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 5
Self-assessment questions
1 a Particles in a solid are close together / the molecules are close enough for
touching. When a solid changes to a intermolecular forces of attraction to pull
liquid the particles move slightly further the molecules towards one another. The
apart but many are still touching. In a volume of the molecules must also be
solid the particles are only vibrating. As taken into account.
the temperature is raised, the particles 6 a 54 oC = 54 + 273 = 327 K;
vibrate more until they can move from 250 kPa = 250 000 Pa
place to place by sliding over other
272
particles. moles of methane = 16 = 17 mol
b Particles in a liquid are close together rearrange the gas equation:
and many are still touching. As the nRT
temperature is raised they move faster pV = nRT so V =
p
then escape to form a gas, in which the
17 × 8.31 × 327
particles are much further apart. The V =
250 000
particles in a liquid are moving slowly
over each other but in a gas they move V = 0.185 m3 (to 3 significant figures)
more rapidly.
b 10 dm3 = 10/1000 m3 = 0.01 m3
2 Helium and neon atoms are non-polar so 120 kPa = 120 000 Pa
the only forces between them are van der
rearrange the gas equation:
Waals’ forces. There are very few electrons
in each atom so the van der Waals’ forces pV
pV = nRT so T = nR
here are particularly weak.
3 a i 518 K 120 000 × 0.01
T = 0.25 × 8.31
ii 228 K
b 15 × 103 = 15 000 Pa T = 578 K (to 3 significant figures)

4 At high temperatures the molecules are 7 100 oC = 100 + 273 = 373 K

moving very fast. They have a lot of 23 cm3 = 2.3 × 10−5 m3
kinetic energy. The particles hit the walls rearrange the gas equation:
of the tube with a considerable force. If mRT mRT
the temperature is too high the force of pV = so M r =
Mr pV
the particle hitting the wall may be great
0.08 × 8.31 × 373
enough to break the tube. Mr = = 105.7
(1.02 × 10 ) × (2.3 × 10 )
5 –5

5 a A gas whose volume varies in proportion

to the kelvin temperature and in inverse
proportion to the pressure.
b Real gases deviate from the ideal gas at
high pressures and low temperatures.
This is because, under these conditions,
M r = 106 (to 3 significant figures)
8 A
9 At first, bromine molecules escape from
the surface of the liquid to become vapour.
The colour of the vapour above the liquid

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK
becomes darker. As more and more
molecules escape, the molecules in the
vapour become closer together. Eventually
the molecules with lower kinetic energy will
not be able to overcome the attractive forces
of neighbouring molecules. Some of the
molecules in the vapour begin to condense,
these bromine molecules return to the
liquid. Eventually, bromine molecules return
to the liquid at the same rate as bromine
molecules escape to the vapour. A position
of equilibrium is reached. The colour of the
vapour above the liquid remains constant.
10 a Many metals are strong because of the
strong forces of attraction between the
ions and the delocalised electrons. Ionic
solids are brittle because when a force
is applied along the planes of ions in
the lattice, the ions come to occupy new
positions in which ions with the same
charge are opposite each other. The
repulsion between many ions of the same
charge weakens the forces keeping the ions
together and the layers break apart.
b In pure copper or pure tin, the layers of
metal atoms / ions can slide over each
other when a force is applied. New bonds
are formed due to the force of attraction
between the metal ions and the delocalised
electrons. In the alloy, the different sized
atoms cause the lattice structure to be
disrupted. So the layers of metal ions do
not slide over each other as easily.
11 a Although aluminium is not as good an
electrical conductor as copper, pure copper
is too dense and cannot support its own
weight in the air. Aluminium has low
13
Giant ionic Giant molecular Metallic
Two examples e.g. sodium e.g. graphite,
chloride, silicon(IV) oxide
magnesium oxide
Particles present ions atoms
Forces keeping electrostatic electrons in
particles together attraction between covalent bonds
oppositely between atoms
charged ions
Physical state at solid solid
room temperature
2 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry © Cambridge University Press 2020
density, also but has low tensile strength.
So steel, which has high tensile strength, is
used to support the aluminium.
b Aluminium is less dense than steel. So
the engine block has a lower mass and
less energy is used by the car. The lower
strength of aluminium compared with
steel is not a problem for this application.
c Iron is strong because of the strong metallic
bonding between the ions and the mobile
electrons in the metallic lattice. Sulfur breaks
easily because it has a simple molecular
structure. Intermolecular forces / id–id forces
between sulfur molecules are weak and
easily broken.
12 Start your answer by describing the
structure and bonding.
a Silicon(IV) oxide has a giant covalent
structure. It has a high melting point
because of the strong covalent bonding
throughout the whole structure. A high
temperature is needed to break these
strong bonds and separate the atoms.
b Silicon(IV) oxide does not conduct
electricity because all the electrons are used
in bonding. So there are no free electrons
available to carry the electric current.
c Silicon(IV) oxide is a crystalline solid
because the atoms are in a regular
tetrahedral arrangement (or, the atoms
are in a lattice structure.)
d Silicon(IV) oxide is hard because it is
difficult to break the three-dimensional
network of strong covalent bonds by
simply scratching the surface.
Simple molecular
e.g. copper, iron e.g. bromine, carbon
dioxide
positive ions in small molecules
sea of electrons
delocalised sea weak intermolecular
of electrons forces between molecules
attracts positive (but covalent bonds
ions within the molecules)
solid solid, liquid or gas
 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL CHEMISTRY: COURSEBOOK

Giant ionic Giant molecular Metallic Simple molecular

Melting points and high very high moderately high low
boiling points to high
Hardness hard, brittle very hard hard, malleable soft
Electrical conduct when non-conductors conduct when non-conductors
conductivity molten or in (except graphite) solid or molten
aqueous solution
Solubility in water most are soluble insoluble insoluble but usually insoluble but
some react soluble if polar enough
to form hydrogen bonds
with water

14 D
15 a Buckminsterfullerene is molecular. There
are id–id forces between the molecules. So
not much energy is required to overcome
these weak intermolecular forces.
b Some of the p electrons are not used
in bonding in graphene. These electron
clouds join up and form extended
delocalised rings above and below the
plane of the graphene. The mobile
electrons move when a voltage is applied.
c There are only weak forces between the
buckminsterfullerene molecules. So it
requires only a small amount of force to
overcome these weak intermolecular /
id–id forces.

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