Nanyang Junior College

H2/H1 Chemistry

Name: _________________________________

CT: ___________

JC1 2014

Date: __________

Section C: Assignment (15 marks)

Take no more than 25 min to complete this assignment.

15

Nitrate, NO3-, and phosphate, PO43-, are oxoanions of nitrogen and phosphorus
respectively.
a) Draw dot-and-cross diagrams to show the bonding in NO3- and PO43-. Hence, deduce
the shapes and state the bond angles around the nitrogen and phosphorus atom.
[4]

[1]
Trigonal planar, 120 [1]

[1]
Tetrahedral, 109 [1]

b) Explain why it is not possible for nitrogen to form an oxoanion with a formula of NO43-.
[1]
Nitrogen has no empty and energetically accessible 3d orbitals to expand its octet.

This question is on the properties of halogens and their compounds.

a) Halogens like Cl2 and I2 are soluble in the non-polar solvent CCl4. However, the
interhalogen compound, ICl, is insoluble in CCl4. Explain why.
[2]
Cl2 and I2 are soluble in CCl4 as they can form van der Waals interactions with CCl4.
[1]
ICl is insoluble in CCl4 as the energy released during the formation of vdW interactions
with ICl is not enough to overcome the permanent dipole permanent dipole
interactions between ICl molecules (and vdW forces between CCl4 molecules). [1]

The hydrogen halides undergo thermal decomposition according to the following

equation.
2HX
H2 + X2 (where X represents the halogen)
b) Why is the rate of thermal decomposition of hydrogen fluoride slower than that of
hydrogen iodide?
[2]
The bond energy of HF is larger than that of HI. This is because the HF bond is shorter
than the HI bond. [1] There is less degree of orbital overlap and less energy is required
to break the bond. [1]

Page 17 of 18

Nanyang Junior College

H2/H1 Chemistry

JC1 2014

Ethanoic acid, CH3COOH, is the main component of vinegar.

a) Explain, with illustrations, why ethanoic acid is soluble in water.

[2]

PS : What are the points to note

when drawing the interactions?

Soluble as they can form hydrogen bonds with water [1]

Drawing showing at least 1 H-bond (with +, -, lone pairs, hash lines) [1]

b) Ethanoic acid (Mr = 60.0) is a liquid while magnesium fluoride (Mr = 62) is a solid at
r.t.p. Explain.
[2]
3

PS :
Structure,
bonding,
Ethanoic acid has simple molecular structure with
particles? Compare forces, link to
hydrogen bonds between molecules.
2+
energy and bp.
Magnesium fluoride has giant ionic lattice with Mg and
F ions held together by strong ionic bonds. [1]
More energy is required to overcome the stronger ionic bond so MgF2 has a higher
melting point and is a solid at rtp, while ethanoic acid is a liquid. [1]

c) Ethanoic acid undergoes neutralisation with sodium hydroxide to form sodium

ethanoate.
CH3COOH + NaOH
CH3COO-Na+ + H2O
Is sodium ethanoate soluble in water? Draw a diagram to explain.

[2]

Soluble. Sodium ethanoate dissociates into its ions in water. These ions can form iondipole interactions with water. [1]

[1]

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