Chapter 10 Exam Style Questions

1. The rate of reaction between a metal and an acid can be investigated using the apparatus
shown below.

A piece of zinc foil was added to 50 cm3 of hydrochloric acid, of concentration 2.0 mol /
dm3. The acid was in excess. The hydrogen evolved was collected in the gas syringe and its
volume measured every minute. The results were plotted and labelled as graph 1.

The experiment was repeated to show that the reaction between zinc metal and
hydrochloric acid is catalysed by copper. A small volume of aqueous copper(II) chloride was
added to the acid before the zinc was added. The results of this experiment were plotted on
the same grid and labelled as graph 2.

(i)  Explain why the reaction mixture in the second experiment contains copper
metal. Include an equation in your explanation.
 ........................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................. [2]

(ii)  Explain how graph 2 shows that copper catalyses the reaction.

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....................................................................................................................................[3]

2. Sodium chlorate(I) decomposes to form sodium chloride and oxygen. The rate of this
reaction is very slow at room temperature provided the sodium chlorate(I) is stored in a
dark bottle to prevent exposure to light.

Sodium chlorate(I) is placed in the flask and 0.2 g of copper(II) oxide is added. This catalyses
the decomposition of the sodium chlorate(I) and the volume of oxygen collected is
measured every minute. The results are plotted to give a graph of the type shown below.
 (i)  Explain why the gradient (slope) of this graph decreases with
time. ...............................................................................................................................
........ ................................................................................................................................
...[2]

(ii)  Cobalt(II) oxide is a more efficient catalyst for this reaction than copper(II) oxide.
Sketch, on the grid, the graph for the reaction catalysed by cobalt(II) oxide.
All other conditions were kept constant. [2]

iii)  What can you deduce from the comment that sodium chlorate(I) has to be
shielded from light?

....................................................................................................................................[1]

(iv)  Explain, in terms of collisions between particles, why the initial gradient would
be steeper if the experiment was repeated at a higher temperature.

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................................................................[3]

3. Hydrogen peroxide decomposes to form water and oxygen. This reaction is catalysed by
manganese(IV) oxide.

2H2O2(aq) → 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

The rate of this reaction can be investigated using the following apparatus.
40 cm3 of aqueous hydrogen peroxide was put in the flask and 0.1 g of small lumps of
manganese(IV) oxide was added. The volume of oxygen collected was measured every 30
seconds. The results were plotted to give the graph shown below.

a) i) How do the rates at times t1, t2 and t3

differ? .........................................................................................................................................
.... ....................................................................................................................................... [2]

ii) Explain the trend in reaction rate that you described in (a)
(i). ............................................................................................................................................. .
............................................................................................................................................ .......
................................................................................................................................ [2]

b) The experiment was repeated using 0.1 g of finely powdered manganese(IV) oxide. All the
other variables were kept the same.

(i)  On the axes opposite, sketch the graph that would be expected. [2]
 (ii)  Explain the shape of this
graph. .............................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
....[2]

4. One of the factors which determine the reaction rate of solids is particle size.

(a) A mixture of finely powdered aluminium and air may explode when ignited.
An explosion is a very fast exothermic reaction. This causes a large and sudden
increase in temperature.

Explain each of the following in terms of collisions between reacting particles.

i) Why is the reaction between finely powdered aluminium and air very fast?

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

ii) Explain why for most reactions the rate of reaction decreases with time.

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

iii) Suggest an explanation why the rate of reaction in an explosion could

increase rather than decrease with time.

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................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
.................................................... [3]

b) i) Give another example of a substance other than a metal which, when finely
powdered, might explode when ignited in air.

................................................................................................................................
.............. [1]

ii) Describe a simple test-tube reaction which shows the effect of particle size on
the rate at which a solid reacts with a solution.

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.................................................... [3]
5. The speed (rate) of a chemical reaction depends on a number of factors which include
temperature and the presence of a catalyst.

(a) Reaction speed increases as the temperature increases.

(i)  Explain why reaction speed increases with temperature.

.................................................................................................................................... ....
................................................................................................................................ ........
...................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii)  Reactions involving enzymes do not follow the above pattern.

The following graph shows how the speed of such a reaction varies with
temperature.

Suggest an explanation why initially the reaction speed increases then above a
certain temperature the speed decreases.

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

b) An organic compound decomposes to give off nitrogen.

 (i) The reaction is catalysed by copper.
Sketch the graph for the catalysed reaction on the diagram above. [2]

(ii)  How does the speed of this reaction vary with

time? ..............................................................................................................................
[1]

(iii)  Why does the speed of reaction vary with

time? ...............................................................................................................................
..... ...................................................................................................................................
[2]

6. The equation for the reaction between sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric acid is given
below.

Na2S2O3(aq) + 2HCl(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + S(s) + SO2(g) + H2O(l)

The speed of this reaction was investigated using the following experiment. A beaker
containing 50 cm3 of 0.2 mol / dm3 sodium thiosulfate was placed on a black cross. 5.0 cm3
of 2.0 mol / dm3 hydrochloric acid was added and the clock was started.
Initially the cross was clearly visible. When the solution became cloudy and the cross could
no longer be seen, the clock was stopped and the time recorded.

(a) The experiment was repeated with 25 cm3 of 0.2 mol / dm3 sodium thiosulfate and 25
cm3 of water. Typical results for this experiment and a further two experiments are given in
the table.

(i) Explain why it is necessary to keep the total volume the same in all the
experiments.

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

(ii) Complete the table. [1]

3 4

5
 (iii) How and why does the speed of the reaction vary from experiment 1 to
4? ......................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) The idea of collisions between reacting particles is used to explain changes in the speed
of reactions. Use this idea to explain the following results.

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............................................................................................................................................... [4]

7. The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is catalysed by manganese(IV)

oxide.

2H2O2(aq) → 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

To 50 cm3 of aqueous hydrogen peroxide, 0.50 g of manganese(IV) oxide was

added. The volume of oxygen formed was measured every 20 seconds. The
average reaction rate was calculated for each 20 second interval.

(a)  Explain how the average reaction rate, 2.4 cm3 / s, was calculated for
the first 20 seconds.

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

(b)  Complete the table. [1]

 (c)  Explain why the average reaction rate decreases with
time. .............................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
.......................................[2]

(d)  The experiment was repeated but 1.0 g of manganese(IV) oxide was
added.
What effect, if any, would this have on the reaction rate and on the final
volume of oxygen?

Give a reason for each answer.

effect on
rate ...............................................................................................................
....................[1]

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

effect on final volume of oxygen

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.............[1]

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

8. The rate of a reaction depends on concentration of reactants, temperature and possibly a

catalyst or light.

(a) A piece of magnesium ribbon was added to 100 cm3 of 1.0 mol/dm3 hydrochloric acid.
The hydrogen evolved was collected in a gas syringe and its volume measured every 30
seconds.
In all the experiments mentioned in this question, the acid was in excess. The results were
plotted to give a graph.

(i)  The experiment was repeated. Two pieces of magnesium ribbon were added to
100 cm3 of 1.0 mol/dm3 hydrochloric acid. Sketch this graph on the same grid and
label it X. [2]
 (ii)  The experiment was repeated using one piece of magnesium ribbon and 100 cm 3
of 1.0 mol/dm3 ethanoic acid. Describe how the shape of this graph would differ
from the one given on the grid.

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

(b) Reaction rate increases when concentration or temperature is increased. Using the idea
of reacting particles, explain why;

increasing concentration increases reaction rate,

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

increasing temperature increases reaction rate.

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

(c) The rate of a photochemical reaction is affected by light. A reaction, in plants, between
carbon dioxide and water is photochemical.

(i) Name the two products of this reaction.

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

(ii) This reaction will only occur in the presence of light and another chemical. Name this
chemical.

................................................................................................................................
...............[1]