Practice MCQ Questions and answers on Chemistry-GK

Helium is an example of noble gas.

Because of the Archimedes’ principle, a lifting gas is required for aerostats to create buoyancy. Its density is lower than that of air (about 1.29 kg/m³, 1.29 g/ L). Only certain lighter than air gases are suitable as lifting gases. Hydrogen and helium are the most commonly used lift gases. Although helium is twice as heavy as (diatomic) hydrogen, they are both so much lighter than air that this difference is inconsequential. Both provide about 9.8 N of lift (1 Newton is the force required to accelerate 1 kg at 1 m/sec²) per cubic meter of gas at STP. Helium is the second lightest gas. For that reason, it is an attractive gas for lifting as well. A major advantage is that this gas is noncombustible. Today helium is used instead of hydrogen, since it is inert so non-flammable which makes things a lot safer. Hydrogen can ignite very easily when mixed with the oxygen of the surrounding air.

Trimix is a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen and helium and is often used at depth in technical diving and commercial diving instead of air to reduce nitrogen narcosis and to avoid the dangers of oxygen toxicity.

At room temperature, the metal that remains liquid is mercury.

Copper forms a rich variety of compounds with oxidation states +1 and +2, which are often called cuprous and cupric, respectively. It does not react with water, but it slowly reacts with atmospheric oxygen forming a layer of brown-black copper oxide. In contrast to the oxidation of iron by wet air, this oxide layer stops the further, bulk corrosion. A green layer of verdigris (copper carbonate) can often be seen on old copper constructions, such as the Statue of Liberty, the largest copper statue in the world built using repoussé and chasing. Hydrogen sulphides and sulphides react with copper to form various copper sulphides on the surface. In the latter case, the copper corrodes, as is seen when copper is exposed to air containing sulfur compounds. Oxygen-containing ammonia solutions give water-soluble complexes with copper, as do oxygen and hydrochloric acid to form copper chlorides and acidified hydrogen peroxide to form copper(II) salts. Copper(II) chloride and copper combine to form copper(I) chloride.

Sodium is a very reactive metal. It reacts vigorously with oxygen and water. A lot of heat is generated in this process. Therefore, it is stored in kerosene to avoid contacts between either atmospheric oxygen or water.

Corrosion is an oxidation reaction with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of water on the surface of a metal. Iron corrodes more quickly than most other transition metals to form an iron oxide. Aluminium also undergoes an oxidation reaction, but does not oxidize and corrode as quickly as its reactivity suggests. Once a thin oxide layer of Al2O3 has formed on the surface, it forms a barrier to oxygen and water to prevent further corrosion of the aluminium.

The first modern photoflash bulb (or flashbulb) was made by Austrian Paul Vierkotter, who used magnesium coated wire in an evacuated glass globe. It was later determined that aluminum foil in a low pressure oxygen atmosphere worked even better, and was cheaper to produce.

Toxic metals are metals that form poisonous soluble compounds and have no biological role, i.e. are not essential minerals, or are in the wrong form. Most often the definition includes at least cadmium, lead, mercury and the radioactive metals. Metals in an oxidation state abnormal to the body may also become toxic: chromium (III) is an essential trace element, but chromium(VI) is a carcinogen. Similarly, cobalt could also be toxic.

Water is the enabler of fast oxidation of iron. So freshwater will also cause rust. However, salt water (sea water) is a very good conductor (lots of dissociated ions) and so there are a number of electrolysis reactions that tremendously accelerate corrosion in salt water. This effect can be reversed by using a metal (like zinc) which causes the current to be reversed and in effect the zinc corrodes rapidly, protecting the iron.