2017 H2 Chemistry Paper 1

2017 H2 Chemistry Paper 1 Suggested Solutions

1. C
Let x be the percentage of 29Si.
Ar = 0.9223 28 + 0.01x 29 + (1 0.9223 0.01x) 30 = 28.10
x = 5.54

2. B
1 number of neutrons > number of protons (e.g. Li which has 4 neutrons and 3
protons)
2 number of neutrons = number of protons (e.g. C which has 6 neutrons and 6
protons)
3 number of neutrons < number of protons (no common isotope)

3. D
Central carbon of methanal is sp2 hybridised, i.e. trigonal planar (120)

4. C
Statement 1 is true as hydrogen bonds in water are stronger than instantaneous
dipole-induced dipole interactions in methane (simple non-polar covalent molecules).

Statement 2 is false as strength of intramolecular covalent bonds does not determine

boiling point as intramolecular bonds are not broken during boiling.

Statement 3 is false as electron cloud size determines the strength of instantaneous

dipole-induced dipole interactions which are not the main intermolecular forces in
water which are responsible for its high boiling point.

5. D
Self-explanatory

6. B
A Lewis base donates a pair of electrons, while a Bronsted-Lowry acid donates a
proton. H2O has a lone pair of electrons (and hence behaves as a Lewis base), and is
able to donate a proton (and hence behaves as a Bronsted-Lowry acid).

A is wrong as H+ cannot be a Lewis base since it does not have any lone pair of
electrons.

C is wrong as O2 is a Lewis base (lone pair of electrons available for donation) and
not a Bronsted-Lowry acid (no proton to donate).

D is wrong as OH, like H2O, can behave as a Lewis base and Bronsted-Lowry acid.

7. B
Electronegativity increases across the period. Refer to Data Booklet for atomic radii of
P, Si, Al and Mg to determine the relative spacing across the x-axis, hence D is wrong.

8. B
Fifth ionisation energy (IE): X4+(g) X5+(g) + e
The element R with the highest fifth IE means that the 5th electron is removed from an
inner quantum shell, i.e. it has 4 valence electrons and is in Group 14.

Copyright 2017 by Lee Jun Hui

 2017 H2 Chemistry Paper 1

Hence, element Q is in Group 13, and forms a chloride QCl3 (e.g. AlCl3).

9. C
High polarising power means high charge density (i.e. high charge / ionic radius ratio).

Caesium and barium can be ruled out, as they have larger ionic radii than sodium and
magnesium, and hence cannot have the highest charge / ionic radius ratio.

From Data Booklet, ionic radii of sodium and magnesium are 0.095 nm and 0.065 nm
respectively. Charge / ionic radius of sodium and magnesium are 1/0.095 = 10.5 and
2/0.065 = 30.8 respectively.

Hence, magnesium has the highest polarising power.

10. B
Statement 1 is true as a small rate constant of the forward reaction implies high
activation energy which results in negligible rate of reaction for the conversion of
diamond to graphite.

Although statement 2 is true, it cannot explain why diamond does not change to
graphite at r.t.p. as a negative Gibbs free energy change of the forward reaction
implies that the reaction is thermodynamically feasible.

Statement 3 is false as the forward reaction has a negative Gibbs free energy change
which implies that the forward reaction is spontaneous, and the reverse reaction is
non-spontaneous.

11. A
Statement 1 is true as after two half-lives (or 60 minutes), the percentage of X2
remaining is (50%)2 = 25%, i.e. 75% of X2 has been converted.

Statement 2 is true as 0.75 mol of X2 will be converted to 2 0.75 = 1.5 mol of X by

stoichiometry.

Statement 3 is true as the total amount of gaseous particles is 0.25 mol (of X2) + 1.5
mol (of X) = 1.75 mol.

12. A
From the rate equation, 2 molecules of NO and 1 molecule of H2 react together in the
rate determining step.

13. D
Let x be [H3O+] in mol dm3

x2 = Kc[H2O]2
x = [H2O] K c

[H2O] = (0.997 g cm3)(1000 cm3 dm3)/(18 g mol1) = 997/18 mol dm3

In 1 dm3, number of H3O+ ions = [H2O] L K c = (997/18) L K c

Copyright 2017 by Lee Jun Hui

 2017 H2 Chemistry Paper 1

14. D
In order for concentration of H2 to be greater than the concentration of H2O at
equilibrium, the forward reaction must be spontaneous, i.e. Gibbs free energy change
must be negative.

15. A
solubility product = [Pb2+][CrO42] = (1.3 107)2 = 1.7 1014 mol2 dm6

16. B
1 2-aminopropane CH3CH(NH2)CH3 has 9 hydrogen atoms; 2-bromo-2-
methylpropane CH3C(CH3)BrCH3 has 9 hydrogen atoms
2 ethylpropanoate CH3CH2CO2CH2CH3 has 10 hydrogen atoms; butane-1,2-diol
CH3CH2CH(OH)CH2OH has 10 hydrogen atoms
3 butanenitrile CH3CH2CH2CN has 7 hydrogen atoms; 2-methylpropanal
CH3CH(CH3)CHO has 8 hydrogen atoms

17. A
[O] 4OH O2 + 2H2O + 4e

4 mol of acrylonitrile, when electrolysed, produces 1 mol of O2.

0.01 mol of acrylonitrile, when electrolysed, produces 0.0025 mol of O2.

At r.t.p., 1 mol of gas occupies 24 dm3.

0.0025 mol of gas occupies 0.06 dm3 or 60 cm3.

18. D
Three different products which are tertiary bromoalkanes are obtained: (i) tertiary
bromoalkane on the left and primary bromoalkane on the right, (ii) tertiary
bromoalkane on the right and primary bromoalkane on the left, (iii) tertiary
bromoalkane on both the left and the right.

19. A
A is correct as the ketone will undergo nucleophilic addition, in which the nucleophile
can attack from both the top and the bottom of the planar molecule with equal
probabilities, resulting in a racemic mixture of two enantiomers.

B is wrong as the Cl will be substituted with OH, but the spatial arrangement around
the chiral carbon remains unchanged, hence only one enantiomer is produced.

C is wrong as the carbon bonded to Cl is non-chiral due to the presence of two ethyl
groups. Hence, even if it undergoes SN1 mechanism, the product is non-chiral and
does not exhibit enantiomerism.

D is wrong as the carbon bonded to Cl is non-chiral due to the presence of two methyl
groups. Hence, even if it undergoes SN1 mechanism, the product is non-chiral and
does not exhibit enantiomerism.

20. C
Statement 1 is true as halogen atoms are electronegative and hence electron-
withdrawing groups.

Copyright 2017 by Lee Jun Hui

 2017 H2 Chemistry Paper 1

Statement 2 is false as halogen atoms, being electron withdrawing, will actually

stabilise the carboxylate anion by dispersing the negative charge.

Statement 3 is false as methyl groups, being electron donating, will actually destabilise
the carboxylate anion by intensifying the negative charge.

21. A
Amides are neutral and hence the least basic as the lone pair on the nitrogen atom is
delocalised into the amide functional group and no longer available for donation.

Phenylamine is less basic than aliphatic amine as the lone pair on the nitrogen atom is
delocalised into the benzene ring and less available for donation.

22. A
Ethanoyl chloride (acid chloride) will react with phenylamine to form amide and phenol
to form ester.

23. D
Aryl halides do not undergo nucleophilic substitution due to partial double bond
character of the CX bond (as a result of delocalisation of the p-orbital of the halogen
atom with the electron cloud of the benzene ring.

Iodoalkane will form yellow precipitate faster than chloroalkane forming white
precipitate as the CI bond is weaker than CCl bond which makes SN2 reaction faster
for iodoalkane than chloroalkane.

24. C
Bromoalkane can undergo elimination instead of nucleophilic substitution when
reacted with aqueous sodium hydroxide.

25. D
Sodium can react with both alcohol and carboxylic acid functional groups in mandelic
acid.

Aqueous sodium hydroxide can only react with phenol functional group in saligenin but
not primary alcohol functional group (alcohol is too weak an acid to react with sodium
hydroxide).

26. A
B and C are wrong as all functional groups should be fully protonated (i.e. no
carboxylate anion) as products of acid hydrolysis.

D is wrong as the side chain contains an extra CH2 group.

27. A
Water is polar and produces the same product when it reacts with the carbocation.

B is wrong as hexane is non-polar.

C and D are wrong although both are polar, as they will produce by-products when
reacted with the carbocation: a by-product with NHCH2CH3 attached for C and an
alkene for D (ethanolic NaOH favours elimination).

Copyright 2017 by Lee Jun Hui

 2017 H2 Chemistry Paper 1

28. B
The best conductor of electricity will contain the highest concentration of ions, which
are charge carriers responsible for electrical conductivity.

Aqueous hydrogen chloride with a concentration of 1 mol dm3 is the same as a

solution of 1 mol dm3 hydrochloric acid, [total ions] = 2 mol dm3 as HCl is a strong
acid which ionises completely in water.

Aqueous ethanoic acid with a concentration of 1 mol dm3 contains below 2 mol dm3
of ions as ethanoic acid is a weak acid which ionises partially in water.

Pure ethanoic acid and pure hydrogen chloride exist as simple covalent molecules and
do not contain ions, hence they are not good conductors of electricity.

29. C
The number of atoms of copper deposited during electrolysis depends directly on the
number of electrons gained by the copper(II) ions. The number of electrons gained by
the copper(II) ions, in turn, depends on total charge involved in the redox reaction.

charge, Q = current, I time, t

30. A
In a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell, hydrogen is oxidised and oxygen is reduced to water.

Hence, electrons are given up by hydrogen at the anode X, and flow to the external
circuit, and eventually to the cathode Y, where they are taken in to reduce oxygen to
water.

There are two half-equations in the Data Booklet for the reduction of oxygen to water.
The correct half-equation is the one which involves OH, since the electrolyte used is
NaOH(aq), i.e. under alkaline condition.

Copyright 2017 by Lee Jun Hui