Before you start Year 12
Chemistry
Introduction
Why study chemistry?
What do Chemists do?
Chemistry is a practical subject.
It can lead to many different types of careers, or provide
the background needed for other careers.
What do
chemists do?
In most jobs a chemist would
 plan experiments
 use a range of equipment to analyse materials and samples
 devise new tests and experiments as new products are
developed
 learn from what other chemists have done, and are doing
What sort of jobs need chemistry training?
Sources: http://www.chem.ubc.ca/undergraduate/brochure/wherechem.shtml
http://www.ltu.edu/arts_sciences/chemistry/what_do_chemists_do.asp
Many industries require people with all levels of chemical training,
from technician to Ph.D. Here are some examples.
Environmental
chemist
Determines what substances are present in an environmental
sample and how they got there.
Clinical chemist
Works with medical personnel to analyse body tissues and fluids to
provide medical doctors with useful diagnostic information.
Quality control
chemist
Analyses raw materials and intermediates as products of an
industrial process. This provides information about whether a
batch meets specifications and what went wrong in the plant if that
batch failed the tests.
Chemical
technician
Develops practical processes for the large-scale manufacture of
products, as well as improving the existing manufacturing
processes.
Technical
salesperson
Needs a good background in chemistry to sell chemical products to
potential customers.
Chemistry provides background knowledge for doctors, metallurgists,
As background
for other careers patent attorneys, and technical writers.
Before you start
Page 2
Is Year 12 Chemistry the right choice for you?
Before going any further, do the pre-test.
The
chemistry
pre-test
To help you understand what is expected in Year 12 Chemistry, we would like you
to do the pre-test on pages 7 to 9.

Do the pre-test. (You can refer to chemistry notes and texts, but the
test should not take more than about an hour).




Time how long it takes.
Correct your answers and work out your score.
See what we recommend below.
Fill in the questionnaire over the page, and send it in to your teacher.
Your pre-test result… What we recommend …
If your score was less than
20
40
If you got less than half the pre-test right you will most
likely need a lot of time and support to make a success of
Year 12 Chemistry. Past experience has shown that
students scoring less than 20 out of 40 are not able to
continue with this subject because they find it too
difficult. We strongly recommend that you contact the
Chemistry teachers to discuss your options.
If you scored between 20 and 30 you will most
likely need revision support throughout the year to
develop the skills expected. This means making
extra time available for your studies, and perhaps
finding a tutor to help you. We suggest that you
consider realistically whether you will be able to
make the extra study time available. Contact the
Chemistry teachers to discuss your options.
If your score was between
30
40
and
40
40
If your score was between
20
30
and
40
40
If you scored between 30 and 40 you should be able
to cope with most of the skills expected. However,
you will also need to make regular study time a part
of your weekly schedule. If you have any concerns,
contact the DECV, and speak to the Chemistry
teachers.
It’s only fair to warn you…
If you found the pre-test difficult and/or you have enrolled late you will probably find
this subject very challenging.
To have the best chance of making this year a success, you may wish to consider other
options.
The quickest way of finding out more is to ring the DECV, and speak to the Year 12
student manager. Phone: (03) 8480 0000, or toll free (in Victoria) 1800 133 511
Before you start
SEND
Page 3
Why study Year 12 Chemistry?
Your name:____________________________________
Your student number:_________
Your pre-test
1.
How did you go in the pre-test?
My pre-test score was
2.
How long did it take?
The pre-test took me ……………… minutes
3.
Which of the following best applies to you?
40

My pre-test score was good and I feel confident about studying Year 12
Chemistry

I found the pre-test challenging but I wish to continue with Year 12 Chemistry.
I realise that I will need to spend extra study time each week to revise the
necessary skills.

I found the pre-test difficult and I would like to discuss other options.
My contact phone is…………………………………………………………………………………………
The best time to call is……………………………………………………………………………………
The quickest way to find out more about your options is to ring the DECV,
and speak to the Year 12 student manager.
Phone: (03) 8480 0000, or toll free (in Victoria) 1800 133 511
Before you start
SEND
Page 4
Why study Year 12 Chemistry?
A bit about you
1.
I want to study Chemistry with the DECV because:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.
Have you studied chemistry before? Tick which best applies to you.
 I have studied Year 11 chemistry previously.
 I know a bit of chemistry from general science.
 I have never studied chemistry before.
3.
Have you had a break from study? Tick which best applies to you.
 I am still at school.
 I am returning to study after a number of months.
 I am returning to study after a number of years.
 Something different to the above
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. What it takes to succeed.
About a third of the students who enrol in Distance Ed Chemistry drop out. To help you
plan ahead it’s important that you realise what is expected before you start. There are
three key questions you should ask yourself about your Chemistry studies.
1st.
Time: Do you have approximately 6 hours each week,
more when there is an assessment task due?
 Yes
 No
2nd.
Can you schedule study periods for chemistry each
week?
 Yes
 No
3rd.
Lab experiments: Can you attend the DECV for lab work,
or inquire locally for lab pracs (for example, at your own
school or TAFE)?
 Yes
 No
If you answered no to any of the above, your chances of success in this subject may be
affected.
Please contact your chemistry teacher at the DECV to discuss possible options.
Phone: (03) 8480 0000, or toll free (in Victoria) 1800 133 511
Before you start
Page 5
CHEMISTRY
PRETEST
UNITS 3 and 4
DATA PAGE
Use the data tables below and the periodic table over the page to help you
answer the pre-test questions.
Table 1: Formulae and charge of selected ions:
Cations
Na sodium
Anions

+
OH hydroxide
+
NH4 ammonium
Cl chloride
Ag+ silver
NO3 nitrate
Mg2+ magnesium
O2 oxide
Zn2+ zinc
SO42 sulfate
Cu2+ copper
CO32 carbonate
Pb2+ lead
PO43 phosphate
Table 2: Solubility of ions in water:
Ions that are soluble in water
Compounds with the following ions
are always soluble in water
Ammonium NH4+
Sodium Na+
Potassium K+
Nitrate NO3
Compounds with the following ions
are mostly soluble in water
Chloride Cl except with silver, Ag+, or lead, Pb2+
Sulfate SO42 except with silver, Ag+, or lead, Pb2+
Ions that are not soluble in water
Compounds with the following ions
are mostly not soluble in water
Hydroxide OH
Sulfide S2
Carbonate CO32
Phosphate PO43
except with
Ammonium NH4+
Sodium Na+
Potassium K+
Table 3: Molar mass of selected elements:
Element
Molar mass
(g per mol)
H
C
O
Ne
Na
Cl
Pb
1.0
12.0
16.0
20.1
23.0
35.5
207.2
Table 4: Molar mass of gases
STP standard temperature and pressure
temperature 0°C, pressure 101.3 kPa
One mol of any gas occupies
22.4 litres at STP
SLC standard laboratory conditions
temperature 25°C, pressure 101.3 kPa
One mol of any gas occupies
24.5 litres at SLC
Before you start
Page 6
CHEMISTRY
UNITS 3 and 4
PRETEST QUESTIONS
1.
Use the Periodic Table given on the previous page to help you answer the following
questions.
(a)
What is the atomic number of the following elements
(i)
silver
(ii)
radon
(iii)
radium
½ + ½ + ½ = 1½ marks
(b)
What is the chemical symbol of the following elements
(i)
gold
(ii)
silicon
(iii)
sodium
(iv)
antimony
½ + ½ + ½ + ½ = 2 marks
(c)
Identify the element with 13 protons and 13 neutrons.
1 mark
2.
Butane, C4H10 is commonly used in LPG and lighter fluid. It’s melting and boiling points
are shown below.
melting point/ freezing (solidification) point
boiling (evaporation) point/ condensation point
138 ºC
0.5 ºC
Circle the physical state of butane
at room temperature, 25 C
 solid
 liquid  gas
at fridge temperature, 4 C
 solid
 liquid  gas
at 5 C
 solid
 liquid  gas
½ + ½ + ½ = 1½ marks
Use the table of ions (Table 1) on the data page to help you answer questions 3 and 4.
3.
Identify the ions present in the following ionic compounds and name the compound.
(a)
MgCl2
(b)
Na3PO4
(c)
Ag2S
3 marks
4.
Work out the chemical formula of the following compounds.
(a) Silver hydroxide
(b) Magnesium carbonate
(c) Zinc nitrate
3 marks
5.
Balance the following chemical equations.
(a)
Mg(s) + N2(g)  Mg3N2(s)
(b)
Ca(S) + O2(g)  CaO(s)
(c)
H2(g) + O2(g)  H2O(l)
(d)
Al (s) + I2 (l)  Al2I6(s)
4 marks
Before you start
Page 7
Pre-test questions continued…
6.
Use the solubility table (Table 2) on the data page to determine which of the following
ionic compound are soluble.
(a)
lead sulfate
(b)
silver chloride
(c)
ammonium chloride
(d)
zinc carbonate
½ + ½ + ½ + ½ = 2 marks
7.
The compound Cu(NO3)2 dissolves in water by dissociation of ions
(a)
Identify the ions in the compound.
(b)
Write the ionic equation of the dissociation reaction. Show the state of each
compound or ion.
1 + 2 = 3 marks
Refer to the molar mass of elements (Table 3) on the data page to help you answer questions 8,
9 and 10.
8.
Find the molar mass of the following compounds
(a)
H2O
(b)
NaCl
2 marks
9.
Find the mass of 1.3 mol of CH4
1 mark
10.
Calculate the number of mol contained in the following samples, rounded to three decimal
places.
(a)
50 g of lead
(b)
62 g of NaCl
2 marks
Refer to the molar volume of gases (Table 4) on the data page to help you answer the following
question.
11. (a)
(b)
Work out the volume of 1.4 mol of chlorine (Cl2) at STP
Work out the mass of 2.8 L of neon (Ne) gas at SLC
1 + 1 = 2 marks
The table below summarises the different types of acid reactions:
Reactions of acids
1. acid + metal  salt + hydrogen
This reaction does not occur with Cu, Hg, or Ag.
2. acid + metal carbonate
 salt + water + carbon dioxide
3. acid + metal oxide  salt + water
4. acid + metal hydroxide  salt + water
2
Carbonates contain the CO3  ion
The chemical formulae of selected compounds.
HCl (aq)
Na2CO3 (aq)
NaCl (aq)
H2O (l)
CO2 (g)
CuO (s)
CuCl2 (aq)
H2O (l)
H2SO4 (aq)
NaOH (aq)
Na2SO4 (aq)
Before you start
Page 8
Pre-test questions continued…
12. Use the summary of acid reactions shown above to predict the products of the following
reactions:
(a) HCl (aq) + Mg (s) 
(b)
HCl (aq) + Na2CO3 (aq) 
(c)
HCl (aq) + CuO (s) 
(d)
H2SO4 (aq) + NaOH (aq) 
1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4 marks
13. Are the following reactions oxidation or reduction reactions?
(a)
Cl2(g) + 2e  2Cl (aq)
(b)
Pb (s)  Pb2+ (aq) + 2e
½ + ½ = 1 mark
14. The reaction Zn(s) + S(s)  ZnS (aq) can be written as two half reactions:
Zn(s)  Zn2+(aq) + 2e and S(s) + 2e  S2 (aq)
(a)
Identify the oxidant in this redox reaction
(d)
Identify the reductant in this redox reaction
½ + ½ = 1 mark
15.
Iron reacts with hydrochloric acid according to the ionic equation
Fe(s) + 2H+(aq)  Fe2+(aq) + H2(g)
(a)
What has been oxidised in this reaction?
(b)
Write a half equation for the oxidation reaction.
(d)
What has been reduced in this reaction?
(e)
Write a half equation for the reduction reaction.
½ + 1 + ½ + 1 = 3 marks
16.
Hydrogen gas and oxygen gas react to form water according to the reaction
2H2 (g) + O2 (g)  2H2O (l)
10 g of oxygen is reacted in excess hydrogen.
(a)
How many mol of oxygen was reacted?
(b)
How many mole of hydrogen is required?
(c)
Work out the mass of hydrogen reacted.
1 + 1 + 1 = 3 marks
END OF PRE-TEST