Chemistry Trivia Questions for College Students
97 trivia questions with answers, college. Multiple-choice trivia with answers, sorted by topic and level. Reveal the answers below, pick one at random, or present them full-screen.
- 1.
The fact that the infrared absorption frequency of deuterium chloride (DCl) is shifted from that of hydrogen chloride (HCl) is due to the differences in their
- Adipole moment
- Bforce constant
- Celectron distribution
- Dreduced mass
Answer: reduced mass - 2.
Calculate the magnetic field responsible for the polarization of 2.5 x 10^-6 for 13C at 298 K.
- A2.9 T
- B0.5 T
- C1.2 T
- D100 T
Answer: 2.9 T - 3.
Predict the number of lines in the EPR spectrum of a solution of dimethylnitroxide (CH3)2NO• assuming the lines do not overlap.
- A3
- B7
- C24
- D21
Answer: 3 - 4.
The molecular geometry of thionyl chloride, SOCl2, is best described as
- Atrigonal pyramidal
- Btrigonal planar
- CT-shaped
- Dtetrahedral
Answer: trigonal pyramidal - 5.
Reduction of D-xylose with NaBH4 yields a product that is a
- Aracemic mixture
- Bsingle pure enantiomer
- Cmeso compound
- Dmixture of two diastereomers in equal amounts
Answer: meso compound - 6.
Which of the following is lower for argon than for neon?
- APolarizability
- BFirst ionization energy
- CBoiling point
- DMelting point
Answer: First ionization energy - 7.
A 0.217 g sample of HgO (molar mass = 217 g) reacts with excess iodide ions according to the reaction shown above. Titration of the resulting solution requires how many mL of 0.10 M HCl to reach equivalence point?
- A50 mL
- B10 mL
- C1.0 mL
- D20 mL
Answer: 20 mL - 8.
The rate, r, of a zero-order chemical reaction A → B can be expressed as which of the following?
- Ar = k ln[A]
- Br = k [A]^2
- Cr = k [A]
- Dr = k
Answer: r = k - 9.
What is the limiting high-temperature molar heat capacity at constant volume (C_V) of a gas-phase diatomic molecule?
- A2R
- B1.5R
- C2.5R
- D3.5R
Answer: 3.5R - 10.
Of the following ions, which has the smallest radius?
- ACa2+
- BSc3+
- CK+
- DRb+
Answer: Sc3+ - 11.
When the Heisenberg uncertainty principle is applied to a quantum mechanical particle in the lowest energy level of a one-dimensional box, which of the following is true?
- ANeither position nor momentum can be known exactly.
- BPosition is known exactly, but no information about momentum can be known.
- CMomentum is known exactly, but no information about position can be known.
- DNo information about either position or momentum can be known.
Answer: Neither position nor momentum can be known exactly. - 12.
In fluorescence spectroscopy, the quantum yield (Φ_f) is best defined as the
- Arate of fluorescence emission
- Bnumber of photons emitted, divided by the number of photons absorbed
- Cnumber of excitation photons impinging on the sample, divided by the number of photons absorbed
- Dnumber of photons emitted
Answer: number of photons emitted, divided by the number of photons absorbed - 13.
The 13C chemical shifts of benzene and chloroform are 128.4 ppm and 77.2 ppm respectively. What is the difference in the 13C NMR frequencies of the two compounds on a 600 MHz spectrometer?
- A122 kHz
- B7.73 kHz
- C30.7 kHz
- D91.6 kHz
Answer: 7.73 kHz - 14.
Which of the following is a primary standard for use in standardizing bases?
- APotassium hydrogen phthalate
- BAcetic acid
- CSulfuric acid
- DAmmonium hydroxide
Answer: Potassium hydrogen phthalate - 15.
What is the strength (B1) of a 13C 90° pulse of duration 1 μs?
- A3.72 mT
- B23.3 mT
- C5.18 mT
- D17.0 mT
Answer: 5.18 mT - 16.
Which of the following is classified as a conjugate acid-base pair?
- AH+ / Cl−
- BHCl / NaOH
- CH3O+ / H2O
- DO2 / H2O
Answer: H3O+ / H2O - 17.
A molecule has a rotational correlation time of 1 ns. At what magnetic field would protons in this molecule have the fastest spin-lattice relaxation? [Use eqns 5.3 and 5.4.]
- A3.74 T
- B5.19 T
- C6.08 T
- D9.49 T
Answer: 3.74 T - 18.
Of the following compounds, which is LEAST likely to behave as a Lewis acid?
- ABeCl2
- BZnCl2
- CMgCl2
- DSCl2
Answer: SCl2 - 19.
Calculate the Larmor frequency for a proton in a magnetic field of 1 T.
- A23.56 GHz
- B42.58 MHz
- C74.34 kHz
- D13.93 MHz
Answer: 42.58 MHz - 20.
A student performs five titrations and obtains a mean result of 0.110 M, with a standard deviation of 0.001 M. If the actual concentration of the titrated solution is 0.100 M, which of the following is true about the titration results?
- APrecise but not accurate
- BBoth accurate and precise
- CAccurate but not precise
- DNeither accurate nor precise
Answer: Precise but not accurate - 21.
What is the maximum value of the z-component of the spin angular momentum of 43Ca? [I = 7⁄2]
- A4.185 x 10^-34 J s
- B5.493 x 10^-34 J s
- C3.691 x 10^-34 J s
- D8.370 x 10^-34 J s
Answer: 3.691 x 10^-34 J s - 22.
Which of the following statements most accurately explains why the 1H spectrum of 12CHCl3 is a singlet?
- AThe molecule is not rigid.
- BBoth 35Cl and 37Cl have electric quadrupole moments.
- CThe hydrogen atom undergoes rapid intermolecular exchange.
- DBoth 35Cl and 37Cl have I = 0.
Answer: Both 35Cl and 37Cl have electric quadrupole moments. - 23.
All proteins absorb electromagnetic radiation of wavelength around 190 nm, which corresponds to a π → π* excitation in the protein molecule. In which region of the spectrum is this wavelength found?
- AVisible
- BX-ray
- CUltraviolet
- DInfrared
Answer: Ultraviolet - 24.
The 13C spectrum of which isomer of C6H14 has lines with three distinct chemical shifts?
- A2,3-dimethylbutane
- B3-methylpentane
- C2-methylpentane
- Dhexane
Answer: hexane - 25.
Exact solutions of the Schrödinger equation CANNOT be obtained for a
- Arigid rotor
- Bsimple harmonic oscillator
- Chelium atom
- Dparticle in a one-dimensional box
Answer: helium atom - 26.
What is the orbital angular momentum quantum number, l, of the electron that is most easily removed when ground-state aluminum is ionized?
- A3
- B1
- C2
- D0
Answer: 1 - 27.
Predict the hyperfine value for the EPR spectrum of fully deuteriated benzene radical anion C6D6•-.
- A0.58 G
- B0.375 mT
- C2.35 mT
- D3.75 G
Answer: 0.58 G - 28.
A buffer is made from equal concentrations of a weak acid and its conjugate base. Doubling the volume of the buffer solution by adding water has what effect on its pH?
- AIt has little effect.
- BIt significantly increases the pH.
- CIt changes the pH asymptotically to the pKa of the acid.
- DIt significantly decreases the pH.
Answer: It has little effect. - 29.
The magnetic moment (μI) of an unknown nuclide is 2.884 x 10^-27 J T-1. Given the nuclear spin is known to be 1, identify the unknown nuclide.
- A14N
- B19F
- C2H
- D6Li
Answer: 2H - 30.
The +1 oxidation state is more stable than the +3 oxidation state for which group 13 element?
- AB
- BAl
- CIn
- DTl
Answer: Tl - 31.
Which of the following lists the hydrides of group-14 elements in order of thermal stability, from lowest to highest?
- APbH4 < SnH4 < CH4 < GeH4 < SiH4
- BCH4 < PbH4 < GeH4 < SnH4 < SiH4
- CPbH4 < SnH4 < GeH4 < SiH4 < CH4
- DCH4 < SiH4 < GeH4 < SnH4 < PbH4
Answer: PbH4 < SnH4 < GeH4 < SiH4 < CH4 - 32.
Which one of the following statements is true:
- AProtons have orbital and spin angular momentum, neutrons have spin angular momentum.
- BProtons and neutrons have orbital and spin angular momentum.
- CProtons and neutrons possess orbital angular momentum only.
- DProtons and neutrons possess spin angular momentum only.
Answer: Protons and neutrons possess orbital angular momentum only. - 33.
Calculate the spin angular momentum of 43Ca. [I = 7⁄2]
- A2.166 x 10^-34 J s
- B4.185 x 10^-34 J s
- C3.691 x 10^-34 J s
- D5.493 x 10^-34 J s
Answer: 4.185 x 10^-34 J s - 34.
Which of the following compounds has a 1H resonance approximately 1.55 kHz away from TMS on a spectrometer with a 12.0 T magnet?
- ACH3F
- BCH3I
- CCH3Cl
- DCH3Br
Answer: CH3Cl - 35.
During a delay, spins with an offset frequency Ω = 250 rad s-1 precess through an angle of 60°. How long is the delay?
- A4.19 ms
- B240 ms
- C1510 ms
- D26.3 ms
Answer: 4.19 ms - 36.
Which of the following metal ions cannot be used as a paramagnetic quencher?
- ACr3+
- BFe3+
- CZn2+
- DTi3+
Answer: Cr3+ - 37.
Which one sentence explains most accurately why spin trapping is often used to detect free radical intermediates?
- Aspin trapping makes it easy to quantify free radical intermediates
- Bdetection of spin adducts requires lower power than direct detection of radical intermediates
- Csteady state concentration of free radical intermediates is often too low to enable direct detection by EPR
- Dspin trapping provides more structural information than direct detection by EPR
Answer: detection of spin adducts requires lower power than direct detection of radical intermediates - 38.
Calculate the Q-factor for an X-band EPR cavity with a resonator bandwidth of 1.58 MHz.
- AQ = 1012
- BQ = 6012
- CQ = 2012
- DQ = 3012
Answer: Q = 6012 - 39.
The 1H spectrum of a mixture of dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) and acetonitrile (AN) contains lines with relative intensities α and 3α, respectively. What is the ratio of the two concentrations, [DMSO]:[AN]?
- A1:1
- B1:3
- C1:6
- D2:3
Answer: 1:6 - 40.
Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is useful for determining certain aspects of the structure of organic molecules because
- AIR peak intensities are related to molecular mass
- Bmost organic functional groups absorb in a characteristic region of the IR spectrum
- Call molecular bonds absorb IR radiation
- Deach element absorbs at a characteristic wavelength
Answer: most organic functional groups absorb in a characteristic region of the IR spectrum - 41.
The 1H Larmor frequency of benzene exceeds that of trifluoroacetic acid by 1.656 kHz on a 400 MHz spectrometer. The 1H chemical shift of benzene is 7.16 ppm. What is the chemical shift of trifluoroacetic acid?
- A10.56 ppm
- B11.30 ppm
- C5.03 ppm
- D3.02 ppm
Answer: 11.30 ppm - 42.
In the vibrational-rotational spectrum of a diatomic molecule, the R-branch of the spectrum is the result of which of the following transitions?
- AΔJ = 1; Δu = 0
- BΔJ = 2; Δu = 0
- CΔJ = 1; Δu = 1
- DΔJ = 0; Δu = 0
Answer: ΔJ = 1; Δu = 1 - 43.
A set of hybrid sp^3 orbitals for a carbon atom is given above. Which of the following is NOT true about the orbitals?
- AThese orbitals are constructed from a linear combination of atomic orbitals.
- BThe orbitals are degenerate.
- CThe set of orbitals has a tetrahedral geometry.
- DEach hybrid orbital may hold four electrons.
Answer: Each hybrid orbital may hold four electrons. - 44.
Calculate spin density on the central carbon atom of malonic acid radical (•CH(COOH)2) if the hyperfine value for the α-hydrogen atom is 21.9 G.
- A0.95
- B0.85
- C0.65
- D0.15
Answer: 0.15 - 45.
What is the NMR frequency of 31P in a 20.0 T magnetic field?
- A54.91 MHz
- B239.2 MHz
- C345.0 MHz
- D2167 MHz
Answer: 345.0 MHz - 46.
23Na has an NMR frequency of 198.52 MHz in a 750 MHz NMR spectrometer. What is its magnetogyric ratio?
- A101.1 x 10^7 T-1 s-1
- B0.9377 x 10^7 T-1 s-1
- C7.081 x 10^7 T-1 s-1
- D26.75 x 10^7 T-1 s-1
Answer: 7.081 x 10^7 T-1 s-1 - 47.
A single line is seen in the 31P spectrum of a solution of sodium phosphate. The 31P chemical shifts of H2PO4‾ and HPO42– are 3.42 ppm and 5.82 ppm respectively. What is the chemical shift when the pH of the solution equals the pKa of H2PO4‾?
- A3.98 ppm
- B3.41 ppm
- C4.62 ppm
- D4.33 ppm
Answer: 4.62 ppm - 48.
The 13C spectrum of which isomer of C6H14 has lines with five distinct chemical shifts?
- A2-methylpentane
- Bhexane
- C2,3-dimethylbutane
- D3-methylpentane
Answer: 2-methylpentane - 49.
Of the following compounds, which has the lowest melting point?
- AHCl
- BAgCl
- CCCl4
- DCaCl2
Answer: HCl - 50.
Which of the following is required for both paramagnetism and ferromagnetism?
- AUnpaired electrons
- BMetallic physical properties
- CStrong oxidizing conditions
- DLow-spin electron configuration
Answer: Unpaired electrons
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