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s- and p-Block Elements MCQs

s- and p-Block Elements MCQs are multiple-choice questions on periodic trends and the chemistry of Group I, Group II and Group IV elements. They follow the MDCAT chemistry curriculum, and every question on MCQs360 shows its correct answer instantly, so you can revise trends, reactions and simple stoichiometry together.

Question 01 s- and p-Block Elements

What mass of calcium chloride forms when 4.0 g of calcium burns completely in chlorine (Ca = 40, Cl = 35.5)?

Correct answer C. 11.1 g

Open question

Question 02 s- and p-Block Elements

Moving from sodium to chlorine across Period 3, the atomic radius generally ____.

Correct answer C. decreases

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Question 03 s- and p-Block Elements

Why does nitrogen have a higher first ionisation energy than oxygen?

Correct answer B. Nitrogen has a stable half-filled 2p subshell

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Question 04 s- and p-Block Elements

Which element has the highest electronegativity on the Pauling scale?

Correct answer B. Fluorine

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Question 05 s- and p-Block Elements

Chlorine releases more energy than fluorine on gaining an electron mainly because ____.

Correct answer B. the small 2p shell of fluorine causes strong electron repulsion

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Question 06 s- and p-Block Elements

An element whose last electron enters a 4f subshell belongs to which block of the periodic table?

Correct answer B. f-block

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Question 07 s- and p-Block Elements

Which metal mainly forms a superoxide when burnt in excess oxygen?

Correct answer C. Potassium

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Question 08 s- and p-Block Elements

Which Group II element does not react with water even when heated?

Correct answer D. Beryllium

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Question 09 s- and p-Block Elements

Magnesium reacts with steam to produce ____.

Correct answer B. magnesium oxide and hydrogen

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Question 10 s- and p-Block Elements

Which Group IV element shows the most stable +2 oxidation state?

Correct answer D. Lead

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Question 11 s- and p-Block Elements

How many grams of hydrogen gas are produced when 4.6 g of sodium reacts completely with water (Na = 23, H = 1)?

Correct answer D. 0.2 g

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Question 12 s- and p-Block Elements

What volume of hydrogen at STP is released when 2.4 g of magnesium reacts completely with steam (Mg = 24)?

Correct answer D. 2.24 dm³

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Question 13 s- and p-Block Elements

What volume of carbon dioxide at STP is formed by the complete combustion of 6.0 g of carbon (C = 12, molar volume = 22.4 dm³)?

Correct answer C. 11.2 dm³

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Question 14 s- and p-Block Elements

Which Group IV oxide is amphoteric?

Correct answer C. PbO

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Question 15 s- and p-Block Elements

Why is lead(IV) oxide, PbO₂, a strong oxidising agent?

Correct answer C. Lead prefers the +2 state, so Pb(IV) readily gains electrons to become Pb(II)

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Question 16 s- and p-Block Elements

What are the products when silicon tetrachloride reacts with water?

Correct answer C. Silicon dioxide (hydrated) and hydrogen chloride

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Question 17 s- and p-Block Elements

Which Group IV tetrachloride is not hydrolysed by water at room temperature?

Correct answer B. CCl₄

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Question 18 s- and p-Block Elements

Which Group II chloride has the most covalent character?

Correct answer C. BeCl₂

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Question 19 s- and p-Block Elements

Down Group IV from carbon to lead, the stability of the +2 oxidation state ____.

Correct answer D. increases because of the inert pair effect

Open question

Question 20 s- and p-Block Elements

What mass of magnesium oxide is formed when 4.8 g of magnesium burns completely in oxygen (Mg = 24, O = 16)?

Correct answer C. 8.0 g

Open question

About s- and p-Block Elements MCQs

The periodic trend questions cover atomic radius, ionisation energy, electron affinity and electronegativity across period 3 and down groups, including the exceptions in first ionisation energy between magnesium and aluminium and between phosphorus and sulphur. Questions also ask you to place an element in the s, p, d or f block from its electronic configuration. The group chemistry questions cover the reactions of Group I and Group II metals with water, oxygen and chlorine, the types of oxide they form and how reactivity changes down the group. Group IV questions deal with the oxides and chlorides of carbon to lead, the hydrolysis of SiCl₄ and the inert pair effect. Several items are mole calculations based on these reactions.

Key facts to remember

Across a period atomic radius decreases and first ionisation energy generally increases; down a group the radius increases and ionisation energy decreases.
Aluminium has a lower first ionisation energy than magnesium, and sulphur lower than phosphorus, because of the 3p electron in Al and electron-pair repulsion in the 3p⁴ subshell of S.
Fluorine is the most electronegative element, with a Pauling value of about 4.0.
Group I metals react with water as 2M + 2H₂O → 2MOH + H₂, and reactivity increases down the group as ionisation energy falls.
Burnt in excess oxygen, lithium forms the normal oxide Li₂O, sodium the peroxide Na₂O₂ and potassium the superoxide KO₂.
Down Group IV the +2 oxidation state becomes more stable (inert pair effect), so lead(IV) compounds such as PbO₂ are strong oxidising agents.

Exams that include s- and p-Block Elements MCQs

Pakistan

MDCAT
ECAT
NUMS
AKU
FSc boards

India

NEET
JEE Main

Bangladesh

HSC
Medical Admission Test

How to prepare for s- and p-Block Elements MCQs

Draw the period 3 first ionisation energy graph and mark the two dips at Al and S.
Make a table of the products of Group I and Group II metals with water, oxygen and chlorine.
Learn why SiCl₄ hydrolyses readily while CCl₄ does not.
Practise quick mole calculations: 23 g of sodium gives 11.2 dm³ of hydrogen at STP with water.

Frequently asked questions

What does the MDCAT syllabus include in s- and p-Block Elements?

The PMDC MDCAT curriculum covers periodic trends in atomic radius, ionisation energy, electron affinity and electronegativity, the demarcation of s, p, d and f blocks, the reactions of Group I and Group II elements with water, oxygen and chlorine, and the reactions of Group IV elements.

Which exams ask s- and p-Block Elements MCQs?

These inorganic chemistry questions appear in MDCAT, ECAT, NUMS and AKU entry tests and FSc board papers in Pakistan. Periodic trends and s- and p-block chemistry are also tested in NEET and JEE Main in India and HSC and medical admission tests in Bangladesh.

Why does reactivity of Group I metals increase down the group?

Going down Group I, the outer s electron is further from the nucleus and more shielded by inner shells. The first ionisation energy therefore falls, so the electron is lost more easily and the metals react more vigorously with water, oxygen and chlorine.

Last reviewed October 2026