Organic Chemistry Flashcards
What is organic chemistry?
The study of carbon-containing compounds, especially hydrocarbons and their derivatives.
What are hydrocarbons?
Compounds made up of only hydrogen and carbon atoms.
What are the two main types of hydrocarbons?
Alkanes (saturated) and alkenes (unsaturated).
What is the general formula for alkanes?
CₙH₂ₙ₊₂.
What is the general formula for alkenes?
CₙH₂ₙ
What does saturated hydrocarbon mean?
A hydrocarbon where all carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds.
Name the first four alkanes.
Methane (CH₄), Ethane (C₂H₆), Propane (C₃H₈), Butane (C₄H₁₀).
What is the functional group of alkanes?
Alkanes do not have a functional group; they only contain single C-C and C-H bonds.
How do alkanes react with oxygen in complete combustion?
Alkane + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water.
What happens in incomplete combustion of alkanes?
It produces carbon monoxide (CO) and/or soot (carbon, C) instead of carbon dioxide.
What does unsaturated hydrocarbon mean?
A hydrocarbon containing at least one double bond (C=C).
Name the first four alkenes.
Ethene (C₂H₄), Propene (C₃H₆), Butene (C₄H₈), Pentene (C₅H₁₀).
What is the functional group of alkenes?
The C=C double bond.
How do alkenes react with oxygen in combustion?
They burn with a smoky flame due to incomplete combustion.
How do you test for an alkene?
Add bromine water – it turns from orange to colourless.
What is crude oil?
A fossil fuel made of a mixture of hydrocarbons.
How is crude oil separated?
By fractional distillation.
Name the main fractions in crude oil from smallest to largest molecules.
Gases, Petrol, Kerosene, Diesel, Fuel Oil, Bitumen.
Which hydrocarbons have lower boiling points?
Smaller hydrocarbons like methane and ethane.
Which hydrocarbons have higher boiling points?
Larger hydrocarbons like fuel oil and bitumen.
What is cracking?
The process of breaking long-chain alkanes into shorter alkanes and alkenes.
What are the two types of cracking?
Catalytic cracking (uses a hot catalyst) and steam cracking (uses high temperatures and steam).
Why is cracking useful?
It produces smaller, more useful hydrocarbons like petrol and alkenes for making plastics.
What is polymerisation?
A reaction where small alkene molecules (monomers) join together to form a polymer.
