Self-assessment practice test

Test 1 – material from chapters 2–4  |  45 minutes

Click on the correct answer to each question.

1 The kinetic model suggests different arrangements for the atoms or molecules in the three
states of matter. The diagrams below show how evidence suggests the particles are arranged
in the three states of matter.
1 2 3

What are the three states shown?

1 2 3
A gas liquid solid
B liquid gas solid
C solid liquid gas
D liquid solid gas

2 The graph shows the heating curve for a metal that is solid at room temperature (25 °C).
The metal has been heated until it turns to vapour.

D
Temperature / ºC

Time

Which part of the graph represents the period of time when the metal is melting?

© Cambridge University Press 2014  IGCSE Chemistry Self-assessment practice test 1 1

3 This diagram shows ice cubes floating on the surface in a glass of fizzy drink.

ice cubes

glass drink

bubbles

In which of these are the particles close together but free to move past each other?

A bubbles
B glass
C drink
D ice cubes

4 A student wanted to obtain a pure sample of water from seawater. Which apparatus could
they use to do this?

A B C D

5 Separating sand from salt is a commonly used demonstration of the first stages of a
purification process. The diagram shows the first step in the process.

stirring rod

water

sand and salt

What is the next step?

A filter the mixture B carry out chromatography

C evaporate the water D freeze the mixture

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6 Coloured sweets contain edible dyes. These dyes can be separated by chromatography.
The diagram shows the results obtained from three different orange sweets.

red red

yellow yellow yellow

red red

sweet 1 sweet 2 sweet 3

How many different red dyes were present in the orange sweets?

A 4 B 3 C 2 D 7

7 Which of the diagrams shows the process of diffusion?

key

different atoms

8 The diagram below shows one of the changes of physical state. Which change of state is
shown?

A boiling B condensation
C sublimation D melting

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9 Some people are sitting round a dinner table having a meal together.

when the lid of the dish was removed, all the people could smell the appetising food.

How did the smell reach them when the lid was lifted?

A by decomposition
B by diffusion
C by distillation
D by decolorisation

10 The structure of an atom is defined by two numbers: the proton number and the nucleon
number. What is the electronic structure of an atom with proton (atomic) number 5 and
nucleon (mass) number 11?

A 2,8,1  B 3,2  C 2,3  D 1,8,2

11 Cadmium is an element that has several isotopes. One of these isotopes is 112
48Cd. Which
particle is another isotope of cadmium?

Protons Neutrons
A 48 62
B 48 112
C 112 48
D 62 48

12 Two of the subatomic particles that make up an atom are the proton and
the electron. What are the electrical charges on a proton and an electron?

Proton Electron
A neutral negative
B positive negative
C negative positive
D neutral positive

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13 An atom of any element must contain equal numbers of the following:

A electrons, neutrons and protons

B electrons and protons
C neutrons and protons
D electrons and neutrons

14 Naturally occurring hydrogen consists of two different isotopes. These are 11H and 21H.
Which diagram shows the arrangement of particles in the two isotopes?

1 2
H H
1 1
Key
e e e = an electron

A P
P P = a proton
P

n = a neutron
e
p p
B = nucleus
n n

e e

C P
P
n

e e

D n p

15 The diagram shows part of the Periodic Table. Which of the four elements shown is a
non-metal?

A B

C
D

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16 The diagram shows one of the ways of representing an atom,
in this case an atom of element X.

Key

electron

nucleus

To which group of the Periodic Table does X belong?

A 2 B 0 C 3 D 6

17 There is a link between the electron arrangement of an atom and its position in the
Periodic Table. The table below shows the electronic structures of four elements.

Which element is a noble gas?

Element Number of electrons

Shell 1 Shell 2
A 2 0
B 2 2
C 2 6
D 1 0

18 The reactivity of elements within a group in the Periodic Table changes with their
position in the group.

What is the order of increasing reactivity of the elements in Group I and in Group VII?

Group I Group VII

A Cs → Li F→I
B Li → Cs I→F
C Li → Cs F→I
D Cs → Li I→F

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19 The diagram shows an outline of the Periodic Table with certain elements marked.

V X
Y

Which of the elements V, W, X or Y is a metal and which is a

non-metal?

Non-metal  Metal
A Y V
B Y X
C W X
D W V

20 Elements in the same group of the Periodic Table have similar properties. Element X is a
colourless, unreactive gas.

Which group of the Periodic Table is X in?

A Group VI B Group I
C Group VII / 0 D Group VII

21 The structure of any atom is essentially defined by two numbers. How many protons,
neutrons and electrons are present in an atom of the element with proton (atomic) number 6
and nucleon (mass) number 14?

Protons Neutrons Electrons

A 6 8 6
B 8 6 6
C 6 8 8
D 8 6 8

22 Metals usually form compounds involving ionic bonding.

How do metals form their ions?

A by gaining protons B by gaining electrons

C by losing electrons D by losing protons

23 Chlorine is a highly reactive non-metal. What particles are gained by chlorine when it
reacts with potassium?

A protons B electrons
C atoms D ions

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24 There are various different types of structure that compounds can form, depending on
the nature of their bonding. A substance has an ionic structure that can be represented as
shown.

– + – +

+ – + –

– + – +

What could the substance be?

A iodine B water
C potassium bromide D diamond

25 The boiling point of a substance is linked to the type of bonding present in the substance.
Two elements X and Y combine to form a liquid with the relatively low boiling point of
120 °C.

Which of the lines in the following table is correct?

Type of element Type of bonding

X Y
A metal metal covalent
B non-metal non-metal ionic
C non-metal non-metal covalent
D metal non-metal ionic

26 Some non-metallic elements form covalent simple molecular structures involving a number
of atoms. Phosphorus is one of these, forming the molecule P4. The diagram shows this
covalent molecule of phosphorus.

How many electrons in total are shared in the bonds in this molecule?

A 12 B 8 C 4 D 2

27 Which of the following elements exists as a giant covalent structure?

A carbon
B iodine
C helium
D oxygen

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28 Covalent bonding involves electrons being shared between the atoms bonded together.
Methane is made up of covalently bonded molecules. Which diagram represents the bonding
in methane?

A B

C H C H C H

C
Key
electron
from carbon
C D electron from
hydrogen

H H

H C H H C H

H H

29 A gas is made up of simple molecules that have the formula NOCl.

Which of the following diagrams shows the molecules of this gas, NOCl?
A B C D

Key
N
Cl
O

30 Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon and has the formula CH4.

H
H C H
H

What is the total number of electrons involved in the bonding in this molecule?

A 10 B 2 C 8 D 4

31 A chemical reaction takes place when iron filings and sulfur are mixed in a test tube and
heated with a Bunsen burner. The reaction mixture continues to glow even when the Bunsen
burner is removed. Which type of reaction is taking place?

A thermal decomposition
B synthesis
C neutralisation
D precipitation

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32 A word equation is shown below:

zinc + hydrochloric acid → zinc chloride + hydrogen

What is the symbol equation for this reaction?

A 2Zn + HCl → ZnCl2 + H2

B Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2
C Zn + HCl → ZnCl2 + H2
D 2Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2

33 The test for carbon dioxide is that it turns limewater cloudy.

Which of the following is a balanced equation for reaction between carbon dioxide and
aqueous calcium hydroxide?

A CO2 + CaOH2 → CaCO2 + H2O

B CO2 + CaOH2 → CaCO3 + H2
C CO + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO2 + H2O
D CO2 + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO3 + H2O

34 A pink crystalline compound was heated as shown.

steam

pink
compound

heat

When heated, the solid changed colour from pink to blue and steam was driven off. After
the tube had cooled down, water was added to the contents of the test tube and the pink
colour returned. Which term describes the change that took place?

A reversible
B cracking
C neutralisation
D combustion

35 One type of chemical change is reduction. In which reaction is the underlined substance
being reduced?

A CuO + CO → Cu + CO2
B Cu2O + C → 2Cu + CO
C 2Cu + O2 → 2CuO
D 2Cu2O + O2 → 4CuO

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36 Hydrogen and chlorine react together to synthesise hydrogen chloride as shown.

1 molecule of hydrogen + 1 molecule of chlorine

 → 2 molecules of hydrogen chloride

What is the balanced chemical equation for this reaction?

A 2H + 2Cl → 2HCl
B H + Cl → HCl
C H2 + Cl2 → 2HCl
D H2 + Cl2 → H2Cl2

37 The equation represents a reaction between two solutions.

AgNO3(aq) + HCl(aq) → HNO3(aq) + AgCl(s)

What is the residue when the reaction mixture is filtered?

A AgCl B AgNO3 C HCl D HNO3

38 The blast furnace extraction of iron is a very important industrial reaction. The equation
describing this reaction is given below:

iron(iii) oxide + carbon monoxide → iron + carbon dioxide

Fe2O3 + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO2

Which substance is reduced in the course of this reaction?

A carbon monoxide
B iron
C iron(iii) oxide
D carbon dioxide

39 In which of the following does a chemical change take place?

A distillation
B evaporation
C filtration
D neutralisation

40 Limestone is an important mineral resource. What is the chemical name for this
mineral?

A calcium fluoride
B magnesium carbonate
C calcium oxide
D calcium carbonate

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