Final Exam Topics for Science and Technology NPTS
Spring 2014
1. Specific questions relating to relatively recent events in the news
1. Answer the following questions that relate to the recent use of chlorine gas in
Syria.
a. Describe the chemical structure of chlorine.
b. Describe the effects of exposure to chlorine gas.
c. Why do you think that chlorine gas is not listed as a chemical weapon
for the CWC?
d. Do you think chlorine should be listed on a CWC schedule? Why?
e. If chlorine was listed on one of the CWC schedules, which one would it
be?
f. If it is found that the Syrian government used chlorine gas as a
weapon, do you think that this would be a violation of the CWC?
2. Briefly describe the chemical weapons situation in Syria. How are Syria’s
nerve agents and mustard agent being destroyed? Are some of the precursor
chemicals being destroyed in a different manner?
3. On April 17, 2013, there was a massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in West,
Texas that killed 14 people and injured more than 200. One of the early
suggestions for a possible source of the explosion was the ammonia stored at
the plant. Despite this and the fact that the combustion of ammonia releases
more energy per gram than the detonation of TNT, ammonia is not
considered an explosive. With reference to the three criteria for something to
be an explosive, explain why TNT is considered an explosive and ammonia is
not. With reference to the bond strength, stability, potential energy, kinetic
energy, temperature, and heat, explain why some chemical changes, such as
the decomposition of TNT and the combustion of ammonia, release heat to
their surroundings during the reaction.
4. In April 2013, three letters containing ricin were sent to Senator Roger Wicker,
President Obama, and Mississippi judge Sadie Holland. Describe what ricin
is, its source, the relative difficulty isolating it, the effects it has when ingested,
and briefly why it has these effects.
2. Glossary terms
You will be given the definition and asked for the term.
http://institutebishop.org/Glossary_Science_Final_Exam.pdf
3. Drawing Lewis structures from chemical formulas for molecular structures seen in
lecture or structures that are very similar (An Introduction to Chemistry - Atoms First
– pages 195-197)
e.g. One of the techniques used by chemists for the development of new chemicals
is to make substances similar to chemicals with the desired properties and then test
the new chemicals for these desired properties. For example, we know that
phosgene, COCl2, can be used as a chemical weapon, so a chemist might
synthesize COF2, which substitutes the halogen fluorine for the halogen chlorine,
and then test it to see if it is toxic as well. Draw a reasonable Lewis structure for
COF2.
4. Convert between Lewis structures and line drawings for organic compounds that we
have seen or that are similar to those we’ve seen.
(An Introduction to Chemistry - Atoms First – page 636)
e.g. The following structure is similar to the structure for the nerve gases. Draw a
Lewis structure that corresponds to the following line drawing. (Notice that the
phosphorus atom with five bonds and no lone pairs does not have its most common
bonding pattern.)
e.g. Nitrogen mustards are toxic chemicals that are similar to the sulfur mustard we
talked about in class. Draw a line drawing for the Lewis structure of the following
nitrogen mustard.
5. For the chemical weapons chlorine, phosgene, sulfur mustard, hydrogen cyanide,
sarin, and VX, be able to describe each of the following.
http://institutebishop.org/chemical_weapons_S&T.pdf
a. Identify the chemical structure from a line drawing or Lewis structure (For
example, I may give you a structure and ask you which of the chemical agents
listed above it represents.)
b. List examples of its use as a chemical weapon, if any.
c. Identify whether it’s a lethal agent or an incapacitant.
d. How it’s made, including a list of precursors and special equipment needed
e. Issues related to its production, including cost, safety precautions, storage
issues, and availability of the substance, its precursors, and the necessary
equipment
f. Whether or not it has uses other than as a chemical weapon.
g. Which CWC schedule it’s listed on (if any)
h. Its physiological effects
i. Necessary protective gear
j. Treatment for exposure
k. How it can be destroyed
6. Describe the benefits of dispersing sarin or VX in a binary munition instead of a
unitary munition.
http://institutebishop.org/chemical_weapons_S&T.pdf slides 109,110
7. Write a description of the effects of nerve agents on the body and explain why
atropine and 2-PAM act as antidotes. (Your description should include mention of
nerve cells, neurotransmitters, acetylcholine, receptor sites, acetylcholinesterase,
the on-off mechanism of nerve cells, and competition for receptor sites.)
(see slides 61-73 of http://institutebishop.org/chemical_weapons_S&T.pdf and
http://preparatorychemistry.com/nerve_agent_sarin_sound.html)
8. For the Chemical Weapons Convention, CWC, describe each of the following.
(see http://institutebishop.org/chemical_weapons_S&T.pdf)
a. General purpose (slide 112)
b. General Obligations (slides 113 and 114)
c. Level of international cooperation (slide 121)
9. Describe the CWC Schedules 1, 2, and 3, parts A and B.
(see http://institutebishop.org/chemical_weapons_S&T.pdf slides 116-118)
10. Describe the purpose of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW)
(see http://institutebishop.org/chemical_weapons_S&T.pdf slide 120)
11. Describe the status of the destruction of chemical weapons for the CWC member
states.
(see http://institutebishop.org/CW_Destruction.pdf slide 2)
12. Given the Lewis structure of sarin, sketch the Lewis structures for the products of its
hydrolysis. (see http://institutebishop.org/sarin_hydrolysis_mechanism.pdf)
13. One of the ways to discover whether sarin was used in a chemical attack is to test
for the presence of isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA). Explain why the
detection of IMPA is an indication that sarin was present where the IMPA was found.
14. Describe the status of the destruction of chemical weapons in the U.S. and Russia.
(see http://institutebishop.org/CW_Destruction.pdf slide 27-30)
15. In general terms, explain why the chemical reactions associated with chemical
explosives release energy. (An Introduction to Chemistry - Atoms First – pages 321323)
(see http://institutebishop.org/Reactions_Energy_Redox_Explosives_Science.pdf
slides 33-37)
16. Describe the criteria for a substance to be a chemical explosive.
(see http://institutebishop.org/Reactions_Energy_Redox_Explosives_Science.pdf
slide 2)