Chapter 1
Multiple Choice Questions:
Topic: General
Section: Intro
Difficulty Level: Easy
1. Chemical reactions occur as a result of:
A) Attraction between opposite charges
B) Nucleus–Nucleus interactions
C) Motion of electrons
D) Like atoms interacting
E) Combining two chemicals
2. Credit for the first synthesis of an organic compound from an inorganic precursor is
generally ascribed to:
A) Berzelius
B) Arrhenius
C) Kekulé
D) Wöhler
E) Lewis
3. What was long thought to be the difference between inorganic and organic
compounds?
A) The number of atoms
B) The synthesis of organic compounds required a vital force
C) The molecular weight
D) Inorganic compounds exhibited a strong nuclear force
E) Inorganic compounds were composed exclusively of transition metals
5. Constitutional isomers may not differ in what aspects?
A) Physical properties
B) Atomic connectivity
C) Molecular formula
D) Name
E) Constitution
7. Carbon generally forms four bonds and is considered:
A) Tetravalent
B) Divalent
C) Trivalent
D) Monovalent
E) Qudravalent
8. A polar covalent bond is found in which of these compounds?
A) H2O
B) F2
C) NaCl
D) H2
E) N2
11. Considering atoms with no formal charge, which statement best describes the
valence of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen?
A) Carbon: two bonds, zero lone pairs; nitrogen: three bonds, two lone pairs
B) Oxygen: two bonds, two lone pairs; nitrogen: three bonds, one lone pair
C) Carbon: three bonds, one lone pair; oxygen: two bonds, two lone pairs
D) Carbon: four bonds, zero lone pairs; nitrogen: two bonds, two lone pairs
E) Oxygen: three bonds, one lone pair; nitrogen: two bonds, two lone pairs
12. The theory of matter’s conceptual foundation involved contributions from:
A) Friedrich Wöhler
B) August Kekulé
C) Archibald Scott Couper and Alexander M. Butlerov
D) A and C
E) B and C
13. What force is not taken into account in the formation of a covalent bond?
A) Repulsion between two positively charged nuclei
B) Repulsion between electron clouds on individual atoms
C) Force of attraction between positively charged nuclei and electrons
D) Repulsion of electrons by neutrons
E) All forces listed are involved in forming a covalent bond
19. In which of the following does the central atom have 2 pairs of non–bonding
electrons?
A) O3
B) CO2
C) CO3 2–
D) NH4+
E) H2S
32. The bonding pattern of nitrogen with a formal charge of +1 could be described as:
A) One lone pair of electrons and three bonds
B) Two lone pairs of electrons and two bonds
C) Three lone pairs of electrons and one bond
D) Zero lone pairs of electrons and three bonds
E) Zero lone pairs of electrons and four bonds
33. In ammonium, nitrogen has a valence of 4, and zero nonbonding electrons. What is
the correct formal charge of nitrogen with 4 covalent bonds?
A) –2
B) –1
C) 0
D) +1
E) +2
38. The bonding pattern of oxygen with a formal charge of –1 could be described as:
A) One lone pair of electrons and three single bonds
B) Two lone pairs of electrons and two single bonds
C) Three lone pairs of electrons, and one single bond
D) One lone pair of electrons, one single, and one double bond
E) Zero lone pairs, and two single and one double bond
39. Select the least electronegative element from the list below:
A) B
B) C
C) N
D) O
E) F
40. Select the most electronegative element from the list below:
A) O
B) N
C) C
D) B
E) H
41. Select the least electronegative element from the list below:
A) P
B) N
C) Mg
D) Si
E) K
42. Select the most electronegative element from the list below:
A) N
B) P
C) O
D) S
E) F
44. What is the correct order of increasing electronegativity for Rb, F, and O?
A) Rb < F < O
B) Rb < O < F
C) O < F < Rb
D) F < Rb < O
E) The order cannot be determined
45. Select the series of atoms that is correctly arranged in order of increasing
electronegativity.
A) C < N < B < Br
B) P < N < As < F
C) Li < B < N < F
D) Cl < Cs < C < Co
E) Be < B < Ba < Br
46. The electronegativity of elements on the periodic table tends to increase in what
manner?
A) From left to right, top to bottom
B) From right to left, bottom to top
C) From left to right, bottom to top
D) From right to left, top to bottom
E) All the atoms have the same electronegativity
47. The Cl–Cl bond of chlorine is best described how?
A) Nonpolar covalent
B) Polar covalent
C) Ionic
D) Coordinate covalent
E) Bonds do not form between chlorine atoms
52. Based on electronegativity, which of the compounds below has a partial negative
(–) charge on the bonded hydrogen atom?
A) BH3
B) CH4
C) NH3
D) H2O
E) CH4
53. How is the full electron configuration of phosphorous represented?
A) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 3p4
B) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
C) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3
D) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p2
E) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5
54. What is the electronic configuration for the nitride ion, N3–?
A) 1s2 2s2 2p0
B) 1s2 2s2 2p2
C) 1s2 2s22p3
D) 1s2 2s22p4
E) 1s2 2s2 2p6
55. The atomic number of nitrogen is 7. The correct ground-state electronic
configuration of nitrogen is:
A) 1s2 2s1 2p4
B) 1s2 2p5
C) 1s2 2s2 2p3
D) 2s2 2p5
E) 1s2 2s2 3s3
57. How many distinct p orbitals exist in the second electron shell?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
E) 6
58. Which of the following elements does this electronic configuration represent?
1s2 2s2 2p5
A) F
B) C
C) N
D) Al
E) O
59. Which element has the electron configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5?
A) Oxygen
B) Fluorine
C) Sulfur
D) Chlorine
E) Bromine
60. The electron configuration of a carbon atom has how many electrons unpaired?
A) none
B) one
C) two
D) three
E) four
61. Orbitals that are equivalent in energy are referred to as:
A) quantum
B) antibonding
C) bonding
D) degenerate
E) LUMO
63. The electrons of carbon are best described as found in which orbitals?
A) Three s electrons; Three p electrons
B) Two 1s electrons; Four 2p electrons
C) Two 1s electrons; Two 2s electrons; Two 2p electrons
D) Two 1s electrons; Two 2s electrons; Four 2p electrons
E) None of these choices are correct.
64. Which element in the second row of the periodic table has six valence electrons and
a valence of two?
A) Boron
B) Carbon
C) Nitrogen
D) Oxygen
E) None have a valence of two
65. The ground state electron configuration of carbon is:
A) 1s2 2s2 2px1
B) 1s2 2s2 2px2
C) 1s2 2s2 2px1 2py1
D) 1s2 2s2 2px2 2py1
E) 1s2 2s1 2px1 2py1 2pz1
66. Which principle states that each orbital may hold a maximum of 2 electrons with
opposite spins?
A) aufbau principle
B) Pauli exclusion principle
C) Hund’s rule principle
D) LeChâtelier principle
E) uncertainty principle
67. Which principle(s) or rule must be used to determine the correct electronic
configuration for any atom in its ground state?
A) Aufbau Principle
B) Hund’s Rule
C) Pauli Exclusion Principle
D) (A) and (B) only
E) All three
68. In quantum mechanics a node (nodal surface or plane) is:
A) a place where
is negative.
B) a place where
is positive.
C) a place where
= 0.
D) a place where
2 is large.
E) a place where
2 is negative.
69. All single bonds can be classified as:
A) nonpolar covalent.
B) polar covalent.
C) ionic.
D) bonds.
E) π bonds.
70. What is the result when waves interfere constructively?
A) A wave with larger amplitude
B) A wave with smaller amplitude
C) Cancellation of both waves
D) Formation of a node
E) Destructive interference
71. The electron density of what bonding type has spherical symmetry?
A)
B)
C)
D) Covalent
E) Ionic
72. In molecular orbital (MO) theory, the molecular orbital of highest energy that is
occupied with an electron is referred to as:
A) degenerate.
B) the LCAO.
C) the LUMO.
D) the HOMO.
E) antibonding.
73. The difference between valence bond theory and molecular orbital (MO) theory is:
A) valence bond theory requires the linear combination of atomic orbitals.
B) MO theory is more simplistic in its treatment of bonds.
C) valence bond theory considers only individual atomic orbitals.
D) A and B are correct
E) B and C are correct
74. When the 1s orbitals of two hydrogen atoms combine to form a hydrogen molecule,
how many molecular orbitals are formed?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5
75. When the 1s orbitals of two hydrogen atoms combine to form a hydrogen molecule,
which molecular orbitals are formed?
A) One bonding molecular orbital only
B) Two bonding molecular orbitals
C) One bonding molecular orbital and one antibonding molecular orbital
D) Two antibonding molecular orbitals
E) Three bonding molecular orbitals
76. When the 1s orbitals of two hydrogen atoms combine to form a hydrogen molecule,
how are the electrons distributed in the resulting molecular orbitals?
A) 2 electrons in the bonding molecular orbital
B) 1 electron in the bonding molecular orbital, 1 electron in the non–bonding
molecular orbital
C) 1 electron in the bonding molecular orbital, 1 electron in the antibonding
molecular orbital
D) 2 electrons in the non–bonding molecular orbital
E) 2 electrons in the antibonding molecular orbital
77. For a bond forming reaction involving donation of electrons between atoms,
electron density is transferred into which molecular orbital of the accepting atom?
A) s orbital
B) p orbital
C) d orbital
D) HOMO
E) LUMO
78. When two hydrogen 1s atomic orbitals of the same phase interact, which of the
statements below is incorrect?
A) A sigma bonding molecular orbital is formed.
B) The bonding molecular orbital formed is lower in energy than a hydrogen
1s atomic orbital.
C) The bonding molecular orbital formed has a node between the atoms.
D) The bonding molecular orbital formed is cylindrically symmetric.
E) A maximum of two electrons may occupy the bonding molecular orbital.
86. Identify the atomic orbitals in the C–C sigma () bond in ethyne, H–C≡C–H.
A) (sp2, sp2)
B) (sp3, sp3)
C) (sp, sp)
D) (p, p)
E) (sp, s)