Virginia · VDOEQ&A
ChemistryQ&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every Virginia Chemistry syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Chemical Bonding and Nomenclature
- Lewis structures and molecular geometry: draw electron-dot (Lewis) structures for simple molecules and use VSEPR to predict molecular shapes.2Q&A pairs
- Naming compounds and writing formulas: name and write formulas for ionic compounds (including polyatomic ions), binary molecular compounds and simple acids.2Q&A pairs
- Polarity and intermolecular forces: determine molecular polarity from shape and bond polarity, and compare dispersion, dipole-dipole and hydrogen-bonding forces and their effect on properties.2Q&A pairs
- Types of chemical bonds: explain ionic, covalent and metallic bonding in terms of valence electrons and electronegativity, and predict bond type from the periodic table.2Q&A pairs
Molar Relationships and Chemical Reactions
- Balancing equations and conservation of mass: balance chemical equations by adjusting coefficients to satisfy the law of conservation of mass.2Q&A pairs
- Limiting reactants and percent yield: identify the limiting and excess reactants, calculate the theoretical yield, and calculate the percent yield.2Q&A pairs
- Percent composition and empirical formulas: calculate the percent composition by mass of a compound and determine its empirical and molecular formulas from composition data.2Q&A pairs
- Stoichiometry and the mole ratio: use the mole ratio from a balanced equation to convert between moles and masses of reactants and products, including gas volumes at STP.2Q&A pairs
- The mole and molar mass: use the mole, molar mass and Avogadro's number to convert between mass, moles and number of particles.2Q&A pairs
- Types of chemical reactions: classify reactions as synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement or combustion, and predict their products.2Q&A pairs
Phases of Matter and Gas Laws
- Phase changes and heating curves: name the phase changes and their energy changes, and interpret a heating or cooling curve including the plateaus.2Q&A pairs
- States of matter and kinetic molecular theory: describe solids, liquids and gases in terms of particle arrangement and motion, and state the assumptions of kinetic molecular theory.2Q&A pairs
- The gas laws: use Boyle's law, Charles's law, Gay-Lussac's law and the combined gas law to relate the pressure, volume and temperature of a gas.2Q&A pairs
- The ideal gas law and molar volume: use the ideal gas law to relate pressure, volume, temperature and moles, and use the molar volume of a gas at STP.3Q&A pairs
Reaction Energy and Rates
- Chemical equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle: describe dynamic equilibrium in a reversible reaction and predict the shift when concentration, temperature or pressure changes.2Q&A pairs
- Endothermic and exothermic reactions: distinguish endothermic and exothermic processes by the direction of energy flow and the sign of the enthalpy change.2Q&A pairs
- Factors affecting reaction rate: describe how concentration, temperature, surface area, a catalyst and the nature of the reactants change the rate of a reaction.2Q&A pairs
- Potential energy diagrams and activation energy: interpret a potential energy diagram, identify the activation energy and the energy change, and explain the effect of a catalyst.2Q&A pairs
- Reaction rates and collision theory: explain reaction rate using collision theory, including effective collisions, orientation and the activation energy.2Q&A pairs
Scientific Investigation and Atomic Structure
- Electron configuration and energy levels: describe how electrons occupy energy levels, write electron configurations, identify valence electrons, and relate ground and excited states to spectra.2Q&A pairs
- Isotopes and average atomic mass: define isotopes, write nuclide notation, and calculate the weighted average atomic mass of an element from its isotopes.2Q&A pairs
- Measurement, significant figures and dimensional analysis: use SI units, significant figures and scientific notation, convert units by dimensional analysis, and calculate density and percent error.2Q&A pairs
- Nuclear chemistry and radioactivity: describe alpha, beta and gamma decay, balance nuclear equations, distinguish fission from fusion, and use half-life.2Q&A pairs
- Scientific investigation and experimental design: plan and conduct safe investigations, identify independent, dependent and controlled variables, and distinguish hypothesis, theory and law.2Q&A pairs
- Structure of the atom: describe protons, neutrons and electrons, atomic number and mass number, and the historical development of the atomic model from Dalton to the modern view.2Q&A pairs
- The periodic table and periodic trends: describe the organization of the periodic table and the trends in atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity and reactivity across periods and down groups.2Q&A pairs
Solutions, Acids and Bases
- Acids, bases and the pH scale: describe the properties and definitions of acids and bases, the pH scale, and the relationship between pH and hydrogen ion concentration.2Q&A pairs
- Molarity and solution stoichiometry: calculate molarity, prepare and dilute solutions, and use molarity in solution stoichiometry.2Q&A pairs
- Neutralization and titration: write neutralization reactions that form a salt and water, and use titration data to find an unknown concentration.2Q&A pairs
- Solutions, solubility and concentration: describe solutes, solvents and the dissolving process, the factors that affect rate of dissolving and solubility, and how to read a solubility curve.2Q&A pairs