CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

The electron configuration diagrams below labeled A and B represent two possible
configurations for element 6, carbon. Questions 1 and 2 refer to these diagrams:

1s

1)

2s

2px

2pz

1s

2s

2py

2px

2pz

Which one of the following statements about the configurations A and B is

TRUE?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

2)

2py

Configuration A represents the lowest energy electron configuration of

carbon.
Configuration B represents the lowest energy electron configuration of
carbon.
Configurations A and B are of equal energy and the atom would exist in
equilibrium between the two.
Neither of these configurations represents the lowest energy electron
configuration of carbon.
Carbon has two valence electrons.

Which one of the following statements about the configurations A and B is

FALSE?
(A)
(B)
(C)

(D)
(E)

Of the two electrons in the 1s orbital, one must have a spin quantum
number of and one must have a spin quantum number equal to -.
Hunds Rule allows us to determine which of these is the lowest energy
configuration.
The 2p orbitals are higher in energy than the 2s orbital because of the
shielding effects of the electrons in the 2s orbital and the fact that the 2s
electrons penetrate to the nucleus more effectively than the electrons in the
2p orbitals.
The electrons in the 2s orbital are valence electrons even though they are in
an orbital with a slightly lower energy than the highest energy electrons.
Configuration B violates the Pauli Exclusion Principle.

Question 3 next page

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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

3)

Which one of the following set of quantum numbers could correctly describe an
electron in one of the 2p orbitals above?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

n=2
n=2
n=2
n=2
n=2

l=2
l=0
l=1
l=1
l=1

ml = 2
ml = 1
ml = 0
ml = 2
ml = 1

ms = +
ms = -
ms = +
ms = -
ms = 1

Questions 4 and 5 refer to the Lewis structure of ClF3

4)

Taking into account any lone pairs on the central atom (Cl), what geometry is
adopted by ClF3?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

5)

Linear
Trigonal planar
Tetrahedral
Trigonal bipyramidal
Octahedral

What is the approximate angle between the lone pairs of electrons on the central
atom (Cl) in ClF3?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

180
120
90
45
There is only one lone pair in ClF3

Questions 6, 7 and 8 refer to capsaicin, the molecule responsible for the hot spiciness of
chillies. The abbreviated structure of capsaicin is given below. Most of the hydrogen
atoms have been omitted from the diagram of the structure. Note: This diagram is not a
Lewis structure.

Capsaicin

Question 6 next page

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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

6)

How many sets of lone pair electrons are present in this molecule?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

7)

What is the hybridisation adopted by the carbon atoms labelled a and b?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

8)

b = sp3
b = sp2
b = sp2
b = sp
b = sp3

approximately 107
109.5
120
90
180

Which of these statements about pi ()-bonding is FALSE?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

10)

a = sp
a = sp2
a = sp3
a = sp3
a = sp2

The H-C-C bond angle at the position labelled as a would be:

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

9)

1
3
5
7
9

-bonds are weaker than sigma ()-bonds.

-bonds can only form between two atoms that are also connected by a
sigma ()-bond.
-bonds are formed by the side by side overlap of two atomic p-orbitals.
bonds are the bonds formed between an sp3 hybrid orbital on a carbon
atom and a 1s orbital of a hydrogen atom.
Each -bond can contain a maximum of 2 electrons.

The lowest energy electron configuration for Ti (element 22) is:

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

1s2 2s2 2p6 2d10 3s2

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d2
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d4
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 5s2 3p6 3d2
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d4
Question 11 next page
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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

Questions 11 and 12 refer to the Lewis structures of the sulfate dianion SO4211)

In all of the contributing resonance structures of SO42- the formal charge on the
sulfur atom is:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

12)

Which of the following statements about SO42- is TRUE?

(A)
(B)

(C)

(D)
(E)

13)

+2
+1
-2
-1
0

There is a total of 30 valence electrons to be distributed in the Lewis

structure.
There are six resonance structures that contribute equally to the actual
structure of SO42-. If the S-O bond lengths were to be measured we would
expect all four S-O bonds to be equivalent and have a length between a
standard S-O single bond and a standard S-O double bond.
There are two resonance structures that contribute equally to the actual
structure of SO42-. If the S-O bond lengths were to be measured we would
expect two S-O bonds to be equivalent and have a length equal to a
standard S-O double bond and the other two S-O bonds to be standard S-O
single bonds.
The negative charge on SO42- is isolated on the sulfur atom.
The formal charge on one of the oxygen atoms in each of the resonance
structures is -2.

Which of the following compounds can exisit as cis/trans isomers?

H3CHC

CHCH3

H3CH2CHC

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

CH2

CHCH3
III

II

IV

I and IV only.
I, III and IV only.
I and III only.
I, II and IV only.
I, II, III and IV.
Question 14 next page
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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

14)

Which of the following diagrams represents a gauche conformation?

CH3
CH3

H
H

H3C CH3

H
H

CH3

H
H

CH3

H3C

H
III

II

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

15)

CH3

IV

I and II only.
III only.
I only.
I and IV only.
IV only.

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

Eclipsed conformations are less stable than staggered conformations.

Conformational isomers interconvert by rotation about single bonds.
Optical isomers (enantiomers) have the same physical and chemical
properties except for their interaction with plane polarised light.
A racemic mixture can have either a positive or a negative optical rotation.
A gauche conformation is more stable than an eclipsed conformation.

END OF SECTION A
TURN TO PAGE 6 FOR SECTION B
(SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS)

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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question B1
Formaldehyde (structure given below) is a compound used as a preservative for tissue
samples. The following questions refer to the structure of formaldehyde as presented
below (Note: this is not the Lewis structure).

Formaldehyde
a)

What is the geometry of the carbon and oxygen atoms in formaldehyde? Suggest
the type of hybrid orbitals the carbon and oxygen atoms employ to achieve their
respective geometries?
(1 mark)

b)

The bond between the carbon and the oxygen atoms in formaldehyde is made up
of two different types of bonds. Name the two types of bonds. Draw a diagram
showing how these two bonds are formed. Your answer must include, with
appropriate labels, the orbitals on each atom forming the respective bonds, and
how these orbitals interact to form the bonds.
(2 marks)

Question B1 c) next page

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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

c)

Is the C=O bond a polar bond? You must explain the reasoning behind your
answer.
(1 mark)

d)

Formaldehyde dissolves in water because it is able to form hydrogen bonds with

water molecules. Draw a diagram showing how formaldehyde might hydrogen
bond with water. Your answer must show which groups in each molecule would
be participating in the hydrogen bond.
(1 mark)

(TOTAL 5 marks for Question B1)

Question B2 next page

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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

Question B2
a)

Write down the chemical formula that corresponds to the following line structure:
(1 mark)

OH

b)

c)

Draw a three dimensional representation using normal, wedged and dashed lines
of (S)-3-hydroxypentanal?
(2 marks)
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
Use the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog (CIP) rules to complete the names of the following
compounds by adding a stereochemical descriptor (R, S, E, Z, cis, trans, anti,
gauche etc).$$
(2 marks)$

Br
H
(

OH

Cl

)-2-hexanol

$
$

)-1-bromo-2-chloropropene

(TOTAL 5 marks for Question B2)

END OF EXAM
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CHEM1010 Fundamentals of Chemistry Semester 1 2012

Space for rough working on the next page

(THIS SPACE MAY BE USED FOR ROUGH WORKING)

Periodic table next page

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