Structured questions

1 a) Consider the techniques listed below.

Electrolysis, distillation, fractional distillation, paper chromatography, sublimation,
crystallization, filtration, separation by a separating funnel
For each of the following cases, select one or more technique(s) above to obtain the
underlined substance(s).
i) Nitrogen from liquid air
ii) Silver chloride from a mixture of silver chloride and silver nitrate solution
iii) Red dye from a mixture of red and blue dyes
iv) Pure water from sea water
v) Iodine from a mixture of iodine and calcium oxide
vi) Copper from copper(II) sulphate solution
vii) Large copper(II) sulphate crystals from copper(II) sulphate solution
viii) Paraffin oil from a mixture of paraffin oil and water
ix) Sand, salt and water from a mixture of sand and salt solution
x) Water from a mixture of copper powder and copper(II) sulphate solution
b) A liquid sample is suspected to be pure water.
i) Suggest a chemical test to show that water is present in the liquid sample.
ii) Suggest a test to show that the sample is pure water.
(16 marks)

2 a) To investigate the dyes in a brand of ink, drops of the ink were placed at the centre of a
filter paper and allowed to dry. Water was slowly added to the spot of ink. After some
time, five coloured circles were seen, as shown in the diagram below.
 i) Name the above technique which is used to separate different dyes in the ink.
ii) Why should the spot of ink at the centre of the filter paper be as small as possible?
iii) Suggest how the water can be added to the centre of the filter paper.
iv) Which of the above dyes is most soluble in water? Explain briefly.
v) An alternative experimental set-up for separating the dyes in the ink is shown below.

(1) Draw a labelled diagram of the expected result if the set-up is left until the
solvent almost reaches the top of the filter paper.
(2) The red dye contains two components. How can you modify the technique to
separate the components?
vi) Suggest ONE advantage of using the above technique to identify the dyes in the ink.
b) The following apparatus can be used to determine the melting point of a solid which
melts between 65℃ and 75℃.

i) Explain why the water should NOT be heated strongly during the experiment.
ii) State and explain ONE modification in the above apparatus if the melting point of
the solid tested is between 120℃ and 130℃.
c) Describe and explain how you can obtain sodium chloride crystals and calcium sulphate
from a solid mixture of sodium chloride and calcium sulphate.
(17 marks)

3 a) The diagram below shows a chromatogram containing blue dye, red dye, green dye and
four other solutions (A, B, C and D).
 i) Which of the above solutions contains
(1) blue and red dyes only?
(2) dyes other than blue, green and red dyes?
ii) In the preparation of the chromatogram, the following instructions were given:
(1) Do NOT draw the starting line with a ball pen.
(2) The solvent front should be near to the top of the paper.
Suggest a reason for each of the above instructions.
iii) Draw a labelled diagram of the set-up you would use to produce the above
chromatogram.
b) Copper(II) sulphate solution can be obtained by adding excess copper to concentrated
sulphuric acid.
i) Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved. State the expected observations.
ii) Suggest a method to separate excess copper from the copper(II) sulphate solution.
iii) Draw a labelled diagram of the set-up used for the method mentioned in (ii).
iv) Crystallization can be used to obtain copper(II) sulphate crystals from its solution.
(1) Briefly describe how copper(II) sulphate crystals can be obtained from its
solution by crystallization.
(2) After crystallization, it is suggested that the solution left still contains
copper(II) sulphate. Suggest chemical tests to show the presence of copper(II)
sulphate in the solution and state also the expected observations.
(20 marks)

4 A student extracted and investigated the orange colour in some sweets.

The student followed these instructions:
Step 1 Collect sweets, a watch glass, a beaker, eye protection and 100 cm3 of ethanol.
Step 2 Crush the sweets.
Step 3 Place the crushed sweets in a beaker containing 100 cm3 of ethanol.
Step 4 Boil the mixture with a watch glass covering the beaker.
Step 5 Decant the liquid and concentrate it by evaporation until the colour is dark orange.
 Step 6 Investigate what dyes are present in the orange solution.
a) Why should the sweets be crushed?
b) Why should the experiment be carried out in a well-ventilated laboratory?
c) State ONE safety precaution that the student should have taken, other than carrying out
the experiment in a well-ventilated laboratory and using eye protection.
d) State the purpose of using a watch glass to cover the beaker in Step 4.
e) Describe how the student could carry out Step 6.
(10 marks)

5 a) A student used the following set-up to obtain water from salt solution.

State and explain FOUR mistakes the student made in the set-up.
b) Give the names of the compounds (W, X, Y and Z) with reference to the following
reactions and information.
i) Solution of W gives a white precipitate with ammonia solution. The precipitate is
soluble in excess ammonia solution. When aqueous chlorine is added to a solution of
W, the solution turns to orange.
ii) Solution of X gives a yellow precipitate with acidified silver nitrate solution. It gives
an alkaline gas when heated with sodium hydroxide solution.
iii) Solid Y gives a golden yellow flame in flame test. When barium chloride solution is
added to a solution of Y, a white precipitate is formed. Y can also decolourize
acidified potassium permanganate solution.
 iv) Solid Z is insoluble in water. It gives a brick-red flame in flame test. When it is
heated, a gas that turns limewater milky is evolved.
c) Hydrated iron(II) sulphate crystals, FeSO47H2O, are green in colour.
When the crystals are heated, they turn to white and fumes are evolved.
i) Name the fumes evolved. Suggest a chemical test for the fumes.
ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved.
iii) When hydrated iron(II) sulphate crystals are left in air for some time, it turns from
green to brown. Explain the observation briefly.
(16 marks)

6 Complete the table below.

Substance Tested by Observation
Water (a) Turns from white to blue
Ammonia (b) (c)
Sulphur dioxide (d) (e)
(f) (g) Gives a ‘pop’ sound
Oxygen (h) (i)
Chlorine Moist pH paper (j)
Carbon dioxide (k) (l)
Ethene Bromine dissolved in 1,1,1- (m)
trichloroethane
(n) Flame test Violet flame
Iron(II) ions (o) (p)
Zinc ions Ammonia solution (q)
Sulphate ions Acidified barium chloride solution (r)
Iodide ions (s) Yellow precipitate is formed
(19 marks)

7 For each of the following pairs of substances, suggest a chemical test todistinguish between
them. State the expected observation(s) and write theequation(s) involved (if any) in each case.
a) Dilute hydrochloric acid and dilute sulphuric acid
b) Potassium carbonate solution and potassium hydrogencarbonate solution
c) Zinc nitrate solution and aluminium nitrate solution
d) Ammonium chloride and potassium chloride (Flame test is NOT accepted.)
 e) Sodium sulphite solution and sodium carbonate solution
f) Magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate (Flame test is NOT accepted.)
g) Sodium hypochlorite solution and sodium chloride solution
h) Table salt and cane sugar
(34 marks)

8 Tests for ions are carried out on solids A, B and C.

a) Solid A contains aluminium ions.
What would you expect to see when dilute sodium hydroxide solution is added until in
excess to the solution of A? Write an ionic equation for the reaction occurred.
b) Solid B contains bromide ions.
i) Describe a chemical test to show the presence of bromide ions in the solution of B.
Write an ionic equation for the reaction occurred.
ii) Sea water contains many dissolved ions. Explain why the test for bromide ions
carried out on sea water would NOT be reliable.
c) Solid C is hydrated iron(II) sulphate.
i) What is the colour of hydrated iron(II) sulphate?
ii) Describe a chemical test to show the presence of sulphate ions in a solution of C.
Write an ionic equation for the reaction occurred.
iii) When iron(II) sulphate solution reacts with an element X, the oxidation number of
iron changes from +2 to 0.
(1) Suggest what X may be.
(2) What would be observed in this reaction?
(3) Explain whether iron(II) sulphate solution acts as a reducing agent or an
oxidizing agent in this reaction.
iv) Suggest a method to distinguish between iron(II) sulphate solution and iron(III)
sulphate solution.
(16 marks)

9 In each of the following cases, identify the unknown substance. Explain briefly with the help
of (an) equation(s) (if any).
a) It is an acidic gas which turns limewater milky. It can also decolourize acidified
potassium permanganate solution.
b) It gives a creamy precipitate with acidified silver nitrate solution. It gives a gas which
turns moist pH paper blue when heated with sodium hydroxide solution.
 c) It is a metal. It does NOT react with concentrated hydrochloric acid but it reacts with
concentrated nitric acid to give a blue solution.
d) It gives a golden yellow flame in flame test. When dilute hydrochloric acid is added to it,
a gas that turns acidified potassium dichromate solution from orange to green is evolved.
(18 marks)

10 a) A student tried to prepare chlorine with the following set-up:

i) What should solution A be?

ii) The part of the set-up for collecting chlorine is missing in this diagram. Draw the
missing part of the set-up.
iii) Suggest a chemical test to identify chlorine. Explain the expected observations with
the help of appropriate equations.
iv) Where should this experiment be performed? Explain your answer.
b) When chlorine is bubbled into iron(II) sulphate solution, a reaction occurs.
i) Write an ionic equation for the reaction involved. State any observable change.
ii) Suggest chemical tests for the ions formed in the reaction. Write ionic equations for
the reactions involved.
c) Chlorine can react with sodium readily to give a sodium compound.
i) Draw a labelled diagram to show the set-up for the reaction between chlorine and
sodium.
ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved.
iii) Is the reaction a redox reaction? Explain your answer briefly.
iv) Describe the procedure for detecting the presence of sodium in the compound. State
the expected observation.
d) Chlorine can react with hot and concentrated potassium hydroxide solution.
i) Write a chemical equation for the reaction.
ii) The reaction is a redox reaction. Explain whether chlorine is reduced, or oxidized, or
simultaneously reduced and oxidized, in the reaction.
(26 marks)
11 Ammonia is produced when sodium hydroxide solution is warmed with substance X.
A student used the set-up below to prepare a sample of dry ammonia gas.

a) Suggest what X may be.

b) Write an ionic equation for the reaction between X and sodium hydroxide solution.
c) Suggest a chemical test for ammonia gas.
d) Suggest why concentrated sulphuric acid should NOT be used to dry ammonia.
e) There are TWO other mistakes in the set-up shown above. Identify and explain these
mistakes.
f) Calculate the theoretical volume of ammonia gas, measured at room temperature and
pressure, which can be obtained from the reaction between 50.0 cm3 of 0.250 M sodium
hydroxide solution and excess X.
(Molar volume of any gas at room temperature and pressure = 24.0 dm3 mol-1)
g) Ammonia reacts with copper(II) oxide upon heating. The products are nitrogen, copper
and water.
i) Explain whether the reaction is a redox reaction.
ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction between ammonia and copper(II) oxide.
(14 marks)

12 The following diagram shows some properties and reactions involving

substances A, B, C, D and E. A is a normal salt.
 a) Name A, B, C and D.
b) Write an equation for the reaction between
i) A and dilute hydrochloric acid;
ii) C and barium chloride solution;
iii) C and acidified potassium permanganate solution.
c) What would be observed when D is warmed with dilute hydrochloric acid?
d) Draw a labelled diagram to show the laboratory set-up for the preparation of gas C from
the reaction between A and dilute hydrochloric acid.
e) The solution of another reagent X gives a white precipitate with barium chloride solution.
Name X.
f) In another experiment, gas C is bubbled into sodium hydroxide solution.
i) Name the type of reaction occurred.
ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction.
g) A clean nichrome wire is required before carrying out a flame test. Describe briefly how a
clean nichrome wire can be prepared.
(15 marks)

13 Compounds A, B, C, D and E are ionic compounds. The following flow chart is

used to identify each compound.
 a) D gives a brick-red flame in flame test. Suggest what D might be. Explain your answer
briefly.
b) B dissolves in dilute hydrochloric acid to give a blue solution and no other change is
observed.
i) What might B be? Explain your answer.
ii) Write an ionic equation for the reaction between B and dilute hydrochloric acid.
c) When A is heated with concentrated sodium hydroxide solution, a gas which turns moist
red litmus paper blue is evolved.
i) What can you conclude from this observation? Write an ionic equation for the
reaction between concentrated sodium hydroxide solution and A.
ii) Suggest the anion which is present in A. Explain your answer with the help of a
chemical equation.
d) i) Suggest the anion which is present in C.
ii) What will be observed if chlorine gas is bubbled into the solution of C?
Explain your answer with the help of an ionic equation.
e) Suppose E is a sodium compound, suggest a test to show the presence of sodium ion in it.
State the expected observation.
(19 marks)

14 Unknown metal M reacts with concentrated nitric acid to give a colourless solution X and a
brown gas Y. When ammonia solution is added to the colourless solution X, a white
precipitate Z which dissolves in excess ammonia solution is formed.
a) Suggest what M, X, Y and Z might be.
b) Write an ionic equation for the reaction between M and concentrated nitric acid.
 c) Explain why Z dissolves in excess ammonia solution.
d) When M is added to silver nitrate solution, a silvery solid deposits.
i) Suggest what the silvery solid may be.
ii) Write an ionic equation for the reaction.
iii) Name the type of reaction occurred.
e) Suggest ONE method which can be used to obtain M from its oxide. Write a chemical
equation for the reaction involved.
f) State ONE use of M.
(12 marks)

15 A metallic oxide X is orange when hot and yellow when cold. X reacts with dilute nitric acid
to give a colourless solution Y. When dilute sodium hydroxide solution is added to a portion
of solution Y, a white precipitate is formed. The white precipitate is soluble in excess sodium
hydroxide solution.
a) Identify X and Y.
b) Write a chemical equation for the reaction between X and dilute nitric acid.
c) Sodium carbonate solution is added to another portion of solution Y.
i) What would be observed?
ii) Write an ionic equation for the reaction.
d) Crystals are obtained from colourless solution Y.
i) Suggest a method for obtaining the crystals.
ii) When the crystals obtained are heated strongly, they decompose to give X, oxygen
and a brown gas.
(1) Name the brown gas.
(2) Suggest a test to identify oxygen.
(3) Write a chemical equation for the thermal decomposition of the crystals.
e) A solid mixture consists of X and sodium chloride. Suggest how sodium chloride can be
removed from the mixture.
f) Nowadays, there are many modern chemical techniques which help us analyze different
chemicals.
i) Suggest TWO modern chemical techniques which are commonly used nowadays.
ii) Suggest TWO advantages of modern instrumental analyses over traditional methods.
(15 marks)

16 The following tests are carried out to identify a solid compound X.

 Test Procedure Observation
1 Heating X with dilute A gas G that turns moist blue litmus paper red and
hydrochloric acid then white is given off
2 Flame test A brick-red flame is observed.
a) With reference to Test 1,
i) Suggest the anion present in X.
ii) Identify gas G.
iii) Explain with the aid of appropriate equations, why gas G can turn moist blue litmus
paper red and then white.
b) i) Describe briefly how flame test can be carried out in the laboratory.
ii) With reference to Test 2, suggest the cation present in X.
c) In another experiment, gas G is tested with a piece of filter paper moistened with
potassium iodide solution.
i) State the observable change that would occur on the filter paper.
ii) Write an ionic equation for the reaction involved.
iii) Explain whether the reaction involved is a redox reaction.
(15 marks)

17 A student tried to identify an unknown solid compound X. X is soluble in water.

Test Procedure Observation
1 Heating X A gas G that turns moist read litmus paper
blue was given off
2 Adding barium nitrate solution followed White precipitate was formed, which was
by dilute nitric acid to the solution of X soluble in dilute nitric acid with the
evolution of a gas
3 Adding acidified potassium dichromate Colour of the acidified potassium
solution to the solution of X dichromate solution remain unchanged
a) What can be concluded from Test 1? Explain your answer.
b) i) With reference to Test 2, suggest TWO anions that would give the observation stated
in the table. Explain your answer with the aid of appropriate equations.
ii) With reference to Tests 2 and 3, deduce the anion present in X. Explain your answer
briefly.
c) In another experiment, the student prepared gas G by heating a mixture of solids in the
set-up shown below:
 i) Explain why the student clamped the test tube with its mouth pointing downwards as
shown.
ii) Decide which of the following set-ups can be connected to the delivery tube to
collect gas G produced. Explain your decision.

(15 marks)

18 When a green powder A is heated, it produces a black powder B and a gas C which turns
limewater milky.
When excess B is added to dilute sulphuric acid and then filtered, a blue solution is obtained.
Blue crystals D can be obtained from the blue solution. When crystal D is treated with
concentrated sulphuric acid, it turns white.
a) Suggest what A, B, C and D might be.
b) Describe briefly how you would obtain blue crystals D from the blue solution.
c) Suggest a confirmatory test for the cation present in D. Write an ionic equation for the
reaction involved.
d) i) Explain why D turns white when treated with concentrated sulphuric acid.
ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved.
e) A white solid is formed around the mouth of a reagent bottle containing limewater.
i) Suggest what the white solid may be.
ii) Explain, with the help of a chemical equation, how the white solid is formed.
f) In another experiment, hydrogen gas is passed over some of the black powder B as shown
in the set-up below:

i) State an expected observation in this experiment.

ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction between B and hydrogen.
iii) Explain why the residual hydrogen is burnt in the set-up.
(17 marks)
19 The following chart shows some properties and reactions of substances P, Q, R, S and T.

a) Name P, Q, R, S and T.
b) When solution P is mixed with dilute sulphuric acid and a small amount of a purple
solution, a redox reaction occurs.
i) Suggest what the purple solution may be.
ii) What would be observed in this reaction? Write an ionic equation for the reaction
involved.
c) Why does Q turn from dirty green to brown after exposed to air for a week?
d) Write a chemical equation for the reaction between R and carbon monoxide gas.
e) What will be observed when S is added to concentrated sulphuric acid?
Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved.
f) Without using any chemical reagents, suggest a confirmatory test for S.
(14 marks)

20 a) A large bottle of chemical waste is suspected to contain the following substances:

sulphuric acid, copper(II) sulphate solution and sodium chloride solution
i) How can you show the presence of
(1) sulphuric acid;
(2) copper(II) ions and
(3) chloride ions
in the chemical waste?
State the expected observations. Write ionic equations for the reactions involved
(if any).
ii) (1) Suppose the chemical waste is accidentally spilt on the floor.
 Explain why we should NOT pour a large amount of water onto the waste to
dilute the acid.
(2) What should be done to remove the acid on the floor?
b) A student wants to complete the following tasks. Suggest how he can do so.
i) To make calcium sulphate from calcium.
ii) To obtain calcium sulphate from a mixture of calcium sulphate and calcium
carbonate.
(16 marks)

21 Describe briefly how you would prepare lead(II) chloride from the following chemicals:
lead(II) oxide, lead(II) sulphate, dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute nitric acid and dilute sulphuric
acid
(You are required to write equations for the reactions involved. Some materials may NOT be
used at all in the preparation.)
(You are required to give a paragraph-length answer. In this question, 6 marks will be awarded
for chemical knowledge and 3 marks for effective communication.) (Answers in the form of
flow diagrams will NOT be marked.)
(9 marks)

22 There are five unlabelled bottles, each containing one of the following liquids:
Sodium chloride solution, heptane, zinc nitrate solution, water, ammonium nitrate solution
You are provided with the following materials and apparatus:
Bunsen burner, dry cobalt(II) chloride paper, dilute sodium hydroxide solution and test tubes
Suggest how you can distinguish the five liquids using the above materials and apparatus.
(You are required to give a paragraph-length answer. In this question, 6 marks will be awarded
for chemical knowledge and 3 marks for effective communication.)
(You are NOT required to write chemical equations. Answers in the form of flow diagrams
will NOT be marked.)
(9 marks)

23 Suppose you are given a silver coin of known mass. Describe how you would conduct an
experiment to determine the percentage by mass of silver in the coin. State the expected
observations of the experiment and show the calculations involved.
(Hint: you may use an acid in the experiment.)
(You are required to give a paragraph-length answer. In this question, 6 marks will be awarded
for chemical knowledge and 3 marks for effective communication.) (You are NOT required to
write chemical equations. Answers in the form of flow diagrams will NOT be marked.)
(9 marks)