Ionic Bonding (Edexcel GCSE Chemistry)

Exam Questions

3 hours28 questions
11 mark

Explain how the structure of a copper atom changes when it forms a copper ion, Cu2+

  • The copper atom loses two electrons

  • The copper atom loses two protons

  • The copper atom gains two electrons

  • The copper atom gains two protons

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21 mark

Which element normally reacts to form an ion with a 2+ charge?

  • Sodium

  • Magnesium

  • Oxygen

  • Fluorine

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31 mark

An oxygen atom has an atomic number of 8 and a mass number of 16.

This oxygen atom forms the ion O2-.

Which lettered row shows the number of protons and the number of neutrons in this oxide ion, O2-

 

 

number of protons

number of neutrons

A

8

8

B

8

10

C

10

8

D

10

10

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    41 mark

    How is a sulfate ion different to a sulfide ion? 

    • A sulfide ion contains more atoms in it

    • A sulfate ion contains oxygen, a sulfide ion does not contain oxygen

    • A sulfide ion is more common

    • A sulfate ion has the formula S2-, a sulfide ion has the formula SO42-

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    5a1 mark

    Ions are electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms.

    Which statement about how ions are formed is true? 

    • Protons and electrons are gained or lost

    • Neutrons are gained or lost

    • Electrons are gained or lost

    • Protons are gained or lost

    5b1 mark

    The table below shows three statements about the charge of an atom.

    Put a tick ()  next to the correct statement. 

    Atoms have no overall charge because the number of protons and electrons are equal

     

    Atoms have no overall charge because the number of protons and neutrons are equal

     

    Atoms have an overall positive charge because the number of protons is greater than the number of neutrons

     

    Atoms have an overall negative charge because the number of electrons is greater than the number of neutrons

     

    5c2 marks

    Figure 1 shows some statements about ionic bonding.

    Put ticks () in the boxes in Figure 1 to show which statements are true and which statements are false 

     

    True

    False

    Positively and negatively charged ions are held together by strong covalent bonds

     

     

    Positive and negatively charged atoms are held together by strong forces

     

     

    Positively and negatively charged ions are held together by strong forces of electrostatic attraction

     

     

    The formation of positively and negatively charged ions involves the transfer of electrons

     

     

     Figure 1

    5d3 marks

    Use the words from the box to complete the sentences about ionic lattices. 

    random                protons                  regular                 ions                 positively                   atoms

    Ionic lattices involve the organisation of ___________ and negatively charged ________ in a __________, repeating arrangement.

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    11 mark

    The ions present in iron(III) sulfate are:

    iron(III)         Fe3+

    sulfate         SO42-.

    Write the formula of iron(III) sulfate using this information.

    • Fe2SO4

    • Fe3(SO4)2

    • Fe2(SO4)3

    • (Fe)2(SO4)3

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    21 mark

    Sodium has an atomic number of 11.

    A sodium atom has a mass number of 23.

    This sodium atom is ionised to form a sodium ion with the formula Na+.

    Which option shows the number of protons, electrons and neutrons in this sodium ion? 

    • 11 protons, 11 electrons, 12 neutrons

    • 10 protons, 10 electrons, 12 neutrons

    • 11 protons, 10 electrons, 12 neutrons

    • 11 protons, 12 electrons, 12 neutrons

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    3a2 marks

    Ionic compounds contain ions.

    The numbers of electrons, neutrons and protons in four particles, W, X, Y and Z, are shown in Figure 15.

    particle

    electrons

    neutrons

    protons

    W

    9

    10

    9

    X

    10

    14

    12

    Y

    16

    16

    16

    Z

    18

    18

    16

    Figure 15

    Explain which particle, W, X, Y or Z, is a negative ion.

    3b4 marks

    Lithium fluoride, LiF, is an ionic compound. It contains lithium cations and fluoride anions. The electronic configurations of a lithium atom and of a fluorine atom are shown in Figure 16.

    fig-16-q9b-1cho-1f-specimen-2018

    Figure 16

    Complete Figure 17 to show the electronic configurations and charges of the ions in lithium fluoride.

    fig-17-q9b-1cho-1f-specimen-2018

    Figure 17

    (4)

    3c6 marks

    Figure 18 shows the ability of different substances to conduct electricity.

    substance

    conducts electricity

    solid calcium chloride

    no

    molten calcium chloride

    yes

    diamond

    no

    zinc

    yes

    Figure 18

    Explain these results by referring to the structures of the substances.

    3d
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    2 marks

    Calcium nitrate contains calcium ions and nitrate ions.

    Calculate the relative formula mass of calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2. (relative atomic masses: Ca = 40, N = 14, O = 16)

    relative formula mass = .....................................................

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    41 mark

    Sodium fluoride is an ionic compound containing sodium ions, Na+,  and fluoride ions, F-.

    The electronic configurations are show below:

     

    electronic configuration of atoms

    sodium

    2.8.1

    fluorine

    2.7

    Which statement explains how sodium and fluorine atoms form the ions in sodium fluoride? 

    • The sodium atom gains one electron from the fluorine atom

    • The sodium atom and the fluorine atom share one electron each

    • The sodium atom transfers one electron to the fluorine atom

    • The sodium atom and the fluorine atom both lose one electron

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    51 mark

    The formula of lead(IV) oxide is PbO2.

    What is the charge of the lead ion in lead(IV) oxide?

    • 4-

    • 2-

    • 2+

    • 4+

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    1a4 marks

    The diagram shows the chemical symbol for lithium.

    Li subscript 3 superscript 7

    Explain why lithium ions have a charge of +1. 

    1b4 marks

    Explain why calcium oxide, CaO, has a very high melting point. 

    1c4 marks

    Compare the ionic formula of lithium chloride, LiCl, with the ionic formula of magnesium chloride, MgCl2

    1d4 marks

    Explain the electron transfer when barium reacts with oxygen. 

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    2a4 marks

    Sodium chloride has a melting point of around 800oC. Magnesium oxide has a melting point of around 2850oC. 

    Explain the difference in melting points of these ionic compounds. 

    2b4 marks

    Deduce and explain the chemical formula for lithium bromide. 

    2c3 marks

    The diagram below shows the chemical symbol for fluorine.

    Explain why a fluoride ion has a charge of 1-. 

    begin mathsize 36px style F subscript 9 superscript 19 end style

    2d3 marks

    Describe what is meant by the term “ionic lattice”. 

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    3a3 marks

    Explain why iron (III) sulfate has a formula of Fe2(SO4)3

    3b6 marks

    Explain the electronic configuration of the ions in sodium fluoride.

    3c3 marks

    Explain why the melting point of magnesium fluoride is higher than the melting point of sodium fluoride. 

    3d3 marks

    Explain why a magnesium atom loses electrons instead of gaining electrons. 

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    4a4 marks

    Explain why lithium bromide has ionic bonding rather than covalent bonding. 

    4b3 marks

    The diagram below shows a lithium ion.

    edx-1-3-hard-paper-1-q4b

    Discuss the accuracy of the diagram. 

    4c3 marks

    Explain why lithium bromide has a high melting point. 

    4d5 marks

    Explain why there is a difference in ionic formula for the compound lithium bromide and lithium oxide. 

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    5a3 marks

    The diagram shows the electronic structures of a lithium atom and a fluorine atom.

    Describe how the two atoms will react to form lithium fluoride. 

    edx-1-3-hard-paper-1-q5a-1
    5b4 marks

    A student stated that:

    ‘Magnesium atoms form Mg2- ions during a reaction’

    The diagram below shows the chemical symbol of magnesium.

    begin mathsize 36px style Mg subscript 12 superscript 24 end style

    Explain why the student is incorrect. 

    You should refer to the number of subatomic particles in magnesium in your answer.

    5c4 marks

    Ionic compound X has a melting point of 300oC and ionic compound Y has a melting point of 2000oC.

    Explain why the two ionic compounds have different melting points.

    5d4 marks

    A different ionic compound consists of atom X and atom Y. Atom X forms ions with 3+ charge.

    Atom Y forms ions with 2- charge. 

    Deduce and explain the formula of this ionic compound. 

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