Definitions

Question 1

What is a hydrocarbon?

Answer 1

A hydrocarbon is an organic compound that contain carbon and hydrogen only.

Question 2

What is a saturated hydrocarbon?

Answer 2

A saturated hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon with single bonds only.

Question 3

What is an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

Answer 3

A unsaturated hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon containing carbon to carbon multiple bonds.

Question 4

What is an aliphatic hydrocarbon?

Answer 4

A aliphatic hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon with carbon atoms joined together in straight or branched chains.

Question 5

What is an alicyclic hydrocarbon?

Answer 5

A alicyclic hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon with carbon atoms joined together in a ring structure.

Question 6

What is a functional group?

Answer 6

A functional group is the part of the organic molecule that is responsible for its chemical properties.

Question 7

What is a homologous series?

Answer 7

A homologous series is a series of organic compounds with the same functional group but with each successive member differing by CH2.

Question 8

What is nomenclature?

Answer 8

Nomenclature is a system of naming compounds.

Question 9

What is an alkyl group?

Answer 9

An alkyl group is an alkane with a hydrogen atom removed.

Question 10

What is a general formula?

Answer 10

A general formula is the simplest algebraic formula of a member of a homologous series.

Question 11

What does displayed formula show?

Answer 11

Displayed formula shows the relative positioning of all the atoms in a molecule and the bonds between them.

Question 12

What does structural formula show?

Answer 12

Structural formula shows the minimal detail for the arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Question 13

What does skeletal formula show?

Answer 13

Skeletal formula is simplified organic formula, with hydrogen atoms removed from alkyl chains, leaving just a carbon skeleton and associated functional groups.

Question 14

What are structural isomers?

Answer 14

Structural isomers are molecules with the same molecular formula but with different structural arrangements of atoms.

Question 15

What are stereoisomers?

Answer 15

Stereoisomers are compounds with the same structural formula, but with a different arrangement of atoms in the space.

Question 16

What is homolytic fission?

Answer 16

Homolytic fission is the breaking of a covalent bond, with one of the bonded electrons going to each atom, forming two radicals.

Question 17

What is a radical?

Answer 17

A radical is a species with an unpaired electron.

Question 18

What is heterolytic fission?

Answer 18

Hetrolytic fission is the breaking of a covalent bond with both of the bonded electrons going to one of the atoms, forming a cation and an anion.

Question 19

What is a nucleophile?

Answer 19

A nucleophile is an atom or group of atoms that is attracted to an electron deficient centre or atom, where it donates a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.

Question 20

What is a electrophile?

Answer 20

A electrophile is an atom or group of atoms that is attracted to an electron rich atom or centre, where it accepts a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.

Question 21

What is fractional distillation?

Answer 21

Fractional distillation is the separation of the components in a liquid mixture, into fractions which differ with boiling points, by means of distillation.

Question 22

What is cracking?

Answer 22

Cracking is the breaking down of long-chained saturated hydrocarbons to form a mixture of shorter chained alkanes and alkenes.

Question 23

What is a catalyst?

Answer 23

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being used up in the process.

Question 24

What is the standard change of reaction?

Answer 24

The standard change of reaction is the enthalpy change that accompanies a reaction in the molar quantities expressed in a chemical equation under standard conditions, all reactants and products being in their standard states.

Question 25

What is the standard enthalpy change of combustion?

Answer 25

The standard enthalpy change of combustion is the enthalpy change that takes place when one mole of a substance reacts completely with oxygen under standard conditions, all reactants and products being in their standard states.

Question 26

What is the standard enthalpy change of formation?

Answer 26

The standard enthalpy change of formation is the enthalpy change the takes place when one mole of a compound is formed from its constituent elements in their standard states under standard conditions.

Question 27

What is atom economy?

Answer 27

(Molecular mass of desired product / Molecular mass of all products) x 100

Question 28

What is average bond enthalpy?

Answer 28

Average bond enthalpy is the average enthalpy change that takes place when breaking by homolytic fission 1 mol of a given type of bond in the molecules of a gaseous species.