WASSCE Chemistry · Paper 1 style

Bonding

One sample question with the full working. 1 more in the app, with instant feedback and repair sessions for the traps below.

Sodium chloride is held together by

Acovalent bonds
Bionic bonds
Cmetallic bonds
Dhydrogen bonds

Show the answer and working

Answer: B

NaCl ionic.

Trap A Confuses types of chemical bonding: Ionic: electron TRANSFER metal → non-metal (NaCl). Covalent: electron SHARING between non-metals (H₂O). Dative: both shared electrons from one atom (NH₄⁺). Metallic: cations in a sea of electrons.

Trap C Mixes up a pair of similar chemical terms: Keep a list of confusable pairs with one defining feature each and a hook. Underline the key word in the stem and check it against the definition, not the sound of the name.

Trap D Takes one factor as the whole answer: Ask whether the option is necessary or sufficient. If the stem involves two changes or two conditions, both must appear in the answer.

Traps in Bonding

Confuses types of chemical bonding
Ionic: electron TRANSFER metal → non-metal (NaCl). Covalent: electron SHARING between non-metals (H₂O). Dative: both shared electrons from one atom (NH₄⁺). Metallic: cations in a sea of electrons.
Mixes up a pair of similar chemical terms
Keep a list of confusable pairs with one defining feature each and a hook. Underline the key word in the stem and check it against the definition, not the sound of the name.
Takes one factor as the whole answer
Ask whether the option is necessary or sufficient. If the stem involves two changes or two conditions, both must appear in the answer.

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