2010 U.S.

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

OLYMPIAD EXAMINATIONS TASK FORCE

Arden P. Zipp, Chair, State University of New York, Cortland, NY
James Ayers, Mesa State College, Grand Junction, CO
Sherry Berman-Robinson, Consolidated HS, Orlando Park, IL (retired)
Seth Brown, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Peter Demmin, Amherst HS, Amherst, NY (retired)
Marian Dewane, Centennial HS, Boise, ID
Xu Duan, Queen Anne School, Upper Marlboro, MD
Valerie Ferguson, Moore HS, Moore, OK
Julie Furstenau, Thomas B. Doherty HS, Colorado Springs, CO
Kimberly Gardner, United States Air Force Academy, CO
Regis Goode, Ridge View High School, Columbia, SC
Paul Groves, South Pasadena HS, South Pasadena, CA
Preston Hayes, Glenbrook South HS, Glenbrook, IL (retired)
David Hostage, Taft School, Watertown, CT
Dennis Kliza, Kincaid School, Houston, TX
Adele Mouakad, St. John's School, San Juan, PR
Jane Nagurney, Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton, PA
Ronald Ragsdale, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

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.

Distributed by American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036
All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Property of ACS USNCO -Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010
 ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS CONSTANTS
amount of substance n Faraday constant F molar M
ampere A free energy G molar mass M R = 8.314 Jmol1K1
atmosphere atm frequency mole mol R = 0.0821 Latmmol1K1
atomic mass unit u gas constant R Plancks constant h 1 F = 96,500 Cmol1
Avogadro constant NA gram g pressure P
1 F = 96,500 JV1mol1
Celsius temperature C hour h rate constant k
centi prefix c joule J reaction quotient Q NA = 6.022 1023 mol1
coulomb C kelvin K second s h = 6.626 1034 Js
density d kilo prefix k speed of light c
electromotive force c = 2.998 108 ms1
E liter L temperature, K T
energy of activation Ea measure of pressure mmHg time t 0 C = 273.15 K
enthalpy H milli prefix m volt V
entropy S molal m volume V
equilibrium constant K

1 PERIODIC TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS 18

1A 8A
1 2
H 2 13 14 15 16 17 He
1.008 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 4.003

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Li Be B C N O F Ne
6.941 9.012 10.81 12.01 14.01 16.00 19.00 20.18
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Na Mg 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Al Si P S Cl Ar
22.99 24.31 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 8B 8B 1B 2B 26.98 28.09 30.97 32.07 35.45 39.95

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
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 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I 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 56 57 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At 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 88 89 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118
Fr Ra Ac Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Uub
(223) (226) (227) (261) (262) (266) (264) (277) (268) (281) (272) (277) (Uut) (Uuq) (Uup) (Uuh) (Uus) (Uuo)

58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb 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 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr
232.0 231.0 238.0 (237) (244) (243) (247) (247) (251) (252) (257) (258) (259) (262)

Page 2 Property of ACS USNCO Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010
 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 completely.
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. A student is asked to measure 30.0 g of methanol 6. An aqueous solution is known to contain Ag+, Mg2+, and
(d = 0.7914 g/mL at 25C) but has only a graduated Sr2+ ions. Which reagent should be used to selectively
cylinder with which to measure it. What volume of precipitate the Ag+?
methanol should the student use to obtain the required (A) 0.20 M NaCl (B) 0.20 M NaOH
30.0 g?
(C) 0.20 M Na2SO4 (D) 0.20 M Na3PO4
(A) 23.7 mL (B) 30.0 mL
(C) 32.4 mL (D) 37.9 mL 7. What is the coefficient for O2 when the following reaction
__As2S3 + __O2 __ As2O3 + __SO2
2. A flame test was performed to confirm the identity of a is correctly balanced with the smallest integer coefficients?
metal ion in solution. The result was a green flame.
Which of the following metal ions is indicated? (A) 5 (B) 6 (C) 8 (D) 9
(A) copper (B) sodium 8. Which compound contains the highest percentage of nitrogen
(C) strontium (D) zinc by mass?
(A) NH2OH (M = 33.0) (B) NH4NO2 (M = 64.1)
3. When phenolphthalein is added to an aqueous solution
containing one of the following solutes the solution turns (C) N2O3 (M = 76.0) (D) NH4NH2CO2 (M = 78.1)
pink. Which solute is present?
9. How many neutrons are in 0.025 mol of the isotope 54 Cr ?
(A) NaCl (B) KC2H3O2 24

(C) LiBr (D) NH4NO3 (A) 1.5 1022 (B) 3.6 1023
(C) 4.5 1023 (D) 8.1 1023
4. Solid camphor is insoluble in water but is soluble in
vegetable oil. The best explanation for this behavior is
10. Magnesium chloride dissolves in water to form
that camphor is a(n)
(A) hydrated MgCl2 molecules
(A) ionic solid (B) metallic solid
(B) hydrated Mg2+ ions and hydrated Cl ions
(C) molecular solid (D) network solid
(C) hydrated Mg2+ ions and hydrated Cl22 ions
5. A student performed an experiment to determine the ratio
of H2O to CuSO4 in a sample of hydrated copper(II) (D) hydrated Mg atoms and hydrated Cl2 molecules
sulfate by heating it to drive off the water and weighing
the solid before and after heating. The formula obtained 11. Enzymes convert glucose (M= 180.2) to ethanol (M= 46.1)
according to the equation
experimentally was CuSO4 5.5H2O but the accepted
formula is CuSO4 5H2O. Which error best accounts for C6H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2
the difference in results? What is the maximum mass of ethanol that can be made
(A) During heating some of the hydrated copper(II) from 15.5 kg of glucose?
sulfate was lost. (A) 0.256 kg (B) 0.512 kg
(B) The hydrated sample was not heated long enough to (C) 3.96 kg (D) 7.93 kg
drive off all the water.
(C) The student weighed out too much sample initially.
(D) The student used a balance that gave weights that
were consistently too high by 0.10 g.

Property of ACS USNCO Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010 Page 3
 12. Commercial vinegar is a 5.00% by mass aqueous solution 18. The critical temperature of water is the
of acetic acid, CH3CO2H (M = 60.0). What is the molarity
(A) temperature at which solid, liquid and gaseous water
of acetic acid in vinegar? [density of vinegar = 1.00 g/mL]
coexist.
(A) 0.833 M (B) 1.00 M
(B) temperature at which water vapor condenses.
(C) 1.20 M (D) 3.00 M
(C) maximum temperature at which liquid water can
exist.
13. A 2.00 L balloon at 20.0C and 745 mmHg floats to an
altitude where the temperature is 10.0C and the air (D) minimum temperature at which water vapor can
pressure is 700 mmHg. What is the new volume of the exist.
balloon?
19. Which process is exothermic?
(A) 0.94 L (B) 1.06 L (C) 2.06 L (D) 2.20 L
(A) condensation (B) fusion
14. Which family of elements has solid, liquid and gaseous
members at 25C and 1 atm pressure? (C) sublimation (D) vaporization

(A) alkali metals (Li Cs) (B) pnictogens (N Bi) 20. Use the thermodynamic information:
(C) chalcogens (O Te) (D) halogens (F I) N2(g) + O2(g) NO(g) H = 90.4 kJ/mol
N2(g) + O2(g) NO2(g) H = 33.8 kJ/mol
15. A gas diffuses one-third as fast as O2 at 100 C. This gas
could be 2NO2(g) N2O4(g) H = 58.0 kJ/mol
to calculate H in kJ/mol for the reaction:
(A) He (M = 4) (B) C2H5F (M = 48) 2NO(g) + O2(g) N2O4(g)
(C) C7H12 (M = 96) (D) C5F12 (M = 288) (A) 171.2 (B) 114.6 (C) 114.6 (D) 171.2
16. Moist air is less dense than dry air at the same 21. Determine the enthalpy change for the reaction of 5.00 g
temperature and barometric pressure. Which is the best of Fe2O3 with aluminum metal according to the equation
explanation for this observation? Fe2O3(s) + 2Al(s) Al2O3(s) + 2Fe(l)
(A) H2O is a polar molecule but N2 and O2 are not.
Substance Hf kJ/mol
(B) H2O has a higher boiling point than N2 or O2. Fe2O3(s) 825.5
(C) H2O has a lower molar mass than N2 or O2. Al2O3(s) 1675.7
(D) H2O has a higher heat capacity than N2 or O2. Fe(l) 12.4
(A) 25.8 kJ (B) 26.2 kJ
17. Under certain conditions CO2 melts rather than sublimes. To
which transition in the phase diagram does this change (C) 52.4 kJ (D) 77.9 kJ
correspond?
22. Which reaction has the most positive entropy change
under standard conditions?
(A) H2O(g) + CO(g) H2(g) + CO2(g)
(B) CaCO3(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g)
(C) NH3(g) NH3(aq)
(D) C8H18(l) C8H18(s)

23. What are the signs of H and S for a reaction that is

spontaneous only at low temperatures?

(A) H is positive, S is positive

(B) H is positive, S is negative
(A) A B (B) A C (C) B C (D) C B (C) H is negative, S is negative
(D) H is negative, S is positive

Page 4 Property of ACS USNCO Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010
 24. Which substance has a non-zero standard free energy of 31. What is the equilibrium expression, Kc, for the reaction:
formation? 2S(s) + 3O2(g) 2SO3(g)?
(A) Pb(s) (B) Hg(l) (C) Cl2(g) (D) O3(g) (A) Kc = 2[SO3]/(2[S]+3[O2]) (B) Kc = 2[SO3]/3[O2]
2 2 3
(C) Kc = [SO3] /[S] [O2] (D) Kc = [SO3]2/[O2]3
25. Factors that can affect the rate of a chemical reaction
between a solid and a solution include all of the
32. In which reaction at equilibrium will the amount of
following EXCEPT the
reactants present increase with an increase in the
(A) concentration of the reactants in solution. container volume?
(B) volume of the container. (A) C(s) + CO2(g) 2CO(g)
(C) size of the solid particles. (B) H2(g) + F2(g) 2 HF(g)
(D) temperature. (C) CO(g) + NO2(g) CO2(g) + NO(g)
(D) N2(g) + 3 H2(g) 2NH3(g)
26. The commercial production of ammonia is represented by
the equation N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g). 33. What is the pH of a solution made by mixing 200. mL of
If the rate of disappearance of H2(g) is 1.2 103 mol/min, 0.0657 M NaOH, 140. mL of 0.107 M HCl, and 160. mL
what is the rate of appearance of NH3(g)? of H2O?
(A) 2.4 103 mol/min (B) 1.8 103 mol/min (A) 3.04 (B) 2.74 (C) 2.43 (D) 2.27
(C) 1.2 103 mol/min (D) 8.0 104 mol/min 34. What is the percentage ionization of HCOOH molecules
in a 0.10 M solution? [Ka = 1.8 104]
27. A reaction is endothermic with H = 100. kJ/mol.
If the activation enthalpy of the forward reaction is 140. (A) 4.2% (B) 2.7% (C) 1.8% (D) 1.3%
kJ/mol, what is the activation enthalpy of the reverse
reaction? 35. What is the pH of a solution that is 0.20 M in HF and
(A) 40. kJ/mol (B) 100. kJ/mol 0.40 M in NaF? [Ka = 7.2 104]

(C) 140. kJ/mol (D) 240. kJ/mol (A) 1.92 (B) 2.84 (C) 3.14 (D) 3.44

28. The first-order disappearance of a substance has a half- 36. A 500. mL saturated solution of MgCO3 (M = 84) is
life of 34.0 s. How long does it take for the concentration reduced to 120. mL by evaporation. What mass of solid

of that substance to fall to 12.5% of its initial value? MgCO3 is formed? [Ksp = 4.0 10 5]
(A) 11 s (B) 68 s (C) 102 s (D) 272 s
(A) 0.0013 g (B) 0.064 g

29. The reaction C3H7I + Cl C3H7Cl + I is thought to occur in
(C) 0.20 g (D) 0.27 g
the polar solvent CH3OH by the mechanism:

Step 1 C3H7I C3H7+ + I (slow) 37. Consider the following reactions:
X(NO3)2 + Y X + Y(NO3)2
Step 2 C3H7+ + Cl C3H7 Cl (fast)
X(NO3)2 + Z X + Z(NO3)2
Which species is an intermediate in this reaction?
Y(NO3)2 + Z No reaction
(A) CH3OH (B) C3H7+ (C) I (D) Cl
What is the correct order of increasing activity for the
30. The times listed are those recorded at 25C for the reaction metals; X, Y, Z?
below to produce a measurable amount of I2(aq): (A) X < Y < Z (B) X < Z < Y

S2O82(aq) + 2I (aq) I2(aq) + 2SO42(aq) (C) Z < Y < X (D) Z < X < Y
Experiment Initial Initial Time
[S2O82], M (sec) 38. For the cell
[I ], M
1 0.0400 0.0800 39 Zn(s) + 2H+(aq) Zn2+(aq) + H2(g) E = 0.76 V
2 0.0400 0.0400 78 Which change will increase the voltage of the cell?
3 0.0100 0.0800 156
(A) Increasing the size of the Zn electrode.
4 0.0200 0.0200 ?
(B) Increasing the [Zn2+].
What is the expected time for experiment 4?
(A) 156 sec (B) 234 sec (C) Increasing the [H+].
(C) 312 sec (D) 624 sec (D) Increasing the pressure of the H2(g).

Property of ACS USNCO Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010 Page 5

39. When the half-reaction NO3 NO is balanced for one 47. The electron configuration of cobalt (Z = 27) is
1s22s22p63s23p63d74s2. How many unpaired electrons are
NO3 in acid solution, ____ electron(s) is (are) _____.
in a gaseous Co3+ ion in its ground state?
(A) 3 gained (B) 1 gained
(A) 0 (B) 2 (C) 4 (D) 6
(C) 1 lost (D) 3 lost
48. Which element has the greatest electrical conductivity?
40. In the reaction
(A) As (B) Ge (C) P (D) Sn
ClO3 (aq) + 5Cl (aq) + 6H+(aq) 3Cl2(g) + 3H2O(l)
the oxidizing and reducing agents are, respectively, 49. How many valence electrons are in a persulfate ion, SO52?

(A) Cl (aq) and ClO3 (aq) (B) ClO3 (aq) and Cl (aq) (A) 32 (B) 34 (C) 36 (D) 38
+ +
(C) ClO3 (aq) and H (aq) (D) Cl (aq) and H (aq)
50. Which diatomic molecule contains the strongest bond?
41. Ag+(aq) + e Ag(s) E = 0.80 V (A) HCl (B) HF (C) ClCl (D) FF

Co (aq) + 2e Co(s) E = 0.28 V
2+
51. The ONO bond angles in the nitrate ion, NO3, are best
Use the standard reduction potentials to determine the described as being
standard potential for the reaction:
Co(s) + 2Ag+(aq) Co2+(aq) + 2Ag(s) (A) all 120 (B) all 109.5
(A) 0.52V (B) 0.66V (C) 1.08V (D) 1.88V (C) all 90 (D) two 90, one 180

42. What mass of copper is deposited when a current of 52. Which molecule has no permanent dipole moment?
10.0A is passed through a solution of copper(II) nitrate
(A) BCl3 (B) NCl3 (C) CHCl3 (D) PCl3
for 30.6 seconds?
(A) 0.101g (B) 0.201g (C) 0.403g (D) 6.04g 53. When the compounds HF, H2O, NH3, and CH4 are listed
in order of increasing boiling point, which order is
43. Which statement concerning visible light is correct? correct?
(A) The product of wavelength and frequency is a (A) CH4 < NH3 < H2O < HF
constant for visible light in a vacuum.
(B) NH3 < CH4 < H2O < HF
(B) As the wavelength of light increases the energy of a
photon increases. (C) HF < CH4 < H2O < NH3

(C) As the wavelength of light increases its amplitude (D) CH4 < NH3 < HF < H2O
also increases.
54. Which ionic solid has the greatest lattice energy?
(D) Green light has a higher frequency than blue light.
(A) NaCl (B) MgO (C) KBr (D) SrS
44. Ernest Rutherfords scattering experiment demonstrated
the existence of the 55. What is the IUPAC name for the molecule below?

(A) alpha particle. (B) electron.

(C) neutron. (D) nucleus.

45. The removal of an electron from which gaseous atom (A) heptane (B) 2-ethylpentane
requires the greatest amount of energy?
(C) 3-methylhexane (D) 4-ethylpentane
(A) Na (B) Cl (C) K (D) Br
56. How many different aldehydes have the formula
46. For which pair of species is the difference in radii the C5H10O?
greatest?
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 5
(A) Li and F (B) Li+ and F
(C) Li+ and O2 (D) O2 and F

Page 6 Property of ACS USNCO Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010
 57. Which compound will rapidly decolorize bromine in
CHCl3?
(A) benzene (B) cyclohexane
(C) hexane (D) 1-hexene
58. Which combination of reactants produces an ester?

(A) acid and alcohol (B) acid and aldehyde

(C) alcohol and aldehyde (D) aldehyde and potassium
permanganate
59. Which element is used to form cross-links between the
strands of latex rubber?
(A) Fe (B) N (C) P (D) S

60. The classification of a fat as saturated or unsaturated is

based on whether
(A) it can be metabolized by humans.
(B) it contains carbon carbon double bonds.
(C) it has twenty or more carbon atoms.
(D) it is of animal origin.

END OF TEST

Property of ACS USNCO -Not for use as an USNCO Local Exam after March 31, 2010
 2010 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
Local Section Exam

KEY

Number Answer Number Answer

1. D 31. D
2. A 32. D
3. B 33. C
4. C 34. A
5. A 35. D
6. A 36. C
7. D 37. B
8. B 38. C
9. C 39. A
10. B 40. B
11. D 41. C
12. A 42. A
13. C 43. A
14. D 44. D
15. D 45. B
16. C 46. C
17. A 47. C
18. C 48. D
19. A 49. D
20. A 50. B
21. A 51. A
22. B 52. A
23. C 53. D
24. D 54. B
25. B 55. C
26. D 56. C
27. A 57. D
28. C 58. A
29. B 59. D
30. C 60. B

Not for use as a USNCO Local Section Exam after March 31, 2010