Hard periodic table quiz: more exceptions

Q: What does the hard inorganic quiz test?

Twenty questions on Mo and Ag configurations, extra VSEPR shapes, the inert-pair effect, and d-block contraction. Five choices each.

Q: Can I print the hard inorganic quiz?

Yes. Print or download a blank paper from this page. After you submit, you can print or download a marked copy.

Q: Where are my answers stored?

Only in this browser, under a ptw.quiz.inorganic key. Leave unfinished and they wipe. Nothing is sent to a server.

Question 1

The measured ground state of molybdenum is:

Accepted Answer

[Kr] 4d⁵ 5s¹

Answer

[Kr] 4d⁴ 5s²

Answer

[Kr] 4d⁶

Answer

[Kr] 4d⁵ 5s²

Answer

[Xe] 4d⁵ 5s¹

Question 2

The measured ground state of silver is:

Accepted Answer

[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹

Answer

[Kr] 4d⁹ 5s²

Answer

[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s²

Answer

[Kr] 4d⁸ 5s²

Answer

[Xe] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹

Question 3

The measured ground state of gold is:

Accepted Answer

[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹

Answer

[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s²

Answer

[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s²

Answer

[Xe] 5d¹⁰ 6s¹

Answer

[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹

Question 4

The inert-pair effect makes Tl(I) more stable relative to Tl(III) than Al(I) is to Al(III) mainly because:

Accepted Answer

the 6s² pair is relativistically stabilized and hard to remove

Answer

thallium has fewer valence electrons than aluminum

Answer

thallium has no d electrons

Answer

IUPAC forbids +3 for period 6

Answer

Tl(III) would violate the octet rule, unlike Al(III)

Question 5

The classic diagonal relationship on the table is:

Accepted Answer

Li and Mg

Answer

Na and Ca

Answer

K and Al

Answer

Be and Na

Answer

B and Si only by mass number

Question 6

Gas-phase PCl₅ is:

Accepted Answer

trigonal bipyramidal

Answer

tetrahedral

Answer

square planar

Answer

octahedral

Answer

T-shaped

Question 7

The molecular shape of IF₅ is:

Accepted Answer

square pyramidal

Answer

trigonal bipyramidal

Answer

octahedral

Answer

pentagonal planar

Answer

seesaw

Question 8

The molecular shape of BrF₃ is:

Accepted Answer

T-shaped

Answer

trigonal planar

Answer

trigonal pyramidal

Answer

linear

Answer

seesaw

Question 9

The MO bond order of O₂ is:

Accepted Answer

2

Answer

1

Answer

1.5

Answer

2.5

Answer

3

Question 10

The MO bond order of N₂ is:

Accepted Answer

3

Answer

1

Answer

2

Answer

2.5

Answer

4

Question 11

The F–F bond is weaker than the Cl–Cl bond mainly because:

Accepted Answer

lone pairs on small F crowd each other; Cl has more room

Answer

fluorine is less electronegative than chlorine

Answer

F₂ has a triple bond and Cl₂ has a single bond

Answer

chlorine is a gas and fluorine is a solid

Answer

the F–F bond has not been measured

Question 12

Zn²⁺ aqua solutions are colorless mainly because:

Accepted Answer

Zn²⁺ is d¹⁰, so there is no d–d transition in the visible

Answer

zinc has no electrons

Answer

zinc is a noble gas

Answer

all transition-metal ions are colorless

Answer

Zn²⁺ is d⁴ high-spin

Question 13

[Ti(H₂O)₆]³⁺ is colored because Ti³⁺ is:

Accepted Answer

d¹

Answer

d⁰

Answer

d⁵

Answer

d¹⁰

Answer

an s-block ion

Question 14

By HSAB, Ag⁺ prefers which halide?

Accepted Answer

I⁻ over F⁻, because Ag⁺ is a soft cation

Answer

F⁻ over I⁻, because fluoride is smaller

Answer

Cl⁻ only

Answer

none; Ag⁺ does not form halides

Answer

O²⁻, which is a halide

Question 15

The O–O bond order in superoxide (O₂⁻) is:

Accepted Answer

1.5

Answer

1

Answer

2

Answer

2.5

Answer

3

Question 16

The measured ground state of niobium is:

Accepted Answer

[Kr] 4d⁴ 5s¹

Answer

[Kr] 4d³ 5s²

Answer

[Kr] 4d⁵

Answer

[Kr] 4d³ 5s¹

Answer

[Xe] 4d⁴ 5s¹

Question 17

Gallium is close in size to aluminum, not a full period larger, mainly because:

Accepted Answer

3d contraction: the filled 3d set shields poorly

Answer

they are isotopes

Answer

gallium has fewer electrons than aluminum

Answer

actinide contraction

Answer

gallium has no d electrons

Question 18

The steric number of xenon in XeF₆ is:

Accepted Answer

7

Answer

4

Answer

5

Answer

6

Answer

8

Question 19

Low-spin Co³⁺ (t₂g⁶) ligand substitution is slow mainly because:

Accepted Answer

the t₂g⁶ set is ligand-field stabilized, so the activation barrier is high

Answer

cobalt(III) has no d electrons

Answer

Co³⁺ is d¹⁰

Answer

all octahedral complexes are labile

Answer

cobalt cannot form octahedra

Question 20

The molecular shape of SF₆ is:

Accepted Answer

octahedral

Answer

tetrahedral

Answer

square planar

Answer

trigonal bipyramidal

Answer

pentagonal bipyramidal

Hard periodic table quiz: more exceptions

Common questions

What does the hard inorganic quiz test?

Can I print the hard inorganic quiz?

Where are my answers stored?

Hard periodic table quiz: more exceptions

Common questions

What does the hard inorganic quiz test?

Can I print the hard inorganic quiz?

Where are my answers stored?