CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: WORKBOOK

Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different.

Workbook answers
Chapter 1
Exercise 1.1
An atom contains a dense nucleus surrounded by
shells of electrons. The nucleus contains the nucleons
(protons and neutrons). Protons are positively charged,
electrons have a negative charge and neutrons are
uncharged. The protons and neutrons have the same
relative mass. The mass of an electron is negligible.
Exercise 1.2
1 and C; 2 and B; 3 and D; 4 and A
Exercise 1.3
a A 36, B 49, C 66, D 24, E 24, F 26
b i There is a mixture of isotopes present.
(Relative atomic mass is the weighted
mean of these isotopes.)
ii 52
d The nucleus is extremely small so very few
particles get close enough to it to be repelled
completely.
e The neutrons would go straight through the
foil because they are uncharged. They are not
deflected by the positive charge in the nucleus.
f Atoms of the isotope with more neutrons have
a greater mass. So since density = mass/volume,
the density of heavier isotopes is greater.
Exam-style questions
Question 1
a There are 3 protons, which are positively
charged. [1]

iii There are two more protons than There are 4 neutrons, which have no
electrons in the strontium ion. charge. [1]

c i 13 protons, 13 electrons, 14 neutrons There are 3 electrons, which are negatively

charged. [1]
ii 55 protons, 54 electrons, 78 neutrons
Protons and neutron have a relative
iii 8 protons, 10 electrons, 9 neutrons mass of 1. [1]
Electrons have hardly any mass / mass of
Exercise 1.4 about 1/2000 that of a proton.  [1]
a  24 He 2+ b The electron configuration is the same/
b Most of the atom is empty space because the there is the same number of outer shell
nucleus is extremely small. The electrons have electrons. [1]
a much smaller mass than the alpha-particles c 7  Li+ (1 mark for 7 and 3 in correct places,
so do not cause a change in their momentum 3
if they do collide. 1 mark for Li+) [2]

c The positive charge on the nucleus (protons) d It has 2 electrons and 3 protons / it has
repels the positive charge on the alpha-particle. one more proton than electrons. [1]
 [Total: 9]

1 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry © Cambridge University Press 2020

 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: WORKBOOK

Question 2 c i Cobalt-59 because it has 32 neutrons

whereas nickel-58 has 30 neutrons. [1]
a Nickel, because it has one more proton than
cobalt / nickel has 28 protons and cobalt ii Cobalt because the number of electrons
has 27 [1] equals the number of protons. [1]

b Relative atomic mass depends on the iii Co3+ [1]

weighted mean [1] d The beam is deflected [1]
of the isotopes / idea of isotopes. [1] towards the positive plate / away from the
Cobalt has greater proportion of (isotopes) negative plate. [1]
with higher mass / nickel has greater Electrons are negatively charged / like
proportion (of isotopes) with lower mass. [1] charges repel / unlike charges attract. [1]
 [Total: 10]

2 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry © Cambridge University Press 2020