A2 CHEMISTRY

Worksheet 8

UNIT 5, Module 3 – Transition elements

(AQA past examination questions)

1. (a) Name the two shapes most commonly found in transition metal complexes and state their
bond angles. For each shape, suggest the formula of a nickel(II) complex having that
shape.
(4)

(b) State three factors which cause a colour change in reactions of transition metal
complexes.
(3)

(c) Draw structures for each of the following species.

3–
(i) [Ni(CN)5 which is trigonal bipyramidal.

(ii) Nb2Cl10 in which niobium is six co-ordinate and in which some chlorine atoms are
bonded to both niobium atoms.
3–
(iii) [Fe(C2O4)3] in which the ethanedioate ions are bidentate.

(iv) [cis-PtCl2(NH3)2 which is square-planar.

(8)
(Total 15 marks)

2. (a) Explain why some elements in the d block of the Periodic Table are poor heterogeneous
catalysts. Illustrate your answer by reference to specific elements.
(4)

(b) Explain why, in some commercial processes, gaseous reactants are blown through
powder coated with solid catalyst.
(4)

(c) Very small amounts of impurity in mixtures of reactants can drastically reduce catalytic
activity. Give one example of this effect and explain why this happens.
(4)

(d) Suggest why the following reaction

–
S2O 82 – (aq) + 2I (aq)  2SO 24 – (aq) + I2(aq)

is slow unless a small amount of a soluble iron salt is added.

(3)
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 (Total 15 marks)

3. (a) Describe what you would see, and explain the changes which occur, when each of the
following solutions is treated with an excess of zinc and hydrochloric acid in an apparatus
which excludes air.

(i) potassium dichromate( VI)

(ii) ammonium vanadate(V)

(10)

(b) (i) Explain fully the meaning of the term homogeneous catalyst and explain, with an
example, how transition metal ions are able to act as homogeneous catalysts.

(ii) Outline an experiment to determine whether manganese(II) ions will catalyse the
reaction between persulphate ions and iodide ions in aqueous solution according to
the equation

2– – 2–
S2O8 + 2I 2SO4 + I2
(12)

(c) In a heterogeneous catalysis experiment, vanadium(V) oxide was heated in sulphur

dioxide to produce vanadium(IV) oxide, but the reaction did not go to completion. In
order to determine how much vanadium(IV) oxide was produced, the mixture of oxides
was dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid to give a solution containing ions of both
2+ 
vanadium(IV) (as VO ) and vanadium(V) (as VO 2 )

+ 2+
VO2 + 2H VO + H2O

+ 
V2O5 + 2H 2VO 2 + H2O

The mixture of ions was titrated against potassium manganate( VII) solution when the
vanadium(IV) ions were oxidised to vanadium(V) ions according to the equation
2+ 2+ +
5VO + MnO 4– + H2O 5VO 2 + Mn + 2H

The vanadium(V) ions do not react with manganate( VII) ions.

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A 0.300g sample of the mixed oxides required 25.0 cm of 0.0200 M potassium
manganate(VII) solution for complete reaction.

(i) Write the equation for the reaction of vanadium(V) oxide with sulphur dioxide.

(ii) Calculate the percentage of VO2 in the mixture of oxides.

(8)
(Total 30 marks)

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4. Read the passage below. Identify each of A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I and write equations for
all the reactions occurring.

A is a black solid which dissolves in water to form a blue solution which contains a
cation B and an anion C.

The addition of aqueous ammonia to the blue solution gives initially a blue precipitate D
which dissolves when an excess of aqueous ammonia is added giving a deep blue solution
containing species E.

The addition of concentrated hydrochloric acid to the blue solution of A gives a yellow-
green solution containing species F.

The addition of aqueous silver nitrate to the blue solution of A gives a cream precipitate
G. Precipitate G is insoluble in dilute aqueous ammonia but dissolves forming a
colourless solution containing species H when concentrated aqueous ammonia is added.
Precipitate G also dissolves when an excess of an aqueous solution of sodium
thiosulphate is added giving a colourless solution containing species I.
(Total 15 marks)

5. (a) Explain what is meant by the acidity or hydrolysis reaction of a metal-aqua ion.

Write equations to show that metal(II)-aqua ions and metal(III)-aqua ions are acidic. State
and explain the difference in acidity between metal(II)- and metal(III)-aqua ions. Sodium
carbonate gives different types of product with metal(II)- and metal(III)-aqua ions;
identify the products and explain why different products are obtained.
(12)

(b) Three different products can be obtained in the reactions between aqueous copper(II)
sulphate and aqueous sodium hydroxide depending on the amount of sodium hydroxide
added to copper(II) sulphate. The reaction scheme is shown below.

1 m ol C uSO 4

1 m o l N a O H (a q )

p a le g r e e n p r e c ip ita te c o n ta in in g s u lp h a te io n s

a n o th e r m o l N a O H (a q )

b lu e p re c ip ita te

e x c e s s c o n c e n tra te d N a O H (a q )

b lu e s o lu tio n

Use your understanding of the hydrolysis reactions of metal-aqua ions to explain the
formation of these three products and identify the products by formula.
(8)
(Total 20 marks)
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