Organic Chemistry Flashcards
What is the general chemical equation for alkanes?
CnH2n + 2
What is the general chemical equation for alkenes?
CnH2n
What is crude oil formed from?
Ancient organisms such as plankton.
What property of crude oil molecules is used to separate them into different fractions?
Boiling point.
What is viscosity?
The ‘thickness’ of a substance.
What type of reaction is cracking?
Endothermic OR thermal decomposition.
Describe the process of cracking.
Hydrocarbons are vapourised and then passed over a hot catalyst, resulting in longer molecules breaking into smaller molecules.
What are all the materials formed in a fractional distillation?
Liquefied petroleum gasses, petrol, kerosene, diesel, heavy fuel oil, bitumen.
What can liquefied petroleum gasses be used for?
Heating and cooking.
What can petrol be used for?
Propelling vehicles and producing electricity.
What can kerosene be used for?
Cleaning agents and jet fuel.
What can diesel be used for?
Propelling vehicles.
What can heavy fuel oil be used for?
Generating motion and heat (in things that have high density or viscosity).
What can bitumen be used for?
Waterproofing, roofing and road construction.
What is a homologous series?
A series of compounds of carbon that have different numbers of carbon atoms but the same functional group, however each successive member gets another -CH2.
What are organic chemicals?
Covalent molecules based on the element of carbon.
What is a functional group?
The part of a molecule which determines how it reacts.
What does an unsaturated molecule mean?
When a molecule includes double bonds.
What does a saturated molecule mean?
When a molecule includes only single bonds.
What is an alkene?
A molecule with a double carbon-carbon bond.
What is meant by complete combustion of a hydrocarbon?
When the carbon and hydrogen react with a good supply of oxygen in an exothermic reaction, forming water and carbon dioxide. Maximum energy is released.
What is meant by incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon?
When there is a poor supply of oxygen meaning the carbon and hydrogen can’t react properly. So instead water and carbon monoxide is formed. Less energy is released.
What are alkenes used for?
Alcohols, plastic, polymers, fuels, lacquers, detergents etc.
What is the word equation for a complete combustion reaction?
hydrocarbon + oxygen - carbon dioxide + water.
