UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAMINATION

CHEMISTRY

Time: 1 pm to 3 pm
Duration: 2 hours

Please read the following instructions carefully.

1. This examination has TWO (2) printed pages.

2. Answer all questions. Write your answers on the answer paper provided.

3. At the end of the examination, attach the cover paper on top of your answer script. Complete the
information required on the cover paper. The cover paper for this examination is GREEN.

4. Do not take any paper, including the question paper and unused answer paper, out of the
examination hall.
Question 1

a. Propose a reasonable acid-base reaction (with balanced equation) and identify the acid and base in
the substrates.

b. Propose a reasonable redox reaction (with balanced equation) and identify the reducing and
oxidizing agents.

c. Propose a reasonable disproportionation reaction (with balanced equation). Is this a variant of redox
reaction? If so, what is reduced and what is oxidized (in the reaction that you have proposed)? If
not, why not?
(30 marks)

Question 2

Examine and discuss the validly of the following statement critically and concisely:

NCl5 is a reasonable and stable compound because the five electrons on nitrogen can form bonds with
the five surrounding chloride.
(35 marks)

Question 3

What is the pH of a 0.015 M solution of sodium acetate, NaCH3CO2? State your assumptions, if any,
clearly.
(Water ionization constant Kw = 1.0 x 10-14 at 25oC; equilibrium constant Kb (CH3COO-) = 5.6 x 10-10)

(35 marks)