HESI A2
Chemistry HESI A2 Practice Test
1. Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes. What do they have in common?
- A. Number of nuclear particles
- B. Number of protons
- C. Number of neutrons
- D. Mass number
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same number of protons (which determines the element) but different numbers of neutrons. Both carbon-12 and carbon-14 have 6 protons (hence they are both carbon atoms) but different numbers of neutrons: carbon-12 has 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 8 neutrons. Therefore, the correct answer is the number of neutrons. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because isotopes may have different numbers of nuclear particles (protons + neutrons), protons, and mass numbers, respectively.
2. What is the term used when an atom gains one or more electrons?
- A. Cation
- B. Anion
- C. Isotope
- D. Electron
Correct answer: B
Rationale: When an atom gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged and is called an anion. An anion is formed when an atom gains one or more electrons, leading to an excess of negative charge. Choice A, 'Cation,' is incorrect because a cation is formed when an atom loses electrons, resulting in a positively charged ion. Choice C, 'Isotope,' refers to atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons and is not related to gaining electrons. Choice D, 'Electron,' is the particle that an atom gains to become an anion, not the term for the atom itself after gaining electrons.
3. Which of the following is not an allotrope of carbon?
- A. Diamond
- B. Graphite
- C. Fluorine
- D. Buckminsterfullerene
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Fluorine. Allotropes of carbon are different forms of the same element. Diamonds, graphite, and buckminsterfullerene are all allotropes of carbon. However, fluorine is a separate chemical element and not an allotrope of carbon. Therefore, fluorine does not belong to the group of carbon allotropes.
4. Radioactive isotopes are frequently used in medicine. What kind of half-life would a medical isotope probably have?
- A. Seconds-long
- B. Days-long
- C. Years-long
- D. Many years long
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Medical isotopes used in diagnosis and treatment need to have a relatively short half-life to minimize radiation exposure to patients. If the half-life were too long (such as many years) or even years-long, the radiation would persist for too long and could be harmful to the patient. Seconds-long half-lives would not provide enough time for the isotope to be effective. Days-long half-lives strike a balance between providing enough time for the isotope to be used effectively and minimizing radiation exposure.
5. When an acid is added to a base, water and a salt form. What kinds of bonds form in these two compounds?
- A. Liquid and metallic
- B. Polar and nonpolar covalent
- C. Polar covalent and ionic
- D. Ionic only
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In water, the bond formed between the oxygen atom and the hydrogen atoms is a polar covalent bond. The oxygen atom attracts the shared electrons more strongly, creating a partial negative charge on the oxygen and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms. In the salt formed, the bond between the metal cation and the nonmetal anion is predominantly an ionic bond. The metal cation donates electrons to the nonmetal anion, resulting in the formation of oppositely charged ions that are held together by electrostatic attractions. Choices A and B are incorrect because water and salts do not form bonds that are liquid and metallic, or polar and nonpolar covalent. Choice D is incorrect as it oversimplifies the types of bonds present in water and salts, failing to differentiate between the covalent bond in water and the ionic bond in the salt.
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