Organic chemistry Flashcards
Saturated hydrocarbons
For every atom of carbon it contains the maximum number of hydrogen
So therefore only has single bonds
Unsaturated hydrocarbons
For every carbon atom there is room for more hydrogen atoms to bond to it but it doesn’t because it has multiple bonds
Therefore a hydrocarbon with multiple bonds
How to represent a molecule
By its name
Or it’s formula (different types)
Displayed formulae
Show and display every atom and what element it is and it’s bond in a molecule
structural formulae
Group all the atoms joined to a particular carbon atom together
So every carbon atom and what it’s bonded to
Skeletal formulae
A zig zag line that for every turn or change in direction represents a carbon atom
And does not show the hydrogen bonds
Molecular formula
Show the total numbers of every atom of each element
They are not grouping carbon atoms together like the structural formula however
Yet they can represent different molecules as the bonds it forms will be ambiguous
Empirical formula
Shows the formula like the molecular formula but as the simplest whole number ratio
Functional group
A group of atoms in a molecule that give the molecule distinctive and predictable properties
Like acid = COOH
Homologous series
When each formula with a functional group contains one more carbon atom and the atoms bonded to it
This is they therefore have similar properties which can increase/decrease down the series
General formula
Using n for number of carbon atoms and then putting a number before n for every other element
To tell us the relationship between carbon and other atoms in a homologous series
Addition
Joining 2 or more molecules to form a giant molecule
Polymerisation
Joining together lots of small molecules to form a giant molecule
Elimination
When a small group of atoms break away from a large molecule
Substitution
When one species is replaced by another (usually functional group)
