BackComprehensive Study Guidance for GOB Chemistry Mock Exam
Study Guide - Smart Notes
Tailored notes based on your materials, expanded with key definitions, examples, and context.
Q1. Which of the following is an example of a chemical process?
Background
Topic: Physical vs. Chemical Changes
This question tests your understanding of the difference between physical and chemical changes. Chemical processes involve changes in the chemical composition of substances, while physical processes do not.
Key Terms:
Chemical change: A process where substances are transformed into new substances with different properties.
Physical change: A process where the form of matter changes, but not its chemical identity.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Review each option and determine whether the process changes the chemical identity of the substance.
Recall that rusting involves iron reacting with oxygen to form iron oxide, which is a new substance.
Compare this to processes like freezing, crystallization, compression, and stretching, which do not change the chemical identity.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: a. Rusting of a nail
Rusting is a chemical process because it results in the formation of a new substance (iron oxide).
Q2. A certain liquid has a density of 2.67 g/cm3. 1340 g of this liquid would occupy a volume of __________ L.
Background
Topic: Density and Unit Conversion
This question tests your ability to use the density formula and convert units between cm3 and L.
Key formula:
1 cm3 = 1 mL
1000 mL = 1 L
Step-by-Step Guidance
Identify the mass (1340 g) and density (2.67 g/cm3).
Use the formula to find the volume in cm3.
Convert the volume from cm3 to mL, then to L.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: 0.502 L
The correct conversion and calculation gives a volume of 0.502 L.
Q3. How many significant figures does the value 450.00 have?
Background
Topic: Significant Figures
This question tests your understanding of how to count significant figures in a given number.
Key Terms:
Significant figures: Digits in a number that are meaningful in terms of accuracy.
Trailing zeros after a decimal point are significant.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Write out the number: 450.00.
Count all digits, including zeros after the decimal point.
Recall that zeros between nonzero digits and after the decimal are significant.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: 5
All digits in 450.00 are significant, including the trailing zeros after the decimal.
Q4. Convert 8.65 x 109 m2 to km2
Background
Topic: Unit Conversion (Area)
This question tests your ability to convert units of area from square meters to square kilometers.
Key formula:
Step-by-Step Guidance
Write the area in m2: m2.
Divide by to convert to km2.
Set up the calculation: .
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: 8.65 x 103 km2
Dividing by gives km2.
Q5. Convert 1.496 m3 to milliliters
Background
Topic: Unit Conversion (Volume)
This question tests your ability to convert cubic meters to milliliters.
Key formula:
Step-by-Step Guidance
Write the volume in m3: 1.496 m3.
Multiply by to convert to mL.
Set up the calculation: mL.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: 1.496 x 106 mL
Multiplying 1.496 by gives mL.
Q6. The law of constant proportion says that the __________.
Background
Topic: Laws of Chemistry
This question tests your understanding of the law of constant proportion, which relates to the composition of compounds.
Key Terms:
Law of constant proportion: States that a chemical compound always contains the same elements in the same proportion by mass.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that the law applies to compounds, not elements or mixtures.
Look for the option that describes a constant ratio of elements in a compound.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: d. type of elements and their ratio to one another is constant for a specific compound/molecule.
This option correctly describes the law of constant proportion.
Q7. There are ________ electrons, ________ protons, and ________ neutrons in an atom of Xe.
Background
Topic: Atomic Structure
This question tests your ability to determine the number of subatomic particles in an atom using the periodic table.
Key Terms:
Atomic number: Number of protons and electrons in a neutral atom.
Mass number: Number of protons plus neutrons.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Find xenon (Xe) on the periodic table and note its atomic number (54).
Recall that a neutral atom has equal numbers of protons and electrons.
Use the mass number (often 131 or 132 for Xe) to find the number of neutrons: .
Check the answer choices for the correct combination.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: b. 54 electrons, 54 protons, 132 neutrons
Xenon has atomic number 54 (protons/electrons) and typically 132 neutrons.
Q8. When a metal and a nonmetal react, the __________ tends to lose electrons and the __________ tends to gain electrons.
Background
Topic: Ionic Bond Formation
This question tests your understanding of how metals and nonmetals behave during chemical reactions, especially in forming ionic bonds.
Key Terms:
Metal: Tends to lose electrons and form cations.
Nonmetal: Tends to gain electrons and form anions.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall the general behavior of metals and nonmetals in reactions.
Identify which element loses electrons (forms positive ions) and which gains electrons (forms negative ions).
Match this behavior to the answer choices.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: b. metal, nonmetal
Metals lose electrons; nonmetals gain electrons during ionic bond formation.
Q9. There are __________ orbitals in the second shell.
Background
Topic: Electron Configuration and Orbitals
This question tests your understanding of how many orbitals are present in the second energy level (shell) of an atom.
Key Terms:
Second shell: Contains 2s and 2p orbitals.
Each s orbital: 1 orbital; each p subshell: 3 orbitals.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that the second shell has one s orbital and three p orbitals.
Add the total number of orbitals: 1 (s) + 3 (p) = 4 orbitals.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: c. 4
The second shell contains 4 orbitals: 1 s and 3 p.
Q10. In general, as you go across a period in the periodic table from left to right: (1) effective nuclear charge _________; (2) atomic radius __________; (3) first ionization energy __________.
Background
Topic: Periodic Trends
This question tests your understanding of how atomic properties change across a period.
Key Terms:
Effective nuclear charge: The net positive charge experienced by electrons.
Atomic radius: Size of the atom.
First ionization energy: Energy required to remove the first electron.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that effective nuclear charge increases across a period.
Atomic radius decreases due to increased attraction.
First ionization energy increases as electrons are held more tightly.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: a. increases, decreases, increases
Effective nuclear charge increases, atomic radius decreases, and ionization energy increases across a period.
Q11. There are __________ unpaired electrons in the Lewis symbol for an oxygen atom.
Background
Topic: Lewis Structures and Electron Configuration
This question tests your ability to draw the Lewis symbol for oxygen and count unpaired electrons.
Key Terms:
Lewis symbol: Shows valence electrons as dots around the element symbol.
Oxygen: 6 valence electrons.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Draw the Lewis symbol for oxygen with 6 dots.
Pair up electrons as much as possible; count the remaining unpaired electrons.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: c. 2
Oxygen has 2 unpaired electrons in its Lewis symbol.
Q12. Which of the following does not have eight valence electrons?
Background
Topic: Valence Electrons and Octet Rule
This question tests your understanding of which ions or atoms have a full octet.
Key Terms:
Octet rule: Atoms tend to have eight electrons in their valence shell.
Valence electrons: Electrons in the outermost shell.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Review each ion/atom and determine its valence electron count.
Recall that noble gases and ions formed by gaining/losing electrons often have eight valence electrons.
Identify the one that does not satisfy the octet rule.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: d. B3+
Boron ion (B3+) does not have eight valence electrons.
Q13. A nonpolar bond will form between two _____ atoms of _____ electronegativity.
Background
Topic: Chemical Bonding and Electronegativity
This question tests your understanding of how nonpolar bonds are formed.
Key Terms:
Nonpolar bond: Formed between atoms with equal or very similar electronegativity.
Electronegativity: Measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that nonpolar bonds occur between identical atoms or atoms with equal electronegativity.
Identify the answer choice that matches this description.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: d. identical, equal
Nonpolar bonds form between identical atoms with equal electronegativity.
Q14. Using the given electronegativity values for each element, select the least polar bond between two atoms.
Background
Topic: Bond Polarity and Electronegativity Differences
This question tests your ability to compare electronegativity values and determine bond polarity.
Key Terms:
Bond polarity: Depends on the difference in electronegativity between two atoms.
Least polar: Smallest difference in electronegativity.
Step-by-Step Guidance
List the electronegativity values for each element.
Calculate the difference for each bond option.
Identify the bond with the smallest difference.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: b. S—O
S (2.5) and O (3.5) have a difference of 1.0, which is the smallest among the options.
Q15. The formal charge on sulfur in SO42- is ____, where the Lewis structure of the ion is:
Background
Topic: Formal Charge Calculation
This question tests your ability to calculate formal charge using a Lewis structure.
Key formula:

Step-by-Step Guidance
Count the valence electrons for sulfur (6).
Count the nonbonding electrons on sulfur (usually 0 in SO42-).
Count the bonding electrons shared with oxygen atoms.
Apply the formal charge formula for sulfur.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: B) 0
The formal charge on sulfur in SO42- is zero.
Q16. There are ________ oxygen atoms in 30 molecules of C20H42S3O2.
Background
Topic: Counting Atoms in Molecules
This question tests your ability to count the number of specific atoms in a given number of molecules.
Key formula:
Step-by-Step Guidance
Identify the number of oxygen atoms per molecule (2 in C20H42S3O2).
Multiply by the number of molecules (30).
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: e. 30
There are 2 oxygen atoms per molecule, so 30 molecules contain 60 oxygen atoms.
Q17. A non electrolyte is defined as
Background
Topic: Electrolytes and Conductivity
This question tests your understanding of what makes a substance a non-electrolyte.
Key Terms:
Electrolyte: Substance that conducts electricity when dissolved in water.
Non-electrolyte: Does not ionize in solution and does not conduct electricity.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that non-electrolytes do not produce ions in solution.
Identify the answer choice that matches this definition.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: e. a substance that does not ionise in solution and no electrical conduction takes place.
Non-electrolytes do not ionize and do not conduct electricity.
Q18. Identify the insoluble compound from the following examples:
Background
Topic: Solubility Rules
This question tests your knowledge of solubility rules for common compounds.
Key Terms:
Soluble: Dissolves in water.
Insoluble: Does not dissolve in water.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall common solubility rules for hydroxides, acids, and salts.
Identify which compound is known to be insoluble.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: e. Fe(OH)3
Iron(III) hydroxide is insoluble in water.
Q19. When an aqueous solution is formed with each of the following reagents, which solution will contain the greatest concentration of ions?
Background
Topic: Dissociation and Ion Concentration
This question tests your understanding of how different compounds dissociate in water.
Key Terms:
Strong electrolytes: Dissociate completely in water.
Ion concentration: Depends on the number of ions produced per formula unit.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Write the dissociation equation for each compound.
Count the total number of ions produced per formula unit.
Identify which compound produces the most ions.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: a. Na3PO4
Sodium phosphate produces 4 ions per formula unit (3 Na+ and 1 PO43-).
Q20. In a basic solution:
Background
Topic: Acid-Base Chemistry
This question tests your understanding of the relationship between hydronium and hydroxide ion concentrations in basic solutions.
Key Terms:
Basic solution: [OH-] > [H3O+]
Neutral solution: [OH-] = [H3O+]
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that a basic solution has more hydroxide ions than hydronium ions.
Identify the answer choice that reflects this relationship.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: c. [H3O+] < [OH-]
In a basic solution, hydroxide ion concentration is greater than hydronium ion concentration.