Edited by Dr.

Chen Rui Zhi 1

TOPIC 5 Electricity and Chemistry Past paper Questions

1 (Nov. 2005, P6, Q2)
The diagram shows the apparatus used to pass an electric
current through concentrated hydrochloric acid.
(a) Label the electrodes. [1]
(b) Give two observations when the current is switched on.

1………………………………………………………………
2……………………………………………………………..[2]
(c) Give a test for the product at the negative electrode
(cathode).
Test ………………………………………………………….
Result ……………...……………………………..……….. [2]

2 (June 2005, P6, Q2)

The diagram shows the apparatus used to find out the effect of an electric current on a
concentrated aqueous solution of sodium chloride.

(a) On the diagram label the electrodes [1]

(b) Give three observations when the circuit is switched on.

1……………………………………………………………………………………
2……………………………………………………………………………………
3…………………………………………………………………………………[3]
(c) (i) Name the product at the positive electrode (anode).
…………………………………………………………………………………..[1]
(ii) State a test for this product and the result of the test.
Test ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Result …………………………….……………………………………………..……….. [2]
(d) the solution around the cathode becomes alkaline. Name the ion which makes the solution
alkaline.
2 Edited by Dr. Chen Rui Zhi

………………………………………………………….…………..…….………………..[1]
(e) State one use of sodium hydroxide.
………………………….…………………………………..…………….………………..[1]

3 (June 2004, P6, Q3)

Lead bromide was placed in a tube and
connected to an electrical circuit as shown below.
The lead bromide was heated until molten. A brown
gas was given off.
(a) State one other expected observation.
…………………………………………………………
[1]
(b) (i) Suggest a suitable material for the
electrodes.

………………………………………………………………
(ii) Indicate on the diagram the negative electrode (cathode)…………………………………..
………….[2]
(c) Name the brown gas. At what electrode will the gas be given off?
Name……………………………………………………………………………………….
Electrode…………………..………………………………………………………..………[2]
(d) Why is this experiment carried out in a fume cupboard?
…………………………………………………………………..………..………………….[1]
4 (June 2001, paper 3. Q2)
(b) Lithium is extracted by the electrolysis of its
molten chloride.
(i) Lithium chloride is an ionic compound. Explain
why it is conducts electricity in the molten state
but not in the solid state.

............................ .......................... ........................

............................................................................[2]
(ii) How is electricity conducted in the part of the circuit
labelled
A to B? ....................................................................
C to D? ...............................................................[2]
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(iii) What would be the products of the electrolysis of

concentrated aqueous lithium chloride?
.....................................................................................................................................[3]

5 (June, 2004, P3, Q5)

(b) Aqueous copper(II) sulphate solution can be electrolysed using carbon electrodes. The ions
present in the solution are as follows.
Cu2+(aq), SO42–(aq), H+(aq), OH–(aq)
(i) Write an ionic equation for the reaction at the negative electrode (cathode).
…………………………………………………………………….…………….……………. [1]
(ii) A colourless gas was given off at the positive electrode (anode) and the solution changes
from blue to colourless. Explain these observations.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………….. [2]
(c) Aqueous copper(II) sulphate can be electrolysed using copper electrodes. The reaction at
the negative electrode is the same but the positive electrode becomes smaller and the
solution remains blue.
(i) Write a word equation for the reaction at the positive electrode.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..[1]
(ii) Explain why the colour of the solution does not change.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..[2]
(iii) What is the large scale use of this electrolysis?
………………………………………………………………………………………………..[1]
4 Edited by Dr. Chen Rui Zhi
1. The position of aluminium in the reactivity series of metals is shown below.
(a) Aluminium is extracted by the electrolysis of its molten oxide.

magnesium
aluminium
carbon
iron
copper

(i) Name a mineral ore from which aluminium may be extracted.……..……..…………. [1]
(ii) Why does the electrolyte contain molten cryolite?
…………………………………………..……………………………………………. [1]
(iii) State how aluminium is discharged at the cathode and the type of reaction in terms of
electron transfer. ………………..……………………………………………………………..
……..…………………..…………………………………………………………… [2]
(c) Explain why the carbon anodes needed replacing regularly.
……..…………………..………………………………………………………………..
……..…………………..………………………………………………………………..
……..…………………..…………………………………………..…………………… [3]
(d) Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust.
Why is aluminium more expensive than iron? (iron is extracted by carbon reduction)
……..…………………..………………………………………………………………..
……..…………………..……………………………………………..……….………… [2]
(e) State one use of aluminium. State the property of aluminium which makes it suitable for this
use.
……..…………………..………………………………………………………………..
……..…………………..………………………………………………………………… …[2]
Total 11
TOPIC 6 Chemical Changes and Energy
1 (June 2006, P3, Q6)
6 (a) Exothermic reactions produce heat energy.
An important fuel is methane, natural gas. The equation for its combustion is
as follows.
CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O
(i) In chemical reactions bonds are broken and new bonds are formed.
Using this reaction give an example of
a bond that is broken,………………………………………………………………………
a bond that is formed. ………..………………..…………………………………………
[2]
(ii) Explain, using the idea of bonds forming and breaking, why this reaction is
exothermic, that is it produces heat energy.
………………………………..………………………………………………………………
………………………………..………………………………………………………………[2]
(b) Some radioactive isotopes are used as nuclear fuels.
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(i) Give the symbol and the nucleon number of an isotope that is used as a
nuclear fuel.
………………………………..………………………………………………………………[2]
(ii) Give another use of radioactive isotopes.
………………………………..………………………………………………………………[1]

TOPIC 8 Acids, Bases and Salts

8-1 Properties of acids and bases
1 (Nov. 2005, P6, Q7)
Some plants do not grow well in acidic soil.
A farmer gives you a small sample of soil from a corner of one of his fields.
(a) Plan an investigation to find out the pH of the soil sample.
You are provided with Universal Indicator solution and common laboratory apparatus.

[5]
(b) Why would further experiments be necessary to inform the farmer which plants should be
grown in each of his fields?

[2]
2 (June 2005, P6, Q6)
The label below is from a bottle of concentrated lemon drink.

(a) What is meant by the term concentrated?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]
(b) Predict the pH of the lemon drink.
…………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]
(c) Describe an experiment to show that two different yellow colourings are present in the
drink.

3 (June 2002, P3, Q4)

(d) Phosphorus tribromide reacts with water to form two acids.
(i) Balance the equation for this reaction.
PBr3 + ......H2O .→ ......HBr + H3PO3 .......................................... ..................... ..[1]
(ii) Describe by giving essential details how you could show that phosphorous acid,
H3PO3, is a weaker acid than hydrogen bromide.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............
..................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............... . [2]
(e) Hydrogen bromide is an acid. When it is dissolved in water the following reaction occurs.
HBr + H2O .→ H3O+ + Br–
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(i) Name the particle lost by the hydrogen bromide molecule.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...........[1]
(ii) What type of reagent is the water molecule in this reaction?
............................ ............................ ...................... ............................ ............... .[1]
4 (Nov 2001, P3, Q5)
(d) Sulphuric acid is a typical strong acid.
(i) Explain the term strong acid.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...........[2]
(ii) Write a word equation for the reaction between zinc carbonate and sulphuric acid.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...... .[2]
(iii) Write an equation for the reaction between sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...... .[2]
(iv) Write an ionic equation for the reaction between magnesium and sulphuric acid.
.................. ............................ ............................ ............................ .....................[2]

5 (June, 2004, P6,Q1)

An experiment was carried out to find the pH of samples of soil from a farmer’s field.

(a) Identify the pieces of apparatus labelled

A,…………………………………………………………………………………………
B,…………………………………………………………………………………………
C……………………………………………………………………………..………….. [3]
(b) Why was the soil crushed?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………….[2]
(c) Why should soil samples be taken from different parts of the field?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………….[1]
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(d) Suggest why it is important to know the pH of soil.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….[1]

8-2 Preparation of salts

6 (Nov. 2005, P6, Q1)
A student reacted sulphuric acid with copper(II) oxide. The diagram shows the procedure
followed.

(a) Complete the boxes to identify the pieces of apparatus labelled. [3]
(b) What is the colour of the solution formed?
…………………………………………………………………………………….. [1]
(c) Describe how crystals could be quickly obtained from the solution.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

7 (June 2001, P3, Q2)

(c) The following is part of the description of the preparation of the soluble salt lithium chloride.
25.0 cm3 of a solution of lithium hydroxide, concentration 1.00 mol/dm3 was placed in a
beaker. A few drops of the indicator, methyl orange, were added and the mixture turned
yellow. Hydrochloric acid was added from a burette until the mixture just turned red. 20.0
cm3 of the acid was needed to neutralise the alkali.
(i) Describe how the experiment should be completed to obtain pure crystals of the salt.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............... .
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...........[3]
(ii) Calculate the concentration of the hydrochloric acid.
LiOH + HCl → LiCl + H2O
Number of moles of LiOH in 25cm3 of a 1.00mol/dm3 solution= ...........................
Therefore number of moles of HCl in 20 cm3 = ...........................
Concentration of HCl = ...........................
= ........................... mol/dm3 [4]

(June 2004, P3, Q4)

8 Edited by Dr. Chen Rui Zhi
(a) Insoluble compounds are made by precipitation.
(i) Complete the word equation for the preparation of zinc carbonate.
…………….. sodium zinc ……………..
…………….. + carbonate carbonate + ……………..
(ii) Complete the following symbol equation.

Pb(NO3)2 + …….NaCl ……………. + …………………. [2]

(iii) Write an ionic equation for the precipitation of the insoluble salt, silver(I) chloride.

............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ .........[2]

*(b) ( 难 题 ) 2.0 cm3 portions of aqueous sodium hydroxide were added to 4.0 cm3 of
aqueous iron(III) chloride. Both solutions had a concentration of 1.0 mol/dm3. After each
addition, the mixture was stirred, centrifuged(离 心 ) and the height of the precipitate of
iron(III) hydroxide was measured. The results are shown on the following graph.

volume of aqueous sodium hydroxide / cm3

(i) Complete the ionic equation for the reaction.

Fe3+ + …..OH– …………………….. [1]

(ii) On the same grid, sketch the graph that would have been obtained if iron(II) chloride
had been used instead of iron(III) chloride? [2]

(iii) If aluminium chloride had been used instead of iron(III) chloride, the shape of the
graph would be different. How are the shapes of these two graphs different and why?

difference in shape............................ ............................ .................................

reason for difference............................ ............................ ...................................[2]

(June 2001, P3, Q1)

Fertilisers contain nitrogen. They are usually ammonium salts or nitrates.
(a) Describe a test for the nitrate ion.
test............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ .............
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............
result........................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ..........
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ....... .[4]
(b) Urea, CO(NH2)2, is a fertiliser. It reacts with water to form a solution of ammonium
Edited by Dr. Chen Rui Zhi 9
carbonate. This reaction is catalysed by the enzyme, urease.
Describe how you could show that this solution contained carbonate ions.
............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............... .[2]