Strand 2 Multiple Choice Questions
1.
Which of the following is the most important factor in determining an element’s place in the periodic table?
A. Number of protons
B. Number of neutrons
C. Atomic charge
D. Atomic density
2.
Oxygen has an atomic number of 8. Which of the following elements would you expect to be most similar to
oxygen in terms of its chemical properties?
A. Nitrogen (N)
B. Fluorine (F)
C. Sulfur (S)
D. Chlorine (Cl)
3.
4.
Potassium (K), atomic number 19, will most likely react with which of the following
elements?
A. Sodium (Na), because it is in the same column.
B. Calcium (Ca), because it is in the same row.
C. Chlorine (Cl), because it is a nonmetal.
D. Argon (Ar), because it is a noble gas.
The periodic chart does not show any elements with atomic number above 109. Which of the following best
explains why this is so?
A. It is impossible for such elements to exist.
B. These elements had not yet been discovered.
C. These elements are less important so they are generally not shown.
D. The elements begin to repeat themselves at that point.
The Periodic Table of the Elements classifies all of the known elements into categories based on their physical and chemical
properties. Repeating patterns within the table are useful in predicting how elements combine to form every kind of matter.
5.
In order to be identified as the element carbon (C), an atom must have ______.
A. 6 protons
B. 6 neutrons
C. 12 electrons
D. 12 electrons
6.
Group 1 (the alkali metals) includes lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K). These elements have similar
chemical properties because they have the same __________.
A. numbers of protons and neutrons
B. numbers of electrons in the outer energy level
C. numbers of protons in the nucleus
D. numbers of neutrons in the nucleus
7.
Metals and nonmetals generally form ionic bonds with each other. Which of the following sets of elements will
most likely form an ionic bond?
A. Na, F
B. Cl, F
C. Na, K
D. He, O
8.
Which of the following is best classified as a compound?
A. Helium (He), because it contains only one type of atom
B. Oxygen (O2), because it contains two of the same type of atoms
C. Carbon dioxide (CO2), because it contains two different types of atoms
D. Manganese (Mn), because it contains a metal and a nonmetal
9.
The chemical properties of an element are determined by its:
A. atomic mass.
B. proton number.
C. electron arrangement.
D. atomic size.
10. The atomic number of iron is 26, and the atomic mass is 55.847. What do these numbers mean in regard to
protons, electrons and neutrons?
A. There are 26 each of protons and neutrons, and the rest of the mass is the
result of electrons.
B. There are 26 protons and 26 electrons. Some atoms of iron have 29
neutrons; the .847 shows that there is more than one isotope of iron.
C. There are 26 protons and 29 neutrons. Each particle has an atomic
mass of 1.
D. There are 26 protons and 26 neutrons. Since neutrons have slightly more
mass than protons, the mass is greater than 52.
11. Study the table below. Which element (i.e., atom) has a net positive (+) charge?
ELEMENT
NUMBER OF
PROTONS
NUMBER OF
NEUTRONS
NUMBER OF
ELECTRONS
W
3
4
3
X
37
38
37
Y
19
20
18
Z
1
0
1
A. Element W
B. Element X
C. Element Y
D. Element Z
12. What do all of the elements listed above (W, X, Y, or Z) have in common?
A. They are all non-metals.
B. They are in the same period.
C. They have the same number of valence electrons.
D. They have four electrons in their outer shells.
Refer to this portion of the periodic table to answer the question that follows.
3
Lithium
4
Beryllium
5
Boron
6
Carbon
7
Nitrogen
8
Oxygen
9
Fluorine
10
Neon
Li
6.939
2,1
Be
9.01218
2,2
B
10.81
2,3
C
12.011
2,4
N
14.0067
2,6
O
15.9994
2,6
F
18.9984
2,7
Ne
20.183
2,8
13. Which element in this group would be the least likely to react with other elements?
A. Boron
B. Carbon
C. Neon
D. Oxygen
14. The pictures below show the position of different elements on the periodic table. Which picture has an X in the
locations of the three elements that would be most similar in the way they react?
15. What is the most likely type of bond to exist between atoms C, H, and O?
A. Ionic
B. Covalent
C. Hydrogen
D. Metalic
Red Cabbage pH Indicator Investigation
Red cabbage contains water-soluble pigment. In a highly acidic solution, the pigment turns bright red, and in
a moderately acidic solution, it turns pinkish. In a highly basic solution, the pigment turns yellow, and a
moderately basic solution, it turns bluish.
A student makes a pH indicator from red cabbage that has a reddish-purple color with a pH of approximately
7. The student pours the same amount of the cabbage solution into each of four different beakers. He then
adds a different household solution to each of the four beakers until a color change is obtained. His results
are shown in the table below (next page):
Household Solution
Lemon Juice
Club Soda
Window Cleaner
Drain Cleaner
Color of Mixture
Bright Pink
Light Pink
Light Blue
Greenish-Yellow
The student finds the following chart online from someone else’s cabbage pH indicator investigation.
pH
Color
2
Red
4
Pink
6
Purple
8
Blue
10
Green
12
Yellow
16. Based on the information in the passage, which household solution has the lowest pH?
A. Club soda
B. Lemon juice
C. Drain cleaner
D. Window cleaner
17. Comparing his results to the chart above, what logical conclusion can the student make regarding the
substances tested?
A. Lemon juice has a pH between 0 and 2
B. Drain cleaner has a pH between 10 and 12
C. Window cleaner and club soda are both neutral solutions
D. Window cleaner can be used to completely neutralize drain cleaner
18. What should be held constant in the student’s investigation to make sure he obtains valid results?
A. The pH of the household solutions that are tested
B. The amount of household solution placed in each container
C. The brand of the household solutions added to the cabbage pH indicator
D. The final color of the cabbage pH indicator after the household solutions are added
19. Which of the following would indicate an acid solution?
A. The presence of excess hydroxide (OH-) ions.
B. The presence of excess hydrogen (H+) ions.
C. Equal amounts of H+ and OH- ions.
D. A solution with a pH of 10.
20. The common pH scale for acids and bases runs from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Solution A has a pH of 5 and
solution B has a pH of 3. Which of the following statements is correct when comparing the level of acidity in
solutions A and B?
A. Solution A is twice as acidic as solution B
B. Solution B is twice as acidic as solution A
C. Solution A is 100 times more acidic than solution B
D. Solution B is 100 times more acidic than solution A
Use the explanation and classic neutralization reaction equation below to answer question 21.
In chemistry, neutralization is a chemical reaction whereby a base and an acid react to form a salt and water (i.e., saltwater).
The classic neutralization reaction is combining sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the correct
proportions to form table salt (NaCl) and water (i.e., saltwater).
Classic Neutralization Reaction Equation
The Reactants  The Products
NaOH + HCl  NaCl + H2O
Base + Acid  Salt + Water
21. What is the MOST LIKELY pH of the neutralized products (salt + water = saltwater) in this classic neutralization
equation?
A. 1
B. 3
C. 7
D. 14
Use the pH of Some Common Items Table below to answer question 20.
The pH of Some Common Household Items Table
22. A glass of Coca-Cola was spilled on the carpet. Most colas are acidic with a pH between 2 and 3. Based on the
pH shown above, which of the following substances could BEST be used to neutralize the spilled cola?
A. Lemon juice
B. Cow’s milk
C. Pure water
D. Baking soda
Plastics
Consumers use many products made of plastic. Plastics are carbon-based polymers made from smaller carbon
compounds, called monomers.
23. In organic molecules, the carbon atoms and the hydrogen atoms are held together by
____________.
A. hydrogen bonds
B. covalent bonds
C. ionic bonds
D. nuclear bonds
A company is considering polymers A and B below for the production of plastic shopping bags.
24. Which polymer is more appropriate for the production of shopping bags?
A. Polymer A, because its branched structure provides greater strength
B. Polymer A, because its branched structure provides greater flexibility
C. Polymer B, because its linear structure provides greater strength
D. Polymer B, because its linear structure provides greater flexibility
25. Many communities encourage the recycling of plastics, even though it is often expensive to do so.
Why is it beneficial to the environment to recycle plastics?
A. Plastics are expensive to manufacture.
B. Plastics are made from renewable resources.
C. Plastics decompose quickly, releasing toxic chemicals.
D. Plastics decompose slowly, taking up space in landfills.
.
Rubber Tires
The tires on most cars are not made of natural rubber because it becomes brittle in the cold and sticky in
the heat. Instead, natural rubber is vulcanized by adding sulfur and heat, making it stronger and more
elastic. This process is represented chemically in the diagram below.
26. During the vulcanization reaction shown above, the natural rubber polymer is converted to a new
polymer by the ______?______.
A. cross-linking of carbon (C) atoms with sulfur (S) atoms
B. cross-linking of hydrogen (H) atoms with sulfur (S) atoms
C. replacement of carbon (C) atoms with sulfur (S) atoms
D. replacement of hydrogen (H) atoms with sulfur (S) atoms
27. The complete combustion or burning of natural rubber will produce______?______.
A. hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O)
B. oxygen (O) and water (H2O)
C. hydrogen gas (H2) and water (H2O)
D. carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O)
28. The following data are recorded during a supervised investigation.
What question was the investigator most likely trying to answer?
A.
B.
C.
D.
How does the presence of oxygen (O2) affect combustion?
At what point is equilibrium reached in a combustion reaction?
What are the byproducts of an incomplete combustion reaction?
Does the amount of fuel in a combustion reaction affect the burn time?
29. The pictures below show the structures of two polymers.
What can be concluded from comparing these two pictures?
A. Polymers are easily broken down into their component parts.
B. The same number of carbon atoms may be arranged in various ways.
C. Linear polymer structures are stronger than ringed polymer structures.
D. It takes fewer monomers to form a linear polymer than a ringed polymer.
30. Researchers have developed a biopolymer made from orange peels and carbon dioxide (CO2).
According to the researchers, using CO2 to make polymers could reduce the amount of
greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. What question would an environmentalist most
likely want answered before accepting this statement as credible?
A. How long will it take the biopolymer to decompose?
B. Is the biopolymer as strong as hydrocarbon polymers?
C. Can other types of citrus be used to produce biopolymers?
D. What happens to the CO2 when the biopolymer decomposes?
31. Many communities encourage the recycling of plastics, even though it is often expensive to do so.
Why is it beneficial to the environment to recycle plastics?
A. Plastics are expensive to manufacture.
B. Plastics are made from renewable resources.
C. Plastics decompose quickly, releasing toxic chemicals.
D. Plastics decompose slowly, taking up space in landfills.