Ionic Bonding (Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry)

Exam Questions

2 hours16 questions
11 mark

The table below shows the properties of four substances, W, X, Y and Z.

Substance Melting point Boiling point  Conducts electricity when
  / o C / o C solid  liquid
W 3410 5930 yes yes
X 801 1413 no yes
Y 3550 4830 no no
Z -91 98 no no

Use the information in the table to identify the substance that is an ionic compound.

  A substance W
  B substance X
  C substance Y
  D substance Z

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2a1 mark

Separate: Chemistry Only 

The table shows some properties of four substances, P, Q, R and S.

Substance Melting Point / oC Boiling Point / oC Conducts electricity when
solid liquid
P 3410 5930 yes yes
Q 734 1435 no yes
R -95 69 no no
S 2507 3900 no no

Use the information in the table to answer the following questions. You may use each letter once, more than once or not at all.

Choose a substance that is a solid at 3000 °C.

  A substance P
  B substance Q
  C substance R
  D substance S

2b1 mark

Choose a substance that is a liquid at 25 °C.


  A substance P
  B substance Q
  C substance R
  D substance S

2c1 mark

Choose a substance that is an ionic compound.

  A substance P
  B substance Q
  C substance R
  D substance S

2d1 mark

Separate: Chemistry Only 

Choose a substance that is a metal.

  A substance P
  B substance Q
  C substance R
  D substance S

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31 mark

Which of the statements describes ionic bonding?

  A Electrostatic attraction between atoms
  B Electrostatic attraction between positively charged particles and delocalised electrons
  C Electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions
  D Electrostatic attraction between the nuclei of two atoms and a shared pair of electrons

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4a1 mark

This question is about lithium and chlorine. 

Which group of the Periodic Table is chlorine in?

4b4 marks

Lithium reacts with chlorine to produce lithium chloride.

lithium      +      chlorine          lithium chloride

The diagram shows how the reaction happens.

Only the outer electrons are shown.

aqa-gcse-2-1e--q1b-lithium-chloride-electron-transfer

Use the words in the boxes to complete the sentences: 

gaining sharing positive group 1 negative 
covalent losing group 0   electrostatic neutral 


A lithium atom becomes an ion by ...............................................  one electron. 

A lithium ion has a ............................................... charge. 

The lithium ion now has the electronic structure of a ............................................... element.

The ions in lithium chloride are held together by strong ............................................... forces.

4c2 marks

Why do lithium and chlorine react in this way? 

4d1 mark

Magnesium and bromine will form an ionic compound, like lithium and chlorine.

What is the formula of the ionic compound formed from magnesium and bromine?

Tick (one box.

 MgBr  
 MgBr2  
Mg2Br  

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5a4 marks

Sodium chloride is an ionic compound which is soluble in water. Sodium ions and chloride ions bond together forming an ionic lattice.

i)
Explain how a sodium atom becomes a sodium ion.
(2)
ii)
Explain how a chlorine atom becomes a chloride ion.
(2)

5b1 mark

Which of the following explains why sodium fluoride is soluble in water.

Tick (one box.

Both ionic compounds and water are polar substances  
Ionic compounds have weak bonds  
Water has weak bonds  
5c1 mark

Sodium fluoride has a melting point 993 °C. Why does sodium fluoride have a high melting point.

Tick (one box.

The electrons and positive ions attract strongly  
The covalent bonds between the ions are strong  
There are strong bonds between the positively and negatively charged ions  
5d1 mark

Sodium fluoride can conduct electricity when either molten or in solution. Why can sodium fluoride only conduct electricity when molten or in solution. 

Tick (one box.

 
Electrons can move and carry a charge  
Ions can move and carry a charge  
Electrons can flow throughout the ionic lattice  

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1a3 marks

This question is about sodium oxide, Na2O

The diagram shows the electronic configuration of atoms of sodium and oxygen.

 

sodium-electron-configuration-edexcel-igcse

oxygen-electron-configuration-edexcel-igcse

Sodium

Oxygen

 

Describe the changes in the electronic configuration of the atoms of sodium and oxygen to form the ions in sodium oxide.

1b
Sme Calculator
1 mark

Calculate the relative formula mass (Mr) of sodium oxide, Na2O, using information from the Periodic Table.

 
 
Mr = ..............................
1c2 marks

Explain why solid sodium oxide does not conduct electricity.

1d2 marks

Give a test to show that sodium oxide contains sodium ions.

1e1 mark

When sodium oxide is heated it reacts to form sodium metal and sodium peroxide, Na2O2

Complete the equation for this reaction.

 
   Na2O →

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21 mark

What is the formula of potassium sulfate?

  A K2(SO4)2
  B K(SO4)2
  C K2SO4
  D KSO4

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3a3 marks

The formation of ions and covalent bonds involves electrons.
The table gives the electronic configurations of atoms of hydrogen, lithium and chlorine.

 

Element  Electronic configuration of atom
hydrogen 1
lithium  2.1
chlorine   2.8.7

Describe the different roles of electrons in the formation of

  • ions in lithium chloride

  • covalent bonds in hydrogen chloride

3b5 marks

Explain why lithium chloride has a higher melting point than hydrogen chloride.

Refer to structure and bonding in your answer.

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41 mark

Which of the following dot-and-cross diagrams shows the correct arrangement of electrons in lithium sulfide?

  A li2s-bonding-option
  B li2s-bonding-option-b
  C lis-bonding-option
  D lis-bonding-option-d

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5a1 mark

This is a question about metals and their compounds.)

State one property of metals.

5b2 marks

Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.

Describe the difference in the movement of particles in liquid mercury and in a solid metal.

5c2 marks

Magnesium is a metal that burns in air.

 
i)
State one observation made during the combustion of magnesium metal.
 
(1)
 
ii)
State one chemical property of the product of combustion that can be used to classify magnesium as a metal.
 
(1)
5d9 marks

In the absence of air, magnesium reacts with sulfur to form the ionic compound magnesium sulfide, MgS

 
i)
Give a reason why the reaction needs to be done in the absence of air.
 
(1)
 
ii)
Describe, in terms of electrons, the formation of the ions in magnesium sulfide.
 
Give the charges on the ions.
 
(3)
 
iii)
Explain why magnesium sulfide has a very high melting point.
 
(3)
 
iv)
Magnesium sulfide reacts with hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chloride and hydrogen sulfide gas, H2S
 
Give the chemical equation for this reaction.
 
(2)

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61 mark

The diagram shows the electronic configurations of an atom of lithium and an atom of oxygen.

1-6-q5-edexcel-igcse-chemistry

Which statement is not correct about the changes in electronic configuration that occur when lithium and oxygen react to form lithium oxide, Li2O?

  A Two lithium atoms each lose one electron
  B One oxygen atom gains 2 electrons
  C A lithium ion has an electronic configuration of 2
  D An oxide ion has an electronic configuration of 2.6

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1a4 marks

This question is about ionic compounds.

The table shows the formulae of some positive and negative ions, and the formulae of some compounds containing these ions.

  Mg2+ Al3+ NH4+
S2- MgS Al2S3  
NO3-   Al(NO3)3 NH4NO3
CO32- MgCO3   (NH4)2CO3

i)
Complete the table by giving the three missing formulae.

(3)

ii)
Give the name of the compound with the formula NH4NO3

(1)

1b5 marks

Sodium oxide, Na2O, is an ionic compound.

The sodium and oxide ions are held together by ionic bonds.

i)
State the meaning of the term ionic bond.

(2)

ii)
The diagram shows the arrangement of the electrons in a sodium atom and in an oxygen atom.

2020-ja1c-q4b

Draw diagrams in the boxes to show the arrangement of the electrons in the ions of sodium oxide. 
Include the charges on the ions.

(3)

2020-ja1c-q4bii

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2a3 marks

The diagram shows the arrangement of electrons in an atom of calcium and in an atom of chlorine.

dot-and-cross-calcium-and-chlorine

Describe, in terms of electrons, what happens when calcium reacts with chlorine to form the ionic compound calcium chloride, CaCl2

2b4 marks

Describe tests to show that an aqueous solution of calcium chloride contains calcium ions and chloride ions.

calcium ions: ......................................................................

chloride ions:  ......................................................................

2c5 marks

Solid calcium chloride does not conduct electricity. Aqueous solutions of calcium chloride do conduct electricity.
A student uses this method to investigate how the conductivity of a solution changes when calcium chloride is dissolved in pure water.

Step 1 add 100 cm3 of pure water to a beaker
Step 2 add one spatula of solid calcium chloride to the beaker
Step 3 stir the solution
Step 4 measure the conductivity of the solution
Step 5 repeat until nine spatulas of solid calcium chloride have been added

 
The table shows the student’s results.

 
Number of spatulas of calcium chloride Conductivity of solution in arbitrary units
0 0
1 6
2 12
3 12
4 24
5 30
6 36
7 36
8 36
9 36

i)
Plot the results on the grid and draw two straight lines of best fit.
Ignore the anomalous result.

solubility-graph

(3)

ii)
State the trend shown on the graph for the first six spatulas of calcium chloride.

(1)

iii)
Suggest an error the student could have made to cause the anomalous result.

(1)

2d2 marks

Describe another way to make solid calcium chloride conduct electricity.

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3a2 marks

This question is about the halogens and their compounds.

The table gives the colour and physical state at room temperature of the halogens.

Complete the table by predicting the colour of astatine and the physical state of fluorine at room temperature.

Halogen Colour Physical state at room temperature
 fluorine  pale yellow  
 chlorine  pale green  gas
 bromine  red-brown  liquid
 iodine  dark grey  solid
 astatine    solid

3b2 marks

Chlorine gas is bubbled into a colourless solution of potassium bromide.

Explain why the solution turns orange.

3c3 marks

Potassium bromide is an ionic compound.

Draw diagrams to show the outer electrons in a potassium ion and in a bromide ion.

Include the charges on the ions.

3d5 marks

Separate: Chemistry Only

A student sets up a circuit to test the electrical conductivity of water, solid sodium chloride and aqueous sodium chloride.

The table shows the student’s results.

Substance Conducts electricity?
 water no
 solid sodium chloride no
 aqueous sodium chloride yes

Explain these results, with reference to the structure and bonding of the substances.

3e3 marks

Separate: Chemistry Only

A concentrated aqueous solution of sodium chloride is electrolysed using graphite electrodes.

Chlorine is formed at the positive electrode (anode).

i)
Give an ionic half-equation for the formation of chlorine at the positive electrode.

(1)

ii)
State why this ionic half-equation represents an oxidation reaction.

(1)

iii)
Which substance is formed at the negative electrode (cathode)?

  A hydrogen
  B oxygen
  C sodium
  D water

(1)

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4a3 marks

The diagram shows how the electrons are arranged in an atom of sulfur. Sulfur can form both covalent and ionic compounds. 

1-6-4a-h-sulfur-atom

The electronic configuration of a sodium atom is 2.8.1
Sodium sulfide, Na2S, is an ionic compound formed when sodium reacts with sulfur.

Describe, in terms of electrons, what happens when sodium sulfide is formed in this reaction.

4b4 marks

Draw a dot-and-cross diagram to show the bonding in sodium sulfide.

4c2 marks

Sodium sulfide is a water-soluble compound. When hydrogen sulfide gas is bubbled through sodium hydroxide it will form sodium sulfide and water. Explain why the melting point of hydrogen sulfide is lower than the melting point of sodium sulfide.

4d3 marks

Write a balanced symbol equation including state symbols for the reaction occurring in part c).

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5a3 marks

This question is about chemical bonds.

Aluminium and chlorine react to form aluminium chloride. 

Write the balanced symbol equation for the reaction.  

Include state symbols. 

5b3 marks

Describe, in terms of electron arrangement, the type of bonding in a molecule of chlorine. 

5c5 marks

Describe, in terms of electron arrangement, the type of bonding in the compound aluminium chloride. 

5d2 marks
Explain why molten aluminium chloride can conduct electricity.

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