This MCQ module is based on: Elements Compounds Mixtures — Exercises
Elements Compounds Mixtures — Exercises
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 8 we learnt how chemists re-classify matter based on its composition, rather than its state.
Pure vs Impure
Pure substances have one kind of particle; mixtures contain two or more substances blended physically.
Elements
118 are known, 94 natural. Made of one kind of atom. Classified as metals, non-metals, metalloids.
Symbols
One- or two-letter abbreviations, often from Latin names (Na, Fe, Au, Pb).
Compounds
Two or more elements chemically combined in a fixed ratio. Properties differ from constituent elements.
Formulas & Subscripts
H2O means 2 H + 1 O. Subscripts count atoms, not molecules.
Mixtures
Homogeneous (uniform) or heterogeneous (non-uniform); separable by physical methods.
Reactions
Combination (elements → compound) and decomposition (compound → simpler).
Separation Methods
Filtration, evaporation, distillation, decantation, sieving, magnetic, chromatography, centrifugation.
Key Terms
NCERT Exercises — Solved
Q1.Differentiate between an element and a compound.
| Element | Compound |
|---|---|
| Made of only one kind of atoms. | Made of two or more different elements. |
| Cannot be broken into simpler substances by chemistry. | Can be broken into elements by chemical methods (heating, electrolysis). |
| Examples: O2, Fe, Au, C. | Examples: H2O, CO2, NaCl. |
| Shown by symbols. | Shown by formulas with subscripts. |
Q2.Give examples of five elements, five compounds and five mixtures.
Compounds: water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), common salt (NaCl), glucose (C6H12O6), methane (CH4).
Mixtures: air, seawater, milk, brass, soil.
Q3.What is the difference between pure substances and impure substances?
Impure substance (mixture): Contains more than one substance in variable proportions. Each component keeps its own properties and can be separated by physical methods. Examples: muddy water, air, milk.
Q4.Match the following symbols with the correct element names.
| Symbol | Name (mix) |
|---|---|
| Fe | Copper |
| Au | Iron |
| Na | Potassium |
| Cu | Sodium |
| K | Silver |
| Ag | Gold |
| Pb | Mercury |
| Hg | Lead |
Fe → Iron (ferrum) · Au → Gold (aurum) · Na → Sodium (natrium) · Cu → Copper (cuprum) · K → Potassium (kalium) · Ag → Silver (argentum) · Pb → Lead (plumbum) · Hg → Mercury (hydrargyrum).
Q5.Write the chemical formulas for: water, carbon dioxide, common salt, sugar (sucrose), methane.
Q6.Classify each of the following as element, compound, or mixture:
carbon dioxide, sand, seawater, magnesium oxide, muddy water, aluminium, gold, oxygen, rust, iron sulfide, glucose, air, water, fruit juice, nitrogen, sodium chloride, sulfur, hydrogen, baking soda.
| Substance | Classification |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | Compound |
| Sand | Mixture (mostly SiO2 with impurities) |
| Seawater | Mixture (homogeneous solution) |
| Magnesium oxide (MgO) | Compound |
| Muddy water | Mixture (heterogeneous) |
| Aluminium (Al) | Element |
| Gold (Au) | Element |
| Oxygen (O2) | Element |
| Rust (Fe2O3·xH2O) | Compound |
| Iron sulfide (FeS) | Compound |
| Glucose (C6H12O6) | Compound |
| Air | Mixture (homogeneous) |
| Water (H2O) | Compound |
| Fruit juice | Mixture (heterogeneous) |
| Nitrogen (N2) | Element |
| Sodium chloride (NaCl) | Compound |
| Sulfur (S) | Element |
| Hydrogen (H2) | Element |
| Baking soda (NaHCO3) | Compound |
Q7.What new substance is formed when a mixture of iron filings and sulfur powder is heated? How is it different from the original mixture? Write the word equation.
Word equation: Iron + Sulfur → Iron sulfide.
Symbolically: Fe + S → FeS.
How it differs from the original mixture:
- In the original mixture, a magnet could still pull out the iron and the two substances kept their own properties.
- In the new compound FeS, the iron has lost its magnetism — a magnet no longer removes it.
- The mixture showed yellow sulfur grains and grey iron; FeS is a uniform black solid.
- The compound has a fixed composition (by mass); the original mixture could be made in any ratio.
Q8.Is it possible for a substance to be classified as both an element and a compound? Explain why or why not.
- An element is made of a single kind of atom only.
- A compound is made of atoms of two or more different elements bonded chemically.
Q9.How would our daily lives be changed if water were not a compound but merely a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen?
- It would not be a liquid at room temperature. H2 and O2 are both gases that boil far below 0 °C. So "water" would be a gas — no rivers, no lakes, no oceans.
- It would not put out fires. Hydrogen burns and oxygen supports burning. A spark would cause it to explode rather than extinguish flames.
- Proportions would vary. Drinking water from different sources would have different H : O ratios, making it unreliable.
- Living cells could not form. Cells rely on H2O's unique bonded structure to dissolve nutrients and carry signals.
- Weather, rain and climate would not exist, because there would be no liquid water to evaporate and condense.
Q10.Analyse Fig. 8.24 (an experiment where a metal ribbon is burnt in air producing a white powder and a gas is evolved when the powder is added to dilute acid). Identify Gas A and write the word equation of the chemical reaction shown.
Word equation 1: Magnesium + Oxygen → Magnesium oxide.
2 Mg + O2 → 2 MgO.
When magnesium oxide is added to dilute hydrochloric acid, it reacts to give magnesium chloride and water. If, instead, the unburnt magnesium ribbon is added to dilute acid, the gas evolved is hydrogen (H2).
Word equation 2 (metal + acid): Magnesium + Hydrochloric acid → Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen.
Mg + 2 HCl → MgCl2 + H2↑.
Hence Gas A is hydrogen (H2). It can be confirmed by a lighted splinter — hydrogen burns with a "pop" sound.
Q11.Write the names of any two compounds made only from non-metals, and mention two uses of each.
- Drinking and cooking — the universal solvent for our bodies.
- Generation of hydroelectric power and irrigation for agriculture.
- Used by green plants for photosynthesis to make food.
- Used in fire extinguishers and to make fizzy soft drinks.
Q12.How can gold be classified as both a mineral and a metal?
- Mineral is a geological term: a naturally occurring solid substance, usually found in rocks or ores. Gold occurs naturally as nuggets and flakes inside rocks in the Earth's crust — so it is a mineral.
- Metal is a chemical term: an element that is lustrous, malleable, ductile, and a good conductor of heat and electricity. Gold shows all these properties — so it is a metal (in fact, one of the most unreactive metals).