WJEC A-Level Chemistry 1410QS
Formulae and Equations
Basic Ideas About Atoms
Chemical Calculations
Bonding
Solid Structures
The Periodic Table
Simple Equilibria and Acid-Base Reactions
Thermochemistry
Rates of Reaction
The Wider Impact of Chemistry
Organic Compounds
Hydrocarbons
Halogenoalkanes
Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids
Instrumental Analysis
Redox and Standard Electrode Potential
Redox Reactions
Chemistry of the P-Block
Chemistry of the D-Block Transition Metals
Chemical Kinetics
Enthalpy Changes for Solids and Solutions
Entropy and Feasibility of Reactions
Equilibrium Constants
Acid-Base Equilibria
Stereoisomerism
Aromaticity
Alcohols and Phenols
Aldehydes and Ketones
Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives
Amines
Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins
Organic Synthesis and Analysis
Practical Skills and Techniques
Planning, Analysis and Evaluation
Core Experiments and Their Chemistry
Mathematical Skills in Chemistry
Chemistry of the P-Block
- 13 subtopics
- 37 things to know
- A2 Unit 3
What Chemistry of the P-Block covers
Chemistry of the P-Block is examined on A2 Unit 3 of WJEC Chemistry, Physical and Inorganic Chemistry. 168 recall questions across 13 subtopics.
The 13 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Amphoteric behaviour of aluminium and leadSeventeen recall questions on amphoteric behaviour of aluminium and lead.Open →
- Stability of oxidation states down Groups 3, 4 and 5: increasing stability of the inert pair cationsRecall questions on inert pair effect.Open →
- Stability of oxidation states down Groups 3, 4 and 5: change in relative stabilityThirteen recall questions on stability of oxidation states down Groups 3, 4 and 5: change in relative stability.Open →
- Valence shells that break the octet rule: how some Group 3 elements can form compoundsRecall questions on electron-deficient molecule.Open →
- Valence shells that break the octet rule: structure and bonding in Al2Cl6 and formationRecall questions on structure, bonding in Al2Cl6 and formation.Open →
- Boron nitride: two structures, two sets of propertiesRecall questions on two structures and two sets of properties.Open →
- Group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: structureFourteen recall questions on group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: structure.Open →
- Group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: hydrolysis of the Group 4 chloridesNine recall questions on group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: hydrolysis of the Group 4 chlorides.Open →
- Group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: chloride hydrolysis and lead(II) precipitatesWhy SiCl₄ hydrolyses but CCl₄ does not, and the precipitates lead(II) ions form with sodium hydroxide, dilute hydrochloric acid and potassium iodide, including what happens with excess reagent.Open →
- Group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: distinguishing lead from silver ionsEleven recall questions on group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: distinguishing lead from silver ions.Open →
- Chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: chlorine with water and with cold and hot alkaliChlorine with cold dilute and hot concentrated sodium hydroxide, the disproportionation of chlorate(I), chlorine with water and its effect on indicator, and oxidation numbers and half-equations for these reactions.Open →
- Chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: bleaching and bactericidal action of Cl2Recall questions on bleaching action of Cl2 and bactericidal action of Cl2.Open →
- Chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: differences in behaviour of NaClFifteen recall questions on chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: differences in behaviour of NaCl.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
How could you distinguish between separate solutions of aluminium nitrate and lead(II) nitrate?
Magnesium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide are both white precipitates. State a simple test that tells them apart and explain the result.
State the most stable oxidation state of thallium in Group 3, and contrast it with aluminium.
Explain why carbon and silicon show only the +4 state in their common compounds.
Tin(II) chloride solution turns iron(III) solution from yellow to pale green. Write the ionic equation and explain what this shows about tin.
Carbon monoxide reduces iron(III) oxide in the blast furnace. Write the equation and give the oxidation number change for each element that changes.
Why is carbon monoxide such a useful reducing agent?
Lead(IV) oxide is warmed with concentrated hydrochloric acid. Write the equation and describe what is seen.
Sulfur hexafluoride has an expanded octet. State the number of valence electrons around sulfur, the shape and the bond angle.
Why does aluminium chloride dimerise, how is each aluminium bonded in Al₂Cl₆, and how do the bridging bonds compare with the terminal ones?
Ammonia and boron trifluoride combine to form a white solid. Explain how the bond between them is formed.
Identify the donor and the acceptor in the compound NH₃.BF₃ and explain your choice.
Boron nitride has the empirical formula BN. Why are its structures so similar to those of carbon?
Why is hexagonal boron nitride a good high-temperature lubricant?
Describe the structure and bonding in carbon dioxide.
Why is carbon dioxide a gas at room temperature while silicon dioxide is a solid melting above 1600 °C?
Carbon dioxide contains polar bonds but is a non-polar molecule. Explain.
Write an equation for the reaction of silicon tetrachloride with water and describe the observations.
State and explain the trend in bonding shown by the Group 4 chlorides CCl₄, SiCl₄ and PbCl₂.
A student is given three unlabelled samples, one of each of CCl₄, SiCl₄ and PbCl₂. Describe how adding water would identify each.
Both CCl₄ and SiCl₄ are liquids of similar structure. Why can the difference in their reactions with water not be explained by bond polarity alone?
Why is silicon tetrachloride, with a boiling temperature of 58 °C, so much more volatile than lead(II) chloride, which melts at about 500 °C?
Explain why tetrachloromethane can be used as a solvent for non-polar substances while lead(II) chloride cannot dissolve in it.
Explain how you could use sodium hydroxide solution and potassium iodide solution together to confirm the presence of lead(II) ions in a colourless solution.
A student adds sodium hydroxide solution slowly to a lead(II) salt solution and reports no precipitate at all. Suggest what went wrong.
Both the chloride and the iodide of lead(II) are insoluble. Why does the colour of the precipitate differ so markedly?
Give the ionic equation for chlorine reacting with cold dilute alkali and show that it is a disproportionation.
What is seen when chlorine gas is bubbled into cold dilute sodium hydroxide solution?
Balance the ionic equation for chlorine with cold alkali and confirm the charge balance.
Why is a bleaching action always an oxidation when chlorine-based bleaches are used?
Why does bleach lose its strength if the bottle is left open or stored in a warm place?
Explain why chlorate(I) is used to bleach paper pulp rather than a coloured pigment being simply washed out.
In the reaction between sodium bromide and concentrated sulfuric acid, state the oxidation number changes and identify the oxidising and reducing agents.
Describe the observations when concentrated sulfuric acid is added to solid sodium iodide.
Write equations for the three redox reactions in which hydrogen iodide reduces concentrated sulfuric acid.
Give the shape of chlorine trifluoride and the number of electrons around the chlorine atom.
Take Chemistry of the P-Block further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Hexagonal boron nitride vs Cubic boron nitride
Hexagonal boron nitride: the layered, soft, lubricating form analogous to graphite. Cubic boron nitride: the tetrahedral, extremely hard form analogous to diamond.
An amphoteric oxide vs A basic oxide
An amphoteric oxide: an oxide that reacts with both acids and bases. A basic oxide: an oxide that reacts with acids only.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What does it mean to call a substance amphoteric?
Model answer
An amphoteric substance reacts with both acids and bases. It behaves as a base towards an acid and as an acid towards a base, so it dissolves in both.
- 2
Aluminium foil dissolves in warm dilute hydrochloric acid. Write the ionic equation and state what is seen.
Model answer
2Al(s) + 6H⁺(aq) → 2Al³⁺(aq) + 3H₂(g). The grey metal dissolves with steady effervescence of a colourless gas, leaving a colourless solution.
- 3
Why does aluminium also dissolve in hot aqueous sodium hydroxide, and what is the aluminium-containing product?
Model answer
Aluminium is amphoteric, so it is attacked by strong alkali as well as by acid: 2Al(s) + 2OH⁻(aq) + 6H₂O(l) → 2[Al(OH)₄]⁻(aq) + 3H₂(g). The product is the colourless tetrahydroxoaluminate(III) ion, and hydrogen is given off.
- 4
Sodium hydroxide solution is added dropwise, and then in large excess, to aluminium sulfate solution. Describe what is seen at each stage.
Model answer
A white gelatinous precipitate of aluminium hydroxide forms first: Al³⁺(aq) + 3OH⁻(aq) → Al(OH)₃(s). In excess alkali the precipitate redissolves to give a colourless solution: Al(OH)₃(s) + OH⁻(aq) → [Al(OH)₄]⁻(aq).
- 5
Write the equation for aluminium hydroxide dissolving in dilute nitric acid.
Model answer
Al(OH)₃(s) + 3H⁺(aq) → Al³⁺(aq) + 3H₂O(l). The white precipitate dissolves to give a colourless solution.
- 6
Explain why aluminium hydroxide is described as amphoteric.
Model answer
It dissolves in acid by accepting protons to give Al³⁺(aq), acting as a base, and it dissolves in alkali by accepting a hydroxide ion to give [Al(OH)₄]⁻, acting as an acid. Because it reacts in both ways it is amphoteric.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Chemistry of the P-Block revision questions
- What does Chemistry of the P-Block cover in WJEC A-Level Chemistry?
- 13 subtopics: amphoteric behaviour of aluminium and lead, stability of oxidation states down groups 3, 4 and 5: increasing stability of the inert pair cations, stability of oxidation states down groups 3, 4 and 5: change in relative stability, valence shells that break the octet rule: how some group 3 elements can form compounds, valence shells that break the octet rule: structure and bonding in al2cl6 and formation, boron nitride: two structures, two sets of properties, group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: structure, group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: hydrolysis of the group 4 chlorides, group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: chloride hydrolysis and lead(ii) precipitates, group 4 oxides and chlorides, and lead in solution: distinguishing lead from silver ions, chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: chlorine with water and with cold and hot alkali, chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: bleaching and bactericidal action of cl2 and chlorine, chlorate and the sodium halides: differences in behaviour of nacl. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Chemistry of the P-Block organised?
- By the WJEC 1410QS specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Chemistry of the P-Block, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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