sfsu logo CHEM 115: General Chemistry I
Essential Chemistry Concepts
SAMPLE CHEMISTRY PLACEMENT EXAM 		Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
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Sample Chemistry Placement Exam

Please note that the sample exam is designed to illustrate the type and degree of difficulty of the exam questions; it does not include questions from all of the topics that will be on the actual placement exam. Simply studying the sample exam questions will not prepare you for the placement exam. spacer line

  1. A substance releases heat when it changes from
    1. liquid to solid
    2. solid to gas
    3. liquid to gas
    4. solid to liquid

  2. Which element has exactly five electrons in the highest principal energy level (the outer shell)?
    1. B
    2. Ba
    3. P
    4. Mn

  3. For a chemical reaction it is often found that the rate of reaction increases significantly as the temperature is increased. The occurs because
    1. the concentrations of the reactants increase
    2. more reactants collide with energy equal to or greater than the activation energy
    3. the concentrations of the products decrease
    4. the volume expands and there is more room for the products to form

  4. Which substance does not obey the Lewis octet rule?
    1. O2
    2. NO
    3. CO
    4. N2

  5. For a calcium ion, Ca2+, with a mass number of 42, the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons is
    1. 20 protons, 22 neutrons, and 18 electrons.
    2. 20 protons, 42 neutrons, and 22 electrons.
    3. 20 protons, 42 neutrons, and 18 electrons.
    4. 22 protons, 20 neutrons, and 22 electrons.

  6. Which of the following pairs of elements would have the most similar chemical properties?
    1. H and He
    2. F and He
    3. O and S
    4. Li and Mg

  7. Which of the following tends to form a cation (positive ion) with a charge of 2+?
    1. Na
    2. O
    3. He
    4. Mg

  8. Methane (CH4) can react with oxygen (O2) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The balanced chemical reaction shows that, for every mole of methane reacted, the number of moles of water formed is:
    1. ½
    2. 1
    3. 2
    4. 4
    5. 8

  9. The correct formula for Nitric Acid is:
    1. HNO
    2. H2NO3
    3. HNO2
    4. HNO3

  10. Titanaium reacts with element X to form a compound with the formula TiX2. Element X exists as a solid at normal temperature and pressure. Element X must be
    1. Oxygen
    2. Sulfur
    3. Aluminum
    4. Calcium

  11. How many moles of chloride ions are there in 1.0 L of 1.5 M MgCl2 (aq)?
    1. 1.0 moles
    2. 1.5 moles
    3. 2.0 moles
    4. 3.0 moles

  12. What is the mass of 10 moles of CO2?
    1. 440 g
    2. 280 g
    3. 44 g
    4. 28 g
spacer line Answers: 1a, 2c, 3b, 4b, 5a, 6c, 7d, 8c, 9d, 10b, 11d, 12a. spacer line The url for this document is http://www.chemistry.sfsu.edu/sample-chem-placement.html
First published: 14 June 2005.
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry / contact us / revised 14 June 2005