Secondary 3 Chemistry 2025-26

Planet Earth – Rocks

Exercises
Name: ___________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Date: _____________

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A __________ is usually a mixture of minerals.

2. __________ are naturally occurring substances that have specific chemical composition. It may be

an __________ or a compound.

3. An __________ is the type of rock that contains useful minerals, from which a metal can be

extracted.

4. Silver can be extracted from silver oxide by __________ it strongly.

5. Lead can be extracted from lead(II) oxide by heating it with __________.

6. Aluminium can be extracted from aluminium oxide by __________ of its molten ore.

7. Limestone, __________ and __________ are common rocks which contain mainly the mineral

calcite.

8. When carbon dioxide is bubbled into limewater, the limewater turns __________. When excess

carbon dioxide is continuously bubbled into limewater, the __________ solution will become

__________.

9. The presence of calcium in a sample can be tested by conducting flame test. In the test, a

__________ flame is observed.

10. The presence of carbonate in a sample can be tested by adding __________. If the sample contains

carbonate, __________ is given off, which turns __________ milky.

B. Multiple-choice questions
1. What would be observed when dilute hydrochloric acid is added to calcium carbonate?

(1) Effervescence occurs.

(2) Calcium carbonate dissolves.
(3) A brick-red flame is produced.

A. (1) and (2) only

B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

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2. Which of the following combinations about metal extraction methods is correct?
Metal Extraction method
A. Gold Heating the ore with carbon
B. Iron Heating the ore strongly in air
C. Calcium Electrolysis of its molten ore
D. Mercury Panning
3. Which of the following combinations about the action of carbon dioxide on limewater is correct?

Substance A Substance B
A. Calcium hydroxide Calcium carbonate
B. Calcium carbonate Calcium hydroxide
C. Calcium carbonate Calcium hydrogencarbonate
D. Calcium hydrogencarbonate Calcium carbonate

4. Which of the following statements about limestone are correct?

(1) It gives a colourless gas when heated strongly.

(2) It dissolves in dilute hydrochloric acid to give a clear solution.
(3) It forms from the skeletons and shells of ancient sea animals.

A. (1) and (2) only

B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

5. Which of the following experiments produce carbon dioxide?

(1) Adding dilute hydrochloric acid to marble

(2) Heating marble strongly
(3) Adding marble to water

A. (1) and (2) only

B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

6. Calcium hydroxide can be obtained from calcium carbonate through Processes 1 and 2. It can be
converted back to calcium carbonate through Process 3.

Which of the following combinations about these processes is correct?

Process 1 Process 2 Process 3

A. Adding water Heating Adding carbon dioxide
B. Adding carbon dioxide Adding water Heating
C. Heating Adding water Adding carbon dioxide
D. Adding water Adding carbon dioxide Heating
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 7. A flame test conducted on a rock sample gives a brick-red flame. The rock may be

A. bauxite.
B. chalk.
C. haematite.
D. rock salt.

C. Structured questions
1. Refer to the following diagram showing an experiment.

(a) State TWO observable changes in the test tube. (2 marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
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(b) Write a word equation for the reaction occurring in the test tube. (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
(c) What is gas X? (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
(d) Suggest what will happen to the candle. (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
(e) Based on the suggestion in (d), state one application of X in daily life. (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Limestone is an important resource that can be obtained from the Earth’s crust.
(a) What is the major mineral present in limestone? (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
(b) State the chemical constituent of the mineral stated in (a). (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
(c) Limestone decomposes upon strong heating to give a colourless gas. Draw a labelled diagram to
show the set-up used for testing the gas. (2 marks)

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 (d) State the expected observation for the test in (c). (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
(e) Give one daily application of limestone. (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. In an experiment to study the properties of carbon dioxide, a student bubbled carbon dioxide into limewater
until in excess.
(a) State ALL the expected observations in this experiment. (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Explain, with the aid of word equations, the expected observations stated in (a). (4 marks)
___________________________________________________________________________________
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(c) Suggest why the limewater used needs to be freshly prepared. (1 mark)
___________________________________________________________________________________

4. A student wanted to distinguish a sample of limestone powder from a sample of table salt. Two tests were
done on the two samples.
(a) Complete the following table by filling in the expected observations in these tests. (4 marks)
Test Limestone powder Table salt

1. Flame test (i) (ii)

2. Adding dilute
(iii) (iv)
hydrochloric acid

(b) Apart from the above tests, suggest one other test for distinguishing the two samples. (2 marks)
___________________________________________________________________________________
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