8462/1H June 2021

6  ​​​​ This question is about metals

Table​​ 3​​ shows​​ information​​ about​​ four​​ substances

Table 3

 

6-1 ​​ Which​​ substance​​ could​​ be​​ a​​ metal?​​      ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ [1 mark]

ANSWER

C

 

6-2  ​​​​ Explain​​ why​​ alloys​​ are​​ harder​​ than​​ pure​​ metals.​​ [3​​ marks]

ANSWER

In alloy, the atoms are of different sizes so the layers of atoms in an alloy are distorted; so in an alloy, the layers slide over each other less easily than in a pure metal.

6-3  ​​​​ A​​ student​​ wants​​ to​​ compare​​ the​​ reactivity​​ of​​ an​​ unknown​​ metal,​​ Q,​​ with​​ that​​ of​​ zinc. Both metals are more reactive than silver.

The​​ student​​ is​​ provided​​ with:

  • silver​​ nitrate​​ solution

  • metal​​ Q​​ powder

  • zinc​​ powder

  • a​​ thermometer

  • Normal​​ laboratory​​ equipment.

No​​ other​​ chemicals​​ are​​ available.

Describe​​ a​​ method​​ the​​ student​​ could​​ use​​ to​​ compare​​ the​​ reactivity​​ of​​ metal​​ Q​​ with that of zinc.

Your​​ method​​ should​​ give​​ valid​​ results.  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ [4​​ marks]

ANSWER

  • Measure temperature changes when each metal is added to silver nitrate solution.​​ 

  • Control Variable:

  • same concentration / volume of solution​​ 

  • same mass / moles of metal​​ 

  • Result: The greater the temperature change the more reactive the metal is.