Starting with sodium chloride how would you proceed to prepare
(i) sodium metal (ii) sodium hydroxide (iii) sodium peroxide (iv) sodium carbonate?
(a) Sodium can be extracted from sodium chloride by Downs process.
This process involves the electrolysis of fused NaCl (40%) and CaCl2 (60 %) at a temperature of 1123 K in Downs cell.
Steel is the cathode and a block of graphite acts as the anode. Metallic Na and Ca are formed at cathode. Molten sodium is taken out of the cell and collected over kerosene.
(b) Sodium hydroxide can be prepared by the electrolysis of sodium chloride. This is called Castner-Kellner process. In this process, the brine solution is electrolysed using a carbon anode and a mercury cathode.
The sodium metal, which is discharged at cathode, combines with mercury to form an amalgam.
(c) Sodium peroxide First, NaCl is electrolysed to result in the formation of Na metal (Downs process). This sodium metal is then heated on aluminium trays in air (free of CO2) to form its peroxide.
2Na + O2(air) → Na2O2
(d) Sodium carbonate is prepared by Solvay process. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is precipitated in a reaction of sodium chloride and ammonium hydrogen carbonate.
2NH3 + H2O + CO2 → (NH4)2CO3
(NH4)2CO3 + H2O + CO2 → 2NH4HCO3
NH4HCO3 + NaCl → NH4Cl + NaHCO3
These sodium hydrogen carbonate crystals are heated to give sodium carbonate.
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
Compare the alkali metals and alkaline earth metals with respect to
(i) ionization enthalpy
(ii) basicity of oxides and
(iii) solubility of hydroxides.
Compare the solubility and thermal stability of the following compounds of the alkali metals with those of the alkaline earth metals.
(a) Nitrates (b) Carbonates (c) Sulphates.
Discuss the various reactions that occur in the Solvay process.
Comment on each of the following observations:
(a) The mobilities of the alkali metal ions in aqueous solution are Li+ < Na+ < K+ < Rb+ < Cs+
(b) Lithium is the only alkali metal to form a nitride directly.
(c) E° for M2+(aq) (where M = Ca, Sr or Ba) is nearly constant.
Why are lithium salts commonly hydrated and those of the other alkali metal ions usually anhydrous?
State as to why
(a) a solution of Na2CO3 is alkaline ?
(b) alkali metals are prepared by electrolysis of their fused chlorides ?
(c) sodium is found to be more useful than potassium ?
When an alkali metal dissolves in liquid ammonia the solution can acquire different colours. Explain the reasons for this type of colour change.
In what ways lithium shows similarities to magnesium in its chemical behaviour?
Why is Li2CO3 decomposed at a lower temperature whereas Na2CO3 at higher temperature?
Find the oxidation state of sodium in Na2O2.
How do you account for the formation of ethane during chlorination of methane?
What are hybridisation states of each carbon atom in the following compounds ?
(i) CH2=C=O,
(ii) CH3CH=CH2,
(iii) (CH3)2CO,
(iv) CH2=CHCN,
(v) C6H6
What will be the minimum pressure required to compress 500 dm3 of air at 1 bar to 200 dm3 at 30°C?
Calculate the molecular mass of the following:
(i) H2O
(ii) CO2
(iii) CH4
Assign oxidation number to the underlined elements in each of the following species:
(a) NaH2PO4
(b) NaHSO4
(c) H4P2O7
(d) K2MnO4
(e) CaO2
(f) NaBH4
(g) H2S2O7
(h) KAl(SO4)2.12 H2O
What is the basic theme of organisation in the periodic table?
Explain the formation of a chemical bond.
Choose the correct answer. A thermodynamic state function is a quantity
(i) used to determine heat changes
(ii) whose value is independent of path
(iii) used to determine pressure volume work
(iv) whose value depends on temperature only.
A liquid is in equilibrium with its vapour in a sealed container at a fixed temperature. The volume of the container is suddenly increased.
a) What is the initial effect of the change on vapour pressure?
b) How do rates of evaporation and condensation change initially?
c) What happens when equilibrium is restored finally and what will be the final vapour pressure?
Justify the position of hydrogen in the periodic table on the basis of its electronic configuration.
At a certain temperature and total pressure of 105 Pa, iodine vapour contains 40% by volume of I atoms
I2(g) ↔ 2l (g)
Calculate Kp for the equilibrium.
In the Lassaigne's test for nitrogen in an organic compound, the Prussian blue colour is obtained due to the formation of:
(a) Na4[Fe(CN)6]
(b) Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3
(c) Fe2[Fe(CN)6]
(d) Fe3[Fe(CN)6]4
Distinguish between a sigma and a pi bond.
If B-Cl bond has a dipole moment, explain why BCl3 molecule has zero dipole moment.
Compare the structures of H2O and H2O2.
What is the equilibrium concentration of each of the substances in the equilibrium when the initial concentration of ICl was 0.78 M ?
2ICl (g) ↔ I2 (g) + Cl2 (g); Kc = 0.14
What is meant by hybridisation of atomic orbitals? Describe the shapes of sp, sp2, sp3 hybrid orbitals.
What is the minimum volume of water required to dissolve 1g of calcium sulphate at 298 K? (For calcium sulphate, Ksp is 9.1 x 10-6).
Write Lewis symbols for the following atoms and ions:
S and S2–; Al and Al3+; H and H–
Discuss the chemistry of Lassaigne's test.
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