Trends Within the Periodic TableOxford AQA IGCSE Chemistry: Topic test

20 questions, 54 marks

Oxford AQA IGCSE Chemistry

Trends Within the Periodic Table topic test

Total 54 marks

Name

Class

Date

1
A student researches Group 1 (the alkali metals) for a school report and compares lithium, sodium and potassium using a reference table of melting point, density and general reactivity, without carrying out any reactions directly.
(a)
Going down Group 1 from lithium to potassium, what happens to the melting point of the metals?
[1 mark]
AIt decreases
BIt stays the same
CIt increases
DIt fluctuates randomly
(b)
What is the charge on the ion formed when a Group 1 metal reacts with a non-metal?
[1 mark]
A1- ion
B1+ ion
C2- ion
D2+ ion
(c)
State two other properties, besides reactivity with water, that are shared by all Group 1 metals when they form compounds with non-metals.
[2 marks]
Total for question 1: 4 marks
2
A student researches Group 7 (the halogens) and compares fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine using data on melting point, boiling point and physical state at room temperature, without carrying out any reactions.
(a)
Going down Group 7 from fluorine to iodine, what happens to the melting and boiling points of the halogens?
[1 mark]
AThey decrease
BThey stay the same
CThey increase
DThey fluctuate randomly
(b)
What is the charge on the ion formed when a halogen atom reacts with a Group 1 metal?
[1 mark]
A+1
B-2
C+2
D-1
(c)
State what happens to the reactivity of the halogens going down Group 7, and explain this in terms of electron energy levels.
[2 marks]
Total for question 2: 4 marks
3
A chemistry teacher shows students a table of results from a reactivity investigation: chlorine successfully displaces both bromide and iodide ions from solution; bromine displaces iodide ions from solution but not chloride ions; iodine displaces neither bromide nor chloride ions from solution.
(a)
Using these results, place chlorine, bromine and iodine in order of decreasing reactivity, and explain how the results support this order.
[3 marks]
(b)
Explain, in terms of electron energy levels, why chlorine is more reactive than iodine, and describe what type of ion iodine forms when it does react with a metal.
[4 marks]
Total for question 3: 7 marks
4
A chemistry tutor is preparing a revision summary comparing how reactivity changes down Group 1 (the alkali metals) with how reactivity changes down Group 7 (the halogens), using electron structure to explain both trends.
(a)
Explain why reactivity increases going down Group 1, using ideas about electron energy levels and atomic structure.
[6 marks]
(b)
Explain why reactivity decreases going down Group 7, and state one key difference between how Group 1 metals react (in terms of electrons) and how Group 7 non-metals react.
[6 marks]
Total for question 4: 12 marks
5
A materials catalogue lists several transition metals, including iron, copper and manganese, alongside data on their typical ion charges and the colours of their compounds, for use by a school chemistry department.
(a)
Where are the transition metals located in the periodic table?
[1 mark]
AGroup 1
BGroup 7
CThe noble gases
DThe block between Group 2 and Group 3
(b)
Which of these is a typical property of transition metals?
[1 mark]
AThey can form ions with different charges
BThey form colourless compounds only
CThey are too reactive to use as catalysts
DThey react vigorously with cold water
(c)
State two everyday uses of transition metals that rely on the properties described in the catalogue.
[2 marks]
Total for question 5: 4 marks
6
An engineer compares samples of iron (a transition metal) and potassium (a Group 1 metal) of similar size when selecting a metal for a small mechanical component that will be handled regularly and occasionally exposed to damp air.
(a)
Compared with potassium, iron has...
[1 mark]
AA lower melting point and lower density
BA lower melting point but a higher density
CA higher melting point and higher density
DThe same melting point and density
(b)
Which metal would react more vigorously if exposed to damp air, releasing hydrogen gas from any surface moisture?
[1 mark]
AIron
BPotassium
CBoth equally
DNeither would react
(c)
Explain why iron, not potassium, would be the appropriate choice for this mechanical component.
[2 marks]
Total for question 6: 4 marks
7
A pharmaceutical company tests three sealed sample tubes labelled X, Y and Z, each containing one of chlorine, bromine or iodine dissolved in an inert solvent, then adds a small piece of iron wool to each tube and records how vigorously each one reacts: tube X reacts most vigorously, tube Y reacts moderately, and tube Z shows almost no visible reaction.
(a)
Using these observations, identify which halogen is most likely present in each of tubes X, Y and Z, and justify your answer for tube X.
[3 marks]
(b)
Explain, in terms of atomic structure, why chlorine reacts more vigorously with the iron wool than iodine does, and predict what would happen if chlorine water were added to a solution containing dissolved iodide ions.
[4 marks]
Total for question 7: 7 marks
8
A museum is designing a display comparing a sample of pure sodium (a Group 1 metal) with a sample of pure gold (a transition metal), explaining to visitors why one is stored under oil in a sealed case while the other can be displayed safely in the open air.
(a)
Explain, in terms of reactivity and electron structure, why the sodium sample must be stored under oil in a sealed case, while gold can safely be displayed in the open.
[6 marks]
(b)
State two other physical properties, besides reactivity, that differ between sodium and gold, and explain why gold, rather than sodium, is a much more practical choice of metal for making a durable display object such as jewellery.
[6 marks]
Total for question 8: 12 marks

End of questions