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Chemistry 101
Sample Midterm Exam 2 Questions

These are questions from previous exams that you may find relevant for our upcoming midterm
exam on Tuesday, November 3, 2023.

*Disclaimer: You are responsible for all material in Units 1 and 2 up to the midterm cutoff as
announced in lecture (up to slide 35 of Unit 2 notes package). You should also study the online
lessons, including the elements of the p-block. The questions below are only meant to be
representative of the types of questions on exams.

DO NOT EXPECT THAT YOU WILL GET THE SAME QUESTIONS -- REVIEW YOUR
CLASS NOTES, LESSONS, PROBLEM SETS, AND QUIZZES.

If you require additional practice, textbook problems can also be utilized.

I recommend that you try these questions in a “closed-book format,” after you have reviewed; by
simulating exam conditions, you get a better sense of your confidence and preparedness.

This exam should be worked in 70 minutes (this sample exam is shorter than your midterm exam).

Problem Maximum Mark

mark received
1 13
2 10
3 8
4 13
Total 44

© Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta (2023)

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Student ID:_________________
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1. (13 marks total)

(a) Complete the indicated information for SOCl 2

Completed best Lewis Structure Molecular shape (sketch) Name of molecular shape
(circle the best in terms of formal charge)
Trigonal pyramidal

FC: S = 0
FC: Cl =0
FC: O = 0

Bond angles around central

atom (indicate any
Polar? (Yes or No)
deviations):
YES
< 109.5o

(b) The thiocyanate anion has a molecular formula of SCN - (carbon is central atom).

(i) Complete a valid Lewis structure for thiocyanate. Show all your work.

Is one possible structure--could have other resonance structures here as well.

(ii) Draw all possible resonance structures of thiocyanate and determine formal charges on each atom.

FC S is 6 - (4+½(4))= 0 FC S is 6 - (6+½(2)) = 1- FC: S is 6 - (2+½(6)) = 1+

FC C is 4 -(0+1/2 (8)) = 0 FC C is 4-(0+½(8)) = 0 FC: C is 4-(0+½(8)) = 0
FC N is 5-(4+½(4)) = 1- FC N is 5-(2+½(6)) = 0 FC N is 5-(6+½(2)) = 2-

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Student ID:_________________
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Question 1(b) (continued)…

(iii) From the structures you drew in (ii), identify the resonance structure which is expected to contribute
least to the resonance hybrid. Briefly explain your choice.

Contribute the LEAST: the structure on the right. This structure has higher formal charges (1+ on S and
2- on O) than the other structures.

(iv) From the resonance structures you drew in (ii), identify the resonance structure which is expected to
contribute most to the resonance hybrid. Briefly explain your choice.

Contribute the MOST: the structure on the left is the best resonance structure in terms of formal charges.
Its formal charges are low (same as structure in the middle), but in this structure, the negative formal
charge is on the more electronegative nitrogen atom. This makes this structure slightly better than the one
in the middle.

© Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta (2023)

NAME:______________________________
Student ID:_________________
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2. (10 marks total) The molecule CH3COCN has the skeletal structure shown below:

(a) Complete the Lewis structure for this molecule, showing all calculations involving electron count.
Total valence electrons: 26
Skeletal structure bonds -14
Electrons remaining: 12

(b) How many sigma and pi bonds are present in the molecule?
sigma bonds = 7
pi bonds = 3
(c) List the bonds in the molecule, specifying the bonding orbitals involved in each bond (for example,
C(sp3) – C(sp3)).
sigma bonds pi bonds
3 C(sp3) – H (1s) C(2p) – O(2p)
C(sp3) – C(sp2) C(2p) – N(2p)
C(sp2) – O(sp2) C(2p) – N(2p)
C(sp2) – C(sp)
C(sp) – N(sp)

(d) Based on your final structure, circle the atoms below that would lie in the same plane. Briefly explain
your reasoning.

Two of the central carbons are sp2 and sp-

hybridized so these all lie in the same plane.

Since it is bound to the same sp2 carbon, the methyl

carbon will lie in the same plane as well. One of
the C-H bonds also lie in the plane, so one H, the
sp3 C, the sp2 C, the O, the sp C and the N all lie in
the same plane.

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NAME:______________________________
Student ID:_________________
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3. (8 marks total)
(a) (6 marks) Ionization energy for molecules can be defined in the same way as it is for atoms. Based on
the molecular orbital diagram for O2, discuss whether you would predict that the first ionization
energy for the oxygen molecule be higher, lower, or stay the same compared to the oxygen atom. Be
sure to draw and label the molecular orbital diagram for O 2 to support your answer (show all valence
MOs in the diagram).

Ionization means that an electron is removed from the molecule or atom. Comparing the energy of
the electrons in the oxygen 2p orbitals with the electrons in the oxygen molecule 2p* orbitals in the
above diagram, it is apparent that the electrons in the oxygen molecule antibonding orbital are at a
higher energy. Thus, these electrons would be easier to remove. The ionization energy for the
oxygen molecule would be expected to be lower than the ionization energy for the oxygen atom.

(b) (2 marks) Given that the first ionization energy for the O2 molecule is 1167 kJ/mol, determine the
wavelength (in nm) of light necessary to ionize an O 2 molecule.

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NAME:______________________________
Student ID:_________________
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4. (13 marks total)
(a) Nitrogen gas can be prepared by passing gaseous ammonia over solid copper (II) oxide at high
temperatures. Products of the reaction are nitrogen gas, water vapor, and solid copper.
(i) Write a balanced reaction for this process:

2 NH3 (g) + 3 CuO (s) → N2 (g) + 3 H2O (g) + 3 Cu(s)

Haber
(ii) The ammonia needed for this process is produced from the __________ process (fill in the
blank

(b) Provide the name of the element for each of the following:
Its alloys are lightweight and resistant to corrosion and are thus valuable in materials for
aluminum
transportation:_____________

boron
It is the only Group 13 element to occur as a network of covalently bonded atoms:______________

(c)
(i) On the axes below, sketch the expected general trend for atomic size as you go across the third
period from sodium to argon. Label the y axis.
R

d
a

(ii) Provide justification and reasoning for the trend you predicted in (i)
The plot shows how atomic size decreases, moving across the period. This is a trend that is
expected, based on how Zeff changes across the period. Moving across the period, a proton and
an electron are added with each element. The electrons are outer shell electrons that, despite
repulsions, shield only slightly. Thus, the shielding by the core electrons does not change. The
net effect is that the electrons experience more attraction to the nucleus and are pulled in closer,
thus atomic size decreases.

© Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta (2023)

NAME:______________________________
Student ID:_________________
(Please print)
(c) Which of the following pairs best represents the relative ionic size for KCl? Briefly explain.

B
The best pair:________________________________
Explanation:

Since Cl- has one less proton than K+, the effective nuclear charge on the outermost
electron in Cl- is smaller and hence it has a larger size than that of K+.

(d) Predict whether the first ionization energy for calcium will be greater than or less than the first
ionization energy for potassium. Justify your answer. Discuss whether you would predict the same
for the second ionization energy for these elements.

IE1 for calcium is greater than IE1 for potassium. These elements are in the same row of the
periodic table. Ionization energy increases left-to-right across a row in the periodic table because
Zeff increases. Increased Zeff means increased attraction to the nucleus and lower energy and so a
higher ionization energy.

IE2 for calcium is less then IE2 for potassium. After the first ionization, K+ is isoelectronic with
[Ar]. The second ionization of potassium would involve removal of a core electron which requires
very large amounts of energy.

© Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta (2023)