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Chemistry for Changing Times, 14e (Hill/McCreary)
Chapter 1 Chemistry
1.1 Multiple Choice Questions
1) Which science is primarily concerned with the study of matter and the changes it undergoes?
A) biology
B) chemistry
C) geology
D) physics
2) What is natural philosophy?
A) a belief in natural foods
B) an experimental approach to philosophy
C) an experimental approach to the study of nature
D) theoretical speculation about nature
3) The ancient Greek philosophers were probably the first to consider the behavior of matter in an
organized way. What is the major distinction between the “Greek philosophers” and “modern scientists”?
A) observation
B) hypotheses
C) experimentation
D) logic
4) Which developed first?
A) technology
B) chemistry
C) alchemy
D) natural philosophy
5) Chemistry is
A) the mystical search for the elixir of life.
B) the study of matter and the changes it undergoes.
C) speculation about the nature of matter.
D) none of these
6) Green chemistry uses
A) only water as a solvent.
B) materials and processes that are intended to prevent or reduce pollution at its source.
C) only grocery store bought chemicals.
D) reactions that are not heated.
7) Archaeological evidence indicates that ancient Egyptians were brewing beer and other fermented
beverages over 4000 years ago. In the mid-19th century, French scientist Louis Pasteur discovered and
explained the source of fermentation using yeast. This example illustrates that
A) scientific knowledge may come before technological knowledge.
B) technological knowledge may come before scientific knowledge.
C) science and technology mean the same thing.
D) science and technology are not related.
8) Which of the following was NOT a result of alchemy?
A) The philosopher’s stone was successfully used to change base metals, such as lead, into gold.
B) Many new chemicals were discovered.
C) Alchemists developed techniques such as distillation and extraction that are still used today.
D) Many modern chemists inherited an interest in health and medicines from the alchemists.
9) Rachel Carson was an early proponent of
A) environmental awareness.
B) conservation.
C) pesticides to improve crops.
D) using insects to improve pollination.
10) “Better Living Through Chemistry” was a slogan used
A) by morphine users.
B) by Cheech and Chong on their television series.
C) in the television show Breaking Bad each time that a batch of meth was produced.
D) at Dupont in the 1970s.
11) DDT was widely used as an insecticide during and following World War II. However, the egg shells
of birds that live in areas where DDT was used were very thin, and the young did not hatch. This is an
example of
A) Sam Kean’s book, The Disappearing Spoon.
B) Dan Schwartz’s book, No Cure for Nature.
C) George Orwell’s book, 1984.
D) Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring.
12) ________ chemistry is designed to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising
the needs of future generations.
A) Experimental
B) Green
C) Organic
D) Sustainable
13) Science is tentative, explanatory, and
A) absolute.
B) testable.
C) unpredictable.
D) mystical.
14) A scientific hypothesis is
A) absolute.
B) complex.
C) simple.
D) tentative.
15) Scientific results must be verified by
A) constructing plausible theories.
B) consulting noted scientific authorities.
C) further experiment.
D) government agencies.
16) A brief statement summarizing many observations of a physical phenomenon is called a
A) scientific theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) fact.
D) scientific law.
17) Tangible items or pictures used by scientists to represent invisible processes are called
A) theories.
B) models.
C) laws.
D) experiments.
18) Kim Chemist proposes that increasing the proportion of butadiene in her glue formulation will make
the glue stickier. Her proposal is called a(n)
A) theory.
B) experiment.
C) law.
D) hypothesis.
19) A variable
A) does not change over the course of the experiment.
B) is something that can change over the course of an experiment.
C) does not affect the outcome of an experiment.
D) can be controlled.
20) A scientific hypothesis is
A) explanatory.
B) predictive.
C) testable.
D) all of the above.
21) Which of the following is NOT true for a scientific law?
A) It summarizes observed scientific data.
B) It is often stated in mathematical terms.
C) It explains observed scientific data.
D) It is universal and will hold everywhere under the stated conditions.
22) One method of rating complexity in scientific disciplines is with respect to the number of variables
that are involved in experiments. Using this method, which of the following disciplines is the most
complex?
A) anatomy
B) chemistry
C) mathematics
D) psychology
23) The results of an experiment are easiest to interpret when the experiment has ________ variable(s).
A) 1
B) 2
C) 4
D) 10
24) Which of the following variables would be the easiest to control?
A) atmospheric air pressure
B) a teenager’s diet
C) amount of antibiotic added to a bacterial culture
D) political opinion
25) Joe conducts an experiment to test the effectiveness of a new drug for cancer. Which of the following
variables would be easiest to control?
A) amount of drug administered
B) patient’s diet
C) exposure to air pollution
D) exposure to other people
26) Which of the following variables can be most easily controlled?
A) blood pressure
B) diet
C) humidity
D) indoor temperature
27) Methapyrilene, once an active ingredient in certain over-the-counter sleeping pills, was found to be a
potent carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer). The pills were also found to be about as effective as
placebos in promoting sleep. The desirability quotient (DQ) for methapyrilene is
A) low.
B) moderate.
C) high.
D) uncertain.
28) Saccharin is used in some artificial sweeteners. Saccharin has been shown to be a very weak
carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) in animal tests, but there is little evidence of carcinogenicity in
humans. Studies have also shown that artificial sweeteners provide little benefit to those who want to
lose weight. The DQ for saccharin is
A) low.
B) moderate.
C) high.
D) uncertain.
29) The evaluation of societal risk includes all of the components of individual risk plus
A) the probability that an incident will occur.
B) the degree of severity of the incident.
C) the number of people affected by the incident.
D) the benefit associated with the incident.
30) When doing a risk-benefit analysis and determining DQ, which situation is often the most difficult to
evaluate from both an individual and societal perspective?
A) small benefit and high risk
B) large benefit and high risk
C) large benefit and low risk
D) All are equally difficult to evaluate.
31) ________ is considered by many people to play a central role among the sciences.
A) Biology
B) Chemistry
C) Geology
D) Physics
32) Which of the following statements about chemistry is NOT true?
A) Chemistry is an important component of the economy of the United States.
B) Chemistry affects every area of our daily lives.
C) Chemical products account for 10% of U.S. exports every year.
D) All of the above are true.
33) Which of the following does NOT involve chemistry?
A) creating materials for computers
B) glycolysis
C) burning of a forest
D) All of the above involve chemistry.
34) A biochemist is hired by a pharmaceutical firm to synthesize a medical remedy for cancer. This
person is engaged in
A) applied research.
B) basic research.
C) natural speculation.
D) medical technology.
35) A chemist employed by an airplane manufacturer investigates new adhesives for the purpose of
building airplanes without rivets. She is engaged in
A) alchemy.
B) applied research.
C) basic research.
D) risk-benefit analysis.
36) The woman who shared the 1988 Nobel prize in physiology and medicine and who in 1991 became
the first woman inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame was
A) Madame Curie.
B) Rachel Carson.
C) Gertrude Elion.
D) Amelia Earhart.
37) Which of the following statements about basic research is NOT correct?
A) Basic research is conducted primarily in universities and research institutes.
B) The results of basic research are often used as the basis for technological advances.
C) Basic research is carried out to develop a particular product.
D) Basic research is the search for knowledge for its own sake.
38) MRI
A) is a noninvasive diagnostic technique.
B) is nuclear magnetic resonance imaging scans of the human body.
C) has replaced many exploratory surgical operations.
D) all of the above
39) Mass is
A) the measure of the amount of space that matter occupies.
B) the measure of the amount of matter.
C) the measure of the force of gravity on matter.
D) the measure of the volume of matter.
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40) Mass is a better measure of the amount of matter than weight is because
A) mass is dependent upon location.
B) mass is independent of location.
C) mass is easier to measure.
D) mass is measured using the metric system.
41) On Mars gravity is one–third that on Earth. What would be the weight on Mars of a person who has a
weight of 150 pounds (lb) on Earth?
A) 50 lb
B) 150 lb
C) 450 lb
D) 300 lb
42) On Mars, gravity is one-third that on Earth. What would be the mass on Mars of a person who has a
mass of 90 kilograms (kg) on Earth?
A) 30 kg
B) 270 kg
C) 90 kg
D) 180 kg
43) Which of the following is a physical change?
A) Carbon combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide.
B) Ice melts at 0°C.
C) A red substance is decomposed by heat to form mercury and oxygen.
D) Water is decomposed by electricity into hydrogen and oxygen.
44) Which of the following is a chemical property?
A) Potassium reacts with water to form potassium hydroxide.
B) Sugar dissolves in water.
C) Sugar is a solid at room temperature.
D) Gasoline and water do not mix.
45) Which of these is a chemical change?
A) The hair stylist cuts your hair.
B) Bleaching powder dissolves in water.
C) Silkworms convert mulberry leaves into silk.
D) Wool is spun into yarn.
46) Which of these does NOT involve a chemical change?
A) Cocaine causes the release of norepinephrine from nerve cells.
B) Red delicious apples taste sweet.
C) Antacids often help an upset stomach.
D) Mercury is used in barometers because it has a high density.
47) A mixture of iron, salt and sand can be separated using a magnet, water, a filter and a hot plate.
Think about this separation. The separation of this mixture
A) uses only physical changes or processes.
B) uses only chemical changes or processes.
C) uses both chemical and physical changes or processes.
D) cannot be done with the materials listed.
48) A chemical change always involves a change in the ________ of matter.
A) state
B) composition
C) volume
D) temperature
49) The gravity on the moon is one-sixth that on Earth. What would be the weight of an object on Earth if
it has a weight of 40 kg on the moon?
A) 6.7 kg
B) 13.3 kg
C) 40 kg
D) 240 kg
50) On Mars, gravity is one-third that on Earth. What would be the weight on Mars of a person who has
a weight of 200 pounds (lb) on Earth?
A) 66.7 lb
B) 133 lb
C) 200 lb
D) 600 lb
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51) The gravity on Mars is one-third that on Earth. What would be the weight of an object on Earth if it
has a weight of 60 kg on Mars?
A) 10 kg
B) 20 kg
C) 60 kg
D) 180 kg
52) The physical state that retains both shape and volume is
A) solid.
B) liquid.
C) gas.
D) element.
53) A gas is characterized by a(n)
A) definite shape and definite volume.
B) definite shape and indefinite volume.
C) indefinite shape and definite volume.
D) indefinite shape and indefinite volume.
54) The label on a can of sparkling mineral water lists the following ingredients: carbonated water and
natural lime flavor. Which one of the following best classifies the beverage?
A) mixture
B) element
C) compound
D) pure substance
55) The label on a bottle of shampoo lists many ingredients, such as water, sodium laureth sulfate,
lauramide DEA, sodium chloride, etc. From this information, shampoo is best classified as
A) a pure substance.
B) an element.
C) a compound.
D) a mixture.
56) Pure water is an excellent substance for dissolving many other substances. Given this, the tap water
that you drink is best classified as a(n)
A) pure substance.
B) mixture.
C) element.
D) compound.
57) Vinegar is composed of approximately 5% acetic acid and 95% water. Which one of the following is
the best classification of vinegar?
A) pure substance
B) element
C) compound
D) mixture
58) Refined white table sugar is usually derived from either sugar cane or sugar beets. Irrespective of the
source of table sugar, after refining it always has the same composition of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Sugar is best classified as which one of the following?
A) ideal mixture
B) element
C) compound
D) mixture
59) Molasses is a by-product of the refining of sugar from sugar cane. The specific composition of
molasses varies depending upon the source of the sugar cane. Which one of the following is the best
classification of molasses?
A) pure substance
B) element
C) compound
D) mixture
60) A substance that cannot be broken down by chemical means into simpler substances is called a(n)
A) solid.
B) element.
C) compound.
D) mixture.
61) A molecule
A) is a charged atom.
B) consists of one proton.
C) is the smallest characteristic part of a compound.
D) consists of a mixture of two ions.
62) A mixture of sand and salt is a(n)
A) element.
B) heterogeneous mixture.
C) homogeneous mixture.
D) molecule.
63) Which of the following CANNOT be the chemical symbol for an element?
A) Ca
B) Se
C) B
D) H2
64) What is the chemical symbol for potassium?
A) P
B) Po
C) Pu
D) K
65) What is the chemical symbol for chromium?
A) C
B) Cr
C) Ch
D) Cm
66) What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
A) Na
B) K
C) S
D) Sm
67) What is the chemical symbol for iodine?
A) I
B) Id
C) In
D) Io
68) What is the chemical symbol for iron?
A) Fe
B) I
C) In
D) Ir
69) ________ are pure substances.
A) Homogeneous mixtures and elements
B) Elements and compounds
C) Heterogeneous mixtures and compounds
D) Homogeneous and heterogeneous compounds
70) What is the name of the element with the symbol Ag?
A) silver
B) gold
C) mercury
D) antimony
71) What is the name of the element with the symbol Hg?
A) silver
B) gold
C) mercury
D) antimony
72) What is the name of the element with the symbol Au?
A) silver
B) gold
C) plutonium
D) nickel
73) Which of the following represents an element?
A) HF
B) Se
C) F2
D) CO2
74) Which of the following represents a compound?
A) Co
B) Mn
C) CO2
D) Na