Chemistry Past Questions

XXX

Some chemical compounds are purified by recrystallisation. What can be used to test the purity of the
crystals?

A melting point
B colour of crystals
C size of crystals
D solubility
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A melting point.
The purity of crystals can be tested using the melting point. Pure substances have a specific and well-
defined melting point, while impurities can cause the melting point to decrease or broaden. Therefore,
measuring the melting point of crystals can provide valuable information about their purity.
X
The presence of impurities lowers both the melting and boiling points compared to pure water.
X
Ironic > melting point & more soluble in water > Covalent
X
Which substance does not form copper(II) sulphate with warm, dilute sulphuric acid?
A copper
B copper(II) carbonate (ANS)
C copper(II) hydroxide
D copper(II) oxide
X
Water is added to a test-tube containing dilute sulphuric acid of pH 4.

What could be the pH of the resulting solution?

A8
B 6 (ANS)
C4
D2
X
Metallic and non-metallic elements are classified in the …(i)… This can be used to …(ii)… the properties
of elements.

(i) Periodic Table

(ii) Predict
X
Which material is an alloy that contains a non-metallic element?

A brass (ANS)
B haematite
C manganese
D steel
X
A steel works and a chemical works are built near to a city. The limestone buildings in the city begin to
crumble. Which gas is most likely to cause this damage?

A carbon dioxide

B carbon monoxide

C oxygen

D sulphur dioxide (ANS)

X
The reaction between ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) produces ammonia
gas (NH₃) and water (H₂O). The overall reaction is:

2NH4Cl + 2Ca(OH)2 => 2NH3 + 2H2O + 2CaCl2

Ammonia gas is released during this reaction. When ammonia gas comes in contact with damp red
litmus paper, it turns blue. Therefore, the final color of the litmus paper will be blue.
X
A newspaper article claims that carbon dioxide is formed as follows.

1 during respiration

2 when calcium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid

3 when methane burns in air

Which statements are correct?

A 1, 2 and 3

B 1 and 2 only

C 1 and 3 only

D 2 and 3 only

The correct statements are:

C. 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

1. Carbon dioxide is produced during respiration, where organisms release CO₂ as a byproduct.
2. When calcium carbonate (\(CaCO_3\)) reacts with hydrochloric acid (\(HCl\)), it produces carbon
dioxide (\(CO_2\)).

3. Methane (\(CH_4\)) burns in air to produce carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)).

X
What is always true for a pure substance?

A It always boils at 100 °C.

B It contains only one type of atom. (ANS)

C It has a sharp melting point.

D It is solid at room temperature.

X
What is the relative molecular mass, of HNO3?

A5
B 31
C 32
D 63 (Ans)
X
Which statement describes the bonding in sodium chloride?

A A shared pair of electrons between two atoms leading to a noble gas configuration.

B A strong force of attraction between oppositely charged ions. (ANS)

C A strong force of attraction between two molecules.

D A weak force of attraction between oppositely charged ions.

X
Which statement about liquids and gases is correct?

A 1cm^3 of gas contains more particles than 1cm^3 of liquid. (ANS)

B A given mass of liquid has a fixed volume at room temperature.

C Particles in a liquid can easily be forced closer together.

D Particles in a liquid have fixed positions.

X
Which row shows the waste products released from the exhaust of a vehicle powered using a

hydrogen–oxygen fuel cell?

Ans: CO2 (No)

Oxides of Nitrogen (No)
Water (Yes)
X
Which equation shows an oxidation reaction?

A C + O2 → CO2

B CaCO3 → CaO + CO2 (Ans)

C CaO + 2HCl → CaCl2 + H2O

D N2O4 → 2NO2
X
Farmers spread calcium hydroxide on their fields to neutralise soils that are too acidic for crops to grow
well.

Which ion neutralises the acid in the soil?

A Ca2+

B H+

C O2–

D OH– (Ans)
X
What is a property of all metals?

A conducts electricity (Ans)

B hard

C low melting point

D reacts with water

X
Which statement explains why aluminium is used in the manufacture of aircraft?

A It conducts heat well.

B It has a low density. (Ans)

C It is a good insulator.

D It is easy to recycle.
X
An alloy is a mixture of a metal with another element or elements, typically to enhance the properties of
the metal, such as strength, hardness, corrosion resistance, or other desirable characteristics.
X
Which statement about the extraction of iron in a blast furnace is correct?

A Calcium oxide reacts with basic impurities.

B Carbon is burnt to provide heat. (Ans)

C Iron(III) oxide is reduced to iron by carbon dioxide.

D The raw materials are bauxite, limestone and coke.

X
Which process is used to convert calcium carbonate into calcium oxide?

A electrolysis

B fractional distillation

C incomplete combustion

D thermal decomposition (Ans)

Which statement is correct?

A Atmospheric carbon dioxide is not a cause of climate change.

B Atmospheric carbon monoxide is produced by complete combustion of carbon-containing

fuels.

C Burning natural gas decreases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

D Decomposition of vegetation causes an increase in atmospheric methane. (Ans)

A plastic combusts to form sulfur dioxide, SO2, and hydrogen chloride, HCl.

How could both gases be removed from the air?

A Pass the gases over solid anhydrous cobalt(II) chloride.

B Pass the gases over solid damp calcium oxide. (Ans)

C Pass the gases through a catalytic converter.

D Pass the gases through filter paper.

Which statements about ethanoic acid are correct?

1 It turns universal indicator purple.

2 It reacts with magnesium to form hydrogen gas.

3 It reacts with calcium carbonate to form carbon dioxide gas.

4 It decolourises aqueous bromine.

A 1, 2 and 3
B 1 and 2 only
C 2, 3 and 4
D 2 and 3 only (Ans)

Which statement about metals is not correct?

A They conduct electricity because delocalised electrons can move throughout the metal.

B They consist of layers of atoms that can slide over each other.

C They have a giant lattice of oppositely charged ions in a ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons. (Ans)

D They have a giant lattice of positive ions in a ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons.

Aqueous iron(III) sulfate and aqueous sodium hydroxide react to give a precipitate of

iron(III) hydroxide and a solution of sodium sulfate.

What is the balanced symbol equation for this reaction?

A Fe2(SO4)3(aq) + 2NaOH(aq) → Fe(OH)3(s) + Na2SO4(aq)

B Fe2(SO4)3(aq) + 3NaOH(aq) → Fe(OH)3(s) + 3Na2SO4(aq)

C Fe2(SO4)3(aq) + 6NaOH(aq) → 2Fe(OH)3(s) + 3Na2SO4(aq) (Ans)

D 2Fe2(SO4)3(aq) + 6NaOH(aq) → 4Fe(OH)3(s) + 6Na2SO4(aq)

Which information is needed to calculate the relative atomic mass of an element?

A The total number of protons and neutrons in the most abundant isotope.

B The nucleon numbers and the total number of isotopes.

C The mass number and abundance of each of its isotopes. (Ans)

D The atomic number and abundance of each of its isotopes.

Magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium are Group II elements.

Group II elements follow the same trends in reactivity as Group I elements.

Which statements about Group II elements are correct?

1 Calcium reacts faster than magnesium with water.

2 Barium reacts less vigorously than magnesium with dilute acid.

3 Strontium oxidises in air more slowly than barium.

A 1, 2 and 3

B 1 and 2 only

C 1 and 3 only (Ans)

D 2 and 3 only

a typical transition element = melting point (high)

variable oxidation number (yes)
can act as a catalyst (yes)

The section of the reactivity series shown includes a newly discovered metal, symbol X.

Ca

Mg

Fe

Cu

The only oxide of X has the formula XO.

Which equation shows a reaction which occurs?

A Cu(s) + X2+(aq) → Cu2+(aq) + X(s)

B 2X(s) + Cu2+(aq) → 2X+(aq) + Cu(s)

C X(s) + Fe2O3(s) → 2Fe(s) + 3XO(s)

D X(s) + 2HCl (aq) → XCl2(aq) + H2(g) (Ans)

Which metal compound produces a gas that turns limewater milky when it is heated with a Bunsen

burner?

A copper(II) carbonate (Ans)

B magnesium nitrate

C sodium sulfate
D zinc nitrate

Bauxite contains aluminium oxide.

Aluminium is extracted from aluminium oxide by electrolysis.

Which statement is a reason for why cryolite is added to the electrolytic cell used to extract

aluminium?

A Cryolite decreases the rate at which aluminium ions are discharged.

B Cryolite lowers the melting point of the electrolyte mixture. (Ans)

C Cryolite prevents the carbon anodes being burned away.

D Cryolite removes impurities from the bauxite.

A plastic combusts to form sulfur dioxide, SO2, and hydrogen chloride, HCl.

How could both gases be removed from the air?

A pass the gases over solid anhydrous cobalt(II) chloride

B pass the gases over solid damp calcium oxide (Ans)

C pass the gases through a catalytic converter

D pass the gases through filter paper

Which statement defines structural isomers?

A They are compounds with the same displayed formula but a different molecular formula.

B They are compounds with the same molecular and displayed formulae but a different

structural formula.

C They are compounds with the same molecular formula but a different structural formula. (Ans)

D They are compounds with the same structural formula but a different displayed formula.

Which equation representing a reaction of methane is correct?

CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl

Five steps in an acid–base titration are shown.

1 Slowly add the acid from a burette into a conical flask until the indicator becomes

colourless.

2 Add thymolphthalein.

3 Use a volumetric pipette to add a fixed volume of alkali to a conical flask.

4 Read and record the initial volume of acid in the burette.

5 Read and record the final volume of acid in the burette.

What is the correct order of these steps to complete an acid–base titration?

A2→4→1→5→3

B 3 → 2 → 4 → 1 → 5 (Ans)

C3→4→1→5→2

D4→3→1→2→5

Compounds that are used to make soils less acidic

calcium carbonate

calcium oxide

calcium hydroxide

• transition elements have a high(er) density / Group I has a low(er) density

• transition elements form coloured compounds / Group I compounds are not coloured

• transition elements form ions with different charges / Group I forms only one type of ion

• transition elements are good catalysts / Group I elements not catalysts.

Which gas turns the damp universal indicator paper red most quickly?

A ammonia, NH3

B chlorine, Cl 2

C hydrogen chloride, HCl (Ans)

D sulfur dioxide, SO2

Which statement about paper chromatography is correct?

A A solvent is needed to dissolve the paper.

B Paper chromatography separates mixtures of solvents.

C The solvent should cover the baseline.

D The baseline should be drawn in pencil. (Ans)

Which statement about metals is correct?

A Metals conduct electricity when molten because negative ions are free to move.

B Metals conduct electricity when solid because positive ions are free to move.

C Metals are malleable because the bonds between the atoms are weak.

D Metals are malleable because the layers of ions can slide over each other. (Ans)

Four statements about the effect of increasing temperature on a reaction are shown.

1 The activation energy becomes lower.

2 The particles move faster.

3 There are more collisions between reacting particles per second.

4 There are more collisions which have energy greater than the activation energy.

Which statements are correct?

A 1, 2 and 3
B 1, 3 and 4
C 2, 3 and 4 (Ans)
D 2 and 3 only

A covalent bond is the electrostatic attraction between a pair of electrons

and the nuclei of two atoms.