Chapter 5: States of matter
Summary
■ The kinetic theory of gases states that gas particles
are always in constant random motion at a variety
of speeds.
■ The volume of a gas increases when the
temperature increases and decreases when the
pressure increases.
■ The volume of a gas under different conditions of
temperature and pressure can be calculated using
the ideal gas equation pV = nRT.
■ The ideal gas equation can be used to determine the
relative molecular mass of simple molecules.
■ Gases do not obey the ideal gas equation at low
temperatures and high pressures.
■ The kinetic-molecular model can be used to describe
the states of matter in terms of proximity and motion
of the particles, and to describe changes of state and
vapour pressure.
■ Ionic compounds such as sodium chloride and
magnesium oxide form a giant three-dimensional
lattice structure containing ions in a regularly
repeating pattern.
■ The strong ionic forces acting in all directions
between the ions in the lattice cause ionic
substances to have high melting and boiling points.
End-of-chapter questions
1 Four types of structure are:
giant molecular
giant ionic
giant metallic
simple molecular
a Give two examples of a giant ionic structure and two examples of a simple molecular structure.
b Explain why substances with giant ionic structures are often brittle but metallic structures are malleable.
c Explain why giant molecular structures have higher melting points than simple molecular structures.
d Diamond and graphite are two forms of carbon with giant molecular structures. Explain why graphite
conducts electricity but diamond does not.
■ Simple molecular solids with low melting points such
as iodine have a regular arrangement of molecules;
they are crystalline. There are weak intermolecular
forces between the molecules.
■ Giant covalent (giant molecular) structures such as
diamond have a large number of covalent bonds
arranged in a regularly repeating pattern.
■ Fullerenes are allotropes of carbon in the shape
of hollow spheres (buckminsterfullerene) or
tubes (nanotubes).
■ Graphene is composed of a single flat sheet of
hexagonally-arranged carbon atoms.
■ The strong covalent bonds between the atoms in
giant molecular structures cause these substances to
have high melting and boiling points.
■ In metals, the atoms are closely packed in a giant
lattice in which the outer electrons are free to move.
■ Metals such as aluminium and copper and their
alloys have a variety of uses, which can be related to
their physical properties, e.g. density, malleability,
conductivity, hardness. 85
■ Physical data can be used to suggest the type of
structure and bonding present in a substance.
■ Recycling plays an important part in conserving finite
resources such as metals.
[4]
[6]
[6]
[5]
Total = 21
 Cambridge International AS Level Chemistry

2 The structures of carbon dioxide and silicon dioxide are shown in the diagram below.

O C O

Use your knowledge of structure and bonding to explain the following:

a carbon dioxide is a gas at room temperature [3]
b silicon(IV) oxide is a solid with a high melting point [3]
c neither carbon dioxide nor silicon(IV) oxide conducts electricity. [2]
Total = 8

3 This question is about gases.

a What do you understand by the term ideal gas? [1]
b Under what conditions does a gas not behave ideally? Explain your answer for one of these conditions. [4]
86
c Helium is a noble gas. It exists as single atoms. Explain why:
i helium has a very low boiling point [2]
ii helium does not conduct electricity. [1]
d A weather balloon contains 0.500 kg of helium. Calculate the volume of the gas in the balloon at a pressure of
0.500 × 105 Pa and a temperature of –20.0 °C.
(R = 8.31 J K–1 mol–1; Ar He = 4.0) [5]
Total = 13

4 Water and bromine are both simple molecular substances.

a Both water and bromine form a lattice structure in the solid state. What do you understand by the term lattice? [2]
b The boiling point of water is 100 °C. The boiling point of bromine is 59 °C. Explain the reason for this difference
in terms of intermolecular forces. [4]
c Use ideas about the kinetic theory to explain what happens when liquid bromine evaporates to form
bromine vapour. [4]
d Some liquid bromine is allowed to evaporate in a closed glass jar until no further change is seen in the colour of the
bromine vapour. Under these conditions the vapour pressure is constant.
i What do you understand by the term vapour pressure? [1]
ii Explain why the vapour pressure remains constant in the jar. [2]
e When 0.20 g of a liquid, Y, with a simple molecular structure was evaporated it produced 80 cm3 of vapour.
The temperature was 98 °C and the pressure 1.1 × 105 Pa. Calculate the relative molecular mass of Y.
(R = 8.31 J K–1 mol–1) [5]
Total = 18
 Chapter 5: States of matter

5 The table gives data on the physical properties of five substances, A to E.

a Copy the table and fill in the gaps. [7]

Substance Melting point Electrical conductivity Type of

as a solid as a liquid structure

A high poor good i

B low ii iii iv

C high poor poor v

D high good vi giant metallic

E high poor vii giant covalent

b Explain the melting point and electrical conductivity of substance A. [6]

c Explain the melting point and electrical conductivity of substance B. [5]
Total = 18

6 The uses of metals are often related to their properties.

a Describe the structure of a typical metal. [2]
b Explain why metals are malleable. [4]
c Use the information in the table below to answer the questions that follow.

Element Density / g cm–3 Tensile strength / 1010 Pa Electrical

conductivity / 108 S m–1 87
aluminium 2.70  7.0 0.38

copper 8.92 13.0 0.59

steel 7.86 21.1 0.10

i Why is aluminium more suitable than steel for building aeroplane bodies? [1]
ii Explain why overhead electricity cables are made from aluminium with a steel core rather than
just from copper. [5]
d The effect of alloying copper with zinc on the strength of the alloy is shown in the table below.

% copper % zinc Tensile strength / 108 Pa

100   0 2.3

 80  20 3.0

 60  40 3.6

  0 100 1.4

iDescribe and explain the change in tensile strength as the percentage of zinc increases from
0% to 40%. [5]
ii State the name of the alloy of copper with zinc. [1]
e Many metals, such aluminium, can be recycled. Give three reasons why about 90% of aluminium is
made by recycling rather than extracting it from its ore. [3]
Total = 21
 Cambridge International AS Level Chemistry

7 The diagram shows the structures of graphite and diamond.

Use the diagrams and your knowledge of structure and bonding to answer the following questions.
a Explain why both diamond and graphite have high melting points. [2]
b i Why is graphite used in making handles for tennis racquets? [3]
ii Explain why graphite is used in pencil ‘leads’ for writing. [4]
c Explain why diamond is used on the tips of high-speed drills. [5]
Total = 14

8 Crystals of sodium chloride have a lattice structure.

a Describe a sodium chloride lattice. [3]
b Explain the following properties of sodium chloride.
i Sodium chloride has a high melting point. [3]
ii Sodium chloride conducts electricity when molten but not when solid. [3]
88
iii Sodium chloride is hard but brittle. [5]
Total = 14

9 The diagram shows some allotropes of carbon.

etc etc etc etc

A B C

a Give the name of allotrope A, which has the formula C60. [1]
b Explain in terms of structure and bonding why structure A is gaseous at 800 °C but diamond is not. [6]
c Structure B shows an allotrope of carbon in the form of tubes.
i Give the name of this allotrope of carbon. [1]
ii Describe the similarities and differences between structure B and graphite. [4]
d Structure C is stronger than structure B when a force is applied in the same direction as the long axis of the tube.
Explain why structure C is stronger. [5]
Total = 17