A LEVEL CHEMISTRY B (SALTERS):
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY FINAL
TEST 2026 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What is chemistry?.
Answer: The study of matter and the changes it undergoes.
◍ What are the key steps in the scientific method?.
Answer: Hypothesis, experiment, scientific law, scientific theory.
◍ 2 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Linear180°e.g. BeCl2
◍ 3 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Trigonal Planar120°e.g. BF3
◍ 2 bond pairs, 1 lone pair.
Answer: Bent118°e.g. NO2
◍ 4 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Tetrahedral109.5°e.g. CH4
◍ 3 bond pairs, 1 lone pair.
Answer: Pyramid107°e.g. NH4
◍ What is a hypothesis?.
Answer: A proposed explanation for a phenomenon, to be tested through
experimentation.
◍ 2 bond pairs, 2 lone pairs.
Answer: Bent104.5°e.g. H2O
,◍ 5 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Trigonal Bipyramid120°,90°e.g. PCl5
◍ 6 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Octahedral90°e.g. SF6
◍ What differentiates a scientific law from a scientific theory?.
Answer: A scientific law describes a consistent observation, while a
scientific theory explains why those observations occur.
◍ In 1803 John Dalton said....
Answer: That all atoms are SPHERES and all elements are made from
different spheres
◍ Plum pudding model.
Answer: In 1897 J.J Thompson discovered the electron and said there were
negative electrons "plums" in a positive "pudding"
◍ Gold Leaf Experiment.
Answer: 1909, Ernest Rutherford.Fired positive alpha particles at gold leaf.
Most went through to other side, some deflected back. He concluded that the
atom had a very small positively charged nucleus and a negative cloud of
empty space.
◍ What is scientific notation?.
Answer: A method to express numbers compactly, using a decimal part and
an exponential part.
◍ Electron shell discovery.
Answer: 1913, Niels Bohr.Found a problem with previous model (electrons
would collapse into positive nucleus). He fired EM radiation at atoms EM is
absorbed by electrons and they move up an energy level and emit it when
they drop back down.
◍ Nuclear fusion.
Answer: -2 nuclei fuse together to make a heavier molecule -happens in the
sun and other stars-needs VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES AND
, PRESSURES to overcome repulsive forces. E.g. H+H -> He
◍ s subshell.
Answer: 1 orbital, can hold 2 electrons
◍ How is a positive exponent in scientific notation interpreted?.
Answer: It indicates 1 multiplied by 10 raised to the exponent, adding that
many zeros.
◍ p subshell.
Answer: 3 orbitals, can hold 6 electrons
◍ Convert 102 to standard notation..
Answer: 100
◍ d subshell.
Answer: 5 orbitals, can hold 10 electrons
◍ f subshell.
Answer: 7 orbitals, can hold 14 electrons
◍ Spin pairing.
Answer: When 2 electrons occupy 1 orbital they 'spin' in opposite directions
◍ Convert 103 to standard notation..
Answer: 1,000
◍ S orbital shape.
Answer: Spherical
◍ What does a negative exponent in scientific notation indicate?.
Answer: It indicates 1 divided by 10 raised to the exponent, moving the
decimal left.
◍ P orbital shape.
Answer: Px, Py and Pz
◍ Convert 10−2 to standard notation..
Answer: 0.01
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY FINAL
TEST 2026 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What is chemistry?.
Answer: The study of matter and the changes it undergoes.
◍ What are the key steps in the scientific method?.
Answer: Hypothesis, experiment, scientific law, scientific theory.
◍ 2 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Linear180°e.g. BeCl2
◍ 3 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Trigonal Planar120°e.g. BF3
◍ 2 bond pairs, 1 lone pair.
Answer: Bent118°e.g. NO2
◍ 4 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Tetrahedral109.5°e.g. CH4
◍ 3 bond pairs, 1 lone pair.
Answer: Pyramid107°e.g. NH4
◍ What is a hypothesis?.
Answer: A proposed explanation for a phenomenon, to be tested through
experimentation.
◍ 2 bond pairs, 2 lone pairs.
Answer: Bent104.5°e.g. H2O
,◍ 5 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Trigonal Bipyramid120°,90°e.g. PCl5
◍ 6 bond pairs, 0 lone pairs.
Answer: Octahedral90°e.g. SF6
◍ What differentiates a scientific law from a scientific theory?.
Answer: A scientific law describes a consistent observation, while a
scientific theory explains why those observations occur.
◍ In 1803 John Dalton said....
Answer: That all atoms are SPHERES and all elements are made from
different spheres
◍ Plum pudding model.
Answer: In 1897 J.J Thompson discovered the electron and said there were
negative electrons "plums" in a positive "pudding"
◍ Gold Leaf Experiment.
Answer: 1909, Ernest Rutherford.Fired positive alpha particles at gold leaf.
Most went through to other side, some deflected back. He concluded that the
atom had a very small positively charged nucleus and a negative cloud of
empty space.
◍ What is scientific notation?.
Answer: A method to express numbers compactly, using a decimal part and
an exponential part.
◍ Electron shell discovery.
Answer: 1913, Niels Bohr.Found a problem with previous model (electrons
would collapse into positive nucleus). He fired EM radiation at atoms EM is
absorbed by electrons and they move up an energy level and emit it when
they drop back down.
◍ Nuclear fusion.
Answer: -2 nuclei fuse together to make a heavier molecule -happens in the
sun and other stars-needs VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES AND
, PRESSURES to overcome repulsive forces. E.g. H+H -> He
◍ s subshell.
Answer: 1 orbital, can hold 2 electrons
◍ How is a positive exponent in scientific notation interpreted?.
Answer: It indicates 1 multiplied by 10 raised to the exponent, adding that
many zeros.
◍ p subshell.
Answer: 3 orbitals, can hold 6 electrons
◍ Convert 102 to standard notation..
Answer: 100
◍ d subshell.
Answer: 5 orbitals, can hold 10 electrons
◍ f subshell.
Answer: 7 orbitals, can hold 14 electrons
◍ Spin pairing.
Answer: When 2 electrons occupy 1 orbital they 'spin' in opposite directions
◍ Convert 103 to standard notation..
Answer: 1,000
◍ S orbital shape.
Answer: Spherical
◍ What does a negative exponent in scientific notation indicate?.
Answer: It indicates 1 divided by 10 raised to the exponent, moving the
decimal left.
◍ P orbital shape.
Answer: Px, Py and Pz
◍ Convert 10−2 to standard notation..
Answer: 0.01
