Which one of the following is not a characteristic of a compound?
- A.Composition is variable.
- B.All particles of compound are of only one type.
- C.Particles of compound have two or more elements.
- D.Its constituents cannot be separated by simple physical methods.
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, Composition is variable. A compound always has a fixed composition by mass, so a variable composition is a property of mixtures, not compounds. This is the law of constant proportions given by Joseph Proust: pure water from any source contains hydrogen and oxygen in the mass ratio 1:8, and carbon dioxide always has carbon and oxygen in the ratio 3:8. A compound forms when two or more elements combine chemically, and its properties differ from those of its elements; sodium is a reactive metal and chlorine a poisonous gas, yet sodium chloride is common salt. Option B is wrong because it is a true feature: a pure compound is made of only one kind of particle, its own molecules or formula units. Option C is wrong because it is also true: each particle of a compound contains atoms of two or more elements. Option D is wrong because it too is true: the constituents of a compound can be separated only by chemical or electrochemical methods, not by filtration, evaporation or a magnet. Exam tip: compound = fixed ratio, new properties, chemical separation; mixture = variable ratio, keeps properties, physical separation.
Practice Questions
View allChlorophyll in photosynthetic prokaryotic bacteria is associated with
- A.plastids
- B.membranous vesicles
- C.nucleoids
- D.chromosomes
Show answer
Photosynthetic bacteria have no chloroplasts; their pigments sit on infoldings of the cell membrane that form vesicles or sacs, often called chromatophores.
Read the full explanation →Fat in human body is stored in
- A.Adipose tissue
- B.Red blood cells
- C.Muscle tissue
- D.Epithelial tissue
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Adipose tissue is a loose connective tissue whose cells, called adipocytes, are built to store fat. Each cell holds a large droplet of fat that pushes the nucleus and cytoplasm to one side.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is a metalloid ?
- A.Germanium
- B.Coke
- C.Iodine
- D.Sugar
Show answer
Germanium is a metalloid, an element whose properties lie between those of metals and non-metals. It is a hard, shiny, grey-white solid like a metal, yet it is brittle and conducts electricity far less well than a metal, which makes it a semiconductor.
Read the full explanation →A photon of X-ray has energy of 1 keV. A photon of visible radiation has energy of 3 eV. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct?
- A.The wavelength of X-ray photon is less than the wavelength of visible radiation photon.
- B.Both the photons have different energies.
- C.The speeds of both the photons in vacuum are different.
- D.The frequency of X-ray photon is higher than the frequency of visible radiation photon.
Show answer
This statement is wrong because every photon, whatever its energy, travels in vacuum at the same speed of light, about 3 × 10^8 metres per second.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following substances cause temporary hardness in water?
1. Mg(HCO3)2
2. Ca(HCO3)2
3. CaCl2
4. MgSO4
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A.3 and 4
- B.2 and 3
- C.1 and 4
- D.1 and 2
Show answer
Temporary hardness is caused by the bicarbonates of magnesium and calcium, Mg(HCO3)2 and Ca(HCO3)2. It is called temporary because simple boiling removes it: on heating, the soluble bicarbonates break down into insoluble carbonate or hydroxide, carbon dioxide and water, and the solid settles out.
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