Homework questions for writing practice

Unit 1: Atom structure:

1. Write the postulates of the Dalton’s atomic theory.

2. Write the postulates of the Bohr’s model of atom.
3. Explain with a suitable diagram, the plum pudding model of an atom.
4. Discuss briefly the Rutherford’s experiment to reach the structure of atom.
5. What were Rutherford’s observations based on his gold foil experiment?
6. Show a diagrammatic representation of the Rutherford’s scattering of alpha particles by the gold
foil.
7. What are the limitations of the Rutherford’s model of atom?
8. What are electron clouds? Write briefly.
9. What are atomic orbitals? How do they get their geometric shape?
10. Draw the shape of a 1s orbital.
11. Draw the shape of a 2s orbital.
12. Draw the shapes of the three 2p orbitals.
13. Draw the shapes of the five types of d orbitals.
14. What is meant by “electron configuration?”
15. State the Aufbau’s principle.
16. State the
17. Pauli’s exclusion principle.
18. Explain the Hund’s rule with suitable examples.
19. Using the diagonal rule show the energy order of the atomic orbitals till the 4s orbital.
20. What are the conventions used while drawing the orbital diagram for the various atoms?
21. Write the electronic configuration, and show the orbital diagrams for the first twenty elements.

Unit 2: Gases:

1. Write about the difference between vapor and a gas.

2. Give examples of some monoatomic, diatomic, and polyatomic gases.
3. What is meant by atmospheric pressure?
4. Draw the diagram for a barometer.
5. Calculate the pressure in atmospheres exerted by a gas that supports a 540 mm column of mercury
6. What is the equivalent of 0.450 atm pressure in mm of Hg and in torr?
7. A gas exerts a pressure of 520 Kg/m2. What is the pressure exerted by the gas in ‘atm’ and in ‘mm
of Hg’? (1m = 100 cm; 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 Kg = 2.205 lb)
8. State the Boyle’s law.
9. Name the variables and the constant quantities in the Boyle’s law. Write the mathematical
expression for the law, and show a graphical representation for the law.
10. A 2.9L sample of a gas at a pressure of 780mm of Hg is to be expanded to a final pressure of 0.3
atm. What is its final volume in L?
11. A 3.6 L sample of a gas at 620 torr is to be compressed to a final volume of 900 mL. What pressure
in 'mm of Hg' must be applied to bring it to the final volume?
12. State the Charles law.
13. Name the variables and the constant quantities in the Charles law. Write the mathematical
expression for the law, and show a graphical representation for the law.
14. A 9.2 L sample of a gas sample in a cylinder is at 20ºC and at a constant pressure. What will be the
final volume in mL if the gas is heated to a final temperature of 250ºC?
15. A 450 mL sample of a gas at 28ºC expands at a constant pressure to a final volume of 1.1L. What
is the final temperature (K) of the gas sample?
16. State the Amontons law.
17. Name the variables and the constant quantities in the Amontons law. Write the mathematical
expression for the law, and show a graphical representation for the law.
18. A gas in a fixed-volume cylinder is at a pressure of 94 mm of Hg and a temperature of 8ºC. What
will be the final pressure (in atm) on the gas if it is heated to a temperature of 100ºC?
19. A gas in a fixed-volume cylinder is at a pressure of 400 torr and a temperature of 14ºC. What will
be the final temperature (K) of the gas if the final pressure of the gas is 2000 torr ?
20. State the Avogadro law.
21. Name the variables and the constant quantities in the Avogadro law. Write the mathematical
expression for the law, and show a graphical representation for the law.
22. To 52g of NO2 gas with a volume of 1.8 L is added 34g NO2 at a constant pressure and temperature.
What is the final volume (mL) of the gas?
23. A 7.0 L sample at 25°C and 2.00 atm of pressure contains 1.5 mole of a gas. If an additional 3.25
mole of gas at the same pressure and temperature are added, what is the final total volume of the
gas?
24. A 5.2 L sample of a gas at 4ºC and 300 torr pressure, heated to 250ºC attains a final volume of 9L.
What is the final pressure of the gas in atmospheres?
25. What volume will be occupied by a sample of a gas at 77 °C and 620 mm Hg pressure if its volume
at 17 °C and 850 mm Hg pressure was 450 mL?
26. Write the mathematical expression for the ideal gas law and mention the units of the various
quantities involved in the equation.
27. Show how the value of the gas constant ‘R’ is determined.
28. A 2800mL sample of a gas in a cylinder is at a pressure of 190 torr and a temperature of 35ºC.
What is the mass of the gas sample in the cylinder? (R = 0.0821 L·atm·mol-1·K-1, MW of the gas
= 48)
29. Starting from the ideal gas equation, derive an equation for determining the density of a gas.
30. How is the density of a gas related to its molecular weight. Give examples.
31. A sample of methane (CH4) gas is at a pressure of 360 torr and at a temperature of 100°C. Calculate
the density of methane gas. (R = 0.0821 L·atm·mol-1·K-1)
32. Starting from the ideal gas equation, derive an equation for determining the molecular weight of
a gas.
33. Calculate the molecular weight of oxygen gas which has a density of 1.429g/L, and is at a pressure
of 720 mm of Hg at 0°C (R = 0.0821 L·atm·mol-1·K-1)
34. Sometimes leaving a bicycle in the sun on a hot day will cause a blowout. Why?
35. A spray can is used until it is empty except for the propellant gas, which has a pressure of 1344
torr at 23 °C. If the can is thrown into a fire (T = 475 °C), what will be the pressure in the hot can?
36. What is the temperature of an 11.2-L sample of carbon monoxide, CO, at 744 torr if it occupies
13.3 L at 55 °C and 744 torr?
37. A 2.50-L volume of hydrogen measured at –196 °C is warmed to 100 °C. Calculate the volume of
the gas at the higher temperature, assuming no change in pressure.
38. A balloon inflated with three breaths of air has a volume of 1.7 L. At the same temperature and
pressure, what is the volume of the balloon if five more same-sized breaths are added to the
balloon?
39. A weather balloon contains 8.80 moles of helium at a pressure of 0.992 atm and a temperature of
25 °C at ground level. What is the volume of the balloon under these conditions?
40. A gas occupies a volume of 250 mL at 745 mmHg and 25 °C. What additional pressure is required
to reduce the gas volume to 200 mL at the same pressure?
 41. A balloon is filled to a volume of 2.20 L at a temperature of 22° C. The balloon is then heated to a
temperature of 71°C. Find the new volume of the balloon.
42. A vessel of 120 mL capacity contains a certain amount of gas at 35°C and 1.2 atm pressure. The
gas is transferred to another vessel of volume 180 mL at 35°C. What would its pressure be?
43. How many grams of gas are present in each of the following cases?
a. 0.100 L of CO2 at 307 torr and 26 °C (7.24 × 10–2 g)
b. 8.75 L of C2H4, at 378.3 kPa and 483 K (23.1 g)
c. 221 mL of Ar at 0.23 torr and –54 °C (1.5 × 10–4 g)

Unit 3: Water:

1. Write a short note on the various sources of water.

2. Write about the physical impurities in water.
3. Write about the chemical impurities in water.
4. Write about the biological impurities in water.
5. What do your mean by hardness?
6. With examples write about temporary, and permanent hardness.
7. Differentiate between temporary, and permanent hardness.
8. Differentiate between carbonate, and non-carbonate hardness.
9. Differentiate between alkaline, and non-alkaline hardness.
10. What are the disadvantages of using hard water for domestic purposes?
11. With examples, write about the disadvantages of using hard water in the industry.
12. What are sludges? How are they formed?
13. What are scales? How are they formed?
14. How can scales lead to an explosion danger in the boiler?
15. What are the disadvantages of sludges?
16. What are the disadvantages of scales?
17. How can sludges and scales be removed?
18. How can sludges and scales be prevented?
19. Differentiate between sludges, and scales.
20. What is caustic embrittlement? Show the reactions involved.
21. How can caustic embrittlement be prevented?
22. What is priming and how can it be prevented?
23. What is foaming and how can it be prevented?
24. What are the specifications for the water to use for drinking?
25. Write a short note on the removal of suspended impurities from water.
26. What is meant by disinfection of water? Give some examples of how disinfection can be done.
27. Write a short note on the chlorination method of water disinfection. Show the reactions involved.
28. What are the advantages of the chlorination method of water disinfection?
29. What are the disadvantages of the chlorination method of water disinfection?
30. Write a short note on the ozonization method of water disinfection. Show the reactions involved.
 31. What are the advantages of the ozonization method of water disinfection?
32. What are the disadvantages of the ozonization method of water disinfection?
33. Write a short note on the uv treatment method of water disinfection.
34. What are the advantages of the uv treatment method of water disinfection?
35. What are the limitations of the uv treatment method of water disinfection?
36. Calculate the temporary, permanent and total hardness for a water sample in ppm containing
following salts: Mg(HCO3)2 = 18.25 ppm, Al(NO3)3 = 12 ppm, CaCO3 = 15 ppm.
37. Calculate the temporary, permanent and total hardness for a water sample in ppm containing
following salts: Mg(HCO3)2 = 7.3 ppm, Mg(NO3)2 = 18.5 ppm, Ca(HCO3)2 = 4.05 ppm, MgCl2 = 38
ppm, MgSO4 = 18 ppm.
38. Calculate the carbonate, non-carbonate hardness for a water sample containing following salts
per litre. Ca(HCO3)2 = 27 mg, Ca(NO3)2 = 4.1 mg, MgCO3 = 21 mg, CaCl2 = 11 mg, MgSO4 = 10 mg,
KNO3 = 20.2 mg, FeSO4 = 7.6 mg. (Hint: KNO3 does not contribute toward hardness)
39. Two samples of water A and B were analysed for their salt content.

Sample A was found to contain 42 mg/L of MgCO3

Sample B was found to contain 41mg/L of Ca(NO3)2 and 1 mg/L of SiO2
Calculate hardness of each sample and state which is harder. (Hint: SiO2 does not
contribute toward hardness)
40. How much of MgSO4 should be dissolved per litre to give 210 ppm hardness in terms of calcium
carbonate equivalents.

Unit 4: Engineering materials:

1. What is a native metal? Give examples.

2. What are minerals? Give an example.
3. What are ores? Give an example.
4. List the minerals in the important ores of iron.
5. List the minerals in the important ores of aluminum.
6. List the minerals in the important ores of copper.
7. What is gangue?
8. What is flux? Give an example.
9. What is slag?
10. What do you mean by concentration of an ore?
11. List the different methods used for the concentration of an ore.
12. Write briefly about the hydraulic washing method used for the concentration of an ore.
13. Write briefly about the magnetic separation method used for the concentration of an ore.
14. Write briefly about the froth floatation method used for the concentration of an ore.
15. Write briefly about the leaching method used for the concentration of an ore.
16. Write briefly about the isolation of the metal from the concentrated ore.
17. What do you mean by refining or purification of the extracted metal.
18. List the different methods used for the refining or purification of the extracted metal.
19. Write briefly about the distillation method used for the refining or purification of the extracted
metal.
 20. Write briefly about the liquation method used for the refining or purification of the extracted
metal.
21. Write briefly about the electrolysis method used for the refining or purification of the extracted
metal. Show the reactions involved
22. What is an alloy? Give two examples.
23. List any four principal alloying elements for steel.
24. Write a short note on any two purposes of allowing.
25. Write a short note on any four purposes of allowing.
26. What are ferrous alloys? Give any three examples of ferrous alloys.
27. Write a short note on the various types of plain carbon steel.
28. List the six alloying elements used in varying proportions in making alloy steel.
29. What are non-ferrous alloys? Give any three examples of non-ferrous alloys.
30. Write briefly about Duralumin and its applications.
31. Write briefly about Magnalium and its applications.
32. Write briefly about brass, and its applications.
33. Write briefly about bronze, and its applications.
34. What is portland cement?
35. Write a short note on the setting of Portland cement.
36. Write the reactions involved in the setting of portland cement.
37. Write a short note on the hardening of Portland cement.
38. Write the reactions involved in the hardening of portland cement.
39. With a flow chart diagram show the sequence of changes occuring during the setting and
hardening of portland cement.

Unit 5: Electrochemistry:

1. Draw the Daniell cell and label the different parts of the cell.
2. What is meant by line notation? Write the line notation for the Daniell cell.
3. Write the reactions occurring at the cathode, anode and the overall reaction occurring in the
Daniell cell.
4. Write the reactions occurring at the cathode, anode and the overall reaction occurring in the
following cell: Cd|Cd2+ || Cu2+|Cu.
5. What are redox reactions? Give an example with the reactions involved.
6. What are electrolytes, and non-electrolytes? Give examples.
7. Differentiate between electrolytes and non-electrolytes.
8. Compare a strong electrolyte with a weak electrolyte. Give examples.
9. Write the mechanism of electrolysis considering a molten electrolyte like NaCl.
10. Write the mechanism of electrolysis considering an aqueous electrolyte like aq. NaCl.
11. Write a short note on electrorefining. Give an example and show the reactions involved.
12. Draw a diagram showing the electroplating of silver.
13. What are the requirements for an electroplating cell.
14. State the Faraday's first law of electrolysis. Give the mathematical expression.
15. State Faraday's second law of electrolysis. Give the mathematical expression.
16. Calculate the number of mole of copper produced in an electrolytic cell if a current of 5.0 amperes
flows through a solution of copper ions for 10 minutes.
 17. Calculate the time taken to deposit 1.00 g of copper onto an object that is placed in a solution of
copper nitrate, Cu(NO3)2, and has a current of 2.50 A flowing through it.
18. In an operating electrolytic cell, a current of 150 000 A is used. Calculate the mass of aluminum
that would be produced if this cell operates continuously for 1 day.
19. The electrolysis of a solution of chromium ions using a current of 2.2 A for 25 minutes produced
0.60 g of chromium. Calculate the charge on the chromium ion.
20. Calculate the masses of metal produced when 600 Faraday of charge is used to reduce the ions
of aluminum, silver and zinc.
21. If 306C of charge is passed through a solution of Cu(NO3)2 during an electrolysis experiment, what
is the number of moles of copper metal deposited at the cathode?
22. If 612 C of charge is passed through a solution of Cu(NO3)2 (aq), calculate the number of moles of
copper metal deposited.
23. How many minutes will it take to deposit 0.00235 mol of metallic gold by electrolysis of Au3+(aq)
using a current of 0.214A?
24. How many hours will it take to deposit 0.0047 mol of gold by electrolysis of Au3+(aq) using a
constant current of 0.214 A?
25. How many kilograms of Ca (atomic weight = 40.08 a.m.u) will be produced in an electrolytic cell
of molten CaCl2 if a current of 0.452 A is passed through the cell for 1.5 hours?
26. Calculate the mass (in grams) of palladium (Pd) produced by the reduction of Pd2+ ions during
the passage of 3.20 amperes of current through a solution of palladium (II) sulfate for 30.0
minutes. (Atomic weight of Pd = 106.4 a.m.u)
27. On passing 0.1 Faraday of electricity through aluminum chloride (AlCl3) how many grams of
aluminum metal will be deposited at the cathode ( atomic weight of Al = 27 a.m.u)
28. Calculate the mass in grams of aluminum produced by electrolysis of molten aluminum chloride,
if a current of 500 mA passes for 1.50 hr. ( atomic weight of Al = 27 a.m.u)
29. An aqueous solution of Palladium (Pd) was electrolyzed for 1 hr with a current of 1 A to produce
1.985 g of Pd at the cathode. Calculate the charge on the Pd ion in this salt ( atomic weight of Pd
= 106.4 a.m.u)

Unit 6: Acids & Bases:

1. Discuss the Arrhenius concept of acids and bases with examples.

2. What are the limitations of the Arrhenius concept of acids and bases.
3. Discuss the Bronsted Lowry concept of acids and bases with examples.
4. What are amphiprotic species? Give examples.
5. Discuss the Lewis concept of acids and bases with examples.
6. What is pH and pOH? Give mathematical expression for both.
7. What is the pH for a solution in which the hydrogen-ion concentration is 1.0 x 10-3 M.
8. A sample of orange juice has a hydrogen-ion concentration of 2.9 x 10-4 M. What is the pH?
9. The pH of human arterial blood is 7.40. What is the hydrogen-ion concentration?
10. An ammonia solution has a hydroxide-ion concentration of 1.9 x 10-3 M. What is the pH of the
solution?
11. Calculate the pH of each of the following solutions:
 a) A sample of seawater that has an OH- concentration of 1.58 x 10-6 M

b) A sample of acid rain that has an H3O+ concentration of 6.0 x 10-5 M

12. Calculate [H3O+] and [OH-] in each of the following solutions:

a) Human blood (pH 7.40)

b) A cola beverage (pH 2.8)

13. Calculate the pH of a 2 x 10−6 M aqueous solution of NaOH.

14. Calculate the pOH of an aqueous HBr solution having HBr concentration of 4 x 10−10 M.
15. Calculate the pOH of a 5 x 10−12 M aqueous solution of HCl.
16. Calculate the hydronium ion concentration (in moles) of an aqueous solution of NaOH having pOH
= 4.
17. Calculate the molar hydroxide ion concentration of an aqueous solution having pH = 3.
18. What is the molar hydronium ion concentration of an aqueous solution having a pOH of 9.9?
19. Write a short note on buffers.