STUDENTID ............................................ . SI(JN)\TU~ ....................... .

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
(All rights reserved)

BSc. SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS: 2020/2021

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
CHEM 252: S-BLOCK (2 CREDITS)

INSTRUCTIONS: ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS ON THE QUESTION PAPER

TIME ALLOWED: TWO (2) HOURS

SECTION A [ 50 marks]
Circle the correct answer [a)- d)] to each question.

1. Which of the following compounds liberate(s) oxygen on heating?

a) LhC03
b) LiOH
c) LiN03
d) NaOH
2. Which of the following statements is false?
a) Beryllium forms covalent compounds due to small size and high charge of the
Be2+ ion.
b) The maximum coordination number of beryllium is six.
c) Beryllium salts are extensively hydrolyzed.
d) Beryllium can form complexes due to its small size.
3. The charge density of Mg2+ ion is most similar to that of:
a) Li+
b) Be2 +
c) Na+
d) Ca2+
4. )\ certain metal is present in the soil, plants, bones, eggshells, seashells and coral. It is
also used to remove oxygen from molten steel and its hydroxide is used to detect C02.
The metal is
a) Mg
b) )\1
c) Ca
d) Na
5. Which of these hydroxides is amphoteric?
a) Be(OH)2
b) Mg(OH)2
c) Ca(OH)2
d) Sr(OH)2
6. In group 1, values of the metallic radii follow the order:
a) Li > Na> K
b) Na<K<Rb
c) K> Rb > Cs
d) Cs <K <Li

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7. Which reacts directly with nitrogen to form the nitride?

a) Na
b) Li
c) K
d) Rb
8. Which of the following statements is correct?
a) Sodium nitride has the formula NaN3
b) K reacts with N2 to give K3N
c) Lithium nitride forms when Li reacts with N2
d) Solid lithium nitride is an insulator
9. Which of the following exhibits the greatest metallic character?
a) Cs
b) Rb
c) K
d) Na
10. Isotopes of hydrogen differ in
a) the number of electrons they possess
b) the number of protons they possess
c) the number of neutrons they possess
d) their atomic number
11. Which of the following compounds has the highest hydration enthalpy?
a) MgCh
b) CaCh
c) BaCh
d) SrCh
12. Which of the following carbonates decompose most readily?
a) LbC03
b) :Na2C03
c) CS2C03
d) K2C03
13. Solutions of alkali metals in liquid aIIlmonia are:
a) ,·~.;.V ery resistant to heaf' - - ---- -
b) Very strong oxidizing agents
c) Very strong reducing agents
d) Very volatile ethe metal with the largest first ionization energy.
14. Choose the metal with the largest first ionization energy.
a) Na
b) Li
c) Cs
d) K
15. Which of the following is commonly used in a laboratory as drying agent.
a) Anhydrous CaCh
b) Anhydrous Na2C03
c) Dry NaCI
d) None of the above
16. Which of the following metals is a liquid at room temperature?
a) Na
b) Hg
c) Cd
d) Zn

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STUDENTID ............................................ . SI(}N}\TU~ ....................... .

17. Portland cement is manufactured by using

a) Limestone, clay and sand
b) Limestone, gypsum and sand
c) Limestone, clay and gypsum
d) None of the above
18. The superoxides are formed by the elements
a) K, Li, Cs
b) K, Rb, Cs
c) K, Li, Na
d) None of above
19. Metals form basic hydroxides. Which of the following metal hydroxides is the least
basic?
a) Mg(OH)2
b) Ca(OH)2
c) Sr(0H)2
d) Ba(OH)2
20. Na20 reacts with water to give:
a) NaOH as the only product
b) NaOH and H202
c) NaOH and 02
d) NaOH and H2
21. Beryllium and aluminum have similar properties because
a) they belong to the same group
b) they have different electronegativities
c) they have nearly same electronegativities
d) they have same ionization potential
22 }\s compared to alkali metals, alkaline earth metals:
a) are more metallic
b) have higher densities
c) are stronger reducing agents
d) have larger atomic radii
23. Among the alkaline earth metals, the element forming predominantly covalent
compounds is:
a) barium
b) beryllium
c) strontium
d) calcium

24. Which of the following alkaline earth metal hydroxide; is the least soluble in water?
a) Be(OH)2
b) Mg(OH)2
c) Ca(OH)2
d) Ba(OH)2

25. The thermal stability ofBaC03 CaC03 SrC03 and MgC03 decreases in the order:
a) BaC0 3> SrC03> MgC03 >. CaC03
b) CaC0 3 > SrC03> MgC0 3 > BaC03
c) MgC03> CaC03> SrC03 > BaC03
d) BaC03 > SrC03> CaC0 3> MgC03

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 STUDENTID ............................................ . SIGNATURE ....................... .

SECTION B [50 marks]

1. Define the following terms:
i. Isotope effect [4 marks]

ii. Electron affinity [4 marks]

iii. Paramgnetism [4 marks]

2. Briefly but clearly explain why:

i. Carbonates of Group 2A elements are less soluble in water than those of Group IA elements
[4 marks]

ii. Generally, ionization energy of the elements increases across a period of the periodic table.
[4 marks]

iii. Hydrogen has a relatively low reactivity compared to the alkali metals [4 marks]

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STUDENTID ............................................ . SIGNATURE ....................... .

iv. The saline hydrides are considered to contain the H- anion [4 marks]
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3 a. Describe what happens when increasing amounts of potassium is dissolved in liquid

ammonia [4 marks]
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3 b. In what ways are liquid ammonia solutions of alkali metals different from those of alkaline
earth metals? [4 marks]

4. Complete and balance the following equations [ 10 marks]

i. C<l(s) + H20 ~ .................................................................... .

11. CH3MgBr + SiC14 .............................................................. .

iii. Li3N + H20 ~ .................................................................... .

iv. LiH + H20 ~ ..................................................................... .

v. SiCl4 + NaH ~ .................................................................. .

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