SYMBOLS,FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS

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1. Who was the first scientist to use the symbols for elements?
Ans: Dalton was the first scientist to use the symbols for elements, such
as circle (O) for an oxygen atom.
2. Explain How Berzelius suggested the modern symbols of
elements?
Ans: Berzelius suggested that the first letter of the name of the element in
capital should represent a particular element as O for oxygen , H for
hydrogen and so on.
3. What is meant by the symbol of an element? Explain with
example.
OR What is the significance of the symbol of an element.
Ans: A symbol of an element is not only an abbreviation. It also denotes
one atom of that element as well as the mass of an atom.
Example: The symbole Na represents
(a) The element sodium (b) an atom of sodium (c) the mass of an
atom of sodium
4. What do you mean by a chemical formula? Give example.
Ans: A chemical formula is a symbolic representation of the composition
of the molecule.
Example:

H 2 O , NaCl etc

5. What is mean by the chemical formula

O2

Ans: It shows that the molecule contains two atoms of oxygen in

combination.
6. What is meant by the valency of an element?
Ans: The combining capacity of an atom of an element to form a molecule
is called valency.
7. What do you mean by ions ?
Ans: An atom or group of atoms having positive or negative charge is
known as ions.
Prepared by : Ph.Gokul Sharma (8974434474)
M.Sc (Physics , 1st Class ) , B.Ed ( 1st Class)

SYMBOLS,FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS

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8. What are cations and anions?

Ans: The positively charged ions are called cations and negatively
charged ions are called anions.
Example: The compound sodium chloride consists of positively charged
sodium ions (Na+) and Negatively charged chloride (Cl-) ions
9. What is the difference between a cation and an anion? Give
examples.
Ans: The positively charged ions are called cations and negatively
charged ions are called anions.
Example: The compound sodium chloride consists of positively charged
sodium ions (Na+) and
Negatively charged chloride (Cl-) ions

10.

What is meant by polyatomic ion?

Ans: A group of atoms carrying a charge is known as a polyatomic ion.

Example:
11.

NO
3

Write the rules for writing chemical formulae?

Ans: The general rules for writing chemical formulae are as follows:
(a) The valencies of the elements (atoms) or the changes of the ions
must balance.
(b)When a compound consists of a metal and a non-metal the name or
symbol of the metal is written first.
(c) In compound formed with polyatomic ions, the ion is enclosed in a
bracket before writing the number to indicate the ratio.
12.
An element X forms an oxide with formula X2O3 .State
the valency of X.
Ans:
13.

Valency of X is 3 and the valency of O is 2.

What is molecular mass of a substance ?

Ans: The molecular mass of a substance is the sum of the atomic masses
of all the atoms in a molecule of the substance.
Prepared by : Ph.Gokul Sharma (8974434474)
M.Sc (Physics , 1st Class ) , B.Ed ( 1st Class)

What is formula unit?

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14.

SYMBOLS,FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS

Ans: The formula unit mass is the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms
in a formula unit of a
compound.
15.
What is the difference between molecular mass and
formula unit?
Ans: The only difference between the formula unit mass and molecular
mass is that we use the word formula unit for those substances whose
constituent particles are ions.
16.

What do you mean by Gram Molecular Mass?

Ans: The molecular mass of a substance expressed in grams is called the

gram molecular mass of the substance.
Example: The molecular mass of water (H2O) is 18u. The gram
molecular mass of water is 18g.
17.

What is meant by Avogadros number?

Ans: The number

18.

6.022 1023

is called Avogadros number.

What do you mean by a mole?

Ans: A mole of any substance contains the number of elementary

particles equal to Avogadros constant.
19.
What is mole so significant? Or what is the advantage of
mole?
Ans: Besides being related to a number, the mass of 1 mole of a particular
substance is also fixed.
20.

Explain the difference between 2 N and N2 .

Ans: 2 N mean two atoms of Nitrogen and N2 means a molecule of

nitrogen.
21.
Write the relationships between mole,Avogadro number
and mass.
Ans:
Prepared by : Ph.Gokul Sharma (8974434474)
M.Sc (Physics , 1st Class ) , B.Ed ( 1st Class)

SYMBOLS,FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS

2. 1 mole of water
3. 1 mole of any
particle
4. 1 mole of
molecules

22.

Mass
12 g Carbon

6.022 1023

18 g water

Avogadro number
23
6.022 10
atoms of
C

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Mole
1. 1 mole carbon
atoms

of H2O
6.022 1023

molecules
number

of that particle.
6.022 1023

number of

molecules

Relative mass of
those particles in
grams
Molecular mass in
grams

Write the information conveys by a chemical formula .

Ans: (a) Qualitatively , it represents:

(b)

23.
CO2

(i)
The name of the compound.
(ii)
The elements present in the compound.
Quantitatively , it represents:
(i)
One molecule of the substance.
(ii)
The number of atoms of various elements which constitute
one molecule.
(iii) The molecular mass of the substance.
(iv) The number of parts by mass of the elements present in
the molecule.
(v)
One mole of the substance.
What information is conveyed by the chemical formula

Ans: (a) Qualitatively , it represents:

(iii)
(iv)
(c)

Carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is made up of carbon and oxygen
elements.
Quantitatively , it represents:
(vi) One molecule of carbon dioxide.
(vii) One molecule of carbon dioxide consist of one atom of
carbon and two atoms of oxygen.
(viii) The molecular mass of carbon dioxide is 12+16 x 2 = 44u.
(ix) 44 parts by mass of carbon dioxide contains 12 parts by ,
mass of carbon and 32 parts by mass of oxygen.

Prepared by : Ph.Gokul Sharma (8974434474)

M.Sc (Physics , 1st Class ) , B.Ed ( 1st Class)

SYMBOLS,FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS

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One mole of carbon dioxide i.e. 6.022 x 1023 molecules of

CO2.
24.
What is meant by chemical equation? Explain with
examples.
(x)

Ans: A chemical equation is the systematic representation of an actual

chemical reaction with the help of symbols and formulas of respective
reactants and products
For example, the reaction of zinc with dilute hydrochloric acid to give zinc
chloride and hydrogen is written as : Zn + 2HCl ZnCl2 + H2
25.

Is it necessary to obtain a balanced chemical equation?

Why?
Ans. According to the law of conservation of mass the total mass of
reactants and products remains the same during a chemical reaction. Hence,
the number of atoms of various elements on both the side are made equal i.
e. equation is balanced.
26.
What information does a balanced chemical
equation convey?
Ans: A chemical equation gives the following two types of information:
1. Qualitative Information:
A chemical equation provides the following qualitative information
about the reaction. It tells us the ,
(i) Names of the reactants which take part in the reaction
(ii) Names of the products formed in the reaction.
2. Quantitative information:
A chemical equation gives the following quantitative information. It
tells us about ,
(i) The numbers of molecules or atoms of reactants and products
taking part in the reaction.
(ii) The number of moles of each substance involved in the reaction.
(iii) The mass of each substance involved in the reaction.
(iv) Mass-mass, mass-volume, volume-volume relationship between the
reactants and products.
27.
Write the information conveyed by the following chemical
equation :
Prepared by : Ph.Gokul Sharma (8974434474)
M.Sc (Physics , 1st Class ) , B.Ed ( 1st Class)

Ans:

We have
Mg+2 HCl Mg Cl 2 +H 2

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Mg+2 HCl Mg Cl 2 +H 2

SYMBOLS,FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS

24 2 ( 1+ 35.5 )=73 24+ (2 35.5 )=95 2

(a) Qualitatively ,
(i)
It shows that magnesium reacts with hydrogen chloride to produce
magnesium chloride and hydrogen.
(b) Quantitavely ,
(i)
Two molecules of hydrogen chloride react with on atom of
magnesium to produce one molecule of magnesium chloride and
one molecule of hydrogen.
(ii)
73 parts mass of hydrogen chloride react with 24 parts by mass
of magnesium to produce 95 parts by mass of magnesium
chloride and 2 parts by mass of hydrogen.
(iii) Two moles of hydrogen chloride react with one mole of
magnesium to produce one mole of magnesium chloride and
one of hydrogen.

Prepared by : Ph.Gokul Sharma (8974434474)

M.Sc (Physics , 1st Class ) , B.Ed ( 1st Class)