Chapter test—Chapter 2 It’s all elemental: What
are the elements of matter?
This test is a mixture of multiple choice questions and short answer
questions. For the multiple choice questions, please circle the correct
answer. For the short answer questions, please write on the lines
provided. Each of the multiple choice questions is worth one mark. The
short answer questions have their marks allocated next to the question.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
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© Oxford University Press Australia
1
2
3
4
5
6
Which of the following is an element?
a
A drop of mercury.
b
A splinter of wood.
c
A crystal of sugar.
d
A drop of water.
Which of the following answers contains only elements?
a
Sodium, sodium chloride, magnesium, magnesium chloride
b
Oxygen, chlorine, sodium, tin
c
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium
d
Water, air, sugar, potassium
A solid is dull (not shiny) in appearance and yellow in colour. It is a powder which does not conduct
electricity. It cannot be broken down into simpler substances. It is probably:
a
a metal
b
a compound
c
an element
d
a non-metal.
Which of the following is the correct formula for sodium chloride?
a
NaCl
b
Nacl2
c
Nacl
d
NACL
The periodic table is useful because:
a
it contains the symbols of all the elements
b
it groups together elements that have similar properties
c
it has metals in one area and non-metals in another section
d
all of the above.
Which of the following elements in the periodic table would you expect to have similar properties to
calcium?
a
Potassium
b
Magnesium
c
Aluminium
d
Scandium.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
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7
Which of the following statement(s) about atoms are true?
a
An atom is mostly empty space.
b
The neutrons and protons are found in the nucleus with the electrons.
c
The electrons circle the nucleus all the time.
d
The number of neutrons found in the nucleus of an atom is always the same.
The next six questions refer to the following diagram which shows a
section of the periodic table. (Note the letters are not the correct symbols
for elements.)
8
9
Which of the following answers shows elements that are in the same period of this periodic table?
a
V,J
b
W,V,Q, L
c
M,O,Q
d
X, Z, T, I
Which element in the table shown above would be an alkali metal?
a
W
b
V
c
Z
d
M
10 If a chemical reaction takes place between elements W and T, an ionic compound will form. The formula of
the compound would be:
a
W 2T
b
WT2
c
WT
d
W 3T
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ISBN 978 0 19 556453 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
11 Of the elements shown in this section of the periodic table which one is likely to react most vigorously with
water?
a
I
b
M
c
V
d
J
12 Which of the elements listed would have the electronic configuration: 2,5?
a
Q
b
Z
c
P
d
O
13 Which of the elements in the table would be a transition metal?
a
V
b
J
c
X
d
M
14 Which of the following statements would be TRUE?
When potassium reacts with chlorine gas a new compound is formed. This compound would be:
a
a solid which does not conduct electricity
b
a new molecule
c
a solid which does not dissolve in water
d
a metal gas.
15 Which of the following answers contains only elements that exist as gases at room temperature?
a
Lithium, sodium, calcium and magnesium.
b
Hydrogen, argon and chlorine.
c
Mercury, boron, potassium and tin.
d
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and fluorine.
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The next four questions refer to the following information:
Samantha and Jane were investigating the reactions of different elements. They tried burning several elements
in oxygen gas and obtained the following results:
•
Sample 1: Burnt rapidly to produce a white powder and a bright white light.
•
Sample 2: Burnt with a bright flame and produced a colourless gas.
•
Sample 3: Would not burn.
The three samples were a lump of carbon, a piece of magnesium ribbon and neon gas.
16 Which of the following answers correctly identifies the elements?
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
Option 1
Lump of carbon
Neon gas
Magnesium ribbon
Option 2
Magnesium ribbon
Lump of carbon
Neon gas
Option 3
Neon gas
Magnesium ribbon
Lump of carbon
a
option 1
b
option 2
c
option 3
17 In the reaction between magnesium and oxygen, what would have taken place?
a
Oxygen would have donated electrons to magnesium.
b
Magnesium would have donated electrons to oxygen.
c
No transfer of electrons, just burning.
d
The magnesium had a physical change.
18 The white powder produced when magnesium burnt would be:
a
MgO2
b
MgO
c
Mg2O
d
Mg2O2
19 Neon did not react because:
a
the oxygen was not strong enough
b
the atoms do not need to gain or lose electrons from their valence shell
c
there was not enough heat
d
it is a gas.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
ISBN 978 0 19 556453 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
20 Which of the following answers has the correct symbols for the elements sodium, sulfur, silicon and
selenium?
a
S, Su, Si, Se
b
Na, S, Si, Se
c
So, Su, Si, Se
d
Na, Su, Si, Se
21 Sodium is classified as a metal but oxygen is classified as a non-metal. Can you use the periodic table to
determine this? If so, how would you do this?
22 How many protons, neutrons and electrons are there in one atom of each of the following atoms?
a
b
23 Explain the different between the terms atomic number and mass number.
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24 Oxygen has three isotopes, as shown below. Describe the similarities and the differences between them.
25 Complete the following table:
Element
Mass
number
Atomic
number
Sodium
Number of
protons
Number of
neutrons
11
Magnesium
Electronic
configuration
2,8,1
12
Lithium
Carbon
Number
of
electrons
3
6
26 Name the ionic compounds represented by the following formulae:
a
NaBr _______________________________________________________
b
K2O _______________________________________________________
c
MgS _______________________________________________________
d
NH4Cl _______________________________________________________
27 Write the correct formula for each of the following ionic compounds:
a
magnesium oxide ____________________
b
calcium chloride ____________________
c
silver bromide ____________________
d
iron (11) chloride ____________________
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
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28 Match each of the statements below with one of the words or phrases from the list in the box. The words or
phrases may need to be used more than once. Some words or phrases may not need to be used.
a
Elements that tend to lose electrons to form positively charged ions. _______________________
b
Elements that tend to gain electrons to become negatively charged ions. _______________________
c
Elements that neither gain nor lose electrons. _______________________
d
The type of ion formed when a single atom loses electrons. _______________________
e
The type of ion formed when a single atom gains an electron. _______________________
f
A shiny, solid material that conducts heat and electricity well. _______________________
g
A chemical compound which is found as crystals which dissolve in water to form a solution which
conducts electricity. _______________________
29 What property do the noble gases have in common, other than the fact that they are all gases at room
temperature?
30 You have been provided with three containers labelled A, B and C. In each container there is a pure
element. All of the samples are solids and none of the elements are radioactive. Your task is to identify
whether the element is a metal, a non-metal or a metalloid. Your teacher or the lab assistant can
provide you with any equipment that you need. Describe how you would go about the task.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
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31 Draw the electronic configuration for an atom of potassium.
32 Draw the electronic configuration for the fluoride ion.
33 Explain why a chunk of potassium placed in a gas jar containing fluorine gas reacts rapidly to create a
white solid called potassium fluoride.
34 a
b
Name one element that will react with oxygen.
Describe how the reaction takes place and name the product.
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35 The model of the atom has been developed by several different scientists since John Dalton proposed that
the atom was the smallest particle of matter in the 1800s. Joseph Thomson suggested that atoms are
made up of even smaller particles and suggested the plum pudding model of the atom. He thought
electrons were evenly spread through the pudding. Think about the diagrams that you drew in questions 31
and 32. Was Thomson’s plum pudding model an accurate model of how the protons, electrons and
neutrons are located inside an atom? Explain your answer.
36 Diagrams of atoms showing the electronic configuration according to the Bohr model of the atom are useful
for students learning about atomic structure and the reactivity of different atoms. In the Flame Tests
experiment, solutions were introduced into the flame of the bunsen burner and the colour of the flame was
observed. Sodium solutions produced a yellow flame but copper solutions produced a blue/green flame
colour. Why does the flame colour change when the solution is added to it?
37 Lithium is an alkali metal in Group 1 of the periodic table. Write the formula for:
a
Lithium chloride_______________________________
b
Lithium oxide _______________________________
38 Lithium reacts quickly with cold water. Name two metals that would react more violently with water than
lithium.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
ISBN 978 0 19 556453 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
The next two questions refer to the following information:
In 1804 John Dalton outlined his Atomic Theory. He proposed that:
i
All matter consists of atoms that cannot be broken down into smaller parts
ii
All atoms of a particular element are identical in mass and have identical properties
iii
Atoms of each different element have a unique mass
iv
Atoms are neither created nor destroyed in chemical reactions
v
Compounds are formed from the combinations of two or more elements
vi
The proportion and type of atom is fixed in a given compound
vii
Atoms combine in simple numerical ratios
viii The most stable compounds containing two elements contain atoms in a one to one ratio.
ix
Dalton’s theory was able to explain much of the observed behaviour and properties of matter, however
some of his proposed ideas were later proved to be incorrect.
39 From the list above choose two of Dalton’s ideas that were later proven to be incorrect and briefly explain
what we now know to be true about these ideas.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
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40 After Dalton there were many scientists who further contributed to our understanding of the structure of the
atom. Name one such scientist and briefly describe his contribution to our understanding of atomic
structure.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 3
ISBN 978 0 19 556453 2
© Oxford University Press Australia