OCR AS Chemistry

Topic Questions

2.3 Acid-base & Redox Reactions

1a2 marks

Define the following terms.

i)
Strong acid 
[1]
 
ii)
Weak acid 
[1]
1b1 mark

Hydrochloric acid, is classed as a strong monoprotic acid. 

Write an equation to the ionisation of hydrochloric acid.

1c2 marks

Hydrochloric acid will react with potassium hydroxide in a neutralisation reaction.

i)
Potassium hydroxide is classed as a strong base, write an equation to show how potassium hydroxide dissociates in water.
[1]
ii)
Write an equation for the reaction between hydrochloric acid and potassium hydroxide.
  [1] 

1d2 marks

The hydrochloric acid in part (c) was replaced with ethanoic acid. 

Write the equation for this reaction and name the salt that is produced in this reaction. 

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2a4 marks

This question is about oxidation numbers.

Complete Table 1 giving the oxidation number of sulfur in the following compounds.

Table 1

Compound  Oxidation number
SO2  
SO3  
H2SO4  
SF4  

2b1 mark

State the oxidation number of sulfur in its elemental form of S8

2c3 marks

The reaction between tin chloride and magnesium is classed as a redox reaction

SnCl4 + 2Mg → 2MgCl2 + Sn 

i)
State the change in oxidation number of magnesium.
[1] 

ii)
State the change in oxidation number of tin.
[1] 

iii)
Deduce which species is acting as the reducing agent.
[1]
2d3 marks

Antimony reacts with nitric acid to form antimony oxide, nitrogen monoxide and water as shown the following equation.

Sb + HNO3 → Sb2O3 + NO + H2O

i)
State the change in oxidation number of antimony.
[1]

ii)
State the change in oxidation number of nitrogen.
[1]

iii)
Identify the oxidising agent in this reaction.
[1]

 

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3a2 marks

This question is about titrations.

A student performed a titration and recorded the following results in Table 1

Table 1

Titration number Initial volume / cm3 Final volume / cm3
Rough 0.00 20.10
1 0.00 19.80
2 0.10 19.70
3 7.85 27.35
 

Use the student's results to calculate the mean titre, in cm3.

3b
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2 marks

Another student completes the titration to determine the concentration of ethanoic acid in the vinegar sample with 0.10 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution. 

They added the sodium hydroxide solution to the burette. 

Their average titre was calculated to be 19.35 cm3.

i)
Calculate the number of moles of sodium hydroxide used in the titration.
[1] 

The equation for the reaction between the ethanoic acid in the vinegar and the sodium
hydroxide is:

CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) → CH3COONa (aq) + H2O (l)

ii)
Use your answer to part (i), to calculate the concentration of ethanoic acid in the vinegar sample.
[1] 

3c2 marks

The student calculated the percentage uncertainty for the burette reading for sodium hydroxide. Their workings are shown below.

Burette error = ±0.05 cm3
% uncertainty =  fraction numerator 0.05 over denominator 19.35 end fraction spacex 100 = 0.26 %

Explain, with reasons, whether the student is correct in their working.

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4a3 marks

State three definitions of reduction.

4b3 marks

Complete Table 1 with the oxidation numbers of the elements in the following species.

Table 1

Species Oxidation number
S2-  
Pb2+  
V3+  
Si  
Sb3+  
H-  

4c3 marks

Oxidation number are sometimes visible in the names of chemicals.

Complete Table 2 with the oxidation numbers of the given elements in the following species.

Table 2

Compound  Oxidation number
Copper in copper(I) oxide  
Iron in iron(III) chloride  
Tin in tin(IV) chloride  
Vanadium in vanadium(II) oxide   

 

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5a2 marks

This question is about titrations as part of neutralisation reactions.

25.0 cm3 of 0.80 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid was titrated with 1.00 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide. 

NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq) → NaCl (aq) + H2O (l)

Calculate the volume of sodium hydroxide required to reach the end point. 

5b
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3 marks

25.00 cm3 of 0.75 mol dm-3 sulfuric acid was titrated with 17.50 cm3 of potassium hydroxide. 

2KOH (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) → K2SO4 (aq) + 2H2O (l)  

Calculate the concentration of the potassium hydroxide.

5c
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3 marks

Hydrochloric acid with a concentration of 0.75 mol dm-3 was titrated with barium hydroxide. 

22.05 cm3 of hydrochloric acid was required to neutralise 25.00 cm3 of barium hydroxide. 

Ba(OH)2 + 2HCl → BaCl2 + 2H2O
 

Calculate the concentration of the barium hydroxide. Give your answer to two decimal places.

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1a1 mark

Sulfur dioxide reacts with a solution of copper (II) chloride according to the following unbalanced equation.

SO2 (g) + _ H2O (l) + _ CuCl2 (aq) → H2SO4 (aq) + _ HCl (aq) + _ CuCl (s)

Balance the above equation. 

1b2 marks

Identify both the specific oxidising agent and reducing agent for the reaction in part a).  

1c2 marks

Sodium iodate is one of the main sources of iodine in the world. To extract the iodine, sodium iodate is reacted with sodium hydrogen sulfite, NaHSO3, according to the following ionic equation.

2IO3- (aq) + 5HSO3- (aq) → 3HSO4- (aq) + 2SO42- (aq) + I2 (aq) + H2O (l)

i)
State the oxidation number of sulfur in HSO3-.
[1] 

 

ii)
Explain why sodium does not appear in the equation.
[1]
1d2 marks

Explain the role of the hydrogen sulfite ions in the reaction shown in part c).

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2a
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1 mark

Citric acid, C6H8O7 , is present in lemon juice and is classed as a weak acid.

15.00 cmof citric acid is reacted with sodium hydroxide, NaOH, with a concentration of 11.0 g dm-3 to form sodium citrate, Na3C6H5O, and water. 35.80 cm3 of sodium hydroxide was required to react with the lemon juice. 

State the balanced equation for this reaction. 

2b
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1 mark

Calculate the mass, in grams, of sodium hydroxide that reacted with the lemon juice. Give your answer to 3 significant figures. 

2c
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3 marks

Determine the concentration, in mol dm-3, of citric acid in the sample of lemon juice. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

2d4 marks

During one of the titrations, the student noticed an air bubble in the jet space of the burette.

i)
Explain the effect, if any, this air bubble has on the final burette reading. 
[2]
During the titrations, the student washes the sides of the conical flask with deionised

ii)
Explain the effect, if any, rinsing with deionised water has on the burette readings.
[2]

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3a
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5 marks

A student added 2.4 g of a sample of ethanedioic acid, H2C2O4.nH2O to water and made up the solution to 250 cm3. This solution was titrated against 25.0 cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 KOH solution. The student's solution 

Titration  Rough 1 2 3
Final volume / cm3 17.30 16.70 33.65 16.70
Initial volume / cm3 0.00 0.00 17.05 0.50
Titre / cm3        

Use the results to calculate the amount, in moles, of ethanedioic acid in the standard solution. 

3b
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3 marks

Using your answer to part a), calculate the following.

i)
The Mr of the ethanedioic acid. 
[1] 
ii)
The value of n in H2C2O4.nH2O.
[2] 
3c2 marks

At the start of the rough titration, the student had not removed the funnel from the burette. The funnel was removed before the final rough titration reading was taken.

Explain what effect, if any, this will have on the final reading of the rough titration.

3d2 marks

The burette used by the student for their titration has an error of ±0.05 cm3. It was used to determine the initial and final reading of the titration.

Calculate the maximum percentage uncertainty in using the burette, using an average titre of 18.70 cm3. Note, this is not the answer for part a). Give your answer to 2 decimal places.

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4a2 marks

The element magnesium forms a nitrate, Mg(NO3)2, which decomposes on heating forming two different gaseous products. 

Write the balanced symbol equation for the decomposition of magnesium nitrate.

4b3 marks

Using your answer to part a) and oxidation numbers, explain why the reaction is a redox reaction.

4c
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3 marks

A student heats 4.76 g of Mg(NO3)2 and collects the gas at room temperature and pressure, RTP. 

Calculate the total volume of gas, in cm3, produced.

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5a1 mark

A student carried out a redox titration to find the amount of iron in an iron tablet. They followed the following steps.

  1. Crush the iron tablets using the pestle and mortar
  2. Transfer the crushed tablets to a weighing boat and measure their combined mass
  3. Empty the crushed tablets into the small beaker and reweigh the weighing boat
    Add 100 cm3 of 1.5 mol dm−3 of sulfuric acid to the small beaker and stir to dissolve the tablet
  4. Filter the solution (to remove any undissolved solids) into the volumetric flask. Rinse the beaker with more sulfuric acid and add the washings to the volumetric flask. Make up to the 250 cm3 mark with distilled water
  5. Pipette 25.0 cm3 of this solution into the conical flask
  6. Titrate the iron(II) solution with 0.005 mol dm-3 potassium manganate(VII) solution until the mixture has just turned pink
  7. Record your results in an appropriate format and repeat the titration until concordant results are obtained

The unbalanced equation for the reaction is shown below.

__MnO4- (aq) + __H(aq) + __Fe2+ (aq) → __Mn2+ (aq) + __H2O (l) + __Fe3+ (aq) 

Balance the equation for the titration.

5b
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3 marks

The average titre value was calculated to be 22.35 cm3.

i)
Determine the amount, in moles, of potassium manganate(VII) used.
[1]
ii)
Determine the amount, in moles, of Fe2+ in the standard solution. 
[2]
5c
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3 marks

The student used 1.20 g of the iron tablet. 

A commonly accepted percentage of iron in an iron tablet is in the range of 30-35%. Show by calculation, whether the tablets being tested meet this requirement.

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1a
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4 marks

Halide ions can be identified using chemical tests. If an unknown compound is dissolved in dilute nitric acid, and then silver nitrate solution is added, a precipitate will form if the unknown solution contains halide ions. The precipitate formed will be a silver halide.

The general equation for the precipitation reaction of halide ions with silver nitrate solution is:

AgNO3 (aq) + X- (aq) → AgX (s) + NO3- (aq)

i)
Deduce the oxidation state of silver in AgNO3 and AgX, and deduce the oxidation state of the halide in X- and in AgX.

ii)
Is the precipitation of silver halides a redox reaction? Explain your answer.
1b
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7 marks

Halide ions can also react with each other in aqueous solutions. Chlorine reacts in a redox reaction with an aqueous solution of sodium bromide, to form sodium chloride and bromine.

Cl(aq) + 2NaBr (aq) → 2NaCl (aq) + Br2 (aq)

i)
State what type of redox reaction this is.

ii)
Using the overall redox reaction above, deduce the half-equation for chlorine. State whether chlorine is oxidised or reduced.

iii)
Using the overall redox reaction above, deduce the half-equation for bromine. State whether bromine is oxidised or reduced.

iv)
Use the reaction above and your knowledge of the halogens, to explain whether chlorine or bromine is a stronger oxidising agent. 
1c
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4 marks

Deduce the oxidation state of each of the stated elements in the following compounds and ions

i)
Oxygen in Na2O2

ii)
Hydrogen in MgH2

iii)
Nitrogen in NO3-

iv)
Chlorine in ClF

1d
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2 marks

Explain how the oxidation state of the oxygen atom in H2O2 is different from its oxidation state in other compounds.

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2a
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3 marks

Acid rain can be caused by oxides of nitrogen when they dissolve in water.

Deduce the oxidation state of the nitrogen atom in the following species.

i)
N2

ii)
HNO3

iii)
NO2+

2b
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5 marks

Fossil fuels contain relatively large amounts of sulfur. When these fossil fuels are burnt, sulfur gets into the atmosphere and acts as a pollutant. 

The sulfur is oxidised in the air and rises very high into the atmosphere, where it mixes and reacts with water, oxygen and other chemicals to form more acidic pollutants known as acid rain.

Acid rain causes corrosion of buildings, statues and can damage aquatic and plant life.

i)
Sulfur can react in different ratios with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide or sulfur trioxide. Write equations to show the oxidation of sulfur to form sulfur dioxide and to form sulfur trioxide. Include state symbols in your equations. 

ii)
In which reaction is the increase in oxidation state the greatest? Explain your answer.
2c
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1 mark

Sulfur trioxide reacts with water to form sulfuric acid, H2SO4. Write an equation to show the first ionisation of sulfuric acid.

2d
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1 mark

A student reacted sulfuric acid with the weak base ammonia, NH3. Write an equation for this reaction. 

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3a
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4 marks

A student was given homework to plan how to produce a standard solution in a volumetric flask, and then complete a simple titration experiment. 

The student came up with the following method for preparing the standard solution:

  • Collect all equipment
  • Use a pan balance to measure the amount of solid for the experiment. 
  • Tip the solid into a clean volumetric flask and rinse with distilled water to make sure all of the solid is in the flask. 
  • Make the solution up to 250 cm3 using distilled water. 
  • Add the lid, and shake well to make sure all of the solid is dissolved in the solution.

State four additional instructions which would improve the students’ overall method. These instructions could be placed at any stage of the method. 

3b
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2 marks

The student then completes a titration to find the concentration of sulfuric acid.

They found that 18.50 cm3 of sulfuric acid exactly neutralised 25.00 cm3 of 0.070 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide.

Write an equation for this reaction. 

3c
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3 marks

Calculate the concentration of the sulfuric acid, in mol dm-3.

3d
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3 marks

A solution of 25.0 cm3 ethanoic acid was titrated against 0.150 mol dm-3 NaOH (aq) and it was found that 22.35 cm3 of the NaOH was needed for complete neutralisation.

Write an equation for the reaction and determine the concentration of the ethanoic acid. 

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4a
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2 marks

Ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate in an acid base reaction. Write a balanced symbol equation for this reaction. 

4b
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1 mark

Explain why one of the products from this reaction can be described as salt.

4c
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4 marks

A student added calcium to hydrochloric acid and recorded their observations. Write a balanced symbol equation for this reactions and explain using oxidation numbers whether or not this is a redox reaction.

4d
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2 marks

A student wanted to make barium chloride solution from barium carbonate, write an equation to for the formation of barium chloride and suggest one use for this compound.  

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5a
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6 marks

Lactic acid is a chemical byproduct of anaerobic respiration, with the chemical formula C3H6O3. Bacteria in yoghurt and in the stomach produce it. Bacteria in beer ferment glucose, producing lactic acid which decreases the pH of the beer and gives it its characteristic sour taste.

A student is required to make up 250 cm3 of an aqueous solution that contains a known mass of lactic acid. The student is provided with a sample bottle containing the lactic acid.

Describe the method, including full apparatus and practical details, that the student should use to prepare this solution. 

5b
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3 marks

Indented content here...The student titrated their standard solution against a solution of sodium hydroxide, NaOH (aq). The burette used by the student for their titration has an error of ± 0.05 cm3. It was used to determine the initial reading, final reading and determining the end point. The student calculated their average titre as 24.50 cm3.

i)
Write an equation for the reaction between lactic acid, CH3CH(OH)COOH (aq), and sodium hydroxide, NaOH (aq)  

ii)
Suggest the maximum percentage uncertainty in using this piece of equipment using the mean titre.
 
5c
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1 mark

Write an equation for the dissociation of lactic acid.

5d
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2 marks

The concentration of lactic acid is 5.98 x 10-5 mol dm-3. The student used 25.0 cm3 samples of this solution to titrate against sodium hydroxide solution.

Calculate the concentration of sodium hydroxide. 

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