Chemistry 101
What is the chemical symbol "Ag" for?
Silver
What gas gives carbonated drinks (soda) their bubbles?
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
What element is a liquid at room temperature and is commonly found in old thermometers?
Mercury
What is the chemical symbol, "B" for?
Boron
What is the molecular formula of methane?
CH₄
What is the pH of pure water at 25 degrees Celcius?
7
Why does salt help melt ice on roads?
It lowers water's freezing point.
What happens to the volume of water when it freezes: does it expand or contract?
It expands
Which noble gas is commonly used in illuminated signs and gives its name to a famous orange-red glow?
Neon
True or false: Natural chemicals are always safer than synthetic chemicals.
False. Both natural and synthetic chemicals can be safe or dangerous, depending on their properties and exposure.
Which element has the highest electronegativity?
Fluorine
What is the main acid found in vinegar?
Acetic acid
What is the only metal that is magnetic under ordinary room-temperature conditions among iron, copper, and aluminum?
Iron
Name 6 noble gases.
Helium (He)
Neon (Ne)
Argon (Ar)
Krypton (Kr)
Xenon (Xe)
Radon (Rn)
Why does increasing the temperature usually make a chemical reaction happen faster?
Particles move faster, causing more frequent collisions and more collisions with enough energy to react.
This group includes Chlorine and Iodine and is characterized by having 7 valence electrons when neutral.
Halogens
Why does a cut apple turn brown when exposed to air?
An enzyme called polyphenol oxidase reacts with oxygen, causing compounds in the apple to oxidize and form brown pigments. OR Oxidation
What does viscosity measure?
Viscosity measures a fluid's resistance to flow.
Which element has the electron configuration [Ne] 3s² 3p⁵?
Chlorine (Cl)
In a typical SN2 reaction, what happens to the stereochemistry at a chiral reaction center?
Inversion of configuration.
An atom has 17 protons, 18 electrons, and 20 neutrons. What is its charge and mass number?
−1 charge and mass number 37
Why does soap remove grease and oil when washing your hands?
Soap molecules have a hydrophilic (water-attracting) end and a hydrophobic (oil-attracting) end, allowing them to surround grease and help wash it away with water. OR Soap emulsifies grease and oil, allowing them to be rinsed away.
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized research related to chirality. What does chirality mean in chemistry?
A molecule's property of being non-superimposable on its mirror image, like your left and right hands.
Which element has the chemical symbol W and why?
Tungsten. its symbol comes from its older name, wolfram.
True or false: All acids are dangerous.
False. Acidity alone does not determine how dangerous a substance is. For example, citric acid occurs naturally in lemons, and acetic acid is found in vinegar. However, concentrated acids such as sulfuric acid can cause severe chemical burns.