Year 9 Chemistry Holiday HW

1. Describe the differences between an element and a compound. (2)

A compound contains atoms of different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed
ratio. An element is a pure chemical substance made of same type of atom. Elements
contain only one type of atom.

2. Explain what information can be deduced from the chemical formula of carbon dioxide
CO2. (2)
It tells you that each molecule has one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.

3. Sodium reacts with water to make sodium hydroxide, NaOH. Write a balanced symbol
equation including the state symbols for the reaction. (2)
2Na + 2H2O(→ 2NaOH + H2

4. Describe JJ. Thomson’s plum pudding model of the atom (2)

Thomson’s Plum-pudding model was an atomic model developed by J.J Thomson. This
model was proposed after the discovery of electrons. According to this model, an atom is a
positively charged sphere in which electrons are distributed throughout its volume.

5. State two ways in which Rutherford changed Thomson’s model of the atom (3)

He demonstrated that the atom has a tiny, high- mass nucleus. In his experiment, Rutherford
observed that many alpha particles were deflected at small angles while others were reflec-
ted back to the alpha source.

6. Explain how an atom can become an ion with a 2+ charge. (2)

If an ion has a 2+ charge then it must have lost electrons to form the cation. If the ion has 18
electrons and the atom lost 2 to form the ion, then the neutral atom contained 20 electrons.
Since it was neutral, it must also have had 20 protons.

7. Explain why isotopes of the same element have identical chemical properties. (2)

All the Isotopes of an element have identical chemical properties because they have the
same number of electrons as an atom of that element but they have different numbers of
neutrons. The different number of neutrons affects the mass number.

8. Place the halogens including Astatine, in order of reactivity, with the most reactive
element first. Explain your answer, making sure you include the trend in reactivity and
how the reactivity can be explained, referring to halide ions. (6)

Fluorine>Chlorine > Bromine > Iodine>Astatine.

This due to there being more shells as you go down the group making the electro static
attraction weaker. This makes it easier to gain a negative electron.
 Year 9 Chemistry Holiday HW

9. Describe the chemical and physical differences of the transition metals compared with
Group 1. (4)

Transition metals have higher melting points, they have higher density, they are less reactive
with water, they react and form ions with different charges, but Group 1 metals only form 1+
ions

10. Caesium is near the bottom of Group 1 in the periodic table. What do you think will hap -
pen if it was dropped into water containing universal indicator solution? Explain what you
would observe (5)

Caesium would probably make a vast explosion on contact with water, possibly shattering
the container. Caesium hydroxide and hydrogen are formed. Also it would sink due to the
mass being heavier than water. The universal indicator will most likely be red or near the
colour red.