International Chemistry Olympiad

IChO 1975

Veszprém, Hungary · 8 theory problems with complete solutions

  1. Problem 1: Crystallisation of alum on evaporation

    How many grams of alum \(\ce{KAl(SO4)2 . 12H2O}\) are crystallised out from 320 g \(\ce{KAl(SO4)2}\) solution saturated at 20 °C if 160 g of water are evaporated from the solution at 20 °C?

    (The solution saturated at 20 °C contains 5.50 % of \(\ce{KAl(SO4)2}\) by mass.)

    Relative atomic masses:

    \(A_\mathrm{r}(\ce{K}) = 39.10;\quad A_\mathrm{r}(\ce{Al}) = 26.98;\quad A_\mathrm{r}(\ce{S}) = 32.06;\quad A_\mathrm{r}(\ce{O}) = 16.0;\quad A_\mathrm{r}(\ce{H}) = 1.01\)

    Official English text of the problem.

  2. Problem 2: Composition of an Al-Zn-Si-Cu alloy

    An alloy prepared for experimental purposes contains aluminium, zinc, silicon, and copper. If 1000 mg of the alloy are dissolved in hydrochloric acid, 843 cm³ of hydrogen (0 °C, 101.325 kPa) are evolved and 170 mg of an undissolved residue remain. A sample of 500 mg of the alloy when reacted with a \(\ce{NaOH}\) solution produces 517 cm³ of hydrogen at the above conditions and in this case remains also an undissolved fraction.

    Problem:

    2.1 Calculate the composition of the alloy in % by mass.

    Relative atomic masses:

    \(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Al}) = 26.98;\qquad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Zn}) = 65.37;\qquad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Si}) = 28.09;\qquad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Cu}) = 63.55.\)

    Official English text of the problem.

  3. Problem 3: Composition of an Ag-Cu-Cr alloy

    A sample of 1500 mg of an alloy that contains silver, copper, and chromium is dissolved and the solution containing \(\ce{Ag+}\), \(\ce{Cu^2+}\), and \(\ce{Cr^3+}\) ions, is diluted to exactly 500 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\). One tenth of the volume of that solution is taken for further procedure:

    After elimination of silver and copper, chromium is oxidised in it according to the following unbalanced equation:

    Figure 1

    Then 25.00 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\) of a 0.100 molar Fe(II) salt solution are added. The following reaction (written in an unbalanced form) is taking place:

    Figure 2

    According to the unbalanced equation:

    Figure 3

    a volume of 17.20 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\) of a 0.020-molar \(\ce{KMnO4}\) solution is required for an oxidation of the Fe(II) salt which remains unoxidized in the solution.

    In another experiment, a volume of 200 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\) of the initial solution is electrolysed. Due to secondary reactions, the efficiency of the electrolysis is 90 % for metals under consideration. All three metals are quantitatively deposited in 14.50 minutes by passing a current of 2 A through the solution.

    Problem:

    3.1 Balance the three chemical equations and calculate the composition of the alloy in % by mass.

    Relative atomic masses: \(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Cu}) = 63.55;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Ag}) = 107.87;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Cr}) = 52.00\)

    Official English text of the problem.

  4. Problem 4: Dilution of formic acid and degree of ionisation

    The pH value of a solution containing 3 % by mass of formic acid (\(\rho = 1.0049\ \mathrm{g\,cm^{-3}}\)) is equal to 1.97.

    Problem:

    4.1 How many times should the solution be diluted to attain a tenfold increase in the value of ionisation degree?

    Relative atomic masses: \(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{H}) = 1.01;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{C}) = 12.01;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{O}) = 16.\)

    Official English text of the problem.

  5. Problem 5: Two consecutive aldehydes of a homologous series

    A certain aldehyde B is subsequent to an aldehyde A in the homologous series of aldehydes. An amount of 19 g of aldehyde B is added to 100 g of an aqueous solution containing 23 mass % of aldehyde A. Addition of \(\ce{AgNO3}\) in ammonia solution to 2 g of the aldehydes solution results in a precipitation of 4.35 g of silver.

    Problems:

    5.1 Determine by calculation what aldehydes were used.

    5.2 Give the structural formulas of the aldehydes.

    Relative atomic masses:

    \(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{C})=12.01;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{O})=16.00;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{H})=1.01;\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Ag})=107.87\)

    Official English text of the problem.

  6. Problem 6: Hydrogen iodide equilibrium at 600 °C

    The equilibrium constant of the reaction

    Figure 1

    is at 600 °C equal to 70.0.

    Problems:

    6.1 How much iodine (in %) is converted till the equilibrium is reached if the reactants are mixed in:

    a) 1 : 1 molar ratio at 600 °C;

    b) 2 : 1 molar ratio at 600 °C (the amount of hydrogen is twice as great as that of iodine).

    6.2 How many moles of hydrogen should be mixed with one mole of iodine when 99 % of iodine is to be converted to hydrogen iodide till the equilibrium is reached at 600 °C?

    Official English text of the problem.

  7. Problem 7: Oxidation products of a saturated hydrocarbon

    A certain saturated hydrocarbon A is transformed by a catalytic oxidation partly into a secondary alcohol B, and partly into a ketone C. The ketone when oxidised with nitric acid in the presence of catalyst yields a compound D with a formula of \(\ce{C6H10O4}\). From compound D when heated in the presence of acetic anhydride, a ketone E is formed, its formation being accompanied by evolution of \(\ce{CO2}\) and \(\ce{H2O}\). Compounds E and C have similar structures but compound E contains one methylene group less than ketone C. Compound D is one of the starting materials in the production of an important polycondensation synthetic fibre.

    Problem:

    7.1 Write the structural formulas of compounds A, B, C, D, and E.

    Official English text of the problem.

  8. Problem 8: Molecular properties table and isoelectronic species

    a) Mark by the "+" in a corresponding window those molecules for which the assertions written on the left side of the Table, are true.

    Assertion Molecule
    \(\ce{C2H4}\) \(\ce{N2H4}\) \(\ce{H2O2}\) \(\ce{H2F2}\)
    There is a covalent bond between two equal atoms
    The molecule contains a double bond
    The molecule is planar
    The molecule is polar
    There is also a hydrogen bond in the molecule
    It has basic properties in relation to water

    b) The following assertion and Table are incomplete. Fill in the dotted places by a missing word and the missing formulas, respectively.

    Assertion: The electronic structures of the molecules (ions) being placed in the Table one under the other are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    \(\ce{CH4}\) \(\ce{C2H6}\) \(\ce{CO3^2-}\) . . . . . . \(\ce{C2O4^2-}\) . . . . . .
    \(\ce{NH4+}\) \(\ce{N2H6^2+}\) . . . . . . \(\ce{NO2+}\) . . . . . . \(\ce{N2}\)

    Official English text of the problem.