Answers to Workbook exercises

Unit 7 Material changes

Exercise 7.1 Acids and alkalis
1
Acid Alkali
citric acid corrosive
cola irritant
corrosive sodium hydroxide
irritant soap
lemon juice washing powder
nitric acid washing soda
sharp
sour
vinegar

corrosive harmful/irritant

3
Safety point
wearing safety glasses
standing up to work
placing the bottle stopper
upside down on the bench
replacing the bottle
stopper as soon as your
have finished using the
bottle
working in an orderly way
Reason
to protect your eyes from splashes of
chemicals
so that if you spill something you can step
away quickly and the chemical does not get on
you
so that the stopper does not pick up dirt from
the bench and so that none of the chemical
gets onto the bench
so that if the bottle is knocked over the
chemical will not spill, and so that you know
which bottle the stopper came from
so that you do not make mistakes or mix the
wrong things

Exercise 7.2 Indicators

1 An indicator changes colour to show when a substance is acid, alkali or neutral.
2 Take some of the plant material. (The student should name a specific plant that they
have used.)
Place in the mortar with a little methylated spirit (or other solvent the student has
used) and crush with the pestle.
Remove some of the coloured solution with the pipette and place it in the test tube.
3 Place some of the solution into a substance you know is an acid and some into a
known alkali – it should show different colours.
4 The dark colour of the cola and coffee will mask any colour changes in the indicator,
so they cannot be seen.
You might want to use this opportunity to explain how a test paper can be made.
Soak absorbent paper (like blotting paper) in the indicator solution and let it dry. You
can then dip the paper into solutions like cola and coffee to see any colour changes.

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 1

 Answers to Workbook exercises: Unit 7

Exercise 7.4 Neutralisation

1 The line should be drawn with the bottom of the curve touching the 25 cm3 mark.
The curve should be shaped like a smile.
2 a 16 cm3
b 23 cm3
c 40 cm3
d 49 cm3
e 62 cm3

Exercise 7.6 Planning investigations

1 A variable is something that can change – for example, the type of acid or the type
of indigestion powder.
2 a She must use the same volume of the lake water in each of her tests.
b The tests are repeated to be sure that the results are consistent.
c Lake C is the least acidic. Lake B is the most acidic. There is a very large range in
the acidity of the lakes.

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 2