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Objective Past Years Questions

Chapter 9: Periodicity

1. 2013(8) 6. 2014(8)
The first ionization energy generally increases across a Which element has an oxide which dissolves in water to
period in the Periodic Table. Which statement explains form an acidic solution?
why the first ionization energy of sulphur is lower than A. Al C. P
that of phosphorus? B. Na D. Si

A. The electrons in the p orbitals of sulphur experience 7. 2014(U)(8)

greater electrostatic repulsion than that of
phosphorus.
B. The sulphur atom has more electrons than
phosphorus atom.
C. The S-S bond is weaker than P-P bond.
D. The size of S8 molecule is bigger than P4 molecule.
2. 2013(9)
Elements X,Y and Z are located in Period 3 of the Periodic
Table. The reactivity of these elements towards oxygen
is shown in the table below.
The properties of elements can be deduced from
electronic configurations. Which statement is true about
Na+ ion, Cl- ion, Ar atom and K+ ion?
A. Na+ ion is bigger than Cl- ion.
B. The charge density of Na+ ion is lower than that of
Cl- ion.
C. The ionization energy of K+ ion is higher than that
of Na+ ion.
D. Cl- ion, K+ ion and Ar atom have the same electronic
configuration.

Element Reactivity towards oxygen 8. 2014(U)(9)

X Does not react Which oxide will produce 1.0 mol dm-3 aqueous solution
Y Reacts slowly with the lowest pH value?
Z Reacts vigorously A. Na2O C. P2O5
B. MgO D. SO3
The arrangement of the elements according to the
ascending order of their proton number is 9. 2015(7)
The first ionization energies of five elements in Period 2
of the Periodic Table is shown in the graph below.
A. X,Y,Z
B. X,Z,Y
C. Z,X,Y
D. Z,Y,X

3. 2013(10)
Which oxide of an element dissolves in water to form an
acidic solution?

A. Sodium
B. Magnesium
C. Silicon
D. Phosphorus
Which statement explains the difference in the first
4. 2013(U)(8) ionization energies between beryllium and boron?
The electronic configuration of element X is
A. Boron atom has more valence electrons.
[Xe]4f75d16s2. Which is element X located in the Periodic
B. Boron atom has a greater shielding effect
Table?
C. Beryllium atom has a more stable electronic
Period Block configuration.
A. 4 s D. The 2p electron in boron atom is at a higher energy
B. 5 P level than the 2s electron in beryllium atom.
C. 6 s
D 6 f 10. 2015(8)
The acid-base property of oxides are related to their
structure and chemical bonding. Which oxide dissolved
5. 2013(U)(9) in water to form an acidic solution?
Which oxides of magnesium, silicon and chlorine
correspond correctly to their acid-base property? A. MgO C. SiO2
B. Al2O3 D. SO3
MgO SiO2 Cl2O7
A Base Base Acid 11. 2015(U)(7)
B Base Acid Acid The first ionization energy of Period 2 elements in the
C Base Neutral Neutral Periodic Table increases across the period. Which
D Neutral Neutral Acid statement does not explain the trend?
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16. 2016(U)(7)
A. The distance between valence electron and nucleus Magnesium forms Mg+ and Mg2+ ions. Which
decreases. characteristic is the same for both ions?
B. The electronic repulsion effect increases.
C. The screening effect is almost constant. A. Nuclear charge
D. Nuclear charge increases. B. Shielding effect
C. Effective nuclear charge
12. 2015(U)(8) D. Polarizing power
The following statements are about Al2O3, SiO2 and
P4O10. 17. 2017(6)
Lithium, beryllium ,magnesium and silicon are elements
I SiO2 and P4O10 are covalent oxides in the Periodic Table. Which is the correct sequence,
II SiO2 is neutral and insoluble in water according to the ascending order of electrical
III Al2O3 dissolves in water, aqueous acid;alkali conductivities of the element?
IV P4O10 is hydrolysed in water to form H3PO4
A. Silicon, lithium, beryllium, magnesium
Which statements are true about the oxides? B. Silicon. Lithium, magnesium, beryllium
C. Lithium, beryllium, silicon, magnesium
A. I and II C. II and III D. Lithium, beryllium, magnesium, silicon
B. I and IV D. III and IV
18. 2017(7)
13. 2016(6) W is an element is Period 3. The reaction scheme of W is
shown below.
The first ionization energies for element of Group and 13
in the Periodic Table are given in the table below.
Group 2 Group 13
Element First ionization Element First ionization
energy/ kJmol-1 energy/ kJmol-1
Be 900 B 801
Mg 738 Al 578
Ca 590 Ga 579 What can be deduced based on the reaction scheme
Sr 550 In 558 above?
Ba 503 Tl 589 A. W is a reducing agent
Which statement can be deduced based on the data above? B. W conducts electricity
C. W has a giant structure
A. The size of calcium atom is smaller than that of
D. The most stable ion for W has +4 oxidation state
gallium atom
B. The effective nuclear charge of magnesium is higher
19. 2017(U)(6)
than that of aluminium
Sulphur and phosphorus are simple molecules. Which
C. The sizes of aluminium and gallium atoms are
statement is true about both molecules?
approximately the same
D. The electronic configuration of beryllium atom is
A. Phosphorus has a larger bond angle compared to
more stable than that of boron atom
sulphur.
B. Has a lower melting point compared to phosphorus
14. 2016(7)
C. Phosphorus has weaker covalent bonds compared to
Which is true about the chemical properties of non-
sulphur.
metallic elements of Period 3 (phosphorus to chlorine) in
D. Sulphur has stronger van der Waals forces compared
the Periodic Table?
to phosphorus
A. Act as reducing agents
20. 2017(U)(7)
B. Form acidic oxides
Which oxide is not hydrolysed in an aqueous solution?
C. React vigorously with water
D. Form oxides with the general formula XO2
A. Na2O2 C. SO2
B. Al2O3 D. Cl2O7
15. 2016(U)(6)
An element X has the highest melting point of all
21. 2018(7)
elements in Period 3 of the Periodic Table. Which
Which element has the lowest first ionization energy?
statement is true of element X?
A. Aluminium C. chlorine
A. Element X forms two stable oxides
B. Phosphorus D. gallium
B. Element X forms XCl4 which fumes in air.
C. The first ionization energy of element X is lower
than that of Na
D. The electrical conductivity of element X is higher
than that of Al.
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26. 2019(7)
22. 2018(8) Which element in Period 3 does not react with oxygen?
The properties of three oxides, X,Y and Z in Period3 of
the Periodic Table are shown below. A. Aluminium
B. Chlorine
• X dissolves in water and produces a solution which C. Phosphorus
has pH 3. D. Sulphur
• Y does not dissolve in water but dissolves in an
aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide 27. 2019(8)
• Z does not dissolve in water but dissolves in an SO2 and SO3 are stable oxides of sulphur. Why is SO2
aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and used as a food preservative instead of SO3?
hydrochloric acid.
A. SO2 is a polar molecule while SO3 is a non-polar
What are represented by X,Y and Z? molecule
B. SO2 has a lower boiling point than SO3
X Y Z C. SO2 is a reducing agent while SO3 is an oxidizing
A SO2 P2O5 SiO2 agent.
B P2O5 SiO2 Al2O3 D. SO2 forms a weak acid while SO3 forms a strong
C Na2O MgO Al2O3 acid in water.
D Cl2O7 P2O5 SiO2
28. 2019(U)(7)
The first eight successive ionization energies of element
23. 2018(U)(6) M is given below:
Which statement is not true about Period 3 elements,
sodium to chlorine, in the Periodic Table? 1010,1900,2900,5000,6300,21 300.25 400,29 800

A. All compounds formed obey the octet rule. Which statement is true about element M?
B. Silicon has the highest melting point
C. Chlorine compound has the highest oxidation state A. Element M has three valence electrons
D. The structures of the elements change from metallic B. The atom of element M has eight electrons
to simple molecule C. The reaction between element M and hydrogen
forms MH3
24. 2018(U)(7) D. Element M is in Period 4 of the Periodic Table.
Some physical and chemical properties of element X are
given below. 29. 2019(U)(8)
An element X, is in Period 3 of the Periodic Table which
• Insoluble in H2O has n protons in its nucleus. X has a high melting point
• Burns in O2 to form acidic gas but a poor electrical conductor while another element, Y,
• Able to oxidise Mg has (n + 1) protons in its nucleus. Which statement is true
about Y?
What is element X?
A. Y has covalent bonds
A. Sodium C. sulphur B. Y forms an amphoteric oxide
B. Phosphorus D. chlorine C. Y has a higher melting point than X
D. Y has a lower first ionization energy than X
25. 2018(U)(8)
The electronic configuration of four species W,X2+,Y and 30. 2019(U)(9)
Z are given in the table below. The first four ionization energies of an element Q in kJ
mol-1 are 900,1800,14 800 and 21 000. The oxide of Q is
W 1s22s22p5 an amphoteric and its chloride dissolves in water to
2+
X 1s22s22p63s23p6 produce an acidic solution. What is Q?
Y 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d6 A. Beryllium C. magnesium
Z 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p2 B. Boron D. aluminium
Which statement is true about the species?

A. W- could act as a Lewis acid

B. Element X conducts electricity
C. Y2+ has the electronic configuration
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d4
D. Element Z forms covalent oxide
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12. B
SiO2 is acidic, insoluble in water
ANSWER Al2O3 is insoluble in water
Objective Past Years Questions
Chapter 9: Periodicity 13. D
The size of Ca atom is greater than that of Ga atom
1. A Going across period, effective nuclear charge increase
Valence of P: 3s2 3p3 (Half-filled, more stable, difficult making the size of atom decrease
to remove one electron for 1st IE) The size of Ga atom is greater than that of Al atom
Valence of S: 3s2 3p4
14. B
2. D Going across Period 3, the redox properties of elements
Going across Period 3, the reactivity of elements toward change from reducing agent to oxidizing agent, their
oxygen decrease. reactivity with oxygen decrease.
Formula of oxide of phosphorus is P4O6 or P4O10,
3. D Sulphur has general formula of SO2 or SO3, and chlorine
Na2O and MgO dissolve in water to form basic solution has general formula Cl2O or Cl2O7.
SiO2 does not dissolve in water
15. B
4. D Element X is Si.
Element X has f orbital. So X is located in f-block Si only form one stable oxide (SiO2) when react with
Highest quantum number of X is 6 – f located in Period oxygen.
6 SiCl4 has very low melting point (-70oC)

5. B 16. A
MgO is a basic oxide Mg+ and Mg2+ has the same number of protons (12)
SiO2 and Cl2O7 are acidic oxides.
17. A
6. C Si is metalloid – semi conductor
Al2O3 is amphoteric Mg has the greatest number of valence with the greatest
Na2O is basic. size. More delocalized electrons and less attraction of
nucleus toward the electrons, making the electrons to be
SiO2 does not dissolve in water more mobile.
Between Li and Be, Be has higher conductivity because
7. D Be has more valence electron, hence more delocalized
Find the total number of electrons and protons. electron.
Na+ has 11p, 10e
Cl- has 17p, 18e 18. A
Ar has 18p, 18e Oxides of W is acidic, so W cannot be metal. Oxides of
K+ has 19p, 18e W is soluble in water, so W cannot be Si
Size in ascending order: Na+ ˂ Cl- < Ar < K+ W might be P or S
Cl-, Ar, K+ are isoelectronics. The most stable oxidation number of P is +5 as in
phosphate ion (PO43-)
8. D The most stable oxidation number of S is +4 or +6
Na2O and MgO are basic oxides. Both P and S cannot conduct electricity.
P2O5 and SO3 produce acidic oxides but SO3 will yield Both P and S can react with oxygen to form their
more acidic solution (H2SO4) whereas P2O5 will produce respective oxides. They can undergo oxidation hence
H3PO4 (weak acid) they can act as reducing agents.

9. C 19. D
Electronic configuration of Be: 1s2 2s2 Both P and S are simple covalent molecules. Since S has
Electronic configuration of B: 1s2 2s2 2p1 greater molar mass (MR) than P because S exist naturally
Easier to remove 1 electron in p orbital is B as S8 and P as P4, so intermolecular van Der Waals force
Be has fully filled 2s orbital – harder to remove one in S is stronger (also explained why B is wrong)
electron
20. B
10. D Na2O, SO2 and Cl2O7 are soluble in water
MgO – basic
Al2O3 – amphoteric 21. D
SiO2 – insoluble in water Ga has the greatest size

11. B 22. B
Increase in electronic repulsion will decrease the Z is amphoteric oxide. So Z is Al2O3
ionization energies (shielding effect) X could be SO2 or P2O5
Y must be SiO2 because it is acidic and insoluble in water.
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23. A
Not all compounds formed obey octet rule such as P4O10,
PCl5 and Cl2O7.
Si has giant covalent structure, so highest MP
Chlorine has +7 OS in Cl2O7
Structure change from metal at left hand side of Periodic
Table to simple molecular non-metal at right hand side.

24. C
Only P and S insoluble in water
S burns in oxygen to produce acidic gas of SO2 or SO3
while P burns in oxygen to produce solid P4O6 or P4 O10
S can react with oxygen to produce MgS
(Mg + S → MgS)

25. B / D
Eletronic configuration of W- : 1s2 2s2 2p4. Is can donate
one electron in p orbital (Lewis base, electron donor)
X : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 (group 2, metal)
Y: 1s22s22p63s23p6 3d6
Oxide of Z is GeO (covalent oxide)

26. B
Despite having few types of oxides, chlorine does not
react directly with oxygen. Cl2O for instance, is produced
from the reaction between HClO3 and H2C2O4

27. D
A correct but not relevant
B current but not relevant
C wrong and not relevant.
SO2 can act both as oxidizing agent and reducing agent
but SO3 can only act as oxidizing agent.
D: SO2 dissolve in water to produce H2SO3 (weak acid
which is suitable as preservative) whereas SO3 dissolve
in water to produce H2SO4 (strong acid)

28. C
M is in group 15 (5 valence electrons) since the large
gaps of IE between 5th and 6th electron.
Elements M not necessarily has 8 electrons.
M can react with H to form MH3 such as NH3 and PH3)
No sufficient data for deduce the period of M

29. A
X could be sulphur. (poor conductor, high melting point)
Y is chlorine
B wrong because if Y can form amphoteric oxides, X
must be magnesium.

30. A
From IE data, Q is in group 2
The only amphoteric oxide of Group 2 is BeO
BeCl2 is acidic since it can hydrolysed in water.
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