Final Example

(30 problems in 115 min)

Note: This is just an example for the Final. The actual exam covers Chapters 1-13 (up to Section
13.5) that have been discussed in class. Please refer to the lecture presentations on Blackboard
and your own notes.
Warning: You need to understand the answers. Simply memorizing the answers will do you no
good, because the actual questions may have totally different format and/or contain different
numeric values.
1.

Consider the following balanced redox reaction

3CuO(s) + 2NH3(aq) N2(g) + 3H2O(l) + 3Cu(s)
Which of the following statements is true?
a. CuO(s) is the oxidizing agent and copper is reduced.
b. CuO(s) is the oxidizing agent and copper is oxidized.
c. CuO(s) is the reducing agent and copper is oxidized.
d. CuO(s) is the reducing agent and copper is reduced.
e. CuO(s) is the oxidizing agent and N2(g) is the reducing agent.

Answer: a. This is because in this reaction, Cu goes from 2+ in CuO to 0 in Cu(s). So

CuO is reduced, and it is the oxidizing agent.
2.

In which of the compounds shown below does the sulfur have the largest oxidation
number?
a. Na2SO4
b. H2S
c. S8
d. S2Cl2
e. NaSO3

Answer: a. In Na2SO4, each Na is 1+, each O is 2-, so S is 6+. In H2S, H is 1+, so S is 2-;
in S8, S is 0; in S2Cl2, Cl is 1-, so S is 1+; in NaSO3, Na is 1+, O is 2-, so S is 5+.
Therefore the answer is a. The key to figuring out the oxidation number is to know H is
usually 1+, O is usually 2-, F and Cl are usually 1-. Then make the total number zero for
the whole compound.
Balance the half reaction below and enter the number of electrons (whole
number, 1, 2, 3, etc.) in the box below.

3. Given the

BrO3-(aq) +H+ + ___ e- --> Br-(aq) + H2O(l)

Answer: 6. Similar to the previous example, Br in BrO3- is 5+ because O is 2- and the

negative charge of the ion. On the right hand, Br is 1-, as indicated. So 6 electrons are
needed for Br to go from 5+ to 1-. Note the reaction is a half reaction.
4. What is the E0 value for the Galvanic cell formed from these two half-reactions?
Cu2+(aq) + 2e Cu(s)

E0 = 0.337 V

Al3+(aq) + 3e Al(s)

E0 = 1.66 V

a. 2.31 V
b. +4.33 V
c. 1.32 V
d. +2.00 V

Answer: d. Eo = higher Eo lower Eo = 0.337 (-1.66) = 2 V.

5.

Given the A voltaic cell consists of a Cd/Cd2+ electrode (E = -0.40 V) and a Fe/Fe2+
electrode
(E = -0.44 V). If Ecell = 0 and the temperature is 25C, what is the ratio [Fe2+]/[Cd2+]?
a. 2 101
b. 1 101
c. 1
d. 1 101
e. 5 102

Answer: a. First Eo for the cell is -0.40 (-0.44) = 0.04 V. The cell equation should be
Fe + Cd2+ Fe2+ + Cd. So Q = [Fe2+]/[Cd2+]. Then use Nernst equation E = Eo
(RT/nF)lnQ. Q = Eo E = 0.04 V. n = 2, F = 96485, so
[Fe2+]/[Cd2+] = exp(0.04x2x96485/8.314/298) = 22.
6.

What is the sum of the numbers of neutrons and electrons in the ion

120

Sb2+?

Answer

Answer: 118. The mass number 120 is the sum of protons and neutrons, and the number
of electrons is 2 less than the number of protons for this positive ion, so the number of
neutrons and protons is 120 2 = 118. (You can also figure out the number of protons
according to the Periodic Table, calculate the number of neutrons, and add the number of
electrons. )
7.

When the equation below is balanced with the smallest set of coefficients, what is the
coefficient of O2(g)?
C8H18O3(l) + O2(g) => H2O(g) + CO2(g)
a. 8
b. 9

c. 11
d. 12.5
e. 25

Answer: c.
8.

If the mass percentage composition of a compound is 72.1% Mn and 27.9% O, its

empirical formula is
a. MnO
b. Mn2O3
c. MnO2
d. Mn3O4
e. Mn3O2

Answer: d. Assuming 100 g, there is 72.1 g of Mn, or 72.1/55 = 1.31 mole; and 27.9 g of
O, or 27.9/16 = 1.74 mole. 1.74/1.31 = 1.33 = 4/3.
9.

Calcium reacts with sulfur forming calcium sulfide. What is the theoretical yield (g) of
CaS(s) that could be prepared from 1.95 g of Ca(s) and 3.37 g of sulfur(s)? Do not type
units with your answer.
Answer

Answer: 3.51. Ca + S CaS. We have 1.95/40 = 0.04875 mole Ca, 3.37/32 = 0.105
mole S. Note the stoichiometry coefficients are 1, 1, and 1, so Ca is the limiting reagent
and 0.04875 mole of CaS should be produced. 0.04875 x (40 + 32) = 3.51 (g).
10. Iron can react with chlorine to form iron(II) chloride according to:
Fe(s) + Cl2(g) => FeCl2(s)
If you begin with 10.0 g of iron,

a. you will need 10.0 g Cl2 for complete reaction and will produce 10.0 g of FeCl2.
b. you will need 10.0 g Cl2 for complete reaction and will produce 20.0 g of FeCl2.
c. you will need 12.7 g Cl2 for complete reaction and will produce 22.7 g of FeCl2.
d. you will need 12.7 g Cl2 for complete reaction and will produce 20.0 g of FeCl2.
e. you will need 25.4 g Cl2 for complete reaction and will produce 35.4 g of FeCl2.

Answer: c. Mass of Cl2 = 10.0/56 x 1/1 x 71 g/mol = 12.7 g. Mass of FeCl2 = 10.0/56 x
1/1 x (56+71) g/mol = 22.7 g.
11. If a weather report gives the atmospheric pressure as 31.5 in. of mercury, what is the
pressure in kPa?
a. 208
b. 182
c. 316

d. 107
e. 802

Answer: d. You need to know the conversion between different pressure units. Here 1
atm = 76 cm Hg = 29.9 in Hg, and 1 atm = 1.0125x105 Pa = 101.25 kPa, So 29.9 in Hg
corresponds to 101 kPa. 31.5 in Hg equals to 31.5/29.9 x 101 = 107 kPa.
12. What is the volume occupied at STP by a mixture of 4.00 g of He(g), 2.00 g of H2(g) and
32.0 g of O2(g)?
a. 6.15 L
b. 11.2 L
c. 22.4 L
d. 44.8 L
e. 67.2 L

Answer: e. At STP condition, 1 mole of gas occupies 22.4 L. Here we have 4.00/4 +
2.00/2 + 32.0/32 = 3 moles. The denominators are respective molar masses of the gases.
So the total volume is 3x22.4 = 67.2 L.
13. Consider two 1-L samples of gas, one H2 and one O2, both at 1 atm and 25C. Compare
the samples in terms of the characteristics listed.

average molecular speed of O2 ___ average molecular speed of H2

a. is greater than
b. is less than
c. is equal to
d. is not related to
e. is proportional to the square of

Answer: b. With the same kinetic energy, O2 is much heavier than H2, so the speed is
less.
14. For which color of visible light would a photon have the highest energy?
a. violet
b. blue
c. yellow
d. red
e. green

Answer: a. Check Page 164 of the book. Get familiar with the different region of the
spectrum.
15. Which of the following sets is not an acceptable set of quantum numbers.

a. n = 2, l = 1, ml = -1
b. n = 7, l = 3, ml = -3
c. n = 2, l = 1, ml = +1
d. n = 3, l = 1, ml = -3
e. n = 1, l = 0, ml = 0

Answer: d. For l = 1, ml can only be -1, 0, 1.

16. Which orbital is shown in the figure below?

a. px
b. dxy
c. s
d. pz
e. dz 2

Answer: d. It is a p orbital, oriented along the z axis.

17. What is the number of unpaired electrons in a sulfur atom?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

Answer: b. The electron configuration is [Ne]3s23p4. So there are two unpaired electrons
in the 3p orbital.
18. Which of the following elements, when combined with fluorine, would produce the most
polar covalent bond?
a. Ru
b. N
c. B
d. Rb

e. Sr

Answer: c. a,d,e will form ionic bonds. B has lower electronegativity than N.
19. How many lone pairs of electrons are found in the Lewis dot structure of the HCl
molecule?
a. 3
b. 1
c. 6
d. 4
e. 2

Answer: a.
20. Vanadium crystallizes in a body-centered cubic lattice. The number ofnearest neighbors
(atoms that make contact) around each atom in thislattice is:
a. 2
b. 4
c. 6
d. 8
e. 12

Answer: d. Check the shape of body-centered cubic lattice.

21. Which would decrease the internal energy of your body?
a. lying in the sun
b. sitting in an air conditioned classroom where its COLD
c. taking a hot bath
d. eating food
e. None of these

Answer: b. The only option here that lowers temperature.

22. When 165 mL of water at 22C is mixed with 85 mL of water at 82C, what is the final
temperature? (Assume that no heat is lost to the surroundings; d of water = 1.00 g/mL,
specific heat capacity of water is 4.184 J/g.K)
a. 42C
b. 52C

c. 61C
d. 61C
e. None of these is within 5% of the correct answer

Answer: a. The heat released by the hot water should equal the heat absorbed by the cold
water. So cxm1x(T 22) = -cxm2x(82 T). Here c is the specific heat of water, m1 is the
mass of cold water and m2 is the mass of hot water. Note the negative sign on the right
side because heat is released by the hot water. So 165(T 22) = 85(82 T). We use
volume for the hot and cold water because they have the same density. So T is 42C
23. Use the following thermochemical equations

to calculate H for the following reaction:

a. -3146 kJ
b. -16 kJ
c. +1560 kJ
d. -312 kJ
e. -2860 kJ

Answer: d. The final reaction equals to Equation 1 + 2xEquation 3 Equation 2, so

H = -1300 + 2x(-286) (-1560) = -312 kJ.
24. Consider the following hypothetical reaction.
A (g) + 2 B (g) 2 C (g)
Predict the change in entropy for the reaction and give the reason.
a. increase because the number of particles decreases
b. decrease because the number of particles decreases
c. stays constant.
d. decrease because the number of particles increases
e. increase because the number of particles increases
Answer: b.

25. Ee Consider the figure below which shows G for a chemical process plotted against
absolute temperature.

From this plot, it is reasonable to conclude that:

a. "H > 0, "S > 0
b. "H > 0, "S < 0
c. "H < 0, "S > 0
d. "H < 0, "S < 0
e. None of these choices is correct.

Answer: a. First Ho > 0 from the intercept of the line. Then the slope is negative,
meaning So is negative. So
26. A study of the decomposition reaction 3RS2 3R + 6S yields the initial rate data below.
What is the rate constant for the reaction?

a. 0.0103 L mol1s1
b. 0.263 L mol1s1
c. 0.571 L mol1s1
d. 1.17 L mol1s1
e. 1.75 L mol1s1

Answer: e. Compare 2nd and 4th experiments, double the concentration results in 4x
increase in rate. So it is a second-order reaction. Use any experiment, you can figure out
k from rate = k[RS2]2.
27. A reaction has been studied at two temperatures. At 186 K, the rate constant was
determined to be 4.44 103 seconds1 and at 451 K, the rate constant was determined
to be 5.05 103 seconds1. What is the energy of activation?
a. 339 J

b. 0.0326 J
c. 0.00404 J
d. 284 J
e. 0.339 J

Answer: a. Use Arrhenius Equation k = Aexp(-Ea/RT). k1/k2 = exp(-Ea/RT1)/exp(Ea/RT2). From the two k values and T values, Ea can be solved.
28. If a reaction is in a state where Q > K,
a. the rate of the reaction will always double.
b. more products will form.
c. more reactants will form.
d. the reaction will remain in a steady-state.

Answer: c.
29. Calculate the solubility of silver oxalate, Ag2C2O4, in pure water. Ksp = 1.0 1011
a. 1.4 104 M
b. 8.2 105 M
c. 5.4 105 M
d. 3.2 106 M
e. 2.5 1012 M

Answer: a. Ag2C2O4 2Ag+ + C2O42-. Assume solubility x, we have (2x)2 x x =

1.0E-11, x = 1.4E-4 M.
30. Consider the dissolution of MnS in water (Ksp = 3.0 1014).
MnS(s) + H2O(l) Mn2+(aq) + HS(aq) + OH(aq)
How is the solubility of manganese(II) sulfide affected by the addition of aqueous
potassium hydroxide to the system?
a. The solubility will be unchanged.
b. The solubility will decrease.
c. The solubility will increase.
d. The amount of KOH added must be known before its effect can be predicted.
e. The pKa of H2S is needed before a reliable prediction can be made.

Answer: b. Adding KOH gives more OH-. So equilibrium shifts to the reactants.