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Victorian Certificate of Education

2022

Letter
STUDENT NUMBER

CHEMISTRY
Written examination
Sunday 1 May 2022
Reading time: 9.00 am to 9.15 am (15 minutes)
Writing time: 9.15 am to 10.45 am (1 hours 30 minutes)

QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

Structure of book
Section Number of Number of questions Number of
questions to be answered marks
A 3 3 43
B 3 3 32
Total 75

• Students are permitted to bring into the examination room: pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers,
sharpeners, rulers and one scientific calculator.
• Students are NOT permitted to bring into the examination room: blank sheets of paper and/or
correction fluid/tape.
Materials supplied
• Question and answer book of 42 pages
• Data book
• Answer sheet for multiple-choice questions
Instructions
• Write your student number in the space provided above on this page.
• Check that your name and student number as printed on your answer sheet for multiple-choice
questions are correct, and sign your name in the space provided to verify this.
• Unless otherwise indicated, the diagrams in this book are not drawn to scale.
• All written responses must be in English.
At the end of the examination
• Place the answer sheet for multiple-choice questions inside the front cover of this book.
• You may keep the data book.

Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic
devices into the examination room.
© VICTORIAN CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY 2022
2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 2

SECTION A: RATES AND EXTENT OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Instructions for Section A

Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Write using blue or black pen.
Give simplified answers to all numerical questions, with an appropriate number of significant figures;
unsimplified answers will not be given full marks.
Show all working in your answers to numerical questions; no marks will be given for an incorrect answer unless
it is accompanied by details of the working.
Ensure chemical equations are balanced and that the formulas for individual substances include an indication of
state, for example, H2(g), NaCl(s).
Unless otherwise indicated, the diagrams in this book are not drawn to scale.

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Question 1 (16 marks)
Consider the following readily reversible gas-phase reaction.
W(g) + 2X(g) ⇄ Y(g) + Z(g) ∆𝐻 = +40𝑘𝐽/𝑚𝑜𝑙

Sketch the rate-time graphs and concentration-time graphs for each of the following changes. The first change has been
done for you as an example. For each of the changes, state the effect of this change on Q and K. State what direction
is favoured as a result of this change.

a. Adding Y(g) to the system:

Q increase,
No effect on K,
Backwards
Reaction is
Favoured
Until equilibrium
Is reached

SECTION A – continued
 5 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM

b. Subtracting Y(g) from the system: (4M)

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SECTION A – continued
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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 6

c. Adding an inert gas to increase pressure: (4M)

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SECTION A – continued
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d. Adding a catalyst to the system: (4M)

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SECTION A – continued
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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 8

e. Increasing the temperature: (4M)

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SECTION A – continued
 9 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM

Question 2 (20 marks)

Hydrogen iodide has diverse applications, where it is often used as an analytical reagent, or in the manufacturing of
Pharmaceuticals or cleaning agents. Hydrogen iodide is produced via a reversible reaction between hydrogen and
Iodine gas. The forwards reaction also produces 108kJ/mol of heat energy.

a. Write down the thermochemical equation for the reversible reaction above. (1M)

b. An experiment was conducted where the reaction reaches equilibrium but it gets disrupted and has to
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reestablish its equilibrium. The aim of the experiment was to see how the system responds after each disruption.
The concentration-time graph for the system is shown below.

i. How many times has the system reached a position of equilibrium? (1M)

ii. State a possible disruption that occurs during A (1M)

SECTION A – continued
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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 10

iii. State a possible disruption that occurs during B (1M)

c. Explain, with reference to Le Chatelier’s Principle, on how and why the system responds a particular (4M)
way after the disruption at A. Which direction did the reaction travel after the disruption?

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d. Explain, with reference to collision theory, the rate of the forwards reaction of the system after the (4M)
change in B. Did the rate increase or decrease compared to its previous rate during equilibrium?
Justify your answer.

SECTION A – continued
 11 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM

e. State the equilibrium constant expression for this system (1M)

f. State the changes of Q and K caused by the changes done in:

i. A (1M)
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ii. B (1M)

g. Will the system get knocked out of equilibrium when an inert gas is added? Justify your response. (3M)

h. Propose a method to increase the yield of hydrogen iodide in this system. Justify your answer. (2M)

SECTION A – continued
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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 12

Question 3 (7 marks)
A mixture of 5.0 mol H2(g) and 10.0 mol I2(g) are placed in a 5.0 L container at 450°C and allowed
to come to equilibrium. At equilibrium the concentration of HI(g) is 1.87 mol L-1.

a. Calculate the value for the equilibrium constant, K, for this reaction under these conditions. (4M)

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b. Interpret this value of K during equilibrium. Are there more concentrations of reactants or products? (1M)

c. Below is a Boltzmann distribution curve for this system at 450℃. Sketch the curve at 300℃ and at (2M)
600℃ relative to the curve already drawn below.

END OF SECTION A
 13 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM
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CONTINUES OVER PAGE

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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 14

SECTION B: ELECTROLYSIS

Instructions for Section B

Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Write using blue or black pen.
Give simplified answers to all numerical questions, with an appropriate number of significant figures;
unsimplified answers will not be given full marks.
Show all working in your answers to numerical questions; no marks will be given for an incorrect answer unless
it is accompanied by details of the working.
Ensure chemical equations are balanced and that the formulas for individual substances include an indication of
state, for example, H2(g), NaCl(s).
Unless otherwise indicated, the diagrams in this book are not drawn to scale.

do not write in this area

Question 1 (12 marks)

A special electrolysis cell used in the manufacturing of molten sodium and chlorine gas, which is used industrially,
is called a “Down’s Cell”. The cell works by the principle of electrolysis where a reduction reaction occurs at the
cathode and an oxidation reaction occur at the anode with an external power supply.

a. Molten sodium chloride electrolyte is added to the cell by the top left gap. The electrolyte fills up the whole cell
being in direct contact with anode and the cathode.

i. Write down the chemical equation that occurs at the anode of the cell (1M)

ii. Write down the reduction reaction equation that occurs in this cell (1M)

SECTION B – Question 1 – continued

 15 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM

b. A molten electrolyte was used in this cell. However, the production of molten substances is known to (3M)
be an expensive process. Suggest why an aqueous sodium chloride solution wasn’t used in this cell.
Explain with reference to the electrochemical series. Hint: Aqueous solutions contains water as a solvent.
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c. This Down’s Cell uses an external power supply of 6V at 600℃. A current of 15kA was supplied by the
power supply.

i. How much mass of sodium metal is produced from this cell after 1 and a half days? (1M)

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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 16

ii. How long will it take for this cell to produce 10L of Chlorine gas in SLC? (3M)

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d. Calcium chloride is also added to the electrolyte to increase the supply of chloride electrolyte, to increase the
production of chlorine gas. Alice and Amy are recreating a Down’s cell as part of a school experiment.
Alice observes that adding calcium chloride did not interfere the electrolysis reactions in the cell. Amy
was tempted to also throw in zinc chloride into the cell as well as it just lying on the lab bench and she was
bored. However, Alice quickly stopped Amy and explains that adding zinc chloride will mess up the production.

i. Why did Alice stop Amy from throwing in zinc chloride? How would adding zinc chloride mess (2M)
up production?

ii. Amy couldn’t control herself but to throw in zinc chloride to annoy Alice as a joke. What would (1M)
actually happen to the cell when zinc chloride is introduced to the electrolyte?

SECTION B – Question 1 – continued

 17 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM

Question 2 (11 marks)

The usage of hydrogen gas in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells were widely debated. The fuel cell is proven useful
especially for space exploration as water is produced from the fuel cell and is drinkable to the astronauts.
Hydrogen gas can be extracted by nonrenewable means. However, “green hydrogen” (good for the environment
and sustainability) can be produced via electrolysis using the Hoffmann apparatus:
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a. Water is used as an electrolyte in this cell

i. Write the oxidation equation that occurs in this cell (1M)

ii. Write the reduction equation that occurs in this cell (1M)

b. If 2000 C was run on the cell for 5 hours,

i. What is the current produced in the cell? (1M)

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2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 18

i. How much hydrogen gas is produced, in moles? (2M)

c. Comment on the difference of pH on each side of the cell. Is there an apparent pH change as the (3M)
Electrolyte travels towards the cathode and anode? If so, which side is acidic and which side is

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basic?

d. Galvanic cells are known to be produced as a set of two beakers, or two different electrolytes (3M)
whereas electrolysis cells can operate in a single beaker, or a common electrolyte. Explain why
galvanic cells operate in different electrolytes whereas electrolytic cells can operate in a
single electrolyte?

SECTION B – Question 2 – continued

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Question 3 (9 marks)
In this brine membrane electrolytic cell, three different products are formed. The electrolyte used is a highly
concentrated sodium chloride solution, which is known as brine.
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a. The electrolyte on both sides of the cell contains brine and water.
i. Write down the chemical equation for the reaction occurring at the anode (1M)

ii. Write down the chemical equation foe the reaction occurring at the cathode (1M)

b. An asbestos diaphragm acts as a semipermeable membrane that only allows certain particles to (2M)
pass through. Hydroxide ions cannot cross this diaphragm. Discuss the significance of this diaphragm
and what would happen if the membrane is taken away.

SECTION B – Question 3 – continued

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 2022 CHEMISTRY EXAM 20

c. In electrolysis, steel (Made of iron and carbon) is often used as a cathode. However, it is never used as an
anode.

i. Discuss why it is never used as an anode. What happens if steel is used as an anode? (2M)
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ii. How does this apply to the principles of electroplating? Hint: Is the object of interest placed as a (2M)
cathode or on the anode?

d. Molten sodium chloride is difficult to produce so a concentrated aqueous brine is used instead. The ` (1M)
Concentration of chlorine is significantly high enough for the anode to react to chlorine preferentially over
water. However, when it is not concentrated, then water would reacted preferentially over chlorine ions. Is
water an oxidant or a reductant in this case? Is water stronger than chlorine?

SECTION B – Question 3 – continued