AP Chemistry : AP Chemistry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Chemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Phase Changes

Heating curve

Using the heating curve, determine which segment(s) relate to an increase in potential energy.

Possible Answers:

2, 3, and 4

1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

1, 3, and 5

2 and 4

Correct answer:

2 and 4

Explanation:

Remember, temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules. So, the potential energy of the molecules will increase anytime energy is being supplied to the system but the temperature is not increasing. Therefore the potential energy is increasing during segments 2 and 4.

Example Question #1 : Phase Changes

Heating curve

The heating curve represents a substance in phases solid, liquid, and gas. Which segment represents only the liquid phase?

Possible Answers:

2

3

4

1

Correct answer:

3

Explanation:

When the kinetic energy is increasing (the temperature is also increasing) the substance is not going through a phase change. Therefore only the segments that are at an incline will have the substance in just one phase. The flat areas of the graph represent areas in which heat is being added, but there is no corresponding increase in temperature. Rather, this added heat energy is used to break the intermolecular forces between molecules/atoms and drive phase changes.

Finally, because liquids are higher in energy than solids, and lower in energy than gasses the middle slanted line must be the liquid phase. In this case it is labeled as segment 3.

Example Question #1 : Energy Of Phase Changes

Heating curve

In the given heating curve, which segment(s) correlate to a mixture of phases?

Possible Answers:

1, 3, 5

2, 3, 4

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 4

Correct answer:

2, 4

Explanation:

When kinetic energy is increasing molecules are simply moving faster. However, when the potential energy is increasing molecules are changing phases. Therefore, when the potential energy is increasing is when the molecule is changing phases. Therefore there is a mix of molecules during segments 2 and 4.

Example Question #6 : Energy Of Phase Changes

Heating curve

The given heating curve represents a substance in phases solid, liquid, and gas. Which segment represents the substance as it is boiling?

Possible Answers:

4

2

3

5

Correct answer:

4

Explanation:

Boiling is a phase change from liquids to gas. Therefore we are looking for a segment that is flat (because the potential energy is increasing) and that is between the liquid and gas phases. 

In this case, gas phase is the highest energy phase, and liquids is the next highest. Therefore the substance is boiling during segment 4.

Example Question #7 : Energy Of Phase Changes

Heating curve

In the heating curve shown above, at what point do the molecules have the highest kinetic energy?

Possible Answers:

The beginning of segment 1

The end of segment 1

The beginning of segment 5

The end of segment 5

Correct answer:

The end of segment 5

Explanation:

Remember, temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy. Therefore the kinetic energy will be the highest when the temperature is the highest.

Example Question #341 : Ap Chemistry

Heating curve

In the given heating curve, when is the potential energy the highest?

Possible Answers:

The end of segment 2

The beginning of segment 4

The end of segment 4

The beginning of segment 2

Correct answer:

The end of segment 4

Explanation:

The potential energy increases as the substance goes through phase changes. Therefore the potential energy is highest at the last possible instant of the most energy intensive phase change. In this case it is at the end of segment 4.

Example Question #341 : Ap Chemistry

Heating curve

The given heating curve represents a substance in phases solid, liquid, and gas. What is the melting point of the substance?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Because phase changes happen when the kinetic energy (temperature) remains constant melting will occur during a flat portion of the heating curve.

In this case it is the first flat portion because solid is the lowest energy phase represented in this diagram. Therefore the melting point is at .

Example Question #342 : Ap Chemistry

Suppose that a block of ice is exactly at its melting temperature, . If heat is added evenly to the block, which of the following does not occur?

Possible Answers:

The entropy of the system increases

The kinetic energy of the water molecules increases

The temperature remains constant until the ice melts

The intermolecular hydrogen bonds between water molecules are broken

Correct answer:

The kinetic energy of the water molecules increases

Explanation:

This question is presenting us with a scenario in which heat is being added to a block of ice at its melting temperature. It's asking us to identify a false statement.

Recall that when anything goes through a phase change, the temperature remains the same until the phase change is complete. Furthermore, since temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of a system, this will not change either. Moreover, as energy is added to a system, the bonds between the components of that system will gradually weaken and then break as the entropy of that system increases.

Example Question #343 : Ap Chemistry

What is the definition of the triple point?

Possible Answers:
The point in which temperature change has no effect on the substance
None of these
The state where solid, liquid, and gas coexist in equilibrium
The state where liquid and gas cannot be differentiated
The condensation line of the phase diagram
Correct answer: The state where solid, liquid, and gas coexist in equilibrium
Explanation:

Definition of triple point: where solid, liquid, and gas exist in equilibrium

Example Question #2 : Phase Diagrams

What is represented by point D

Possible Answers:

Critical point

liquid phase

evaporation

Triple point

condensation

Correct answer:

Critical point

Explanation:

the critical point is where the solid and gas cannot be distinguished

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