1.

H2 and He nearly ideal at room temperature and ordinary pressure but SO2
non ideal (why)?
We know that at high temperature gases behave ideally. Room temperature is
considered high temperature for those gases which boil at very low
temperatures. That is why gases having very low boiling point behave ideally at
room temperature .Boiling points of H2 and He are very low temperatures i.e.252.7:C and -268.5:C respectively, therefore both behave ideally at room
temperature .But the boiling point of SO2 is-10:C which is close to room
temperature and cannot be considered high temperature therefore its behavior is
non-ideal at room temperature.
2. Why kerosene oil used to kill mosquitoes?
The surface tension of water is so strong that it can support the mass of
mosquitoes. When kerosene oil is sprayed on water, a thin layer of kerosene oil is
formed on the surface of water. The surface tension of kerosene oil is so weak
that it cannot support the mass of mosquito .hence they drown and die.
Otherwise kerosene oil is not poisonous for them.
3. Why a needle or a razor blade floats on the surface of water?
Due to strong surface tension of water, a needle or a razor blade floats on its
surface if placed carefully. However, they will sink if pushed through the surface
due to their greater density than water.
4. Why is a falling drop of a liquid spherical? (IMPORTANT)
Due to surface tension liquids try to contract to occupy the smallest surface area.
As in a sphere ratio of surface to volume is smallest, therefore, a falling drop of a
liquid adopts the shape of a sphere due to surface tension.
5. How detergents remove dirt or grease during washing?
Detergents break the hydrogen bounding present in water and this cause to
reduce its surface tension. This reduces the cohesive forces and increases the
adhesive forces of water molecules. In other words, wetting ability of water
1

molecules increases. Water molecules along with detergents molecules surround

the dirt and remove it from the surface.
6. Water wet the glass (why)? (IMPORTANT)
Liquids wet the surface when adhesive forces are strong than cohesive forces.
Forces of attraction between the particles of water and those of glass surface are
adhesive forces. In this example, the adhesive forces are stronger than the
cohesive forces. That is why water wets the glass.
7. Water does not wet waxed surface?
Liquids wet the surface when adhesive forces are stronger than cohesive forces.
Forces of attraction between the particles of water and those of waxed surface
are adhesive forces. In this example, the adhesive forces are weaker than the
cohesive forces. That is why water does not wet the waxed surface.
8. Mercury does not wet the glass (why)? (IMPORTANT)
Liquids wet the surface when adhesive forces are stronger than cohesive forces.
As the adhesive forces between the particles of mercury and those of glass are
weaker than the cohesive forces among the particles of mercury, therefore, it
does not wet the glass.
9. A drop of ink spreads on a bloating paper. (IMPORTANT)
Each pore on a bloating paper acts as a small capillary tube. Ink is a wetting liquid
due to its low surface tension. Therefore, a drop of ink spreads on a bloating
paper and absorb on it through capillary action similarly cotton absorbs water.
10. Evaporation is a cooling process. (IMPORTANT)
During evaporation, as the molecules possessing high kinetic energies leave the
liquid, therefore, average kinetic energy of the remaining molecules decreases.
This cause to decrease the temperature of the liquid or in other words this cause
to cool the liquid.
11. Evaporation of a liquid is accelerated by heating.
2

On heating a liquid the intermolecular attractive forces in it are reduced due to

increased average kinetic energy of its molecules. Thus the tendency of liquid
molecules to escape from its surface is increased resulting in an accelerated
evaporation of liquid.
12. It is easier to pour water than honey or honey is more viscous than water.
We know that viscosity of a liquid is a measure of its internal resistance to flow
and depends on
The inter
molecular
forces

Shape and size

of molecules
The densit

In case of honey its density is greater than water and is irregular shape molecule,
therefore it has more viscosity. Hence it is easier to pour water than honey.
13. Why the temperature of a liquid does not increase at its boiling point even
through heat is continuously supplied?
A boiling point molecule of the liquid attains the maximum average kinetic energy
which they can. As at boiling point increase kinetic energy of molecules stops,
therefore, increase in temperature also stops. At this temperature whole of the
heat supplied is consumed to overcome the intermolecular forces which
evaporate the liquid more quickly.
14. Cooking takes longer time at high altitude. (IMPORTANT)
IN mountain regions, the boiling point of water will be below 100:C because the
atmospheric pressure is below 760 torr. Thus in such regions of high altitude, food
takes longer time to cook because of the low boiling temperatures.
15. Diamond is hard (why)? (IMPORTANT)
In diamond each carbon atom is joined to four other carbon atoms at an angle of
109:C called tetrahedral angle. Due to close packing of atoms and large number
of covalent bonds, diamond is very hard and has high melting point.
3

16. Graphite is very soft, greasy and conduct electricity (why)?

In graphite each carbon atom is joined to three other carbon atoms at angle at an
angle of 120:C, forming layers of hexagons. Adjacent layers are held together by
weak Vander waals forces. Due to space between layers graphite is soft and as
layers easily slide over one another so graphite has greasy texture. Graphite
conducts electricity in the plane of layers as each carbon has one free electron.
17. Cation is smaller in size than its parent atom.
A cation is formed when an atom loses electron. Thus in a cation the number of
electron is always less than the number of protons (+ve charge). The effective
nuclear charge increases. Thus the nucleus attracts lesser number of electrons
with greater force. As a result of it, the size of cation decreases.
In certain cations, the loss of electron results in the loss of an orbit, while nuclear
charge remains the same in both the cases. Thus the nucleus attracts lesser
number of orbits more strongly.
Na

Na++e-

1.57A:

0.95 A:

18. An anion is larger than its parent atom. (IMPORTANT)

An anion is formed when atom gains electron. Thus in an anion the number of
electron is always greater than the number of protons. The nuclear charge in an
ion decreases; due to the decrease in the force of attraction on the outer electron
the size of an ion is always larger than parent atom.
Cl + 1e-

Cl-

19. Ionization energy decreases downward in a group. (IMPORTANT)

Ionization energy depends upon the size of atoms and force of attraction
between valence shell and nucleus. In a group, size of atoms increases and the
attractive force between nucleus and valance shell decreases, so ionization
energy decreases in a group
4

20. Ionization energy increases in a period from left to right. (IMPORTANT)

In a period from left to right the size of atoms decreases and attraction between
nucleus and valance shell increases. So ionization energy increases from left to
right in a period.
21. Why gases are compressible but not the liquid?
The intermolecular spaces in case of gases are about 1000 times more as
compared to the liquids. Thus, on the application of external pressure the
molecules of the gases can be brought closer and hence the gases are
compressible.
However, in case of liquids the molecules cannot be brought closer by the
application of external pressure, because the intermolecular spaces are too small.
22. In solid state ionic compounds are bad conductors of electricity.
(IMPORTANT)
Ionic compounds in solid state are bad conductors of electricity. It is because; the
cations and anions are held firmly in crystal lattice of ionic compound by
electrostatic force. As the ions cannot migrate to cathode and anode, therefore,
no electric current flows through ionic compound in solid state. For example, ionic
compounds like sodium chloride, potassium chloride, lead bromide, etc, are bad
conductors of electricity in solid state, but are good conductors of electricity in
molten state.
23. Positive catalyst increases the rate of reaction. (IMPORTANT)
Positive catalyst provides an alternate path of low activation energy. The total
number of effective collisions per unit time increases therefore the rate of
reaction increases.
24. Negative catalyst decreases the rate of reaction. (IMPORTANT)
Negative catalyst do not low the activation energy rather they combine with
reactant molecules thus decreasing the number of colliding reactant molecules.
This decrease the effective collision hence rate of reaction decreases.
5