Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
1. Which one of the following is a “substance” in the sense of the word as used in your
textbook?
A) air B) tap water C) sea water D) water E) toothpaste
Ans: D Difficulty: E
2. Select the best statement.
A) Physical changes may be reversed by changing the temperature.
B) Physical changes alter the composition of the substances involved.
C) Physical properties are not valid characteristics for identifying a substance.
D) Physical properties are mostly extensive in nature.
E) Physical changes are usually accompanied by chemical changes.
Ans: A Difficulty: E
3. Select the best statement.
A) Chemical changes provide the only valid basis for identification of a substance.
B) Chemical changes are easily reversed by altering the temperature of the system.
C) Chemical changes always produce substances different from the starting
materials.
D) Chemical changes are associated primarily with extensive properties.
E) Chemical changes are accompanied by changes in the total mass of the substances
involved.
Ans: C Difficulty: E
4. Which of the following is a chemical change?
A) boiling of water D) condensing water vapor into rainfall
B) melting wax E) carving a piece of wood
C) broiling a steak on a grill
Ans: C Difficulty: E
5. Water vapor is less dense than ice because
A) molecules in the gas phase are in constant motion.
B) molecules in the gas phase have more potential energy than in solids.
C) molecules in the gas phase have more kinetic energy than in solids.
D) gaseous molecules have less mass.
E) molecules in the gas phase have more space between them than in solids.
Ans: E Difficulty: M
Page 1
, Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
6. During the swing of a frictionless pendulum, what energy form(s) remain constant?
A) kinetic energy only
B) potential energy only
C) both kinetic energy and potential energy
D) kinetic plus potential energy
E) None of the above forms remains constant.
Ans: D Difficulty: H
7. The most significant contribution to modern science made by alchemists was
A) their fundamental work in the transmutation of the elements.
B) their widespread acceptance of observation and experimentation.
C) their systematic method of naming substances.
D) their understanding of the nature of chemical reactions.
E) their discovery of phlogiston.
Ans: B Difficulty: M
8. Select the best statement about chemistry before 1800.
A) Alchemy focused on objective experimentation rather than mystical explanations
of processes.
B) The phlogiston theory laid a valuable theoretical basis for modern chemistry.
C) Lavoisier's quantitative work on the role of oxygen in combustion was the
beginning of modern chemistry.
D) The interpretation of data by alchemists was not biased by their overall view of
life.
E) Alchemists failed because they did not develop any practical chemical methods.
Ans: C Difficulty: M
9. Which of the following activities is not a part of good science?
A) proposing a theory D) designing experiments
B) developing a hypothesis E) indulging in speculation
C) making quantitative observations
Ans: E Difficulty: E
10. A scientist made careful measurements of the pressure and temperature of many
different gases. Based on these measurements, he concluded that “the pressure of a fixed
amount of gas, measured at constant volume, is directly proportional to its absolute
temperature.” This statement is best described as a
A) theory. B) hypothesis. C) law. D) experiment. E) definition.
Ans: C Difficulty: M
11. A dictionary has the following definition for a word: “A tentative explanation that
accounts for a set of facts.” Which of the following words best fits that definition?
A) theory B) hypothesis C) law D) experiment E) definition
Ans: B Difficulty: M
Page 2
, Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
12. A detailed explanation of natural phenomena that is generally accepted and has been
extensively tested is called a
A) theory. B) hypothesis. C) law. D) fact. E) postulate.
Ans: A Difficulty: M
13. The distance between carbon atoms in ethylene is 134 picometers. Which of the
following expresses that distance in meters?
A) 1.34 × 10–13 m D) 1.34 × 10–7 m
–12
B) 1.34 × 10 m E) 1.34 × 10–6 m
C) 1.34 × 10–10 m
Ans: C Difficulty: E
14. The average distance from Earth to the Sun is 150 megameters. What is that distance in
meters?
A) 1.5 × 108 m D) 1.5 × 103 m
B) 1.5 × 106 m E) 1.5 × 10–6 m
5
C) 1.5 × 10 m
Ans: A Difficulty: E
15. The mass of a sample is 550 milligrams. Which of the following expresses that mass in
kilograms?
A) 5.5 × 108 kg D) 5.5 × 10–6 kg
B) 5.5 × 105 kg E) 5.5 × 10–1 kg
–4
C) 5.5 × 10 kg
Ans: C Difficulty: E
16. A dose of medication was prescribed to be 35 microliters. Which of the following
expresses that volume in centiliters?
A) 3.5 × 105 cL D) 3.5 × 10–4 cL
B) 3.5 × 104 cL E) 3.5 × 10–3 cL
C) 3.5 cL
Ans: E Difficulty: E
17. Which of the following represents the largest volume?
A) 10,000 µL B) 1000 pL C) 100 mL D) 10 nL E) 10 cm3
Ans: C Difficulty: M
18. You prepare 1000. mL of tea and transfer it to a 1.00 quart pitcher for storage. Which of
the following statements is true?
A) The pitcher will be filled to 100% of its capacity with no tea spilled.
B) The pitcher will be filled to about 95% of its capacity.
C) The pitcher will be filled to about 50% of its capacity.
D) The pitcher will be completely filled and a small amount of tea will overflow.
E) The pitcher will be completely filled and most of the tea will overflow.
Ans: D Difficulty: M
Page 3
, Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
19. In an average year, the American chemical industry produces more than 9.5 million
metric tons of sodium carbonate. Over half of this is used in the manufacture of glass
while another third is used in the production of detergents and other chemicals. How
many pounds of sodium carbonate are produced annually?
A) 2.1 × 1010 lb D) 2.2 × 106 lb
9
B) 4.3 × 10 lb E) 2.1 × 104 lb
C) 1.1 × 107 lb
Ans: D Difficulty: M
20. A large pizza has a diameter of 15 inches. Express this diameter in centimeters.
A) 38 cm B) 24 cm C) 18 cm D) 9.3 cm E) 5.9 cm
Ans: A Difficulty: M
21. The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 240,000 miles. Express this
distance in kilometers.
A) 6.1 × 105 km D) 1.5 × 105 km
5
B) 5.3 × 10 km E) 9.4 × 104 km
5
C) 3.9 × 10 km
Ans: A Difficulty: E
22. The area of a 15-inch pizza is 176.7 in2. Express this area in square centimeters.
A) 1140. cm2 B) 448.8 cm2 C) 96.8 cm2 D) 69.57 cm2 E) 27.39 cm2
Ans: C Difficulty: M
23. The speed needed to escape the pull of Earth's gravity is 11.3 km/s. What is this speed in
mi/h?
A) 65,500 mi/h D) 1,090 mi/h
B) 25,300 mi/h E) 5.02 × 10–3 mi/h
C) 18,200 mi/h
Ans: A Difficulty: M
24. The density of mercury, the only metal to exist as a liquid at room temperature, is 13.6
g/cm3. What is that density in pounds per cubic inch?
A) 849 lb/in3 D) 0.491 lb/in3
3
B) 491 lb/in E) 1.83 × 10–3 lb/in3
C) 376 lb/in3
Ans: D Difficulty: M
25. Given that 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 cm3 is equal to
A) 16.4 in3. B) 6.45 in3. C) 0.394 in3. D) 0.155 in3. E) 0.0610 in3.
Ans: E Difficulty: M
Page 4
1. Which one of the following is a “substance” in the sense of the word as used in your
textbook?
A) air B) tap water C) sea water D) water E) toothpaste
Ans: D Difficulty: E
2. Select the best statement.
A) Physical changes may be reversed by changing the temperature.
B) Physical changes alter the composition of the substances involved.
C) Physical properties are not valid characteristics for identifying a substance.
D) Physical properties are mostly extensive in nature.
E) Physical changes are usually accompanied by chemical changes.
Ans: A Difficulty: E
3. Select the best statement.
A) Chemical changes provide the only valid basis for identification of a substance.
B) Chemical changes are easily reversed by altering the temperature of the system.
C) Chemical changes always produce substances different from the starting
materials.
D) Chemical changes are associated primarily with extensive properties.
E) Chemical changes are accompanied by changes in the total mass of the substances
involved.
Ans: C Difficulty: E
4. Which of the following is a chemical change?
A) boiling of water D) condensing water vapor into rainfall
B) melting wax E) carving a piece of wood
C) broiling a steak on a grill
Ans: C Difficulty: E
5. Water vapor is less dense than ice because
A) molecules in the gas phase are in constant motion.
B) molecules in the gas phase have more potential energy than in solids.
C) molecules in the gas phase have more kinetic energy than in solids.
D) gaseous molecules have less mass.
E) molecules in the gas phase have more space between them than in solids.
Ans: E Difficulty: M
Page 1
, Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
6. During the swing of a frictionless pendulum, what energy form(s) remain constant?
A) kinetic energy only
B) potential energy only
C) both kinetic energy and potential energy
D) kinetic plus potential energy
E) None of the above forms remains constant.
Ans: D Difficulty: H
7. The most significant contribution to modern science made by alchemists was
A) their fundamental work in the transmutation of the elements.
B) their widespread acceptance of observation and experimentation.
C) their systematic method of naming substances.
D) their understanding of the nature of chemical reactions.
E) their discovery of phlogiston.
Ans: B Difficulty: M
8. Select the best statement about chemistry before 1800.
A) Alchemy focused on objective experimentation rather than mystical explanations
of processes.
B) The phlogiston theory laid a valuable theoretical basis for modern chemistry.
C) Lavoisier's quantitative work on the role of oxygen in combustion was the
beginning of modern chemistry.
D) The interpretation of data by alchemists was not biased by their overall view of
life.
E) Alchemists failed because they did not develop any practical chemical methods.
Ans: C Difficulty: M
9. Which of the following activities is not a part of good science?
A) proposing a theory D) designing experiments
B) developing a hypothesis E) indulging in speculation
C) making quantitative observations
Ans: E Difficulty: E
10. A scientist made careful measurements of the pressure and temperature of many
different gases. Based on these measurements, he concluded that “the pressure of a fixed
amount of gas, measured at constant volume, is directly proportional to its absolute
temperature.” This statement is best described as a
A) theory. B) hypothesis. C) law. D) experiment. E) definition.
Ans: C Difficulty: M
11. A dictionary has the following definition for a word: “A tentative explanation that
accounts for a set of facts.” Which of the following words best fits that definition?
A) theory B) hypothesis C) law D) experiment E) definition
Ans: B Difficulty: M
Page 2
, Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
12. A detailed explanation of natural phenomena that is generally accepted and has been
extensively tested is called a
A) theory. B) hypothesis. C) law. D) fact. E) postulate.
Ans: A Difficulty: M
13. The distance between carbon atoms in ethylene is 134 picometers. Which of the
following expresses that distance in meters?
A) 1.34 × 10–13 m D) 1.34 × 10–7 m
–12
B) 1.34 × 10 m E) 1.34 × 10–6 m
C) 1.34 × 10–10 m
Ans: C Difficulty: E
14. The average distance from Earth to the Sun is 150 megameters. What is that distance in
meters?
A) 1.5 × 108 m D) 1.5 × 103 m
B) 1.5 × 106 m E) 1.5 × 10–6 m
5
C) 1.5 × 10 m
Ans: A Difficulty: E
15. The mass of a sample is 550 milligrams. Which of the following expresses that mass in
kilograms?
A) 5.5 × 108 kg D) 5.5 × 10–6 kg
B) 5.5 × 105 kg E) 5.5 × 10–1 kg
–4
C) 5.5 × 10 kg
Ans: C Difficulty: E
16. A dose of medication was prescribed to be 35 microliters. Which of the following
expresses that volume in centiliters?
A) 3.5 × 105 cL D) 3.5 × 10–4 cL
B) 3.5 × 104 cL E) 3.5 × 10–3 cL
C) 3.5 cL
Ans: E Difficulty: E
17. Which of the following represents the largest volume?
A) 10,000 µL B) 1000 pL C) 100 mL D) 10 nL E) 10 cm3
Ans: C Difficulty: M
18. You prepare 1000. mL of tea and transfer it to a 1.00 quart pitcher for storage. Which of
the following statements is true?
A) The pitcher will be filled to 100% of its capacity with no tea spilled.
B) The pitcher will be filled to about 95% of its capacity.
C) The pitcher will be filled to about 50% of its capacity.
D) The pitcher will be completely filled and a small amount of tea will overflow.
E) The pitcher will be completely filled and most of the tea will overflow.
Ans: D Difficulty: M
Page 3
, Chapter 1: Keys to the Study of Chemistry
19. In an average year, the American chemical industry produces more than 9.5 million
metric tons of sodium carbonate. Over half of this is used in the manufacture of glass
while another third is used in the production of detergents and other chemicals. How
many pounds of sodium carbonate are produced annually?
A) 2.1 × 1010 lb D) 2.2 × 106 lb
9
B) 4.3 × 10 lb E) 2.1 × 104 lb
C) 1.1 × 107 lb
Ans: D Difficulty: M
20. A large pizza has a diameter of 15 inches. Express this diameter in centimeters.
A) 38 cm B) 24 cm C) 18 cm D) 9.3 cm E) 5.9 cm
Ans: A Difficulty: M
21. The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 240,000 miles. Express this
distance in kilometers.
A) 6.1 × 105 km D) 1.5 × 105 km
5
B) 5.3 × 10 km E) 9.4 × 104 km
5
C) 3.9 × 10 km
Ans: A Difficulty: E
22. The area of a 15-inch pizza is 176.7 in2. Express this area in square centimeters.
A) 1140. cm2 B) 448.8 cm2 C) 96.8 cm2 D) 69.57 cm2 E) 27.39 cm2
Ans: C Difficulty: M
23. The speed needed to escape the pull of Earth's gravity is 11.3 km/s. What is this speed in
mi/h?
A) 65,500 mi/h D) 1,090 mi/h
B) 25,300 mi/h E) 5.02 × 10–3 mi/h
C) 18,200 mi/h
Ans: A Difficulty: M
24. The density of mercury, the only metal to exist as a liquid at room temperature, is 13.6
g/cm3. What is that density in pounds per cubic inch?
A) 849 lb/in3 D) 0.491 lb/in3
3
B) 491 lb/in E) 1.83 × 10–3 lb/in3
C) 376 lb/in3
Ans: D Difficulty: M
25. Given that 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 cm3 is equal to
A) 16.4 in3. B) 6.45 in3. C) 0.394 in3. D) 0.155 in3. E) 0.0610 in3.
Ans: E Difficulty: M
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