volume
K

amount of substance
ampere
atmosphere
atomic mass unit
atomic molar mass
Avogadro constant
Celsius temperature
centi prefix
coulomb
electromotive force
energy of activation
enthalpy
entropy
equilibrium constant

CONSTANTS
M
M
mol
h
P
k
Q
s
c
T
t
V
V

R = 8.314 Jmol1K1
R = 0.0821 Latmmol1K1
1 F = 96,500 Cmol1
1 F = 96,500 JV1mol1
NA = 6.022 1023 mol1
h = 6.626 1034 Js
c = 2.998 108 ms1
0 C = 273.15 K

EQUATIONS

E = Eo !

1
1A
1
H

RT
ln Q
nF

"k % E " 1 1 %
ln$$ 2 '' = a $$ ( ''
# k1 & R # T1 T2 &

$ "#H '$ 1 '

ln K = &
)& ) + constant
% R (% T (

PERIODIC TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS

18
8A
2
He

3
Li

2
2A
4
Be

13
3A
5
B

14
4A
6
C

15
5A
7
N

16
6A
8
O

17
7A
9
F

6.941

9.012

10.81

12.01

14.01

16.00

19.00

20.18

11
Na

12
Mg

13
Al

14
Si

15
P

16
S

17
Cl

18
Ar

22.99

24.31

26.98

28.09

30.97

32.07

35.45

39.95

19
K

31
Ga

32
Ge

33
As

34
Se

35
Br

36
Kr

1.008

4.003

10
Ne

20
Ca

3
3B
21
Sc

4
4B
22
Ti

5
5B
23
V

6
6B
24
Cr

7
7B
25
Mn

8
8B
26
Fe

9
8B
27
Co

10
8B
28
Ni

11
1B
29
Cu

12
2B
30
Zn

39.10

40.08

44.96

47.88

50.94

52.00

54.94

55.85

58.93

58.69

63.55

65.39

69.72

72.61

74.92

78.96

79.90

83.80

37
Rb

38
Sr

39
Y

40
Zr

41
Nb

42
Mo

43
Tc

44
Ru

45
Rh

46
Pd

47
Ag

48
Cd

49
In

50
Sn

51
Sb

52
Te

53
I

54
Xe

85.47

87.62

88.91

91.22

92.91

95.94

(98)

101.1

102.9

106.4

107.9

112.4

114.8

118.7

121.8

127.6

126.9

131.3

55
Cs

56
Ba

57
La

72
Hf

73
Ta

74
W

75
Re

76
Os

77
Ir

78
Pt

79
Au

80
Hg

81
Tl

82
Pb

83
Bi

84
Po

85
At

86
Rn

132.9

137.3

138.9

178.5

180.9

183.8

186.2

190.2

192.2

195.1

197.0

200.6

204.4

207.2

209.0

(209)

(210)

(222)

87
Fr

88
Ra

89
Ac

104
Rf

105
Db

106
Sg

107
Bh

108
Hs

109
Mt

110
Ds

111
Rg

112
Uub

114
Uuq

(223)

(226)

(227)

(261)

(262)

(263)

(262)

(265)

(266)

(269)

(272)

(277)

(2??)

!
58
Ce

Page 2

59
Pr

60
Nd

61
Pm

62
Sm

63
Eu

64
Gd

65
Tb

66
Dy

67
Ho

68
Er

69
Tm

70
Yb

71
Lu

140.1

140.9

144.2

(145)

150.4

152.0

157.3

158.9

162.5

164.9

167.3

168.9

173.0

175.0

90
Th

91
Pa

92
U

93
Np

94
Pu

95
Am

96
Cm

97
Bk

98
Cf

99
Es

100
Fm

101
Md

102
No

103
Lr

232.0

231.0

238.0

(237)

(244)

(243)

(247)

(247)

(251)

(252)

(257)

(258)

(259)

(262)

Not valid for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

DIRECTIONS

When you have selected your answer to each question, blacken the corresponding space on the answer sheet using a soft, #2
pencil. Make a heavy, full mark, but no stray marks. If you decide to change an answer, erase the unwanted mark very carefully.

There is only one correct answer to each question. Any questions for which more than one response has been blackened will not
be counted.

Your score is based solely on the number of questions you answer correctly. It is to your advantage to answer every question.
1. Which salt is colorless?
(A) KMnO4

(B) BaSO4

(C) Na2CrO4

(D) CoCl2

2. Which 0.10 M aqueous solution exhibits the lowest

electrical conductivity?
(A) NH4Cl

(B) CuBr2

(C) Na2CO3

(D) C2H5OH

3. Which element is a liquid at 25C and 1 atm?

(A) fluorine

(B) chlorine

(C) bromine

(D) iodine

4. Mixing which combination produces a gaseous product?

(A) solid ammonium nitrate and solid calcium hydroxide

7. The mass of one atom of an element is 1.711022 g.

What is the atomic mass of this element in gmol-1?
(A) 101

(D) solutions of aluminum nitrate and sodium chloride

5. Which technique can be used to determine the number of
components in a plant pigment?
(A) calorimetry

(B) chromatography

(C) colorimetry

(D) gravimetry

6. In the determination of the molar mass of a solid acid by

titrating it with a standardized base, which procedural
error will yield a molar mass that is smaller than the
actual value?
(A) adding the standardized base to a buret containing
drops of water
(B) dissolving the weighed solid acid in twice the
recommended volume of water
(C) using half as many drops of indicator as suggested

(C) 105

(D) 107

8. What is the percent by mass of nitrogen in ammonium

carbonate, (NH4) 2CO3?
(A) 14.53%

(B) 27.83%

(C) 29.16%

(D) 33.34%

9. How many moles of water will be produced from the

complete combustion of 4.4 g of C3H8?
(A) 0.10

(B) 0.25

(C) 0.40

(D) 0.80

10. A 10.0 g sample of an oxide of copper forms metallic

copper and 1.26 g of water when heated in a stream of
hydrogen. What is the mass percent of copper in this
oxide?

(B) copper metal and 0.10 M hydrochloric acid

(C) solutions of barium hydroxide and 0.10 M sulfuric
acid

(B) 103

(A) 11.2%

(B) 66.6%

(C) 79.9%

(D) 88.8%

11. A 49.9 g sample of barium

Molar Mass / gmol-1
hydroxide octahydrate,
Ba(OH)28H2O
315
Ba(OH)28H2O, is dissolved in water and the solution is
diluted to give a final volume of 2.50 L. What is the
concentration of the hydroxide ion in this solution?
(A) 0.0634 M

(B) 0.127 M

(C) 0.190 M

(D) 0.634 M

12. What volume (in mL) of 0.0500 M phosphoric acid is

needed to titrate completely 25.0 mL of 0.150 M barium
hydroxide solution to a phenolphthalein end point?
3Ba(OH)2 + 2H3PO4 r Ba3(PO4)2 + 6H2O
(A) 50.0

(B) 75.0

(C) 100.

(D) 150.

13. A sample of gas at 273 K has a pressure of P1 and a

volume of V1. When the pressure is changed to P2, what
is the volume V2? (Assume the temperature remains
constant.)

(D) weighing out half of the recommended mass of solid

acid

(A)

P1P2
V1

(B)

P1V1
P2

(C)

P2V1
P1

(D)

P2
P1V1

!
!
Not valid for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

!
!

Page 3

14. How do the number of molecules, n, in 1.0 L of each of

the following gases; CH4, N2, CO2, compare at 1 atm and
25 C?
(A) n CH 4 < n CO 2 < n N 2
(B) n N 2 < n CO 2 < n CH 4
(C) n CO 2 < n CH 4 < n N 2

(D) n CH 4 = n CO 2 = n N 2

15. Solid sodium acetate, NaC!2H3O2, is what type of solid?

!

(A) ionic

(C) molecular

(B) metallic

21. NO(g) "

1
2 N 2 (g) + 2 O 2 (g)
N 2O(g) + 1 2 O 2 (g)

2NO(g) "
Which relationship is correct?
!
!

#H1o
#H 2o

(A) H1 = H2
(B) Hf for NO(g) = H1
(C) Hf for N2O(g) = H2
(D) Hf for N2O(g) = H2 2H1

(D) network covalent

16. Which substance has the highest vapor pressure at 25C?

(A) methanol, CH3OH

22. When 2.74 g of Ba(s) reacts with O2(g) at 298 K and 1

atm to form BaO(s), 11,100 J of heat is released. What is
Hf for BaO(s) in kJmol1?
(A) 556

(B) 221

(C) 221

(D) 556

(B) ethanol, CH3 CH2OH

23. A reaction has H > 0 and G > 0 at 25C. This
reaction

(C) 1-propanol, CH3CH2CH2OH

(D) 1-butanol, CH3 CH2CH2CH2OH

(A) is at equilibrium at 25C.

17. Which point on the phase

diagram represents the
normal boiling point?

(B) could not be spontaneous under standard conditions

at any temperature.
(C) could be spontaneous under standard conditions at
temperatures above 25C.
(D) could be spontaneous under standard conditions at
temperatures below 25C.

(A) point A

(B) point B

(C) point C

(D) point D

24. An ionic compound has a solubility of 1 molL1 in water

at 25 C and its solubility increases as the temperature is
raised. What are the signs of H and S for the
dissolving process?

18. What types of

I. dipole-dipole forces
intermolecular forces
II. hydrogen bonding
are exerted by CH3Cl
III. London dispersion forces
molecules in the liquid phase?
(A) I only

(B) II only

(C) I and III only

(D) II and III only

19. A 22.0 g piece of metal is heated

Cp / Jg1C1
to 100.0C and placed in 75.0 g
H2O
4.18
H2O at 25.0C. If the final temperature of the metal and
water is 27.8C, what is the specific heat capacity of the
metal in Jg1C1? (Assume no heat is lost/gained by the
surroundings.)
(A) 0.038

(B) 0.16

(C) 0.55

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

25. For the reaction

represented by the
accompanying diagram,
which reaction rate is the
greatest?

(D) 5.0

20. Which change(s)

I. conversion of O2(g) to O3(g)
is(are) accompanied
II. freezing of water
by an increase in
III. sublimation of iodine
entropy of the system?
(A) I only

(B) III only

(C) I and II only

(D) II and III only

Page 4

(A) average rate

(B) final rate

(C) initial rate

(D) rate at 20 seconds

26. Which units are appropriate for a reaction rate?

(A) molL1s1

(B) molL1

(C) molLs1

(D) Lmol1s1

Not valid for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

27. What is the rate equation for a reaction,

A + B r products, based on the rate data?
[A]o, molL1 [B]o, molL1 Rate
0.15
0.10
x
0.30
0.20
4x
0.30
0.40
16x

33. Which is not a conjugate acid/base pair?

(B) Rate = k[B]2

(C) Rate = k[A][B]

(D) Rate = k[A][B]2

28. The effect of temperature on the rates of chemical

reactions is primarily a result of the

(B) orientation of the colliding molecules.

(C) 1.4106 M

(D) 2.01012 M

(D) pH when 5 mL excess KOH has been added

36. For which salt is the molar solubility, s, equal to
4106 M?

(A) amount of product.

(B) pressure of the reactant.
(C) temperature of the reaction vessel.
(D) volume of the reaction vessel.
30. What is the half life of the irreversible first order
reaction, A r B, if 75% of A is converted to B in 60
minutes?
(A) 30 minutes

(B) 45 minutes

(C) 60 minutes

(D) 80 minutes

2[CO]
[CO 2 ]

(B)

(D)

K eq =
K eq =

Ksp = 2103

(B) TlBr

Ksp = 4106

(C) MnCO3

Ksp = 21011

(D) Zn(OH)2

Ksp = 31017

37. Which substance can act only as a reducing agent?

(B) BrCl

(C) NaBr

(D) HIO4

38. When the equation

Sn2+(aq) + IO3(aq) + H+(aq) r Sn4+(aq) + I2(aq) + H2O(l)
is balanced, what is the Sn2+(aq) / IO3 (aq) mole ratio?

2[C][CO]
[CO 2 ]
[C][CO]
[CO 2 ]

(A) AgC2H3O2

(A) I2

31. What is the Keq expression for the reaction,

C(s) + CO2(g) s 2CO(g)?

(B) 5.0103 M

(C) pH at the equivalence point

29. The value of the rate constant for a gas phase reaction
can be changed by increasing the

[CO]
[CO 2 ]

(A) 7.1102 M

(B) pH halfway to the equivalence point

(D) kinetic energies of the colliding molecules.

K eq =

(D) H3O+ & H2O

(A) initial pH

(C) enthalpies of the reactants and products.

(C)

(C) H2PO4 & HPO42

35. Equal volumes of 0.25 M HNO2 and 0.25 M HNO3 are

titrated separately with 0.25 M KOH. Which would be
the same for both titrations?

(A) size of the colliding molecules.

K eq =

(B) HSO4 & SO42

34. What is the [OH] in an aqueous solution which has a

pH = 11.70?

(A) Rate = k[A]2

(A)

(A) H2CO3 & CO32

32. The equilibrium system N2O4(g) s 2NO2(g) has

Kp = 11 and H = 57 kJmol1 at 25 C. Which action
! will not cause a change in!the position of the
equilibrium?

(A) 1 / 1

(B) 2 / 1

(C) 1 / 2

(D) 5 / 2

39. Given the standard reduction potentials, which statement

is correct?
Cu2+ (aq) + 2e r Cu(s) E = 0.34 V
2H+(aq) + 2e r H2(g) E = 0.00 V
Cr3+(aq) + 3e r Cr(s)
E = 0.73 V
(A) Cr(s) will react with acid.
(B) Cu(s) will react with acid.

(A) increasing the temperature

(C) Cu2+(aq) will react with acid.

(B) adding NO2(g)

(D) Cu(s) will react with Cr3+(aq).

(C) adding xenon gas to increase the pressure

(D) increasing the container volume

Not valid for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

Page 5

40. Use the standard reduction potentials given to calculate

the standard potential for the reaction;
Pb(s) + 2Ag+(aq) r Pb2+(aq) + 2Ag(s)
+
Ag (aq) + e r Ag(s)
E = 0.80 V
Pb2+(aq) + 2e r Pb(s)
E = 0.13 V
(A) 1.73 V

(B) 0.93 V

(C) 0.67V

(D) 0.54 V

41. For the voltaic cell represented,

which change will increase the cell potential?
(A) increasing the [Ag+]

(B) increasing the [Ni2+]

(C) adding Ni(s)

(D) removing Ag(s)

42. The deposition of 1.0 g of which element from its molten

chloride requires the shortest time at a current of 1 A?
(A) Na

(B) Mg

(C) Al

(D) Ba

(D) wavelength and amplitude

44. Which electronic transition in a hydrogen atom releases
the greatest amount of energy?
(A) n = 3 r n = 2

(B) n = 5 r n = 3

(C) n = 6 r n = 5

(D) n = 3 r n = 6

45. Which must represent an atom in an excited state?

(C) 1s 2s 2p 3s

(B) 1s22s22p2
1

(D) 1s 2s 2p

46. Which quantum numbers represent the orbitals being

filled in the ground state for the elements Sc (21) to Zn
(30)?
(A) n = 3, 1 = 1

(B) n = 3, l = 2

(C) n = 4, l = l

(D) n = 4, l = 2

(B) BrCl

(C) OCl2

(D) SCl2

50. Which molecule contains the shortest carbon-carbon

bonds?
(A) C2H2

(B) C2H4

(C) C3H8

(D) C6H12

51. How many valence electrons are in one ion of thiosulfate,

S2O32?
(A) 26

(B) 28

(C) 30

(D) 32

(B) CO2

(C) SiO2

(D) P2O5

(A) Na+, K+

(B) Cl, Cl

(C) Fe2+, Mn2+

(D) Ar, Ca2+

(C) SF5

(B) SF4

54. What are the

hybridizations of the
carbon atoms labeled
C1 and C2, respectively,
in glycine?
C1

C2

(A) sp2

sp2

(B) sp2

sp3

(C) sp3

sp2

(D) sp3

sp3

(D) XeF4
O

55. The formula, H3CCOCH3, represents a(n)

(A) aldehyde.

(B) ester.

(C) ether.

(D) ketone.

56. Which suffix is used to designate a carbohydrate?

47. Which pair consists of species that are isoelectronic?

Page 6

(D) Cl, Cl, S2

49. In which molecule does the chlorine have the most

positive partial charge?

(A) ClF5

(C) energy and frequency

3+

53. Which species has exactly five pairs of electrons around

the central atom?

(B) energy and wavelength

(C) Cr, Cr , Cr

(A) CO

(A) amplitude and frequency

(B) Na, Mg, K

2+

52. Which substance has the highest melting point?

43. Which properties of electromagnetic radiation are

inversely related?

(A) 1s22s22p1

(A) N, O, F

(A) HCl

Ni(s) Ni2+ (aq) Ag + (aq) Ag(s)

48. In which series are the species listed in order of

increasing size?

(A) ase

(B) ate

(C) one

(D) ose

57. Which compound has the largest molar mass?

(A) hexane

(B) 1-hexene

(C) 1-hexyne

(D) benzene

Not valid for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

58. Which functional group is not commonly found in

proteins?
(A) alcohol

(B) aldehyde

(C) amide

(D) amine

59. Which hydrogen is

the most acidic in
the molecule
shown?

(A) Ha

Ha

(B) Hb

(C) Hc

O
O

c
(D) Hd

60. The gentle oxidation of ethanol, CH3CH2OH, produces

(A) ethanal, CH3CHO.
(B) ethanoic acid, CH3CO2H.
(C) carbon monoxide, CO.
(D) carbon dioxide, CO2.

END OF TEST

Not valid for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

Page 7

Olympiad 2009 Local Section

KEY

Number
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.

Answer
B
D
C
A
B
A
B
C
C
D
B
A
B
D
A
A
D
C
C
B
D
D
C
A
C
A
B
D
C
A

Number
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.

Not for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2009

Answer
C
C
A
B
D
C
C
D
A
B
A
D
B
A
C
B
D
D
C
A
D
C
B
C
D
D
A
B
D
A