HKCE PAST PAPERS 86-94/SECTION 2/PAGE 1

SECTION 2 COMMON METALS

1986 C zinc
D aluminium
21. Which of the following will occur when a piece of magnesium ribbon is added
to very dilute nitric acid? 1987
A H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l)
B 2H+(aq) + 2e- → H2(g) 9. The action of dilute nitric acid on zinc is represented by the following
C NO3-(aq) + 4H+(aq) + 3e- → NO(g) + 2H2O(l) equation:
D NO3-(aq) + 2H+(aq) + e- → NO2(g) + H2O(l) x HNO3(aq) + y Zn(s) → y Zn(NO3)2(aq) + z H2O(l) + 2 NO(g)
The values of x, y and z in the balanced equation are
A 3, 4 and 1.
B 3, 8 and 2.
C 4, 3 and 2.
D 8, 3 and 4.

12. Tin plating can be used to prevent iron cans from rusting because
A tin is higher than iron in the electrochemical series.
42. B the tin protects the iron from exposure to air.
Which of the following metal oxides can be reduced by the method illustrated C tin corrodes more readily than iron.
in the above diagram? D the tin and the iron readily form an alloy which does not corrode.
(1) Fe2O3
(2) MgO 1988
(3) PbO
A (2) only 12. A metal X displaces copper from copper(II) sulphate solution but does not
B (3) only displace zinc from zinc sulphate solution. Which of the following represents an
C (1) & (2) only increasing order for the reducing power of the three metals?
D (1) & (3) only A Cu < X < Zn
B X < Cu < Zn
49. Which of the following metals will NOT displace copper ions from aqueous C Zn < X < Cu
copper(II) sulphate? D Zn < Cu < X
A silver
B iron 13. In which of the following cases would the rusting of the iron nail be most
rapid?
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36. Which of the following metal oxides, when heated on a charcoal block, can be
reduced to the corresponding metals?
(1) CuO
(2) PbO
(3) ZnO
A (1) & (2) only
B (1) & (3) only
C (2) & (3) only
D (1), (2) & (3)

37. Which of the following processes could be used to slow down corrosion of an
iron nail?
(1) painting the nail
(2) coating a layer of zinc on the nail
(3) wrapping a strip of copper around the nail
(4) putting the nail under distilled water
A (1) & (2) only B (1) & (3) only
C (2) & (4) only D (1), (3) & (4) only

1990

7. The reaction between lead(II) nitrate solution and sodium hydrogencarbonate

solution can be represented by the equation below:
Pb2+(aq) + 2 HCO3-(aq) → PbCO3(x) + H2O(y) + CO2(z)
38. Which of the following metal oxides can be reduced by carbon? Which of the following combinations for x, y and z is correct?
(1) magnesium oxide x y z
(2) iron(III) oxide A aq aq aq
(3) copper(II) oxide B aq l g
A (1) & (2) only C s aq g
B (1) & (3) only D s l g
C (2) & (3) only
D (1), (2) & (3) 15. The reddish-brown rust that forms on the surface of iron can be removed by
1989 using
A paraffin oil.
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B dilute sulphuric acid. (3) lead

C concentrated ammonia solution. A (1) & (2) only
D dilute sodium hydroxide solution. B (1) & (3) only
C (2) & (3) only
1991 D (1), (2) & (3)

8. X, Y and Z are metals. Y can displace X from a solution of the nitrate of X. 1993
Oxides of X and Y can be reduced by hydrogen but not the oxides of Z. Which
of the following arrangements represents the correct descending order of 7. CO2(g) + CaCO3(x) + H2O(y) → Ca(HCO3)2(z)
reactivity of the metals? In the above chemical equation, which of the following combinations is
A Z>Y>X correct?
B X>Y>Z x y z
C Z>X>Y A aq l aq
D X>Z>Y B s aq s
C s l s
1992 D s l aq

14. The carbonates of three metals W, X and Y are separately heated strongly and
the results obtained are tabulated below:
Metal Action of heat on metal carbonate
W CO2(g) and O2(g) evolved
X No reaction
Y CO2(g) evolved
31.
Which of the following arrangements represents the correct decreasing order
In the above experiment, a gas is evolved and burns at the jet. Metal X is of reactivity of the metals?
probably
A W>X>Y B W>Y>X
A zinc. C X>Y>W D Y>W>X
B aluminium.
C magnesium. Direction: Questions 20 and 21 refer to the following experiment:
D copper.
34. Which of the following metals can be obtained by reducing their oxides with Three different pairs of metal wires are placed separately in petri dishes (as shown
carbon?
in the diagram below) containing a mixture of gelatin, potassium
(1) iron hexacyanoferrate(III) solution and phenolphthalein solution.
(2) calcium
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B (1) & (3) only

C (2) & (3) only
D (1), (2) & (3)

1994

5. The reaction between sodium hydrogen-carbonate solution and zinc sulphate

solution can be represented by the following equation:
2 NaHCO3(aq) + ZnSO4(aq) → Na2SO4(x) + ZnCO3(y) + H2O(z) + CO2(g)
Which of the following combinations is correct?
20. Which of the following statements are correct? x y z
(1) The iron wire in Dish I does not corrodes readily. A aq aq aq
(2) The iron wire in Dish II corrodes readily. B aq aq l
(3) The iron wires in Dish III do not corrode. C aq s l
A (1) & (2) only D s aq l
B (1) & (3) only
C (2) & (3) only
D (1), (2) & (3)

21. In Dish II, which of the following colours will develop around the iron wire
and the copper wire?
iron wire copper wire
A pink blue
B blue pink
C pink no colour
D blue no colour

26. On heating, blue copper(II) sulphate crystals gradually change to a white

powder. Which of the following statements are correct?
(1) Heat would be liberated if water is added to the white powder.
(2) On further heating, the white powder would turn reddish-brown.
(3) A chemical change occurs during the heating of the blue crystals.
A (1) & (2) only