PETIT SEMINAIRE SAINT LEON KABGAYI Date: 11/12/2023

FIRST TERM EXAMINATIONS, 2023/2024

CHEMISTRY EXAM for Senior 4

(MCB, PCB&PCM)
 Instructions:
This paper consists of 11 questions
 Attempt all questions
 Give succinct answers
 Separate answers of two different questions using a horizontal line
 Total marks: 80 marks & Duration: 3 hours
 Examiner: Clément NGIRABATWARE
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Question 1 (5 marks)
(a) The atomic number of carbon element in the Periodic Table is 6.
Copy and complete the diagrams to show the energies of the electrons in a carbon atom, a C+
ion and a C– ion. (3 marks)

(b) There exist different rules governing the electronic configuration. In each of the following cases,
(A) and (B), give a reason to show how Hund’s rule has been violated. (2 marks)

Question 2 (5 marks)
Four substances X, Y, Z and W have the physical properties shown in the table below.
Melting Point Boiling Point Electrical Electrical conductivity Electrical conductivity
(oC) (oC) conductivity of solid of molten substance of aqueous solution
X -115 -85 Poor Poor Good
Y 660 2470 Good Good Insoluble
Z 993 1695 Poor Good Good
W 1610 2230 Poor Poor Insoluble
Choose from the given substances the one that has the properties that make it to be most likely
each of the following.
(a) An ionic solid
(b) A giant covalent compound
(c) A simple covalent compound
(d) A metal
(e) A gaseous substance at room temperature

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Question 3 (5 marks)
The following diagram illustrates the behaviour of the three fundamental particles when passed
through an electric field.

(a) Identify the particles represented by X,

Y and Z. (1.5 marks)
(b) Explain the shapes and directions of
the paths traced by the fundamental
particles as they pass through the
electric field. (3.5 marks)

Question 4 (5 marks)
(a) With help of an equation, explain the meaning of the term “lattice energy” of NaBr. (2 marks)
(b) State two factors which affect lattice energy. (2 marks)
(c) Give a reason why the lattice energy of sodium bromide (NaBr) is more exothermic than that of
potassium bromide (KBr). (1 mark)

Question 5 (5 marks)
(a) The frequency of hydrogen at the point of ionization is 32.8 x 10 Hz. Calculate the ionization
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energy of hydrogen. (Plank’s constant, h = 6.626 x 10-34Js) (1 mark)

(b) Calculate the frequency of the fourth line of Balmer series, given that R (Rydberg constant) =
1.09 x 107 m-1 and C (speed of electromagnetic waves) = 3 x 108 ms–1. (4 marks)

Question 6 (5 marks)
(a) Account for the much lower boiling point of hydrogen sulphide, H 2S, (–61 °C) compared with that
of water, H2O, (100 °C). (1 mark)
(b) Show, by means of a diagram, how two molecules of hydrogen fluoride are attracted to each
other by hydrogen bonding. Include all partial charges in your diagram. (1 mark)
(c) Fluorine is a very reactive halogen. It forms compounds like NF3 and XeF4.
(i) Draw a Lewis structure for NF3 molecule. (Atomic numbers: N=7, F=9) (1 mark)
(ii) The shape of the XeF4 molecule is shown below.

F F
Xe
F F
State the bond angle in XeF4 and name the shape of this molecule. (2 marks)

Question 7 (10 marks)

(a) The atomic number of aluminium and chlorine are 13 and 17 respectively.
(i) Draw the shape of AlCl3 and explain the reason why it adopted this shape. (2 marks)
(ii) Al2Cl6 is a dimer of AlCl3. Draw the complete Lewis structure of Al2Cl6. (2 marks)
(b) An aluminium chloride molecule reacts with a chloride ion to form the AlCl 4− ion.
(i) Name the type of bond formed in this reaction. (1 mark)
(ii) Explain how this type of bond is formed in the AlCl4− ion. Support your answer using
symbolic equation. (2 marks)
(c) Suggest the reason why
(i) AlCl3 is considered to be an acid according to Lewis theory of acid-base. (1 mark)
(ii) MgCl2 is more ionic than AlCl3. (1 mark)
(iii) Aluminium is a better conductor of electricity than magnesium. (1 mark)
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Question 8 (10 marks)
(a) Copper (Z = 29) and iron (Z = 26) are metals with high melting points.
(i) Apart from Cu2+ ion, copper can also form Cu+ ion. Write the full electronic configuration of
Cu+ ion (in terms of s, p, d and f notation). (1 mark)
(ii) Indicate the block in the periodic table to which copper belongs. (1 mark)
(iii) Explain why copper is ductile (can be stretched into wires). (1 mark)
(iv) Iron can form both iron (II) and iron (III) oxides. In terms of electronic structure, explain
which of the compounds FeO or Fe2O3 is more stable. (3 marks)
(b) A sample of copper contains the two isotopes 63Cu and 65Cu only. It has a relative atomic mass,
Ar, less than 64. The mass spectrum of this sample shows major peaks with m/z values of 63
and 65, respectively.
(i) Explain how Cu atoms are converted into Cu+ ions in a mass spectrometer. (1 mark)
(ii) In addition to the major peaks at m/z = 63 and 65, much smaller peaks at m/z = 31.5 and
32.5 are also present in the mass spectrum. Identify the ion responsible for the peak at m/z
= 31.5 in the mass spectrum. (1 mark)
(iii) Explain why your chosen ion [in (ii) above] has this m/z value and suggest one reason why
this peak is very small. (2 marks)

Question 9 (10 marks)

(a) The mass spectrum of a sample of an atom X contains three peaks with mass/charge (m/z)
ratios and relative intensities shown below: (3 marks)

m/z 24 25 26
Relative intensity 1 0.127 0.139

Use the information in the table to calculate the accurate value for the relative atomic mass of X.
(b) After ionization and before deflection,
(i) What happens to the ions in a mass spectrometer? (1 mark)
(ii) How is this achieved? (1 mark)
(c) What is the function of the electron gun and the magnet in a mass spectrometer? (2 marks)
(d) What factor, other than the mass to charge ratio of an ionised particle, determines how much
that particle is deflected in a magnetic field of a given strength? (1 mark)
(e) Does data from mass spectrometry demonstrate evidence which supports or contradicts Dalton’s
early model of the atom? Explain. (2 marks)

Question 10 (10 marks)

The Quantum Mechanical Model uses four numbers called quantum numbers to describe the
characteristics of each electron and its orbitals.
(a) State two characteristics that can be described by a principal quantum number (n). (1 mark)
(b) Technically speaking, an orbital is a wave function for an electron and what the wave function
describes, though, is a region in space with a particular shape where you are likely to find an
electron.
(i) Using simple diagram, illustrate the shape of one s and one p-orbital. (2 marks)
(ii) In the atom, we may have places where the electron wave has absolutely no amplitude or
height. Give the name given to such places. (1 mark)
(c) An atom of element X has its outermost electron which is defined by four quantum numbers
below.
n=3, l=1, ml = –1 and ms = –½

(i) Use information provided to write the electron configuration of X in terms of s, p, d, f

notation. (3 marks)
(ii) How many total electrons does X contain? (1 mark)
(iii) State the period and block of X (1 mark)
(iv) Show the formula of the compound formed between X and hydrogen. (1 mark)

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Question 11 (10 marks)
(a) What is meant by the term “first ionization energy”? (1 mark)
(b) For the elements of period 3 (Na to Ar) of the periodic table,
(i) State and explain the general trend in the first ionization energy. (2 marks)
(ii) Explain why the third ionization energy of Mg is much higher than the second ionization
energy (2 marks)
(iii) Explain why the first ionization energy of sulphur is lower than that of phosphorous.
(Atomic Numbers: Na = 11, Mg = 12, P=15, S=16) (2 marks)

(c) Some of the first ionization energies of a period 3 and group 14 element X are shown below.

1st I.E 2nd I.E 3rd I.E 4th I.E 5th I.E 6th I.E 7th I.E
785 1,581 3,231 16,002 20,001 23,602

(i) Write an equation to illustrate the process occurring when the fourth ionisation energy of X
is measured. (1 mark)
(ii) With explanation, choose either 4,360 or 14,360, which value is the most likely to be a
fourth (4th) Ionization Energy (IE) value of X. (2 marks)

End

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