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Topic R2.1 · HL only

How much? the amount of chemical change: notes and practice questions

Summary
  • This topic has no additional higher level content beyond the standard level material.
  • All content for Reactivity 2.1, including chemical equations, mole ratios, limiting reactants, theoretical, experimental, and percentage yields, is covered by both Standard Level and Higher Level students.
  • Calculations of atom economy are also part of the common curriculum for both levels.
  • The focus remains on quantifying chemical change and understanding reaction efficiency.

How it is examined

The most reliably examined subtopic in the course, in every paper. Titration calculations, limiting reactant chains and percentage yield are all standard. May 2025 HL Paper 2 TZ1 4(a) ran a three-part chain: write the equation with all state symbols [2], marked as one mark for correct products with state symbols and one for correct balancing; deduce the limiting reactant [2]; then calculate the gas volume [1]. Because state symbols were explicitly asked for in the stem, the general "ignore state symbols" rule did not apply. Percentage yield questions that give a mass and ask for the yield are 2 to 3 marks with error carried forward.

Given in the booklet

Relative atomic masses to two decimal places, and the atom economy equation. The percentage yield definition is recall, as is which reactant is limiting given moles and a ratio.

Key ideas
  • 2.1.1 Chemical equations show the ratio of reactants and products in a reaction. Students deduce chemical equations when reactants and products are specified.
  • 2.1.2 The mole ratio of an equation can be used to determine the masses and/or volumes of reactants and products, and the concentrations of reactants and products for reactions occurring in solution. Students calculate reacting masses, volumes and concentrations.
  • 2.1.3 The limiting reactant determines the theoretical yield. Students identify the limiting and excess reactants from given data.
  • 2.1.4 The percentage yield is calculated from the ratio of experimental yield to theoretical yield. Students solve problems involving reacting quantities, limiting and excess reactants, and theoretical, experimental and percentage yields.

Guiding questions

  • How are chemical equations used to calculate reacting ratios?

Linking questions

  • Reactivity 3.2 When is it useful to use half-equations?
  • Structure 1.5 How does the molar volume of a gas vary with changes in temperature and pressure?
  • Nature of science, Structure 1.4 In what ways does Avogadro's law help us to describe, but not explain, the behaviour of gases?
  • Tool 1, Inquiry 1, 2, 3 What errors may cause the experimental yield to be i) higher and ii) lower than the theoretical yield?
  • Structure 2.4, Reactivity 2.2 The atom economy and the percentage yield both give important information about the efficiency of a chemical process. What other factors should be considered in this assessment?

Practice questions

7 questions · 7 medium
Showing 7 of 7

Question 1

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

In an industrial process for ammonia synthesis, 100 cm3100 \text{ cm}^3 of nitrogen gas was mixed with 400 cm3400 \text{ cm}^3 of hydrogen gas in a reaction vessel. The reaction proceeded to completion according to the following equation:

N2(g)+3H2(g)→2NH3(g)N_2(g) + 3H_2(g) \rightarrow 2NH_3(g)

What is the volume of unreacted hydrogen gas remaining at the original conditions of temperature and pressure?

A. 50 cm350 \text{ cm}^3

B. 100 cm3100 \text{ cm}^3

C. 200 cm3200 \text{ cm}^3

D. 300 cm3300 \text{ cm}^3

Question 2

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

A student is investigating the reaction between aluminum metal and hydrochloric acid.

What are the limiting reactant and theoretical yield of hydrogen when 0.15 mol0.15 \text{ mol} of aluminum reacts with 0.40 mol0.40 \text{ mol} of hydrochloric acid?

2Al(s)+6HCl(aq)→2AlCl3(aq)+3H2(g)2Al(s) + 6HCl(aq) \rightarrow 2AlCl_3(aq) + 3H_2(g)

A. Al, 0.15 mol0.15 \text{ mol}

B. Al, 0.225 mol0.225 \text{ mol}

C. HCl, 0.10 mol0.10 \text{ mol}

D. HCl, 0.20 mol0.20 \text{ mol}

Question 3

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

A sample of butane, C4H10(g)C_4H_{10}(g), with a volume of 2.50 dm32.50 \text{ dm}^3 is collected at 25.0 °C25.0 \text{ °C} and 100.0 kPa100.0 \text{ kPa}. How many moles of oxygen are needed for the complete combustion of this sample of butane?

A. 0.1010.101

B. 0.3280.328

C. 0.6560.656

D. 1.311.31

Question 4

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

In an industrial synthesis, equal volumes of nitrogen gas (N2N_2) and hydrogen gas (H2H_2) are mixed in a sealed reactor at constant temperature and pressure to produce ammonia gas (NH3NH_3).

N2(g)+3H2(g)⇌2NH3(g)N_2(g) + 3H_2(g) \rightleftharpoons 2NH_3(g)

After the reaction reaches completion, the volume of ammonia gas produced is measured to be 30 cm330\text{ cm}^3.

What was the initial volume, in cm3\text{cm}^3, of nitrogen gas at the beginning of the reaction?

A. 1515

B. 3030

C. 4545

D. 9090

Question 5

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

The dotted line in the graph below represents the volume of hydrogen gas evolved when excess solid zinc is added to 50.0 cm350.0\text{ cm}^3 of 2.00 mol dm−32.00\text{ mol dm}^{-3} hydrochloric acid.

Graph of H2 volume vs time with four curves

Which curve (A, B, C, or D) represents the production of hydrogen gas when excess solid zinc is added to 100.0 cm3100.0\text{ cm}^3 of 0.500 mol dm−30.500\text{ mol dm}^{-3} hydrochloric acid?

A. Curve A

B. Curve B

C. Curve C

D. Curve D

Question 6

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

A sample of a gaseous hydrocarbon, CxHyC_xH_y, a component of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), undergoes complete combustion. 15.0 cm315.0\ cm^3 of the hydrocarbon reacts completely to produce 105.0 cm3105.0\ cm^3 of gaseous products. This volume reduces to 45.0 cm345.0\ cm^3 when the water vapour present condenses. All volumes are measured at the same temperature and pressure.

What is the molecular formula of the hydrocarbon?

A. C2H6C_2H_6

B. C3H6C_3H_6

C. C3H8C_3H_8

D. C4H10C_4H_{10}

Question 7

MediumPaper 1A · calculator1 mark

A student performs a redox titration to determine the concentration of iron(II) ions in a sample. The iron(II) ions are oxidized to iron(III) ions by dichromate(VI) ions, which are themselves reduced to chromium(III) ions.

Cr2O72−(aq)Cr_2O_7^{2-} (aq) reduced to Cr3+(aq)Cr^{3+}(aq)

Fe2+(aq)Fe^{2+} (aq) oxidized to Fe3+(aq)Fe^{3+} (aq)

What volume, in cm3cm^3, of 0.020 mol dm−3 Cr2O72−(aq)0.020\ mol\ dm^{-3}\ Cr_2O_7^{2-} (aq) is required to reach the equivalence point in the titration of 25.00 cm325.00\ cm^3 of 0.120 mol dm−3 Fe2+(aq)0.120\ mol\ dm^{-3}\ Fe^{2+} (aq)?

A. 12.5

B. 25.0

C. 50.0

D. 150.0

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What does How much? the amount of chemical change cover in IB Chemistry?

This topic has no additional higher level content beyond the standard level material. All content for Reactivity 2.1, including chemical equations, mole ratios, limiting reactants, theoretical, experimental, and percentage yields, is covered by both Standard Level and Higher Level students. Calculations of atom economy are also part of the common curriculum for both levels.

Is How much? the amount of chemical change SL or HL?

How much? the amount of chemical change is HL only. SL students are not examined on it.

How do I revise How much? the amount of chemical change for IB Chemistry?

Start from the core idea: this topic has no additional higher level content beyond the standard level material. In the exam: the most reliably examined subtopic in the course, in every paper. Titration calculations, limiting reactant chains and percentage yield are all standard. Then practise exam-style questions, easiest first, writing out every step of your working before you check it.

How does FourtyFive help me practise How much? the amount of chemical change?

FourtyFive has 7 How much? the amount of chemical change questions. Every answer you write is marked mark by mark, IB-style, and you see where each mark was won or lost. Every part has a hint, the AI tutor helps you through the step you are stuck on, and your Study Profile picks what to practise next.

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