Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2020

Last exams 2024

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Nitrogen & Sulfur (CIE A Level Chemistry)

Exam Questions

2 hours40 questions
11 mark

Which gas is present in the largest proportion in exhaust fumes of a car engine?

  • Carbon monoxide

  • Carbon dioxide

  • Water vapour

  • Nitrogen

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21 mark

Oxidation of ammonia by oxygen is the first step in the manufacture of nitric acid, which is used in the production of the synthetic material nylon.

wO2 (g) + xNH3 (g) rightwards arrow yNO (g) + zH2O (g)

Which values for w, x, y and z balance this equation?

 

w

x

y

z

A

B

C

D

5

6

6

5

4

4

5

6

4

4

5

6

6

5

4

4

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    31 mark

    Using your knowledge of the Bronsted-Lowry theory, which of the following correctly describes ammonia?

    • Neutral

    • Acid

    • Base

    • Amphoteric

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    41 mark

    Which statement correctly describes an ammonium ion, NH4+?

    • The bonds are all the same length.

    • All bond angles are 107°

    • Ammonium ions are unreactive when heated with NaOH (aq).

    • Ammonium ions are formed when ammonia behaves as an acid.

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    51 mark

    Nitrogen dioxide NO2, sulfur dioxide SO2, and carbon monoxide CO are all atmospheric pollutants.

    Which of the following reactions takes place in the atmosphere?

    • NO2 is reduced to NO by CO

    • NO2 is reduced to NO by SO2

    • SO2 is oxidised to SO3 by CO2

    • CO is spontaneously oxidised to CO2

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    61 mark

    Which reaction that takes place in a catalytic converter does not remove hazardous and polluting gases from a car exhaust fumes?

    2-4-cie-ial-chemistry-diagram-q6easy

    • CO + O2 rightwards arrow CO2

    • CO + NOx rightwards arrow CO+ N2

    • HC + NOx rightwards arrow H2O + CO2 + N2

    • HC + NOx rightwards arrow H2O + CO + N2

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    71 mark

    Phosphorus and nitrogen are both Group V elements. Phosphorus forms a chloride with the formula PCl5.

    Why is it not possible for nitrogen to form NCl5?

    1

    Nitrogen is almost inert.

    2

    Nitrogen cannot have oxidation state +5.

    3

    Nitrogen’s outer shell can only contain eight electrons.

    • 1 only

    • 1 and 2

    • 3 only

    • 1, 2 and 3

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    81 mark

    The manufacture of ammonium nitrate NH4NO3, occurs on a large scale for use in fertiliser.

    Which statement about ammonium nitrate fertiliser is not correct?

    • It is insoluble in water.

    • It consists of 35 % nitrogen by mass.

    • It can cause environmental problems.

    • Nitric acid is used in its manufacture.

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    91 mark

    Oxides of nitrogen are released into the atmosphere in car engine exhaust fumes. 

    Which environmental problem is not made worse by this occurance?

    • Photochemical smog

    • The hole in the ozone layer

    • Corrosion of buildings

    • Acidification of lakes

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    101 mark

    Which of the following transformations is sulfur dioxide involved in, as either a reagent or a catalyst, under atmospheric conditions?

    1

    NO2 to NO

    2

    NO to NO2

    3

    CO to CO2

    • 1 only

    • 1 and 2

    • 2 and 3

    • 1, 2 and 3

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    11 mark

    What happens when silver chloride dissolves in aqueous ammonia?

    1

    Ammonia forms a complex with the Ag+ ion.

    2

    A redox reaction occurs.

    3

    Ammonia acts as a Brønsted-Lowry base.

    • 1, 2 and 3

    • 1 and 2

    • 2 and 3

    • 1 only

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    21 mark

    Oxygen and nitrogen are consecutive elements in Period 2 and both form diatomic molecules.

    The bond length in the O2 bond is 1.21 A and the bond length in N2 is 1.09A. 

    What best explains the difference in bond length?

    • Oxygen atoms are more electronegative.

    • Nitrogen has more bonding electrons.

    • Nitrogen has a smaller atomic radius.

    • Oxygen bond is stronger.

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    31 mark

    Which statement about ammonia is completely correct?

    • Ammonia acts as a nucleophile by accepting a pair of electrons when it reacts with bromoethane.

    • Ammonia can form a co-ordinate bond with a hydrogen ion to form an ammonium ion.

    • Ammonia is a base and accepts hydroxide ions.

    • The shape of the ammonia molecule is pyramidal with bond angles of 109.5°

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    41 mark

    “Photochemical smog is produced when    1    acts on    2    and    3   .”

    Which row correctly identifies 1, 2 and 3?

     

    1

    2

    3

    A

    B

    C

    D

    Heat

    Sunlight

    Sunlight

    Heat

    Nitrogen

    Nitrogen oxides

    Nitrogen oxides 

    Hydrocarbons

    Oxygen

    Sulfur oxides

    Hydrocarbons

    Oxygen

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      51 mark

      Lime, CaO, is used to reduce the acidity of soil, and ammonium nitrate is a nitrogenous fertiliser.

      Why can they not be used in a mixed form?

      • Ca(NO3)2 is produced, which hardens water.

      • The dry mixture is explosive.

      • If damp, ammonia is given off.

      • If damp, nitric acid will form.

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      61 mark

      In which of the following reactions does the product produced turn damp litmus paper blue?

      1

      NH4NO3 (s) + O2 (g)

      2

      NH4Cl (s) + NaOH (aq)

      3

      NH3 (g) + H2O (l)

      • 1 only

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 and 3

      • 1, 2 and 3

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      71 mark

      Atmospheric oxides and unburned hydrocarbons cause the production of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN). 

      Which of the following is unaffected by this reaction?

      1

      Corrosion of architecture.

      2

      Lung irritation and difficulty breathing.

      3

      Reduction of air clarity.

      • 1 only

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 only

      • 2 and 3

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      81 mark

      Chlorine react with ammonia in the gas phase.

      8NH3 + 3Cl2 rightwards arrow N2 + 6NH4Cl

      Which statements are correct?

      1

      Ammonia behaves as a reducing agent.

      2

      The oxidation number of the hydrogen changes.

      3

      Ammonia behaves as a base.

      • 1 only

      • 1 and 2

      • 1 and 3

      • 1, 2 and 3

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      91 mark

      Farmers often use ammonium chloride as a fertiliser to supply the growing plants with nitrogen in the form of ammonia.  

      Which of the following would reduce ammonium chloride’s effectiveness as a fertilizer?

      1

      Calcium carbonate, CaCO3

      2

      Magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH)2

      3

      Sodium sulfate, Na2SO4

      • 1 only

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 and 3

      • 1, 2 and 3

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      101 mark

      Modern cars have catalytic converters fitted to their exhaust pipes. Despite this, analysis of exhaust gases shows small quantities of nitrogen oxides.

      Which amendments would result in lower concentrations of nitrogen oxides in exhaust fumes?

      1

      Increasing the surface area of the catalyst in the converter.

      2

      Increasing the rate of flow of the exhaust gases through the converter.

      3

      A much higher temperature of combustion in the engine.

      • 1, 2 and 3

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 and 3

      • 1 only

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      11 mark

      In a car exhaust, multiple reactions take place as molecules are mixed with oxygen at high temperatures. 

      Which of the following reactions has the highest enthalpy change? 

      • S + O2 rightwards arrow SO2

      • CH4 + 2O2 rightwards arrow CO2 + 2H2O

      • N2 + O2 rightwards arrow 2NO

      • 2NO + O2 rightwards arrow 2NO2

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      21 mark

      Which reaction using ammonia does not involve the nitrogen atom’s non-bonding pair of electrons?

      • 2NH3 (aq) + Ag+ (aq) rightwards arrow [Ag(NH3)2]+ (aq)

      • 2NH3 (l) + 2Na (s) rightwards arrow 2NaNH2 (s) + H2 (g)

      • NH3 (g) + HCl (g) rightwards arrow NH4Cl (s)

      • NH3 (g) + CH3I (g) rightwards arrow CH3NH3+I (s)

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      31 mark

      A farmer spreads lime on land which has already been treated with an ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

      Which reactions will occur in the treated soil?

      1

      Ca(OH)2 + 2NH4+ (aq) rightwards arrow Ca2+ (aq) + 2NH3 + 2H2O

      2

      Ca(OH)2 + 2H+ (aq) rightwards arrow Ca2+ (aq) + 2H2O

      3

      Ca(OH)2 + CO2 rightwards arrow CaCO3 + H2O

      • 1, 2 and 3

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 and 3

      • 1 only

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      41 mark

      Use of the data booklet is relevant to this question. 

      Car exhausts release pollutant gases including oxides of nitrogen.

      In cities, when a car travels one kilometre, it releases 0.23 g of an oxide of nitrogen NxOy, which occupies 120 cm3.

      What are the values of x and y?

      (Assume 1 mol of gas molecules occupies 24.0 dm3.)

      • y = 1, x = 1

      • y = 1, x = 2

      • y = 2, x = 1

      • y = 4, x = 2

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      51 mark

      Oxide X is a pollutant which contains a non-metallic element Y, formed in a car engine.

      Further oxidation of Y to Z occurs in the atmosphere. In this further oxidation, 1 mol of Y reacts with 0.5 mol of gaseous oxygen molecules. 

      Y could be either nitrogen or sulfur. 

      1

      The oxidation number of Y increases by two from X to Z.

      2

      X is a polar molecule.

      3

      X has an unpaired electron in its molecule.

      Which statements about X, Y and Z can be correct in all possibilities?

      • 1, 2 and 3

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 and 3

      • 1 only

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      61 mark

      Ammonium sulfate in the soil is slowly oxidised by air, producing sulfuric acid, nitric acid and water as the only products. 

      How many moles of oxygen gas are needed for the complete oxidation of one mole of ammonium sulfate?

      • 1

      • 2

      • 3

      • 4

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      71 mark

      Aqueous ammonia is added to aqueous sulphur dioxide until just alkaline.

      Which salt is produced in this reaction?

      • NH4SO3

      • (NH4)2SO3

      • NH4SO4

      • (NH4)2SO4

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      81 mark

      In a car engine, non-metallic element P forms a pollutant oxide Q. Q can be further oxidised to R.

      Two students made the following statements.

      Student 1: The oxidation number of P increases by 1 from Q to R.

      Student 2: The molecule of Q contains lone pairs of electrons.

      P could be carbon or nitrogen or sulfur. 

      Which student could be correct if P were any of these elements?

      • 1 only

      • 2 only

      • Both 1 and 2

      • Neither 1 nor 2

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      91 mark

      The gases nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur trioxide (SO3) are required during the formation of acid rain.

      In a simulation experiment, the pressure of sulfur trioxide gas was 2 atm in a reaction chamber of 600 cm3 and kept at a constant temperature of 25 °C. 0.75 moles of nitrogen dioxide is added to the reaction chamber as well as water vapour.

      How many moles of nitrogen dioxide will be in the reaction chamber after all the sulfur trioxide has reacted to make acid rain?

      • 0

      • 0.25

      • 0.5

      • 0.75

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      101 mark

      After manufacture in a laboratory, ammonia needs to be dried before being collected.

      Which drying agents may be used to dry ammonia?

      1

      Calcium oxide, CaO

      2

      Magnesium sulfate, MgSO4

      3

      Phosphorus (V) oxide, P4O10

      • 1 only

      • 1 and 2

      • 2 and 3

      • 1, 2 and 3

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