Multiple choice test on 1.

2 The
mole concept
Use the following 'quiz' to test your knowledge and understanding of this sub-topic. You will need access to a
periodic table (Section 6 of the IB data booklet). You may find a calculator useful to answer some of the
questions.

If you get an answer wrong, read through the explanation carefully to learn from your mistakes.

Which contains the greatest number of atoms?

A. 1.0 mol of hydrogen gas

B. 6.02 x 1023 atoms of hydrogen

C. 1.0 g of hydrogen gas

D. 1.0 mol of hydrogen atoms

1.0 mol of hydrogen atoms has a mass of 1.0 g and contains 6.02 x 1023 atoms of hydrogen. 1 mol of
hydrogen gas, H2, has a mass of 2.0 g and contains 2 x 6.02 x 1023 atoms of hydrogen.

2
How many atoms are present in 16.0 g of methane?

A. 5

B. 3.01 x 1024

C. 6.02 x 1023

23
D. 1.20 x 10

One molecule of methane, CH4, contains five atoms so one mole of methane contains five times
24
Avogadro's number of atoms, i.e. 3.01 x 10 .

What is the molar mass, M, of CuSO4.5H2O?

A. 249.72 g mol-1

B. 249.72 g

C. 249.72

D. 250 g

Use the values given in Section 6 of the data booklet to calculate molar masses to two decimal places.
-1
Relative molar masses, Mr, have no units, but the units of molar mass are g mol .

4
How many atoms are there in one molecule of ethanol, C2H5OH?

23
A. 5.42 x 10

B. 6.02 x 1023

24
C. 5.42 x 10

D. 9

One molecule contains 9 atoms whereas one mole contains 9 x Avogadro's number of atoms.

What is the percentage of hydrogen by mass in benzene, C6H6?

A. 50.0

B. 7.70

C. 7.76

D. 14.3

-1
M(C6H6) = [(6 x 12.01) + (6 x 1.01)] = 78.12 g mol so percentage of hydrogen by mass = (6.06 ÷ 78.12)
x 100 = 7.76 %

6
Which of the following have the same empirical formula?

I. propene, CH3CHCH2

II. 1,2-dimethylbenzene, C6H4(CH3)2

III. cyclohexane, C6H12

A. I, II and III

B. I and III only

C. I and II only

D. II and III only

The molecular formulas of propene and cyclohexane are C3H6 and C6H12 respectively, so both have the
empirical formula CH2. The molecular formula of 1,2-dimethylbenzene is C8H10, so its empirical formula is
C4H5.

What is the molecular formula of a compound that contains 8.522% carbon, 1.433% hydrogen and 90.04%
iodine by mass and has a molar mass of 281.86 g mol-1?

A. C2H4I2

B. CH2I2

C. CH3I

D. C2H2I2

in 100 g, amount of C = (8.522 ÷ 12.01) = 0.71 mol, amount of H = (1.433 ÷ 1.01) = 1.42 mol and amount
of I = (90.04 ÷ 126.90) = 0.71 mol so the empirical formula is CH 2I. The molar mass is twice the empirical
mass so the molecular formula is C2H4I2.

8
Which of the following have the same empirical formula and the same molecular formula?

I. ethyl methanoate, HCOOCH2CH3

II. propanoic acid, CH3CH2COOH

III. methyl ethanoate, CH3COOCH3

A. II and III only

B. I and II only

C. I and III only

D. I, II and III

They all have the empirical formula C3H6O2 and the same molecular formula C3H6O2.

Which contains the greatest mass of chloride ions?

A. 0.1 mol ZnCl2

B. 0.3 mol NaCl

C. 0.2 mol CaCl2

D. 0.1 mol FeCl3

−
0.2 mol of CaCl2 contains 0.4 mol of Cl ions. Both 0.1 mol of FeCl3 and 0.3 mol of NaCl contain 0.3 mol
− −
of Cl ions. 0.1 mol of ZnCl2 contains 0.2 mol of Cl ions.

10
In a laboratory experiment a student found that 8.630 g of magnesium burned in air to form 13.174 g of
magnesium oxide. Based on these results how should she report the empirical formula for magnesium oxide?

A. Mg2O

B. MgO

C. Mg4O5

D. Mg5O4

Amount of magnesium in 8.630 g = 8.630 ÷ 24.31 = 0.355 mol. Mass of oxygen combining with
magnesium = (13.174 - 8.630) = 4.544 g. Amount of oxygen in 4.544 g = (4.544 ÷ 16.00) = 0.284 mol.
Ratio of Mg : O = 0.355 : 0.280 = 1.25 : 1, so simplest ratio = 5 : 4 and the empirical formula should be
reported as Mg5O4.