HESI A2
HESI A2 Chemistry Questions
1. Which of the following elements is the most electronegative?
- A. Oxygen
- B. Fluorine
- C. Nitrogen
- D. Sodium
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table. It has the highest electronegativity value, indicating its strong ability to attract electrons in a chemical bond. This property makes it highly reactive, explaining why it is the correct answer in this question. Oxygen and Nitrogen are also electronegative elements, but they are not as electronegative as Fluorine. Sodium, on the other hand, is not electronegative; it is an electropositive element.
2. What type of reaction involves atoms attempting to achieve stable electron configurations?
- A. Chemical
- B. Nuclear
- C. Physical
- D. Mechanical
Correct answer: A
Rationale: In a chemical reaction, atoms interact to achieve stable electron configurations through the formation of new chemical bonds or the breaking of existing ones. This process aims to reach a more stable state by filling or emptying electron orbitals, leading to the formation of new substances with more stable configurations. Choice B, nuclear reactions, involve changes in the atomic nucleus rather than electron configurations. Choice C, physical reactions, involve changes in physical state or appearance without changing the chemical makeup. Choice D, mechanical reactions, do not involve the rearrangement of electrons to achieve stable configurations.
3. Which compound contains a polar covalent bond?
- A. O
- B. F
- C. Br
- D. H₂O
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The compound 'H₂O' (water) contains a polar covalent bond. In a water molecule, the oxygen atom is more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms. As a result, the electrons in the O-H bonds are unevenly shared, leading to a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms. This unequal sharing of electrons creates a polar covalent bond in water. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they represent individual elements, not compounds, and do not involve the concept of polar covalent bonds.
4. Which of the following is a characteristic property of acids?
- A. Sour taste
- B. Bitter taste
- C. Reacts with bases
- D. Slippery feel
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is 'A: Sour taste.' Acids are known to have a sour taste, which is a fundamental characteristic property of acids. This taste distinguishes acids from bases, which are more likely to have a bitter taste. The sour taste of acids is due to the presence of hydrogen ions in them. Therefore, when identifying an acid based on taste, the sour taste serves as a key indicator. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Bitter taste is associated with bases, not acids. While acids do react with bases (Choice C), this is not a characteristic property of acids but rather a chemical behavior. Slippery feel (Choice D) is a property of bases, not acids.
5. If oxygen is in a compound, what would its oxidation number be?
- A. 2
- B. -2
- C. 0
- D. -1
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Oxygen typically has an oxidation number of -2 in compounds because it tends to gain electrons. This is due to its high electronegativity, which leads to oxygen attracting electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Choice A (2) is incorrect because oxygen doesn't have a +2 oxidation number in compounds. Choice C (0) is incorrect as oxygen rarely has an oxidation number of 0 in compounds. Choice D (-1) is incorrect as oxygen's oxidation number in compounds is typically -2, not -1.
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