CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES THE QUEST FOR
INSIGHT COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED APLUS
●● What is the difference between elements and compounds?
Answer: Elements are basic components of matter that cannot be
reduced further, while compounds are composed of two or more
elements in a fixed ratio with unique properties.
●● Name the major essential elements required for life.
Answer: Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
●● What are trace elements?
Answer: Elements required in small amounts for life functions.
●● What is an atom?
Answer: The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an
element.
●● What subatomic particles make up an atom?
Answer: Protons (positive charge), neutrons (neutral charge), and
electrons (negative charge).
, ●● How is the mass of subatomic particles measured?
Answer: In daltons; 1 dalton = 1.7 × 10⁻²⁴ g.
●● What is the atomic number of an element?
Answer: The number of protons in an atom, which also equals the
number of electrons in a neutral atom.
●● What is an isotope?
Answer: Atoms of an element that have variable numbers of neutrons.
●● What are radioactive isotopes?
Answer: Isotopes that undergo spontaneous decay of the atomic nucleus,
releasing particles and energy.
●● What is potential energy in the context of electrons?
Answer: The energy due to the location or structure of matter, which
increases as electrons move away from the nucleus.
●● What is the maximum electron capacity of the first three shells?
Answer: First shell: 2 electrons, Second shell: 8 electrons, Third shell: 8
electrons.
INSIGHT COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED APLUS
●● What is the difference between elements and compounds?
Answer: Elements are basic components of matter that cannot be
reduced further, while compounds are composed of two or more
elements in a fixed ratio with unique properties.
●● Name the major essential elements required for life.
Answer: Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
●● What are trace elements?
Answer: Elements required in small amounts for life functions.
●● What is an atom?
Answer: The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an
element.
●● What subatomic particles make up an atom?
Answer: Protons (positive charge), neutrons (neutral charge), and
electrons (negative charge).
, ●● How is the mass of subatomic particles measured?
Answer: In daltons; 1 dalton = 1.7 × 10⁻²⁴ g.
●● What is the atomic number of an element?
Answer: The number of protons in an atom, which also equals the
number of electrons in a neutral atom.
●● What is an isotope?
Answer: Atoms of an element that have variable numbers of neutrons.
●● What are radioactive isotopes?
Answer: Isotopes that undergo spontaneous decay of the atomic nucleus,
releasing particles and energy.
●● What is potential energy in the context of electrons?
Answer: The energy due to the location or structure of matter, which
increases as electrons move away from the nucleus.
●● What is the maximum electron capacity of the first three shells?
Answer: First shell: 2 electrons, Second shell: 8 electrons, Third shell: 8
electrons.
