Practice Questions (Unit 9: Cells and Laboratory Methods)
Use the concepts from Unit 9 to answer the following questions. Select the best answer for each multiple-choice question.
Question 1:
In a Zn–Cu voltaic cell with [Cu²⁺] = 1.0 M and [Zn²⁺] = 1.0 M, the standard cell potential is 1.10 V. Which change will increase the cell potential above 1.10 V?
- (A) Decreasing [Cu²⁺] to 0.10 M while [Zn²⁺] remains 1.0 M
- (B) Decreasing [Zn²⁺] to 0.10 M while [Cu²⁺] remains 1.0 M
- (C) Keeping [Zn²⁺] and [Cu²⁺] both at 1.0 M
- (D) Lowering both [Zn²⁺] and [Cu²⁺] to 0.10 M
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 2:
For the electrolysis of molten NaCl (2NaCl → 2Na + Cl₂), which statement is correct?
- (A) Na⁺ ions are reduced to Na metal at the cathode, and Cl₂ gas forms at the anode.
- (B) Cl⁻ ions are reduced at the cathode, producing Cl₂ gas.
- (C) The process is spontaneous and requires no external voltage.
- (D) Electrons flow from cathode to anode spontaneously.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 3:
Why is an external power source required in the electrolysis of molten NaCl?
- (A) Because the overall reaction is non-spontaneous (ΔG > 0), requiring input energy.
- (B) Because NaCl has a high boiling point that must be maintained.
- (C) To pump electrons with higher kinetic energy for faster deposition.
- (D) Because ΔH is positive and the process absorbs heat.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 4:
A student needs to prepare 100 mL of 1.00 M NaCl solution. Which procedure is correct?
- (A) Weigh 5.85 g NaCl, dissolve in water, and dilute to 100 mL in a volumetric flask.
- (B) Pour 100 mL of water into NaCl until fully saturated.
- (C) Weigh 1.00 g NaCl and dissolve it in exactly 100 mL of water.
- (D) Use any volume of NaCl and dilute until clear solution is obtained.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 5:
According to Beer’s Law (A = abc), if the concentration of a dye solution is doubled while keeping path length constant, what happens to the absorbance?
- (A) It decreases by half.
- (B) It remains constant.
- (C) It doubles.
- (D) It quadruples.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (C)
Question 6:
In paper chromatography with water as the solvent, substance D travels the farthest compared to A, B, and C. What does this indicate about substance D?
- (A) It has the strongest affinity for the stationary phase.
- (B) It is least soluble in water.
- (C) It has the greatest affinity for the mobile phase (water).
- (D) It reacts chemically with the solvent.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (C)
Question 7:
Which method would you use to separate a mixture of sand (insoluble) and dissolved salt in water?
- (A) Filtration to separate sand, followed by evaporation to obtain solid salt.
- (B) Distillation only.
- (C) Chromatography.
- (D) Filtration alone is sufficient for both.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 8:
A galvanic cell is built using a Zn electrode in 1.0 M Zn²⁺ solution and a Cu electrode in 1.0 M Cu²⁺ solution. Which statement is correct about this cell?
- (A) Electrons flow from the Cu electrode to the Zn electrode.
- (B) Zn is oxidized at the anode, and Cu²⁺ is reduced at the cathode.
- (C) The Cu electrode is the anode, and Zn²⁺ is reduced at the cathode.
- (D) No electron flow occurs because the two metals have the same potential.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 9:
Which of the following statements correctly explains why electrolysis is considered non-spontaneous?
- (A) Because the reaction requires heat input instead of electricity.
- (B) Because ΔG for the overall process is positive, requiring external electrical energy.
- (C) Because ions cannot move freely in molten salts.
- (D) Because the electrodes are consumed too quickly.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 10:
A student prepares 500 mL of 0.10 M H₂SO₄ using concentrated H₂SO₄. Which is the correct procedure?
- (A) Pour 25 mL of concentrated acid directly into 500 mL of water.
- (B) Add acid to water slowly in a volumetric flask until the volume reaches 500 mL.
- (C) Add water into concentrated acid carefully until 500 mL is reached.
- (D) Mix acid and water in any order as long as the ratio is correct.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 11:
During electroplating, which factor directly determines the mass of metal deposited on the cathode?
- (A) The size of the electrodes.
- (B) The current and the time of electrolysis (q = It).
- (C) The color of the electrolyte solution.
- (D) The atmospheric pressure during the process.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 12:
In a reactivity series test, metal X does not displace Y²⁺ from solution but displaces Z²⁺. Which is the correct order of reduction potential (from highest to lowest)?
- (A) Y²⁺ > X²⁺ > Z²⁺
- (B) X²⁺ > Y²⁺ > Z²⁺
- (C) Z²⁺ > Y²⁺ > X²⁺
- (D) X²⁺ > Z²⁺ > Y²⁺
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 13:
In Beer’s Law (A = abc), which parameter represents the path length of the cuvette?
- (A) a
- (B) b
- (C) c
- (D) A
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 14:
Which separation technique would best separate a liquid mixture of ethanol and water?
- (A) Filtration
- (B) Distillation based on boiling point differences
- (C) Paper chromatography
- (D) Evaporation to dryness
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 15:
In a voltaic cell, why does the salt bridge contain both cations and anions?
- (A) To provide a source of additional reactants for the electrodes.
- (B) To maintain electrical neutrality in each half-cell as the reaction proceeds.
- (C) To increase the overall voltage of the cell.
- (D) To allow electrons to flow directly between the two half-cells.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 16:
In a voltaic cell, the anode is always the site of:
- (A) Oxidation
- (B) Reduction
- (C) Neutralization
- (D) Electron gain
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 17:
Which factor does not affect the measured cell potential of a voltaic cell?
- (A) Concentrations of ions in each half-cell
- (B) Temperature of the system
- (C) The metal used as electrodes
- (D) The color of the electrode material
View Answer
Correct Answer: (D)
Question 18:
During electrolysis of molten MgCl₂, which products form at the cathode and anode?
- (A) Mg at the cathode, Cl₂ at the anode
- (B) Cl₂ at the cathode, Mg at the anode
- (C) H₂ at the cathode, O₂ at the anode
- (D) Only Mg forms at both electrodes
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 19:
Which condition increases the likelihood of a spontaneous redox reaction between two metals?
- (A) A large difference in their reduction potentials
- (B) Identical reduction potentials
- (C) High temperature only
- (D) The use of inert electrodes
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 20:
A salt bridge in a galvanic cell is necessary to:
- (A) Prevent mixing of the two solutions
- (B) Maintain electrical neutrality in each half-cell
- (C) Provide a pathway for electron transfer
- (D) Increase the measured voltage
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 21:
In preparing a standard solution, why must the solute be completely dissolved before diluting to the mark?
- (A) To ensure the final concentration is accurate
- (B) To prevent bubbles forming in the flask
- (C) To avoid changing the solute’s color
- (D) To reduce the vapor pressure of the solvent
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 22:
Which of the following is the best method to separate a mixture of oil and water?
- (A) Filtration
- (B) Decantation or separatory funnel
- (C) Distillation using a paper wick
- (D) Paper chromatography
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 23:
If the concentration of Cu²⁺ in a Cu–Zn cell increases, what happens to the cell voltage?
- (A) It decreases
- (B) It increases
- (C) It remains the same
- (D) It drops to zero immediately
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 24:
In Beer’s Law, which combination would cause absorbance (A) to increase?
- (A) Lower molar absorptivity and shorter path length
- (B) Higher concentration and longer path length
- (C) Lower concentration and shorter path length
- (D) Diluted solution in a thin cuvette
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 25:
A student filters a mixture of sand and salt solution. What will be collected in the filtrate?
- (A) Only sand
- (B) Only pure water
- (C) Dissolved salt solution
- (D) Both sand and dissolved salt
View Answer
Correct Answer: (C)
Question 26:
In a galvanic cell, electrons always flow:
- (A) From cathode to anode through the external circuit
- (B) From anode to cathode through the external circuit
- (C) From salt bridge to electrodes
- (D) Randomly between both electrodes
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 27:
Which process is used to obtain pure copper from impure copper using an electrolytic cell?
- (A) Electrorefining
- (B) Electroplating
- (C) Distillation
- (D) Chromatography
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 28:
Which of the following statements correctly describes an electrolytic cell?
- (A) It produces electrical energy from a spontaneous reaction.
- (B) It requires an external power source to drive a non-spontaneous reaction.
- (C) It does not involve electron transfer.
- (D) It is identical in principle to a galvanic cell.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 29:
Why must a buret be rinsed with the titrant solution before starting a titration?
- (A) To prevent dilution of the titrant by residual water
- (B) To sterilize the glassware
- (C) To warm the buret for better flow
- (D) To reduce surface tension of the liquid
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 30:
Which laboratory technique would best separate a solid precipitate from a liquid after a reaction?
- (A) Filtration
- (B) Distillation
- (C) Paper chromatography
- (D) Decantation
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 31:
In a Zn–Cu voltaic cell, which statement is correct about the direction of ion flow through the salt bridge?
- (A) Cations flow into the Zn half-cell; anions flow into the Cu half-cell.
- (B) Cations flow into the Cu half-cell; anions flow into the Zn half-cell.
- (C) Only cations move between half-cells.
- (D) Only anions move between half-cells.
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 32:
Which of the following laboratory practices ensures the most accurate concentration of a prepared standard solution?
- (A) Using a graduated cylinder to measure the solvent
- (B) Using a volumetric flask to dilute to the calibration mark
- (C) Using a beaker to approximate the final volume
- (D) Adding excess solvent for convenience
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 33:
In a galvanic cell, which change would cause the cell voltage to decrease?
- (A) Increasing [Cu²⁺]
- (B) Decreasing [Cu²⁺]
- (C) Decreasing [Zn²⁺]
- (D) Using a larger salt bridge
View Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Question 34:
Which factor directly influences the wavelength of maximum absorbance in a spectrophotometric experiment?
- (A) The identity of the solute (its electronic structure)
- (B) The path length of the cuvette
- (C) The concentration of the solution
- (D) The calibration of the balance used
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Question 35:
Which of the following is the safest procedure when diluting concentrated sulfuric acid?
- (A) Slowly add acid to water with constant stirring
- (B) Slowly add water to acid with constant stirring
- (C) Add both together rapidly in a large beaker
- (D) Mix equal parts water and acid simultaneously
View Answer
Correct Answer: (A)