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CHEMISTRY: AN ATOMS-FOCUSED APPROACH, 4TH EDITION BY
THOMAS R. GILBERT, REIN V. KIRSS, NATALIE FOSTER, AND STACEY
LOWERY BRETZ EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
EDITION 2026
CHEMISTRY: AN ATOMS-FOCUSED APPROACH, 4TH EDITION
By Thomas R. Gilbert, Rein V. Kirss, Natalie Foster, and Stacey Lowery Bretz
Original Practice Questions with Answers and Rationales
SECTION 1: MATTER AND ENERGY (Chapter 1)
Questions 1–15
1. Which of the following is a pure substance?
• A) Air
• B) Salt water
• C) Gold
• D) Brass
Answer: C) Gold
Rationale: A pure substance has a fixed composition. Gold is an element; air, salt water, and
brass are mixtures.
2. Which of the following is a homogeneous mixture?
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• A) Sand and water
• B) Salt water
• C) Oil and water
• D) Granite
Answer: B) Salt water
Rationale: A homogeneous mixture has uniform composition throughout. Salt water is uniform;
sand/water, oil/water, and granite are heterogeneous.
3. Which of the following represents a chemical change?
• A) Melting ice
• B) Dissolving sugar
• C) Rusting iron
• D) Boiling water
Answer: C) Rusting iron
Rationale: Chemical changes produce new substances. Rusting forms iron oxide; melting,
dissolving, and boiling are physical changes.
4. Which of the following represents a physical change?
• A) Burning wood
• B) Fermenting grapes
• C) Crushing a can
• D) Baking a cake
Answer: C) Crushing a can
Rationale: Physical changes do not alter chemical composition. Crushing changes shape only.
5. Which state of matter has a definite volume but no definite shape?
• A) Solid
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• B) Liquid
• C) Gas
• D) Plasma
Answer: B) Liquid
Rationale: Liquids have definite volume but take the shape of their container.
6. Which state of matter has neither definite shape nor definite volume?
• A) Solid
• B) Liquid
• C) Gas
• D) Plasma
Answer: C) Gas
Rationale: Gases expand to fill their container completely.
7. The process of a solid changing directly to a gas is called:
• A) Melting
• B) Sublimation
• C) Deposition
• D) Condensation
Answer: B) Sublimation
Rationale: Sublimation is solid → gas. Deposition is gas → solid.
8. Which of the following is an intensive property?
• A) Mass
• B) Volume
• C) Density
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• D) Length
Answer: C) Density
Rationale: Intensive properties do not depend on amount of substance. Density is intensive;
mass, volume, and length are extensive.
9. Which of the following is an extensive property?
• A) Temperature
• B) Density
• C) Mass
• D) Color
Answer: C) Mass
Rationale: Extensive properties depend on amount of substance. Mass is extensive.
10. The SI base unit for length is the:
• A) Meter
• B) Gram
• C) Second
• D) Kelvin
Answer: A) Meter
Rationale: The meter is the SI base unit for length.
11. The SI base unit for mass is the:
• A) Pound
• B) Kilogram
• C) Gram
• D) Ounce
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CHEMISTRY: AN ATOMS-FOCUSED APPROACH, 4TH EDITION BY
THOMAS R. GILBERT, REIN V. KIRSS, NATALIE FOSTER, AND STACEY
LOWERY BRETZ EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
EDITION 2026
CHEMISTRY: AN ATOMS-FOCUSED APPROACH, 4TH EDITION
By Thomas R. Gilbert, Rein V. Kirss, Natalie Foster, and Stacey Lowery Bretz
Original Practice Questions with Answers and Rationales
SECTION 1: MATTER AND ENERGY (Chapter 1)
Questions 1–15
1. Which of the following is a pure substance?
• A) Air
• B) Salt water
• C) Gold
• D) Brass
Answer: C) Gold
Rationale: A pure substance has a fixed composition. Gold is an element; air, salt water, and
brass are mixtures.
2. Which of the following is a homogeneous mixture?
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,Page 2 of 35
• A) Sand and water
• B) Salt water
• C) Oil and water
• D) Granite
Answer: B) Salt water
Rationale: A homogeneous mixture has uniform composition throughout. Salt water is uniform;
sand/water, oil/water, and granite are heterogeneous.
3. Which of the following represents a chemical change?
• A) Melting ice
• B) Dissolving sugar
• C) Rusting iron
• D) Boiling water
Answer: C) Rusting iron
Rationale: Chemical changes produce new substances. Rusting forms iron oxide; melting,
dissolving, and boiling are physical changes.
4. Which of the following represents a physical change?
• A) Burning wood
• B) Fermenting grapes
• C) Crushing a can
• D) Baking a cake
Answer: C) Crushing a can
Rationale: Physical changes do not alter chemical composition. Crushing changes shape only.
5. Which state of matter has a definite volume but no definite shape?
• A) Solid
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• B) Liquid
• C) Gas
• D) Plasma
Answer: B) Liquid
Rationale: Liquids have definite volume but take the shape of their container.
6. Which state of matter has neither definite shape nor definite volume?
• A) Solid
• B) Liquid
• C) Gas
• D) Plasma
Answer: C) Gas
Rationale: Gases expand to fill their container completely.
7. The process of a solid changing directly to a gas is called:
• A) Melting
• B) Sublimation
• C) Deposition
• D) Condensation
Answer: B) Sublimation
Rationale: Sublimation is solid → gas. Deposition is gas → solid.
8. Which of the following is an intensive property?
• A) Mass
• B) Volume
• C) Density
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• D) Length
Answer: C) Density
Rationale: Intensive properties do not depend on amount of substance. Density is intensive;
mass, volume, and length are extensive.
9. Which of the following is an extensive property?
• A) Temperature
• B) Density
• C) Mass
• D) Color
Answer: C) Mass
Rationale: Extensive properties depend on amount of substance. Mass is extensive.
10. The SI base unit for length is the:
• A) Meter
• B) Gram
• C) Second
• D) Kelvin
Answer: A) Meter
Rationale: The meter is the SI base unit for length.
11. The SI base unit for mass is the:
• A) Pound
• B) Kilogram
• C) Gram
• D) Ounce
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