Chemistry: 41 trivia questions with sources
The current material introduces element symbols, familiar substances, atomic nuclei, pH, oxidation, catalysts, phase changes, allotropes, and the bonding range of carbon.
41 questions · 9 easy, 19 medium, 13 hard · 41 with a source link
Suggested round splits
4 ways to break this category into rounds. The printed sheet keeps the whole list in one run, so split it while you plan rather than while you host.
Elements and symbols
Common element names, chemical symbols, planetary naming, and recognizable uses.
Atoms and bonding
Nuclear particles, carbon structures, allotropes, and compound formation.
Reactions and measurements
pH, oxidation, catalysts, and evidence of chemical change.
States and material properties
Sublimation, magnetism, gases, familiar compounds, and material behavior.
All 41 questions with answers
41 carry a pinned source revision
What element has the chemical symbol O?
OxygenChecked against:
Oxygen is a chemical element; it has the symbol O and its atomic number is 8.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen?oldid=1356586589Which element has the symbol Au?
GoldChecked against:
Gold is a chemical element; its chemical symbol is Au (from Latin aurum) and atomic number 79.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold?oldid=1364204831Which familiar substance is an inorganic compound?
WaterChecked against:
Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula H 2 O.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water?oldid=1365146386Which gas fills many party balloons so they float safely?
HeliumChecked against:
Because it is lighter than air, airships and balloons are inflated with helium for lift.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium?oldid=1366031206#FlightWhat element makes up diamond and graphite?
CarbonChecked against:
Carbon in its solid state exists in several allotropes, including graphite, a soft, black, and slippery material, and diamond, the hardest naturally occurring substance.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon?oldid=1356422152#CharacteristicsWhich element has a form that becomes ferromagnetic below its Curie point?
IronChecked against:
Below its Curie point of 770 °C (1,420 °F; 1,040 K), α-iron changes from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic: the spins of the two unpaired electrons in each atom generally align with the spins of its neighbors, creating an overall magnetic field.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron?oldid=1364467036#Magnetic_propertiesWhat does the pH scale measure?
The activity of hydrogen cations in the solutionChecked against:
The pH scale is logarithmic and inversely indicates the activity of hydrogen cations in the solution
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH?oldid=1365068287Which element gives table salt the first half of its chemical name, sodium chloride?
SodiumChecked against:
Sodium chloride / ˌ s oʊ d i ə m ˈ k l ɔːr aɪ d /, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_chloride?oldid=1361150387Why does an iron nail rust?
The reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moistureChecked against:
Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust?oldid=1361494391Which noble gas produces a reddish-orange glow in signs?
NeonChecked against:
In neon signs, neon produces an unmistakable bright reddish-orange light when electric current passes through it under low pressure.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon?oldid=1363486808#Lighting_and_signageWhat does an atomic nucleus consist of?
Protons and neutronsChecked against:
The atomic nucleus is the small, dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom, discovered in 1911 by Ernest Rutherford at the University of Manchester based on the 1909 Geiger–Marsden gold foil experiment.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_nucleus?oldid=1358772000How does a catalyst change a chemical reaction?
An alternative reaction mechanismChecked against:
In general, chemical reactions occur faster in the presence of a catalyst because the catalyst provides an alternative reaction mechanism (reaction pathway) having a lower activation energy than the noncatalyzed mechanism.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysis?oldid=1358271976#Catalytic_reaction_mechanismsWhich element was named after the planet Uranus?
UraniumChecked against:
The 1789 discovery of uranium in the mineral pitchblende is credited to Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who named the new element after the recently discovered planet Uranus.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium?oldid=1364652270What is sublimation?
The transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas stateChecked against:
Sublimation is the transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas state, without passing through the intermediate liquid state.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublimation_(phase_transition)?oldid=1362966876Why can carbon form an exceptionally large variety of compounds?
Stable chemical bonds with many elements, particularly with other carbon atomsChecked against:
Chemically, carbon is notable for its ability to form stable chemical bonds with many elements, particularly with other carbon atoms, and is capable of forming multiple stable covalent bonds with suitable multivalent atoms.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon?oldid=1356422152#CharacteristicsAccording to conservation of mass, can mass be created or destroyed in a closed system?
Mass can neither be created nor destroyedChecked against:
The law implies that mass can neither be created nor destroyed, although it may be rearranged in space, or the entities associated with it may be changed in form.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_mass?oldid=1365127168How does an exothermic process affect energy?
Releases energy from the system to its surroundingsChecked against:
In thermodynamics, an exothermic process (from Ancient Greek έξω (éxō) 'outward' and θερμικός (thermikós) 'thermal') is a thermodynamic process or reaction that releases energy from the system to its surroundings, usually in the form of heat, but also in a form of light, electricity, or sound.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exothermic_process?oldid=1343544837What does an endothermic process absorb?
Absorbs heat from its surroundingsChecked against:
An endothermic process is a chemical or physical process that absorbs heat from its surroundings.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endothermic_process?oldid=1346147892What force holds oppositely charged ions together in ionic bonding?
Electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ionsChecked against:
Ionic bonding is a type of chemical bonding that involves the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, or between two atoms with sharply different electronegativities, and is the primary interaction occurring in ionic compounds.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionic_bonding?oldid=1359556665How are electrons involved in a covalent bond?
Sharing of electrons to form electron pairs between atomsChecked against:
A covalent bond is a chemical bond that involves the sharing of electrons to form electron pairs between atoms.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covalent_bond?oldid=1347405474How many elementary entities are in one mole?
6.02214076×10^23 elementary entitiesChecked against:
One mole is an aggregate of exactly 6.02214076×10^23 elementary entities which can be atoms, molecules, ions, ion pairs, or other particles.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(unit)?oldid=1363520051How do isotopes of the same element differ in their nuclei?
Different numbers of neutrons in their nucleiChecked against:
They have the same atomic number (number of protons in their nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemical element), but different nucleon numbers (mass numbers) due to different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope?oldid=1364129642What count gives an element its atomic number?
The number of protonsChecked against:
For ordinary nuclei composed of protons and neutrons, this is equal to the proton number (np) or the number of protons found in the nucleus of every atom of that element.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_number?oldid=1364260281In a redox reaction, what is oxidation?
Oxidation is the loss of electronsChecked against:
Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in the oxidation state.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redox?oldid=1361520460What is exchanged when a Brønsted-Lowry acid reacts with a base?
A protonChecked against:
The basic concept of this theory is that when an acid and a base react with each other, the acid forms its conjugate base, and the base forms its conjugate acid by exchange of a proton.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%B8nsted%E2%80%93Lowry_acid%E2%80%93base_theory?oldid=1364155633How does blue litmus paper react in an acidic medium?
Blue litmus paper turns redChecked against:
In an acidic medium, blue litmus paper turns red, while in a basic or alkaline medium, red litmus paper turns blue.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litmus?oldid=1357365761Which two operations separate a liquid mixture during distillation?
Selective boiling of the mixture and the condensation of the vaporsChecked against:
Distillation, also classical distillation, is the process of separating the component substances of a liquid mixture of two or more chemically discrete substances by selective boiling of the mixture and the condensation of the vapors in a still.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distillation?oldid=1360136339What is chromatography used to separate?
A mixture into its componentsChecked against:
In chemical analysis, chromatography is a laboratory technique for the separation of a mixture into its components.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatography?oldid=1360629607What is the solid formed during precipitation called?
The precipitateChecked against:
The solid formed is called the precipitate.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precipitation_(chemistry)?oldid=1349299573When is a solution considered aqueous?
The solvent is waterChecked against:
An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueous_solution?oldid=1354245868What are the non-solvent substances in a solution called?
SolutesChecked against:
A liquid or solid phase containing more than one substance, when for convenience one substance, which is called the solvent, is treated differently from the other substances, which are called solutes.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution_(chemistry)?oldid=1364066841How does a buffer solution respond to dilution or a small acid or base addition?
The pH does not change significantlyChecked against:
A buffer solution is a solution where the pH does not change significantly on dilution or if an acid or base is added at constant temperature.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_solution?oldid=1357017702How can a polymer be recognized from its structure?
Many repeating subunitsChecked against:
A polymer is a substance or material that consists of very large molecules, or macromolecules, that are constituted by many repeating subunits derived from one or more species of monomers.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer?oldid=1358323290How does an electrolyte conduct electricity?
Through the movement of ionsChecked against:
An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions, but not through the movement of electrons.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolyte?oldid=1361995977What chemical does the Haber process produce industrially?
AmmoniaChecked against:
The Haber process, also called the Haber-Bosch process, is the main industrial procedure for the production of ammonia.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haber_process?oldid=1352979226Which two metals are the main constituents of brass?
Copper and zincChecked against:
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic, and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally 2/3 copper and 1/3 zinc.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass?oldid=1364113336Which metal is the primary constituent of bronze?
CopperChecked against:
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12-12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloids (such as arsenic or silicon).
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze?oldid=1364724780How can an amphoteric compound behave in acid-base chemistry?
React both as an acid and as a baseChecked against:
In chemistry, an amphoteric compound (from Greek amphoteros 'both') is a molecule or ion that can react both as an acid and as a base.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphoterism?oldid=1360318972What can a flame test quickly detect in a sample?
The presence of some elementsChecked against:
A flame test is a relatively quick test for the presence of some elements in a sample.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_test?oldid=1362632327What substance is dry ice the solid form of?
Carbon dioxideChecked against:
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_ice?oldid=1364696874Chemically, what is soap?
A salt of a fatty acidChecked against:
Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used for cleaning and lubricating products as well as other applications.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap?oldid=1363901391