IGCSE Edexcel Chemistry 1 hour 12 questions

Paper 1

Covalent Bonding
Formation of Covalent Bonds / Covalent Bonds: Dot & Cross Diagrams / Simple
Molecular Structures / Giant Covalent Structures

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Medium (11 questions) /75

Hard (1 question) /6

Total Marks /81

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Medium Questions
1 (a) Diamond, graphite and silicon dioxide all have giant covalent structures.

The diagram shows the structures of these three substances.

a) Explain why silicon dioxide has a high melting point.

(2)

(2 marks)

(b) b) Explain why graphite conducts electricity.

(2)

(2 marks)

(c) c) State why diamond is hard but graphite is soft.

(2)

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 (2 marks)

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2 (a) a) Carbon dioxide changes directly from a solid to a gas without becoming a liquid.

i) Give the name of the change of state from solid to gas.

[1]

ii) Describe the test for carbon dioxide gas.

[2]

(3 marks)

(b) b) Carbon dioxide is a simple molecular covalent substance.

Explain why carbon dioxide turns from a solid to a gas at a very low temperature.
[2]

(2 marks)

(c) c) Diamond and graphite are both giant covalent substances made up of carbon
atoms.

diamonds are used in cutting tools

graphite is used in pencils to make marks on paper

Explain, with reference to structure and bonding, why each substance is suitable
for its particular use.
[6]

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 (6 marks)

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3 (a) a) Chlorine, bromine and iodine are elements in the Periodic Table.

Explain how the position of these elements in the Periodic Table depends on their
electronic configurations.

(2)

(2 marks)

(b) b) Chlorine reacts with methane to form CH3Cl and HCl

i) State the condition necessary for this reaction.

(1)

ii) Give the equation for this reaction.

(1)

iii) The bonds in a molecule of CH3Cl are covalent.

Explain, in terms of electrostatic attractions, what is meant by a covalent bond.

(2)

iv) Draw a dot‐and‐cross diagram for a molecule of CH3Cl

Show only the outer electrons of the atoms.

(2)

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 v) CH3Cl has a simple molecular structure.

Explain why CH3Cl has a low boiling point.

(2)

(8 marks)

(c) c) Graphite is another substance that contains covalent bonds.

The diagram shows the structure of graphite.

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Most covalent substances do not conduct electricity.

Explain why graphite is able to conduct electricity.

(2)

(2 marks)

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4 (a) This question is about substances with covalent bonds.

a) i) Draw a dot and cross diagram to show the outer shell electrons in a molecule of
nitrogen, N2

(2)

ii) Describe the forces of attraction in a covalent bond.

(2)

(4 marks)

(b) b) The diagram shows three different structures of carbon.

Structure A Graphite C60 Fullerene

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 i) Name structure A.

(1)

ii) Graphite and C60 fullerene contain covalent bonds, but have different structures.

Explain why C60 fullerene has a much lower melting point than graphite.

Refer to structure and bonding in your answer.

(4)

(5 marks)

5 Carbon dioxide contains covalent bonds.

The covalent bonds in a molecule of carbon dioxide can be represented by a dot-and-

cross diagram.

Which is the correct dot-and-cross diagram for carbon dioxide?

(1)

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☐ A

☐ B

☐ C

☐ D

(1 mark)

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6 (a) a) Diamond is a naturally‐occurring form of carbon.

It has a giant molecular structure.

Explain, with reference to its structure and bonding, why diamond has a high
melting point.
(3)

(3 marks)

(b) b) C60 fullerene is another form of carbon.

The diagram shows a molecule of C60 fullerene.

i) Explain why C60 fullerene has a much lower melting point than diamond.
(2)

ii) C60 fullerene is used by doctors when injecting medicines into their patients.

C60 fullerene allows medicines, which might damage some parts of the body, to
reach the part of the body where they are needed.

Suggest why C60 fullerene is suitable for this purpose.

(1)

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 (3 marks)

(c) c) Graphite is another naturally‐occurring form of carbon.

Graphite can be used in pencils because it is soft and can leave marks on paper.
Graphite can also be used as a conductor of electricity.

Explain why graphite is soft and conducts electricity.

Refer to structure and bonding in your answer.
(5)

(5 marks)

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7 (a) This question is about carbon and its compounds.

a) i) Draw a dot-and-cross diagram to show the outer shell electrons in a molecule of

carbon dioxide, CO2.

(2)

ii) The atoms in carbon dioxide are held together by covalent bonds.
Describe the forces of attraction in a covalent bond.
(2)

(4 marks)

(b) b) The diagram shows three different structures of carbon.

i) Explain why graphite conducts electricity.

(2)

ii) Explain why diamond has a much higher melting point than C60 fullerene.
Refer to structure and bonding in your answer.
(5)

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 (7 marks)

8 Silicon dioxide, SiO2, and silicon(IV) chloride, SiCl4, are both covalently bonded
compounds.

The table below shows the melting point and boiling point of these compounds.

Compound Melting point / o C Boiling point / o C

Silicon dioxide 1710 2230
Silicon(IV) chloride -69 58

Which statement is not correct about the two compounds?

(1)

at room temperature silicon dioxide is a solid and silicon(IV) chloride is a

☐ A
liquid
☐ B silicon dioxide has a giant covalent structure
silicon(IV) chloride has a lower melting point as it has fewer covalent
☐ C
bonds to overcome
☐ D silicon(IV) chloride has a simple molecular structure

(1 mark)

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9 (a) This question is about some compounds of the elements in Group 4 of the Periodic
Table.

a) When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, a weak acid forms.

i) Which of these could be the pH of this weak acid?

(1)

☐ A 1
☐ B 5
☐ C 7
☐ D 9

ii) Which of these is a correct statement about acids?

(1)
−
☐ A acids contain OH ions
☐ B acids are electron donors
☐ C acids are proton acceptors
☐ D acids are proton donors

(2 marks)

(b) b) When lead(II) carbonate is heated, lead(II) oxide and carbon dioxide form.

i) Give the name of this type of reaction.

(1)
ii) Complete the equation for this reaction.
(1)
PbCO3 → .............................................. + ..............................................

(2 marks)

(c) c) Silicon dioxide, SiO2, and silicon(IV) chloride, SiCl4, are both covalently bonded
compounds. The table shows the melting and boiling points of these two

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 compounds, and the physical state of silicon dioxide at room temperature.

Physical state at
Compound Melting point in °C Boiling point in °C
room temperature
SiO2 1710 2230 solid
SiCl4 −69 58

i) Complete the table by giving the physical state of silicon(IV) chloride at room
temperature.
(1)

ii) Explain, in terms of structure and bonding, why silicon dioxide has a much higher
melting point than silicon(IV) chloride.
(6)

(7 marks)

10 #The diagram shows the structures of three substances that have giant covalent
structures.

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Which does not provide the correct explanation of the property of a substance?

Substance Property Explanation

its ions are free to move through the

A graphite conducts electricity
layers

each carbon atom is covalently bonded

B diamond hard
to four other carbon atoms

it has many strong covalent bonds which

C silicon dioxide high melting point require a large amount of energy to
break

D graphite soft its layers can slide over each other

(1)

☐ A
☐ B
☐ C
☐ D

(1 mark)

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11 Ammonia, NH3, is a small covalent molecule.

How many non-bonding, outer-shell electrons are present in one molecule of ammonia?

(1)

☐ A 0
☐ B 2
☐ C 5
☐ D 6

(1 mark)

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Hard Questions
1 (a) Halon 1301 is a compound used in some fire extinguishers.

Halon 1301 has the percentage composition by mass of

C 8.05% Br 53.69% F 38.26%

a) Show, by calculation, that the empirical formula of this compound is CBrF3

(2)

(2 marks)

(b) b) The diagram shows the displayed formula of a molecule of Halon 1301.

Draw a dot-and-cross diagram to show all the outer electrons in this molecule.

(2)

(2 marks)

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(c) c) The boiling point of Halon 1301 is —58°C.

Explain why Halon 1301 has a low boiling point.

(2)

(2 marks)

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