2026 CHEM 103 (General Chemistry) Final Practice Exam 100 Questions and Answers with Rationales.pdf

CHEM 103 (General Chemistry) final exam


2026 CHEM 103 (General Chemistry)
Final Practice Exam 100 Questions and
Answers with Rationales
SECTION A: Atomic Structure & Periodic
Trends (1–15)
1. Which subatomic particle determines the identity of an element?

A. Neutron
B. Electron
C. ✅✅ Proton
D. Nucleus

Rationale: Atomic number = number of protons.



2. Isotopes differ in:

A. Protons
B. Electrons
C. ✅✅ Neutrons
D. Atomic number



3. Which element has highest electronegativity?

A. Na
B. O
C. ✅✅ F
D. Cl



4. Atomic radius increases:

A. Left to right
B. ✅✅ Down a group

, CHEM 103 (General Chemistry) final exam

C. Across period
D. With electronegativity



5. Ionization energy increases:

A. Down a group
B. ✅✅ Across a period
C. With atomic size
D. With shielding



6. A cation is:

A. Negative ion
B. ✅✅ Positive ion
C. Neutral atom
D. Radical



7. Anion formation involves:

A. Losing electrons
B. ✅✅ Gaining electrons
C. Losing neutrons
D. Gaining protons



8. Which has highest shielding effect?

A. H
B. He
C. ✅✅ Cs
D. Ne



9. Valence electrons determine:

A. Mass
B. Density

, CHEM 103 (General Chemistry) final exam

C. ✅✅ Chemical reactivity
D. Neutron number



10. Period number represents:

A. Protons
B. ✅✅ Energy levels
C. Neutrons
D. Bonds



11. Which is a transition metal property?

A. Poor conductivity
B. ✅✅ Variable oxidation states
C. Always nonmetal
D. No color



12. Effective nuclear charge increases:

A. Down group
B. ✅✅ Across period
C. With shielding
D. With size



13. Noble gases are:

A. Reactive
B. ✅✅ Inert
C. Metallic
D. Ionic



14. Electron configuration of O is:

A. 1s²2s¹
B. 1s²2s²2p¹