COMMON QUESTIONS FOR OTHER TOPICS 1.

PERIODIC TABLE Physical Properties of Group I elements - soft, low melting point, low density Chemical Properties of Group I elements - react with cold water to form a metal hydroxide (alkaline) and hydrogen gas - react with oxygen to form basic oxides. Trends / How physical properties changes down Group I - Reactivity of Group I metals increases down the group. - Melting points of Group I elements decreases down the group. State what is observed when sodium is added to a trough of water (containing a few drops of Universal Indicator solution). - Effervescence occurs. - The sodium darts around on the surface of the water. - The sodium catches fire and burns with a yellow flame. - (The green Universal Indicator solution turns violet, due to hydroxide ions, OH- formed) State, and explain, how the reaction between lithium (potassium) and water differs from the reaction between sodium and water. - The reaction between lithium (potassium) and water will be less (more) vigorous than the reaction between sodium and water. - The reactivity of Group I elements increases down the Group. - Since lithium (potassium) is placed above (below) sodium in Group I in the Periodic Table, lithium (potassium) is less (more) reactive than sodium, so lithium reacts less (more) vigorously with water, as compared to sodium. Physical Properties of Group VII elements - exist as diatomic covalent molecules, low melting and boiling points, low density, coloured elements (F2 yellow gas; Cl2 yellow green gas; Br2 red brown liquid; I2 dark violet solid; At2 black solid) very reactive non metals, form negative ions with a 1 charge. Chemical Properties of Group VII elements - undergo displacement reactions in which a more reactive halogen displaces a less reactive halogen out of its halide salt solution. - Reacts readily with metals to form ionic metal halides. - Reacts with oxygen to form acidic oxides. Trends / How physical properties changes down Group VII - Reactivity of Group VII elements decreases down the group. - Melting points of Group VII elements increases down the group.

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Explain why argon (or any other noble gas) is unreactive / does not form compounds / exist as a single atom / remains as the uncombined element. Argon has a full outermost shell of electrons and a stable electronic structure / configuration. It does not react with other atoms / does not form bonds with other atoms, so it is unreactive. Explain what is non-biodegradable. Non biodegradable means cannot be decomposed naturally by bacteria in the surrounding air. Plastics are non biodegradable. Suggest a disadvantage of this. When non biodegradable plastics are disposed, they accumulate and become an eyesore / lead to land pollution problems. More land space is needed for landfills. The careless disposal of both plastics and iron or steel causes pollution problems. An article made of plastic is likely to cause pollution for a longer period of time than a similar article made from iron or steel. Explain why. [O Level 2006 Qn 2] Plastics are non biodegradable while iron or steel will rust away over time. Explain why sodium chloride has a very high melting point. [O Level 2007 Qn 7] Sodium chloride is an ionic compound. A lot of heat energy is needed to overcome the strong ionic bonds (electrostatic forces of attraction) between the oppositely charged ions (Na+ and Cl-), to separate the ions during meting, so sodium chloride has a high melting point. Explain why carbon dioxide has a low boiling point. Carbon dioxide is a simple covalent compound. Little heat energy is needed to overcome the weak intermolecular forces of attraction between the carbon dioxide molecules during boiling, so carbon dioxide has a low boiling point. Explain why sodium chloride will conduct electricity when molten (aqueous). [O Level 2007 Qn 7] When molten (aqueous), the ions are free to move throughout the liquid (solution). The mobile ions carry their charges with them as they move throughout the liquid (solution), thus allowing sodium chloride to conduct electricity. Explain why sodium chloride does not conduct electricity when solid. When solid, the ions (Na+ and Cl-) are held in fixed positions by strong ionic bonds. The ions are not able to move in the solid, so there are no mobile ions to carry the current, so sodium chloride does not conduct electricity when solid.

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Explain why carbon dioxide does not conduct electricity in any state. Carbon dioxide is a covalent compound. There are no ions and all the valency electrons are used for chemical bonding. There are no free / mobile charged particles (ions and electrons) to conduct electricity. Explain why sodium conducts electricity. Sodium is a metal. It has free electrons that carry their charges as they move throughout the metal, thus allowing sodium to conduct electricity. Explain why a metal conducts heat better than a non metal. A metal has free moving electrons that help to transfer heat from one region to another, as they move freely throughout the metal structure. Explain, in terms of its electronic structure, why aluminium is a metal / why chlorine is a non metal. Aluminium has an electronic structure of 2.8.3. It tends to give away three valency electrons to form a positive ion, so it is a metal. Chlorine has an electronic structure of 2.8.7. It tends to take in one valency electrons to form a negative ion, so it is a non -metal.

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Explain in terms of their electronic structures, why hydrogen is more reactive than helium. Hydrogen and helium has electronic structures 1 and 2 respectively. Helium has a full outer shell of electrons and a stable electronic structure. It does not react with any other atoms, so it is unreactive. Hydrogen has 1 valency electron. It needs to take in / share 1 electron when it reacts with a metal / non metal, so it is more reactive than helium.