Equilibria

Question Paper 1

Level International A Level

Subject Chemistry
Exam Board CIE
Topic Equilibria
Sub-Topic
Paper Type Theory
Booklet Question Paper 1

Time Allowed: 75 minutes

Score: /62

Percentage: /100

Grade Boundaries:

A* A B C D E U

>85% 777.5% 70% 62.5% 57.5% 45% <45%

Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]

1 Sulfuric acid is an important chemical with a variety of uses.

It is manufactured by the Contact process, the first stage of which involves the conversion of sulfur
or a sulfide ore, such as galena, PbS, into sulfur dioxide, SO2.

(a) (i) Write an equation for the reaction between galena and oxygen to form sulfur dioxide and
lead(II) oxide.

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Identify the oxidation number changes that take place during this reaction.
Oxygen is reduced from 0 to -2
.............................................................................................................................................
Sulfur is oxidised from -2 to + 4
....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) The second stage of the Contact process involves the production of sulfur trioxide, SO3, from
sulfur dioxide.

2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g) ∆H = –197 kJ mol–1

(i) State the temperature usually chosen for this conversion and explain this in terms of
reaction rates and Le Chatelier’s principle.

temperature ........................................................................................................................

explanation .........................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) State and explain the pressure conditions that would give the best rate and best yield of
sulfur trioxide. Explain why these conditions are not actually used.

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [3]

(c) In the third stage of the process the sulfur trioxide is dissolved in 98% sulfuric acid followed by
carefully controlled addition of water.

(i) Explain why the sulfur trioxide is not dissolved directly in water to produce sulfuric acid.

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [1]
Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]
 (ii) Write equations for the reaction of sulfur trioxide with sulfuric acid and for the subsequent
reaction with water.

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(d) Explain why sulfur dioxide is used as an additive in some foods and wines.

....................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(e) The sulfur dioxide content of wine is most commonly measured by the Ripper Method which
involves titration with iodine in the presence of starch as an indicator.

SO2(aq) + I2(aq) + 2H2O(l) → 2I –(aq) + SO42–(aq) + 4H+(aq)

A 50.0 cm3 sample of wine required 12.35 cm3 of 0.010 mol dm–3 I2(aq) for complete reaction
with the SO2.

(i) How many moles of SO2 are present in 50.0 cm3 of wine?

moles of SO2 in 50.0 cm3 = ................................. [1]

(ii) How many moles of SO2 are present in 1 dm3 of wine?

moles of SO2 in 1 dm3 = ................................. [1]

(iii) How many milligrams, mg, of SO2 are present in 1 dm3 of wine? Give your answer to three
significant figures. (1 g = 1000 mg)

mass of SO2 in 1 dm3 = ................................. mg [1]

[Total: 18]

Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]

2 (a) (i) What is meant by the term buffer solution?

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Write equations to show how the hydrogencarbonate ion, HCO3–, controls the pH of blood.

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(iii) A solution containing both Na2HPO4 and NaH2PO4 is commonly used as a buffer solution.
The following equilibrium is present in the solution.

H2PO4–(aq) HPO42–(aq) + H+(aq) Ka = 6.2 × 10–8 mol dm–3

Calculate the pH of a buffer solution made by mixing 100 cm3 of 0.5 mol dm–3 Na2HPO4 and
100 cm3 of 0.3 mol dm–3 NaH2PO4.

(b) Silver phosphate, Ag3PO4, is sparingly soluble in water.

(i) Write an expression for the solubility product, Ksp, of Ag3PO4, and state its units.

pH = ........................ [2]

Ksp = units: .............................. [1]

(ii) The numerical value of Ksp is 1.25 × 10–20 at 298 K. Use this value to calculate [Ag+(aq)] in
a saturated solution of Ag3PO4.

[Ag+(aq)] = ............................................... mol dm–3 [3]

Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]

 (c) The half-equation for the redox reaction between phosphoric(III) acid and phosphoric(V) acid is
shown.

H3PO4(aq) + 2H+(aq) + 2e– H3PO3(aq) + H2O(l) E o = –0.28 V

Find suitable data from the Data Booklet to write an equation for the reaction between H3PO3
and Fe3+(aq) ions, and calculate the for the reaction.

equation: ....................................................................................................................................

= ..................... V [2]

[Total: 12]

Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]

3 Nitrogen dioxide, NO2, can enter the atmosphere in a variety of ways.

(a) (i) State one natural and one man-made source of atmospheric NO2.

natural .................................................................................................................................

man-made ..........................................................................................................................
[1]

(ii) Write an equation to show how NO2 leads to the formation of nitric acid in acid rain.

....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) Use equations to illustrate the catalytic role of NO2 in the formation of sulfuric acid in acid
rain.

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [3]

(b) Nitrogen dioxide exists in equilibrium with dinitrogen tetroxide, N2O4.

2NO2(g) N2O4(g)

2.00 mol of dinitrogen tetroxide was sealed in a container at 350 K. After equilibrium had been
established the total pressure was 140 kPa and the mixture of gases contained 1.84 mol of
dinitrogen tetroxide.

(i) Give the expression for the equilibrium constant, Kp, for this equilibrium.

Kp =

[1]

(ii) Calculate the number of moles of NO2 present at equilibrium.

[1]

(iii) Calculate the total number of moles of gas present at equilibrium and hence the mole
fraction of each gas present at equilibrium.

[2]
Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]
 (iv) Calculate the partial pressure of each gas present at equilibrium.

[2]

(v) Calculate the value of the equilibrium constant, Kp, at 350 K.

Give your answer to three significant figures and include the units.

Kp = .................................

units = .................................
[2]

[Total: 13]

Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]

4 The Contact process for the manufacture of sulfuric acid was originally patented in the
19th century and is still in use today.

The key step in the overall process is the reversible conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide in
the presence of a vanadium(V) oxide catalyst.

2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g) ∆H = –196 kJ mol–1

(a) One way in which the sulfur dioxide for this reaction is produced is by heating the sulfide ore
iron pyrites, FeS2, in air. Iron(III) oxide is also produced. Write an equation for this reaction.

.............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) The sulfur trioxide produced in the Contact process is reacted with 98% sulfuric acid. The
resulting compound is then reacted with water to produce sulfuric acid.

(i) Explain why the sulfur trioxide is not first mixed directly with water.

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Write equations for the two steps involved in the conversion of sulfur trioxide into sulfuric
acid.

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(c)
c) Sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide both contain only S=O double bonds.

Draw labelled diagrams to show the shapes of these two molecules.

SO2 SO3

[2]

(ii) For your diagrams in (i), name the shapes and suggest the bond angles.

SO2 shape ................................................. SO3 shape ...................................................

SO2 bond angle ......................................... SO3 bond angle ...........................................

[2]
Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]
 (d) The conversion of sulfur dioxide into sulfur trioxide is carried out at a temperature of 400 °C.

(i) With reference to Le Chatelier’s Principle and reaction kinetics, state and explain one
advantage and one disadvantage of using a higher temperature.

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [4]

(ii) State the expression for the equilibrium constant, Kp, for the formation of sulfur trioxide
from sulfur dioxide.

Kp =

[1]

(iii) 2.00 moles of sulfur dioxide and 2.00 moles of oxygen were put in a flask and left to reach
equilibrium.
At equilibrium, the pressure in the flask was 2.00 × 105 Pa and the mixture contained
1.80 moles of sulfur trioxide.

Calculate Kp. Include the units.

Kp = ..............................

units = ..............................
[5]

[Total: 19]

Dr. Asher Rana www.chemistryonlinetuition.com [email protected]