Hand in homework on A4 paper with rough edges cut off. Staple sheets together.

Work handed in late will be marked as late.

The top of the first page should look as follows:

Your name Homework title Lecturer name

A-level Chemistry

Homework on the s-block

Answer all questions on the homework paper.

Question 1

Part A (1 mark)

Explain why flame tests are useful in chemical analysis.

Part B (1 mark)

Give the flame colours for compounds of:

Ba
Ca
Na

Question 2

This question is concerned with uses of some of the s-block elements.

Part A (1 mark)

How are calcium (and phosphorus) important in the human body?

Part B (1 mark)
How is magnesium important in plant systems?

Part C (3 marks)

One of the earliest bulding materials was limestone, an impure form of calcium carbonate.

It is estimated that 5.5 million tonnes of limestone were used in the construction of the Great Pyramid
at Giza, Egypt.

Explain how large deposits of limestone could be formed over millions of years (allowing building
projects such as the Pyramids). Your answer should identify the link with calcium carbonate.

Question 3

Part A (2 marks)

Give formulae for the oxides and hydroxides of:

Potassium

Strontium

Part B (2 marks)
Give a balanced equation for the reaction of calcium oxide with hydrochloric acid.

How does the equation demonstrate that oxides are basic?

Part C (3 marks)

25 cm3 of a 2 mol dm-3 solution of hydrochloric acid is reacted with calcium oxide.

What is the minumum mass of the oxide required to use up all of the acid?

Part D (3 marks)

Give a balanced equation for the reaction of sodium metal with water.

What would you observe during this reaction? You may predict the pH of the solution that results from
the reaction.

Part E (3 marks)

If 5 g of sodium were reacted with water, state the volume of gas produced in dm 3.

Question 4
Carnallite is a hydrated chloride mineral that is used as a source of both potassium and magnesium chlorides. It
has a formula of KMgCl3.xH2O. It can also be crystallised from the water of some lakes and seas.

Part A (3 marks)

A sample of carnallite is dissolved in water to form a colourless solution. When this solution is tested it
behaves as if it is a mixture of potassium chloride and magnesium chloride. Give the expected
observations when each of the following tests is carried out on a sample of carnallite solution.

Test Observation
Flame test
Addition of nitric acid followed by aqueous silver
nitrate
Addition of sodium hydroxide solution

Part B (3 marks)

Describe how a crystalline sample of hydrated carnallite could be obtained from its aqueous solution.

Part C (1 mark)

In an experiment, a sample of 3.20 g of hydrated carnallite, KMgCl3.xH2O, was heated until all water was lost.
The mass of the remaining anhydrous sample was 1.95 g.

Calculate the mass of water vapour lost from the sample.

Part D (1 mark)

Calculate the relative molecular mass of anhydrous carnallite, KMgCl3.

Part E (2 marks)

Calculate the value of x in the formula KMgCl3.xH2O.