Practice Question on s- and p- block elements

1. Discuss the increase in thermal stability of the carbonates down Group I.

2. Explain why LiH has greater thermal stability than the other Group I hydrides.
3. Valinomycin is a naturally produced ionophore, very selective for potassium ions. It is used
by organism to transport potassium ions across cell membranes. Based upon the structure of
Valinomycin, what structural feature do you feel would be crucial for binding potassium ion
and transporting it across the cell membrane.

Structure of valinomycin
4. Why compounds of Be are much more covalent than other Gr II compounds?
5. Why are Group II metals harder and why do they have higher m.p. than Group I metals?
6. What is the structure of BeCl2 in the gaseous state and as a solid?
7. The hardness of water may be ‘temporary’ or ‘permanent’; what causes each of these
conditions and how is each treated?
8. Explain why titration of Ca2+ or Mg2+ with EDTA are performed at high pH?
9. Draw the structure of diborane and discuss its bonding.
10. Explain the following:
a. BF3 has no dipole moment, but PF3 has substantial dipole moment.
b. BF3 and BrF3 molecules have different shapes
11. Arrange the following in order of increasing Lewis acidity: BF3, BCl3, BBr3