CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

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

Coursebook answers
Chapter 7
Exam-style questions
1 a N2 = 0; NH3 = −3; NO = +2; e Ca + 2H2O → Ca(OH)2 + H2 [1]
NO2 = +4; HNO3 = +5 [5] f Water is acting as an oxidising agent,
[1 mark each] because it causes the oxidation of
b Stage 1 is reduction because of calcium, or because hydrogen from
decrease in oxidation number; [1] water is reduced. [1]

stages 2–4 are all oxidation because of [Total: 9]

increase in oxidation number. [1] 3 a i +4 [1]
c nitrogen(IV) oxide [1] ii +6 [1]
d P (element) has oxidation number b i 0 [1]
of 0 and P in H3PO4 has oxidation ii −1 [1]
number of +5; [1]
c SO2 because it decreases the oxidation
P has been oxidised as oxidation number of the bromine / it loses
number increases; [1] electrons / the sulfur increases its
N has oxidation number of +5 in oxidation state. [1]
HNO3 and +4 in NO2; [1] d i +2 [1]
N has been reduced as decreases in ii −1 [1]
oxidation number; [1]
e SO2 + Br2 + 2H2O → SO4 + 2Br + 4H
2− − +
oxidation and reduction occur
together, so redox. [1] 1 mark for correct stoichiometry of
SO2 + Br2 → SO42− + 2Br− [1]
e Nitric acid increases oxidation number
of P / nitric acid gains electrons / nitric 1 mark for correct balance of atoms
acid has been reduced. [1] and ions [1]
[Total: 14] [Total: 9]
2 a i 0 [1] 4 a One reactant is oxidised by loss of
electrons; [1]
ii +2 [1]
electrons are gained by another reactant; [1]
b i +1 [1]
this happens at the same time / reduction
ii 0 [1] and oxidation occur together. [1]
c i Ca → Ca2+ + 2e− [1] b i Al → Al3+ + 3e− [1]
ii 2H2O + 2e → 2OH + H2
− −
[1] ii 2H + 2e → H2[1]
+ −

d equation c ii (2H2O + 2e− → 2OH− + H2) iii −1 [1]

because electrons are being gained /
oxidation number of hydrogen is c 2Al + 6H → 2Al + 3H2
+ 3+
[1]
decreasing [1] [Total: 7]

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

 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

5 a i +2 [1]
ii +2 
1
2 [1]
b Iodine atoms gain electrons. [1]
c i manganese(IV) oxide [1]
ii +6 [1]
iii I − ions because they increase in
oxidation number (from −1 to 0). [1]
iv MnO2 because it has caused I− to
be oxidised / has lost oxygen /
has lost electrons / the oxidation
number of the Mn has decreased. [1]
[Total: 7]
6 a i +5 [1]
ii −1 [1]
b The oxidation number of bromine has
decreased (from +5 to −1); [1]
the oxidation number of oxygen has
increased (from −2 to 0); [1]
oxidation and reduction have occurred
together. [1]
c potassium bromate(V) [1]
d i −6 [1]
ii  in hydrazine = −2 and N in
N
N2 = 0; [1]
for each nitrogen atom oxidation
number change is +2. [1]
iii  xidation number changes must
O
balance; [1]
3 × (2 × +2) for nitrogen
atoms = +12 [1]
2 × (−6) for bromine atoms = −12 [1]
[Total: 12]

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