SK017

Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

Unit 2: States of Matter

The Gaseous State

Jun 99

1. A group of matriculation students had done an experiment to determine the relative molecular
mass of gas X.
The table below shows the experimental data obtained at 25°C.
Pressure (atm) 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25
Density (g/L) 0.60 1.24 1.78 2.35 2.96
a) Determine the relative molecular mass of gas X using graph.
b) i. State the ideal gas equation and the van der Waals equation for real gas.
ii. Explain the differences between both equations.

Jan 99

2. The table below shows the changes in volume for 0.39g of gas A at temperature 25°C.

Pressure, P/(kNm-2) Volume, V/(x 102 cm3)

20 3.53
40 1.76
60 1.18
80 0.88
100 0.71

i. Plot a graph of P values against 1/V.

ii. State the gas law that was obeyed by A. Explain.
iii. Based on the plotted graph, determine the molar mass of gas A.

Jan 00

3. Derive the ideal gas equation from the gas laws.

A 0.112-g sample of gas occupies 81.8 mL at temperature 127°C and pressure 1 atm. Calculate
the relative molecular mass of the gas. <44.9>

Jun 00

4. In another experiment, 1.490 g of zinc reacted with excess hydrochloric acid. The released
hydrogen gas was collected using the water displacement method at temperature 23°C and
pressure 99.99 kN m−2. The vapour pressure of water at this temperature is 2.81 kN m−2.
Calculate the volume of the dry hydrogen gas collected.
[Ar Zn=65; H=1; Cl=35.5] <0.580 L>

5. Give the three assumptions underlying the Kinetic Molecular Theory of gases. Hence explain
the Boyle’s law by using this theory.
Explain the conditions whereby gases would behave ideally.

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

MST 01

6. State the characteristics of ideal gas.

a) The density of a gas at temperature 27°C and pressure 1.5 atm is 1.35 g L−1. Calculate the
relative molecular mass of this gas.
b) This gas occupies 5.0 L at temperature 26°C. If the temperature is raised to 300°C,
calculate the change in volume of the gas at constant pressure. <9.6>

7. The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases consisting of 3.20 g methane, CH4, 0.60 g
hydrogen, H2, and 11.20 g nitrogen, N2 at 25°C is 2.20 atm. Calculate
i. the volume of the gas container. <10.00>
ii. the partial pressure of each gas. <0.49; 0.73; 0.98>
iii. the total number of molecules of gases in the mixture.
<5.42x1023>

Mac 01

8. Silver oxide, Ag2O, when heated, it decomposes to form silver and oxygen gas.
i. Write a balanced equation for the decomposition of silver oxide.
ii. Calculate the volume of gas released at temperature 28.3°C and pressure 749 torr if 4.262 g
of Ag2O decomposed completely.
[Ar Ag=108; O=16] <0.23>

UPS Jun 02

9. A 2-litre flask contains 4.40 g carbon dioxide gas, CO2 and 1.00 g nitrogen gas, N2 at 27°C.
i. What is the partial pressure of each gas component in the flask? <1.23; 0.44>
ii. Calculate the total pressure in the flask. <1.67>

10. Name three gas laws and write down their mathematical expressions used in derivation of the
ideal gas equation.

11. A sample of an oxide of nitrogen separated from a car exhaust has a mass of 0.571 g and
occupy 1.00 litre at 356 torr and temperature 27°C.
Determine its relative molecular mass and hence identify whether the oxide is NO or NO2.
<30>

Mac 02

12. The van der Waals equation for 1 mol of real gas is as follow:
a
(P + V 2 )(V − b) = RT
Determine and explain whether
i. H2 molecule or H2S molecule has a higher value of a and b.
ii. a or b value that can be related to the boiling point.

MST Jul 03

13. a) State 2 differences between an ideal gas and a real gas.

b) The density of a gas is 3.73 g L−1 at 120°C and 960 mmHg.
Calculate the relative molecular mass of the gas.

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

c) Rank the gases in order of decreasing rate of effusion at constant temperature and pressure.
CO2 , SO2 , H2O , CCl4 , PF5

Sept 03

14. The van der Waals equation for n moles of a real gas is
n2a
(P + )(V – nb) = nRT
V2
where a and b are van der Waals’ constants. The values of a and b for gas A, B and C are given
in the following table.

Van der Waals’ constants / arbitrary unit

Gas Molar volume/L
a b
A 22.398 0.034 0.02370
B 22.413 1.390 0.03913
C 22.414 3.592 0.04276

i. Derive the units for the constants a and b.

ii. Arrange the three gases in the above table with respect to increasing ideal gas behaviour.
iii. Gas C is more ideal at elevated temperatures. Explain.
iv. Almost all gases behave almost ideally at low pressures. Explain.

15. An experiment was carried out under high pressure and low temperature to determine the
relative molecular mass of CO2 gas. The following data were obtained.

Mass of empty bulb 25.40 g

Mass of bulb filled with CO2 gas at temperature 170C and
26.50 g
pressure 1.1x 103 atm
Mass of bulb filled with water 619.50 g

Calculate the relative molecular mass of CO2 gas. <0.04>

There is difference in value of the relative molecular mass between the one calculated above
and the one calculated from the molecular formula. Explain.

MST Jul 04

16. (a) What is the volume of 0.125 M HClO4 is required to neutralise 40 ml of 0.065 M NaOH.
The reaction that takes place is as follows:
HClO4 (aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaClO4 (aq) + H2O()
(b) Give two differences between ideal gas and real gas.
(c) A mixture of gases contain 4.46 moles of neon (Ne), 0.74 mole of argon and 2.15 moles of
xenon (Xe). Calculate the partial pressures of the gases if the total pressure is 2.00 atm at a
certain temperature.

Oct 04

PV
17. Sketch a graph of PV against T and against P for a constant number of moles of an ideal
T
gas. Explain both graphs.

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 SK017
Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

MST Jul 05

18. A sample of 1.650 g Ag2O decomposed on heating and the oxygen produced was collected by
displacement of water at 25°C and 750 mmHg. The equation of the reaction is,
2Ag2O(s) → O2(g) + 4Ag(s)
If the vapour pressure of water at 25°C is 23.8 mmHg, what is the volume of oxygen in litre.

Oct 05

19. Define Dalton’s law of partial pressures.

A certain mass of nitrogen gas is added to an vessel of 405 mL containing 0.52 g oxygen. The
gas pressure is increased from 745 mmHg to 980 mmHg. Assuming the temperature remains
constant and that the nitrogen gas does not react with oxygen gas, calculate the mass of the
added nitrogen. <0.144>
What will happen to the pressure of the closed vessel of nitrogen and oxygen if the temperature
is increased? Explain.

MST July 06

20. 2 moles of hydrogen gas are allowed to react with 1 mole of nitrogen gas in a 30 L container at
25 oC . If all hydrogen gas are converted to ammonia.
i. write a balanced equation for the above reaction.
ii. Calculate the total pressure after the reaction is completed.

Oct 06

21. (a) Gas C with a mass of 8 g at 0oC and 0.87 atm occupies a volume which is equal to volume
of 11 g CO2 at STP. Calculate the density and the molar mass of the gas.

What would be the pressure if the volume of the gas is doubled while the temperature is
kept constant ?

(b) A mixture containing 28 g of Ar and 14 g of Hbr gases are placed in an 8.0 L container at
30 oC . Determine the partial pressure of each gas and the total pressure inside the container.
Assume the gases are ideal.

MST July 07

22. Calcium carbonate, CaCO3, decomposes upon heating according to the following equation.

CaCO3(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g)

∆
0.20 mol of CaCO3 is heated in a 2.0 dm3 vessel. After heating, it is found that the pressure of the
gas is 44.08 kPa at 30oC. Determine
i. the number of moles of gas formed from the decomposition of CaCO3.
ii. the mass of CaCO3 left after the reaction was completed.
iii. the partial pressure of hydrogen gas in the vessel when 0.10 mol of hydrogen gas is added to
the vessel at the same temperature.

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

Oct 07

23. State Charles`s law. Explain Charles`s law from a kinetic perspective.

A piston-cylinder holds 7.00 g of CO2 at 160 oC and 110 kPa. How many grams of CO2 will it
hold at 27 oC under the same pressure?

MST Jul 08

24. Ammonium nitrous, NH4NO2 decomposes upon heating to form nitrogen gas.

NH4NO2(s) N2(g) + 2H2O(l)

When a sample of NH4NO2 was decomposed in a test tube, 0.511 L of nitrogen gas was
collected over water at 26oC and 745 torr. How many grams of NH4NO2 were decomposed?

[Vapour pressure of water at 26oC = 25 torr]

[Molar mass of NH4NO2 = 64.0 g mol-1]

Oct 08

25. What is an ideal gas?

When 17.75 g of Cl2 gas is filled into a 3-L closed container at 27oC, the internal pressure of the
container increased to 1.6 atm. Determine whether Cl2 gas behaves as an ideal gas at this
condition. State the conditions when a gas deviates from an ideal behavior. Explain your
answer.

The Liquid State

Jun 99

1. What do you understand by the term boiling point.

“The boiling point of a liquid increases with increasing intermolecular attractive forces”.
Explain the above statement.

Mac 01 (MST Jul 03)

2. State the properties of liquid.

The following table shows the boiling points for a few liquids.

Ethanal, Ethanol, Methanol,

Liquid
CH3CHO CH3CH2OH CH3OH
Boiling point/°C 20 78 65

Arrange these liquids in order of increasing vapour pressure. Explain.

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 SK017
Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

MST Jun 02

3. Using the kinetic theory, explain the changes that occur when ice was left at room
temperature.
MST Jul 06

4. i. Define boiling point of a liquid.

ii. State two factors affecting the boiling point.

MST Jul 07

5. i. What is the relationship between intermolecular forces and surface tension?

ii. Predict, with reasons, which liquid has a greater surface tension, ethanol (CH3CH2OH) or
dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3).

MST Jul 08

6. Boiling point of benzene, water and butanol are 80oC, 100oC and 120oC
respectively at 1 atmospheric pressure. The graph below shows the variations of the
saturated vapour pressure of the three liquids against temperature.

Pressure (atm)

Temperature (oC)
Label the three liquids on the graph given above. Mark on the graph the boiling point of
each liquid.

Oct 08

7. What is vapour pressure of a liquid?

Explain why vaporization occurs only on the surface of a liquid before the boiling point
temperature is reached.

The Solid State

Oct 04

1. i. Define melting point and normal melting point of a substance.

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 2

ii. Describe the melting process in terms of the molecular kinetic theory.

Oct 07

2. When a solid is heated in a closed container, it undergoes phase changes. Describe the process.

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