IB Chemistry SL 1.4 Chemical Bonding Question Bank
Practise IB Chemistry SL 1.4 with evidence-led questions on ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, structures and properties.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Course
- Chemistry SL
- Level
- SL
Practise IB Chemistry SL 1.4 with evidence-led questions on ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, structures and properties.
The increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is thought to result from the increased combustion of fossil fuels such as petroleum.
Outline why the energy available from an engine will be less than these theoretical values.
energy is lost «to the surroundings» as heat/sound/friction
OR
energy is lost to the surroundings «as heat/sound/friction»
OR
incomplete combustion
Marking guidance:
Do not accept just "energy is lost".
Alkenes, such as A (shown below), are important intermediates in the petrochemical industry because they undergo addition reactions to produce a wide variety of products, such as the conversion shown below.

In the gas phase, A reacts with hydrogen to form D.

Determine the enthalpy change, in kJmol−1, for the reaction of A with hydrogen, using Table 10 of the Data Booklet, and state whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic.
bonds broken: (E(C=C)+E(H−H)=612+436=)1048( kJ mol−1); Accept (6956+436=) 7392 if all bonds in alkene broken.
bonds formed: E(C−C)+2×E(C−H)=347+(2×413)=1173( kJ mol−1);
Marking guidance:
Accept 7517 if all the bonds in the product are summed.
ΔH=1048−1173/7392−7517=−125( kJ mol−1);
Award [3] for correct final answer.
Award [2] for +125 .
exothermic;
Apply ECF if sign of ΔH incorrect.
Do not award a mark for "exothermic" if ΔH given as positive.
Ethyne, C2H2, reacts with oxygen in welding torches.
Write an equation for the complete combustion of ethyne.
C2H2( g)+2.5O2( g)→2CO2( g)+H2O(l)
OR
2C2H2( g)+5O2( g)→4CO2( g)+2H2O(l)
Ethyne reacts with steam.
Two possible products are:

Determine the enthalpy change for the reaction, in kJ , to produce A using section 11 of the data booklet.
Reactant bonds:
2(C−H)+C≡C+2(O−H):2×414+839+2×463=2593kJ
Product A bonds:
3(C−H)+C=C+C−O+O−H:3×414+614+358+463=2677kJ
Enthalpy change:
ΔH=2593−2677=−84kJ
Award [3] for correct final answer.
The enthalpy change for the reaction to produce B is -213 kJ .
Predict, giving a reason, which product is the most stable.
B AND it has a more negative/lower enthalpy/«potential» energy OR
B AND more exothermic «enthalpy of reaction from same starting point»
Chlorine occurs in Group 7, the halogens.
Chloroethene, H2C=CHCl, the monomer used in the polymerization reaction in the manufacture of the polymer poly(chloroethene), PVC, can be synthesized in the following two-stage reaction pathway.
Stage 1: C2H4( g)+Cl2( g)→ClCH2CH2Cl(g)
Stage 2: ClCH2CH2Cl(g)→H2C=CHCl(g)+HCl(g)
Determine the enthalpy change, ΔH, in kJmol−1, for stage 1 using average bond enthalpy data from Table 10 of the Data Booklet.
Bonds breaking:
1×(C=C)+4×(C−H)+1×(Cl−Cl)=(1)(612)+(4)(413)+(1)(243)/=(+)2507( kJ mol−1);
Bonds forming:
1×(C−C)+4×(C−H)+2×(C−Cl)=(1)(347)+(4)(413)+(2)(346)/=−2691( kJ mol−1);
Enthalpy change:
(2507−2691=)−184( kJ mol−1);
OR
OR
Bonds breaking:
1×(C=C)+1×(Cl−Cl)=(1)(612)+(1)(243)/=(+)855( kJ mol−1);
Bonds forming:
1×(C−C)+2×(C−Cl)=(1)(347)+(2)(346)/=−1039( kJ mol−1);
Enthalpy change:
(855−1039=)−184( kJ mol−1);
Marking guidance:
Award [3] for correct final answer.
State whether the reaction given in stage 1 is exothermic or endothermic.
exothermic;
Marking guidance:
Do not award mark unless based on some value for part (ii).