CONTEST6

ROUND 1

1. Define a base according to the Arrhenius concept.

ANSWER: A base is any substance that can produce OH-in an aqueous solution.
2. Define an acid according to the Lewis concept.
ANSWER: An acid is an electron pair acceptor.
3. Define a base according to the Bronsted – Lowry concept.
ANSWER: A base is a proton acceptor.
PREAMBLE: Explain the following in reference to a plant or an animal disease.
4. Vector
ANSWER: An organism that carries a disease from one person to another or
from an infected animal to humans.
5. Incubation Period
ANSWER: The period between the original infection and the appearance of
symptoms.
6. Carrier
ANSWER: A person or animal who has been infected but develops no sign or
symptoms but is capable of passing the disease to another person.
PREAMBLE: Convert the given decimal number to standard form.
7. 0.0000765
ANSWER: 7.65 x 10-5
8. 36,450,000
ANSWER: 3.645 x 107
9. 32,000,000,000 (32 billion)
ANSWER: 3.2 x 1010
PREAMBLE: A heat engine absorbs 200 kJ of thermal energy and does 80 kJ of work in 10 s .
10. Find the thermal efficiency of the engine.
ANSWER: 40 %
η=80 kJ ÷ 200 kJ =2 / 5=0.4=40 %
11. Find the energy wasted by the engine in 10 s .
ANSWER: 120 kJ
12. Find the average power of the engine.
ANSWER: 8 kW
P=W / t=80 kJ / 10 s=8 kW
13. What is a secondary voltaic cell?
ANSWER: It is a type of cell that can be re–charged after it has been discharged.
14. In the Leclanché dry cell, what is the electrolyte?
ANSWER: A paste of MnO2 in equilibrium with a paste of a mixture of ammonium and zinc
chlorides.
15. Name the electrolyte in the lead storage cell, also known as car battery.
ANSWER: H2SO4 solution.
PREAMBLE: Give the order of the following insects.
16. Weevil
ANSWER: Coleoptera
17. Grasshopper
ANSWER: Orthoptera
18. Dragon fly
ANSWER: Odonata
PREAMBLE: Simplify the expression by rationalizing the denominator.
19. (1 + √3)/(2 – √3)
ANSWER: 5 + 3√3
[ (1 + √3)(2 + √3)/(4 – 3) = 2 + 3 + 2√3 + √3 = 5 + 3√3]
20. 2/(3 + 2√2)
ANSWER: 6 - 2√2 [2(3 - 2√2)/(9 – 8) = 6 - 4√2 ]
21. √5/(2 + √5)
ANSWER: 5 - 2√5 [√5(√5 – 2)/(5 – 4) = 5 - 2√5]
PREAMBLE: Find the effective resistance.
22. 5 Ω in series with a parallel combination of 10 Ω and 15 Ω .
ANSWER: 11Ω
R=5 Ω+ ( 10 Ω× 15 Ω ) / ( 10 Ω+15 Ω )=11 Ω
23. 5 Ω in parallel with a series combination of 8 Ω and 12 Ω.
ANSWER: 4 Ω
R=( 5 Ω× 20 Ω ) / ( 5 Ω+20 Ω ) =4 Ω
24. A parallel combination of 10 Ω and 15 Ω in series with a series combination of 5 Ω and 15 Ω
 ANSWER: 26 Ω R=( 10 Ω× 15 Ω ) / ( 10 Ω+15 Ω ) +20 Ω=26 Ω
25. After passing 1.0F of charge through an electrolytic cell of Pt electrodes and containing dilute NaCl
solution only 4.48dm3 of oxygen is collected at STP. What is the efficiency of the collection method?
Molar volume of a gas at STP = 22.4dm3
ANSWER: Electrolysis of dilute NaCl with Pt electrodes ≡ electrolysis of H 2O.
4F = 1mole O2
= 22.4 dm3 at STP
1F = ¼ *22.4 dm3 = 5.6 dm3
Efficiency = 4.48/5.6*100 = 80%.
26. A measured amount of water was added to impure CaO to give slaked lime Ca (OH) 2. If on adding
water to 30g of the oxide, 37g of the slaked lime is harvested calculate the % purity of the oxide and
give your answer to one place of decimal. Ca = 40; O = 16.0;
H = 1.0
ANSWER: CaO + H2O → Ca (OH)2
74g of Ca (OH)2 ≡ 56g CaO
Therefore, 37g of Ca (OH)2 ≡ 28g of CaO
Therefore, %purity = 28/30*100 = 93.3%
27. If on combustion, 32g of methane produced only 40.32dm3 of CO2 at S.T.P. what is the percentage
efficiency of the combustion. C = 12.0; O = 16.0; H = 1.0
ANSWER: CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O
16g 22.4 CO2 at STP.
Therefore, 32g = 44.8 CO2 at STP
Therefore, % Efficiency = 40.32/44.8*100 = 90%
28. PREAMBLE: Give one importance each of classification of living things.
ANSWERS:
a) It sorts out organisms into specific groups.
b) It shows the relationships between organisms.
c) It shows evolutionary trends in different groups.
d) It puts organisms into systematic order for easy identification.
e) It helps to trace the geographical distribution of organisms.
29. The product of two consecutive odd numbers is 99. Find the numbers.
ANSWER: 9, 11 [ n(n + 2) = 99, n2 + 2n – 99 = 0, (n + 11)(n – 9) = 0, n = 9]
30. 2The sum of the squares of two consecutive natural numbers is 61. Find the numbers.
ANSWER: 5, 6
 [ n2 + (n + 1)2 = 2n2 + 2n + 1 = 61, n2 + n – 30 = 0 (n + 6)(n – 5) = 0, n = 5]
31. The difference of the squares of two consecutive natural numbers is 11. Find the numbers
ANSWER: 5, 6 [(n + 1)2 – n2 = 2n + 1 = 11, 2n = 10, n = 5]
32. What is an intrinsic semiconductor?
ANSWER: A pure semiconductor with equal electron and hole concentrations.
33. What is a p-type semiconductor?
ANSWER: A semiconductor with excess holes.
34. What is a compensated semiconductor?
ANSWER: One that is doped to have equal hole and electron concentrations.
 PROBLEM OF THE DAY

A 5 μ F capacitor is in series with a 20 Ω resistor, a 20 V battery with negligible

internal resistance, and a switch. The capacitor is initially uncharged.

a. What is the time constant of the circuit?

b. What is the maximum charge the capacitor can store?
c. State the charge on the capacitor as a function of time and use it to
obtain the charge at t=0 and t=100 μ s .

SOLUTION
a. τ =RC=100 μ s

b. Q 0=CV =100 μ C

c. Q ( t ) =Q0 (1−exp−t / τ )=100 μ C [ 1−exp (−t / 100 μ s ) ]. At t=0 ,

Q=Q 0 ( 1−exp 0 )=Q 0 ( 1−1 )=0. At t=100 μ s , Q=100 μ C ( 1−1 / e ).

 ROUND 3

TRUE OR FALSE
1. The oxidation state of aluminum in LiAlH4 is -3.
ANSWER: False It is +3
2. The oxidation state of aluminum in Na3AlF6 is +3
ANSWER: True
3. The oxidation state of aluminum in Al2S3 is +2.
ANSWER: False It is +3
4. Twice as great a force is needed to stretch a spring that obeys Hooke’s law by 1 mm as is
needed to stretch it by 2 mm.
ANSWER: True
5. The elastic energy stored in a spring obeying Hooke’s law that is stretched by 2 mm is
twice as great as in the same spring stretched by 1 mm.
ANSWER: False
6. The energy stored in a spring that obeys Hooke’s law is proportional to the extension of
the spring.
ANSWER: False
7. A diagonal is a line segment joining any two vertices of the polygon.
ANSWER: False (the vertices should not be adjacent)
8. A square is a rhombus with all angles equal in measure.
ANSWER: True
9. A rhombus is a parallelogram with all angles equal in measure.
ANSWER: False
10. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria.
ANSWER: True
11. Mosaic disease in cassava is a viral disease.
ANSWER: True
12. Viruses can be seen under the light microscope.
ANSWER: False
13. 1, 3–Dimethylbenzene and 1, 4–dimethylbenzene are both aromatic and stereoisomers.
ANSWER False
Both aromatic but not stereoisomers. They are positional isomers
14. Phenylmethanol or benzylalcohol is an aromatic alcohol.
ANSWER: False The OH is bonded to an sp3 carbon
15. Pyrimidine is stabilized by resonance.
ANSWER: True 6 pi electrons delocalized over the 5C and 1N in a flat ring
16. The reactance of a capacitor is directly proportional to its capacitance.
ANSWER: False
17. The net reactance of two capacitors in series is the sum of the reactances of the capacitors.
ANSWER: True
18. The reactance of a capacitor is inversely proportional to frequency.
ANSWER: True
19. If a and b are negative numbers, then a – b is a negative number

ANSWER: False
20. The difference between 0 and a negative number is a positive number.

ANSWER: True
21. The difference between 7 and (-2) is 5.

ANSWER: False
22. The liver plays no role in the digestion of food in mammals
ANSWER: False
23. The skin is one of the organs that make up the excretory system of mammals
ANSWER: True
24. The tongue is one of the organs that make up the sensory system
ANSWER: True
 ROUND 4
RIDDLE

Riddle #1
1. I am a measuring instrument.
2. I am sometimes used to measure mass.
3. But I am designed to measure force.
4. I operate by Hooke, never by crook.
Who am I?
ANSWER: Spring balance
Riddle #2
1. My name is derived from a Greek word that means heavy.
2. With atomic mass of over 130 most would agree that I am a heavy element.
3. I am a metal discovered in 1808, and a member of the Main Group elements.
4. Because of my chemical reactivity, I do not occur in the uncombined state in nature.
5. My tetraoxosulphate (VI) salt is a white solid used in the manufacture of white paint.
6. The aqueous suspension of the same solid is referred to as a meal in X-ray diagnostic work.
Who am I?
ANSWER: Ba or barium (metal)

Riddle #3
1. In the broadest sense, I am an organism that is a competitor of humanity
2. It is also possible for me to be a bother or nuisance in one setting but beneficial, or acceptable in
another.
3. I am used to refer to any prolific animal or plant
4. I could also be a person or thing that irritates, especially by imposing itself when it is not wanted
5. I am commonly used to refer to any organism that damages crops, injures or irritates livestock or
man, or reduces the fertility of land
WHO AM I?
ANSWER: A Pest
Riddle #3--
1. I am associated with simple harmonic motion
2. I am associated with functions especially with trigonometric functions
3. for y = subx, a am 2π
4. for y = tanx, I am π
5. I am generally an interval after which a function repeats itself
6. I satisfy the relation f(x=T) = f(x)
WHO AM I?
ANSWER: Period