Hydrofluoric acid - Quiz
  • 1. What is the acid ionization constant (Ka) of dilute hydrofluoric acid?
A) 1.0×10−2
B) 3.18
C) 1.0×10−7
D) 6.6×10−4
  • 2. How does the pKa of hydrofluoric acid compare to other hydrogen halides?
A) It is exactly the same
B) It is lower
C) It is higher (3.18 vs < 0)
D) It is not measurable
  • 3. What happens to the acidity of HF at high concentrations?
A) It becomes a base
B) It remains exactly the same
C) It decreases significantly
D) It increases greatly due to homoassociation
  • 4. Which polyatomic ion is formed during the homoassociation of HF?
A) Tri-fluoride (F3−)
B) Bifluoride (HF2−)
C) Hydroxide (OH−)
D) Fluoride (F−)
  • 5. What is the Hammett acidity function (H0) of 100% liquid HF?
A) -11
B) -10.2
C) 3.18
D) -12
  • 6. What substance is HF known to attack even when hydrated?
A) Plastic
B) Gold
C) Rubber
D) Glass
  • 7. What is the predominant solute species in dilute HF solutions according to infrared spectroscopy?
A) H3O+·F−
B) HF2−
C) H2F+
D) H2O·HF
  • 8. What chemical process describes the reaction 3 HF ⇌ HF2− + H2F+?
A) Dehydration
B) Homoconjugation
C) Electrolysis
D) Neutralization
  • 9. Why can HF exposure be dangerous without immediate pain?
A) It does not damage skin
B) It interferes with nerve function
C) It is a mild anesthetic
D) It has an pleasant odor
  • 10. What is a common treatment for hydrofluoric acid skin burns?
A) Hydrogen peroxide
B) Baking soda
C) Pure alcohol
D) Calcium gluconate gel
  • 11. What specific health risk occurs when HF interacts with bones?
A) Bone hardening
B) Bone mineralization
C) Bone dissolution into gas
D) Bone damage due to calcium interaction
  • 12. Why is dilute HF still dangerous to human tissues?
A) High lipid affinity
B) High boiling point
C) Low volatility
D) Presence of oxygen
  • 13. What effect is noted regarding the odor of HF vapor?
A) It has a very strong, pungent odor
B) It smells exactly like sulfur
C) It is completely odorless under all conditions
D) It may reach dangerous levels without an obvious odor
  • 14. How does the Hammett acidity function of 100% HF compare to sulfuric acid?
A) It is significantly stronger
B) It is comparable
C) It cannot be compared
D) It is much weaker
  • 15. Which of these is NOT listed as a symptom of HF exposure?
A) Hair loss
B) Bronchitis
C) Pulmonary edema
D) Rhinitis
  • 16. What is the primary definition of hydrofluoric acid?
A) A solid salt of fluoride
B) A byproduct of gold refining
C) A solution of hydrogen fluoride in water
D) A gaseous form of hydrogen fluoride
  • 17. What are the physical characteristics of HF solutions?
A) Blue, basic and non-corrosive
B) Opaque, acidic and viscous
C) Colorless, acidic and highly corrosive
D) Yellow, neutral and oily
  • 18. What is a common concentration of hydrofluoric acid?
A) 49%
B) 10%
C) 85%
D) 25%
  • 19. In laboratory settings, what is hydrofluoric acid commonly used to make?
A) Pure water
B) Nitrogen gas
C) Copper sulfate
D) Organofluorine compounds
  • 20. Which two compounds are mentioned as high-volume inorganic fluorides prepared from hydrofluoric acid?
A) Cryolite and aluminium trifluoride
B) Potassium nitrate and silver fluoride
C) Sodium chloride and calcium oxide
D) Magnesium sulfate and iron pyrite
  • 21. What is the primary industrial use for a molten mixture of cryolite and aluminium trifluoride?
A) Manufacturing of glass lenses
B) Etching silicon wafers
C) Production of metallic aluminium
D) Cleaning rust from metal
  • 22. Which substance is used to clean silicon wafers in the semiconductor industry?
A) Sodium hydroxide
B) Acetic acid
C) Ethanol
D) Buffered oxide etch
  • 23. What is the chemical byproduct of treating silicon dioxide with hydrofluoric acid?
A) Carbon dioxide
B) Nitrogen oxides
C) Sulfur dioxide
D) Silicon fluorides
  • 24. Why is hydrofluoric acid used in pre-commissioning boilers?
A) Increasing the steam pressure
B) Reducing the temperature of the water
C) Dissolving iron oxides and silica-based contaminants
D) Preventing the oxidation of steel
  • 25. How can organic fossils be extracted from silicate rocks using hydrofluoric acid?
A) Acid maceration
B) Heating the rock to melting
C) High-pressure filtration
D) Centrifugal separation
  • 26. Who is credited with first preparing hydrofluoric acid in 1771?
A) Marie Curie
B) Dmitri Mendeleev
C) Carl Wilhelm Scheele
D) Antoine Lavoisier
  • 27. What is the main starting material for modern industrial production of hydrofluoric acid?
A) Quartz
B) Fluorite
C) Apatite
D) Bauxite
  • 28. What temperature is used to treat fluorite with sulfuric acid to produce HF?
A) 25 °C
B) Approximately 265 °C
C) 100 °C
D) 500 °C
  • 29. Which acid is used to treat fluorite in the production of hydrofluoric acid?
A) Hydrochloric acid
B) Sulfuric acid
C) Nitric acid
D) Phosphoric acid
  • 30. What material is recommended for storing hydrofluoric acid?
A) Borosilicate glass
B) Stainless steel
C) Copper containers
D) Fluorinated plastic (PTFE)
  • 31. In dilute aqueous solution, how does hydrogen fluoride behave?
A) As a neutral salt
B) As a weak acid
C) As a strong base
D) As a highly volatile gas
Created with That Quiz — a math test site for students of all grade levels.