1
Physical Science OSAT Questions with
Answers (100% Correct Answers)
What is a calorimeter used for? Answer: Used for measuring the heat of
chemical reactions or physical changes
How might a calorimeter be composed? Answer: A calorimeter might be
composed of just a thermometer attached to a container that is insulated
How do you find the enthalpy change per mole of a substance X in a reaction
b/w the liquids X and Y? Answer: add them to the calorimeter and record the
first and last temperatures
If the reaction b/w substance X in a reaction b/w the liquids X and Y is
exothermic, how do you find the value for the energy given off in the reaction?
Answer: by multiplying the temperature change by the mass and specific heat
capabilities of the liquid
How do you find the enthalpy change in reaction b/w substance X in a reaction
b/w the liquids X and Y? Answer: By dividing the energy change by the
number of moles X present
What does a mercury-in-glass thermometer use? Answer: uses mercury in a
glass tube
What are the marks on a mercury-in-glass thermometer? Answer: The marks
on the tube are calibrated and allow the temp to be seen by the length of the
mercury inside the tube (the length will vary according to the temperature)
In a mercury-in-glass-tube, what is the bulb at the base of the thermometer for?
Answer: In order to increase the sensitivity of the instrument, it contains most
of the mercury
At what temperature does Mercury freeze at? Answer: -38.83 degrees C or
37.89 degrees F. Therefore mercury-in-glass tubes can only be used at higher
temps
,2
Does mercury expand when frozen? Answer: Unlike water, mercury does not
expand when frozen, so if it was frozen it would not break the glass tube
What is a Thermocouple? Answer: A temp sensor which may be used as a way
to convert themal energy into electrical energy
What may a thermocouple measure? Answer: may measure wide ranges of
temp, but it has accuracy issues
On what principal does a thermocouple work? Answer: on the principle that
when any conductor, such as a metal agent, is subject to a thermal gradient, it
will generate a small amount of voltage.
What is the principal on which a thermocouple works, called? Answer: the
Peltier Seebeck effect
What is the Peltier Seebeck effect? Answer: a direct conversion of heat
differentials to electric voltage, or the reverse.
The temp difference b/w the junction of two metal wires that are not similar, in
order for a thermocouple to produce voltage
How does a thermocouple produce voltage? Answer: By the temp difference
b/w two metal wires that are not similar
Define matter: Answer: anything that occupies space and has mass
What are the categories of matter? Answer: atoms
elements
molecules
compounds
substances
mixtures
,3
What is an atom? Answer: the basic unit of an element that can enter into a
chemical reaction
What is an element? Answer: a substance that cannot be separated into simpler
substances by chemical means
What is a molecule? Answer: the smallest division of a compound that can
exist in a natural state
What is a compound? Answer: a substance composed of atoms of two or more
elements chemically united in fixed proportions
What is a substance? Answer: a form of matter that has a definite or constant
composition and distinct properties
What is a mixture? Answer: a combo of 2 or more substances in which the
substances retain their unique identities
How is the periodic table organized? Answer: around the periodic law
What do the properties of elements depend on? Answer: their atomic structure
and vary with atomic number in a systematic way
What are the horizontal rows on the periodic table called? Answer: periods
What are the vertical rows on the periodic table called? Answer: groups or
families
How are atoms on the periodic table categorized? Answer: metals
metalloids
nonmetals
What is the majority of known elements? Answer: metals
How many nonmetals are on the periodic table? Answer: 17
How many metalloids are on the periodic table? Answer: 8
, 4
On the periodic table, where are metals? Answer: on the left end
In the periodic table, where are non metals? Answer: on the right
In the periodic table, where are metalloids? Answer: b/w metals and non
metals
What allows elements to be classified as metals? Answer: if it is a good
conductor of heat and electricity
What do metals tend to form? Answer: positive ions
What type of oxidation numbers do metals have? Answer: positive
What are metals high in? Answer: high melting points
high ductility
high malleability
What is a non metal? Answer: usually a very poor conductor of heat and
electricity and can have more varied properties than a metal
What do nonmetals form? Answer: form negative ions and form brittle solids
What oxidation numbers do nonmetals have? Answer: negative oxidation
numbers
Describe metalloids: Answer: metalloids have properties that fall b/w metals
and non metals
Are metals malleable? Answer: yes, they can be pounded into thin sheets
Are metals ductile? Answer: yes they can be drawn out into thin wires
Describe all metals at room temp: Answer: all metals are solid at room temp
Why is mercury an exceptional metal? Answer: b/c it is liquid at room temp
Describe the ionization energies of metals Answer: low ionization energy
Physical Science OSAT Questions with
Answers (100% Correct Answers)
What is a calorimeter used for? Answer: Used for measuring the heat of
chemical reactions or physical changes
How might a calorimeter be composed? Answer: A calorimeter might be
composed of just a thermometer attached to a container that is insulated
How do you find the enthalpy change per mole of a substance X in a reaction
b/w the liquids X and Y? Answer: add them to the calorimeter and record the
first and last temperatures
If the reaction b/w substance X in a reaction b/w the liquids X and Y is
exothermic, how do you find the value for the energy given off in the reaction?
Answer: by multiplying the temperature change by the mass and specific heat
capabilities of the liquid
How do you find the enthalpy change in reaction b/w substance X in a reaction
b/w the liquids X and Y? Answer: By dividing the energy change by the
number of moles X present
What does a mercury-in-glass thermometer use? Answer: uses mercury in a
glass tube
What are the marks on a mercury-in-glass thermometer? Answer: The marks
on the tube are calibrated and allow the temp to be seen by the length of the
mercury inside the tube (the length will vary according to the temperature)
In a mercury-in-glass-tube, what is the bulb at the base of the thermometer for?
Answer: In order to increase the sensitivity of the instrument, it contains most
of the mercury
At what temperature does Mercury freeze at? Answer: -38.83 degrees C or
37.89 degrees F. Therefore mercury-in-glass tubes can only be used at higher
temps
,2
Does mercury expand when frozen? Answer: Unlike water, mercury does not
expand when frozen, so if it was frozen it would not break the glass tube
What is a Thermocouple? Answer: A temp sensor which may be used as a way
to convert themal energy into electrical energy
What may a thermocouple measure? Answer: may measure wide ranges of
temp, but it has accuracy issues
On what principal does a thermocouple work? Answer: on the principle that
when any conductor, such as a metal agent, is subject to a thermal gradient, it
will generate a small amount of voltage.
What is the principal on which a thermocouple works, called? Answer: the
Peltier Seebeck effect
What is the Peltier Seebeck effect? Answer: a direct conversion of heat
differentials to electric voltage, or the reverse.
The temp difference b/w the junction of two metal wires that are not similar, in
order for a thermocouple to produce voltage
How does a thermocouple produce voltage? Answer: By the temp difference
b/w two metal wires that are not similar
Define matter: Answer: anything that occupies space and has mass
What are the categories of matter? Answer: atoms
elements
molecules
compounds
substances
mixtures
,3
What is an atom? Answer: the basic unit of an element that can enter into a
chemical reaction
What is an element? Answer: a substance that cannot be separated into simpler
substances by chemical means
What is a molecule? Answer: the smallest division of a compound that can
exist in a natural state
What is a compound? Answer: a substance composed of atoms of two or more
elements chemically united in fixed proportions
What is a substance? Answer: a form of matter that has a definite or constant
composition and distinct properties
What is a mixture? Answer: a combo of 2 or more substances in which the
substances retain their unique identities
How is the periodic table organized? Answer: around the periodic law
What do the properties of elements depend on? Answer: their atomic structure
and vary with atomic number in a systematic way
What are the horizontal rows on the periodic table called? Answer: periods
What are the vertical rows on the periodic table called? Answer: groups or
families
How are atoms on the periodic table categorized? Answer: metals
metalloids
nonmetals
What is the majority of known elements? Answer: metals
How many nonmetals are on the periodic table? Answer: 17
How many metalloids are on the periodic table? Answer: 8
, 4
On the periodic table, where are metals? Answer: on the left end
In the periodic table, where are non metals? Answer: on the right
In the periodic table, where are metalloids? Answer: b/w metals and non
metals
What allows elements to be classified as metals? Answer: if it is a good
conductor of heat and electricity
What do metals tend to form? Answer: positive ions
What type of oxidation numbers do metals have? Answer: positive
What are metals high in? Answer: high melting points
high ductility
high malleability
What is a non metal? Answer: usually a very poor conductor of heat and
electricity and can have more varied properties than a metal
What do nonmetals form? Answer: form negative ions and form brittle solids
What oxidation numbers do nonmetals have? Answer: negative oxidation
numbers
Describe metalloids: Answer: metalloids have properties that fall b/w metals
and non metals
Are metals malleable? Answer: yes, they can be pounded into thin sheets
Are metals ductile? Answer: yes they can be drawn out into thin wires
Describe all metals at room temp: Answer: all metals are solid at room temp
Why is mercury an exceptional metal? Answer: b/c it is liquid at room temp
Describe the ionization energies of metals Answer: low ionization energy
