Organic Chemistry - definitions

Question 1

Bioalcohol

Answer 1

Fuels made from plant matter, often using enzymes or bacteria

Question 2

Biodegradable

Answer 2

A polymer that can be broken down by microbes

Question 3

Biodiesel

Answer 3

A fuel made from vegetable oils obtained from plants

Question 4

Biofuel

Answer 4

Fuels obtained from living matter that has died recently

Question 5

Carbocation

Answer 5

A positive ion in which the charge is shown on the carbon atom

Question 6

Cracking

Answer 6

The breakdown of molecules into shorter ones by heating with a catalyst

Question 7

Dehydration

Answer 7

The removal of the hydroxyl group in an alcohol molecule, together with a hydrogen atom from an adjacent carbon atom, forming a C=C bond

Question 8

Diol

Answer 8

A compound containing 2 OH groups

Question 9

Dipole

Answer 9

2 charges of equal magnitude but opposite signs are separated by a short distance

Question 10

Displayed formula

Answer 10

Shows each bonding pair as a line drawn between the 2 atoms involved

Question 11

Distillation with addition

Answer 11

Involves heating a reaction mixture, but adding another liquid and distilling off the product as it forms

Question 12

Electrophile

Answer 12

An electron-deficient species attracted to a region of high electron density

Question 13

Electrophilic addition

Answer 13

A reaction in which 2 molecules form one molecule and the attacking molecule is an electrophile

Question 14

Elimination

Answer 14

A reaction in which a molecule loses atoms attached to adjacent carbon atoms, forming a C=C double bond

Question 15

Ethanolic

Answer 15

A solution where ethanol is the solvent

Question 16

Feedstock

Answer 16

Converting polymer waste into chemicals that can be used to make new polymers

Question 17

Fractional distillation

Answer 17

The process used to separate a liquid mixture into fractions by boiling and condensing

Question 18

Functional group

Answer 18

An atom or group of atoms in a molecule that is responsible for its chemical reactions

Question 19

Geometric isomers

Answer 19

Compounds containing a C=C bond with atoms or groups of atoms attached at different positions

Question 20

Halogenation

Answer 20

The addition of a halogen

Question 21

Reflux

Answer 21

Heating a reaction mixture with a condenser fitted vertically, continuous evaporation and condensation

Question 22

Heterolytic fission

Answer 22

The breaking of a covalent bond so that both bonding electrons are taken by one atom

Question 23

Homolytic fission

Answer 23

The breaking of a covalent bond where each of the bonding electrons leaves with one species, forming a radical

Question 24

Hydration

Answer 24

The addition of water (steam)

Question 25

Hydrocarbon

Answer 25

A compound that contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms

Question 26

Hydrogenation

Answer 26

The addition of hydrogen

Question 27

Hydrolysis

Answer 27

A reaction in which water hydroxide ions replace an atom in a molecule with an -OH group

Question 28

Incomplete combustion

Answer 28

Some atoms in the fuel are not fully oxidised

Question 29

Complete combustion

Answer 29

All the atoms in the fuel are completely oxidised

Question 30

Initiation

Answer 30

The formation of radicals, usually as a result of bond breaking by ultraviolet radiation

Question 31

Locant

Answer 31

A number used to indicate which carbon atom in the chain an atom or group of atoms is attached to

Question 32

Mechanism

Answer 32

The sequence of steps in an overall reaction. Each step shows what happens to the electrons involved in bind breaking or bond formation

Question 33

Nucleophile

Answer 33

An electron rich species that donates a lone pair of electrons to form a covalent bond with and electron-deficient atom

Question 34

Nucleophilic Substitution

Answer 34

A reaction in which an attacking nucleophile replaces an existing atom or group in a molecule

Question 35

Propagation

Answer 35

The two steps that, when repeated many times, convert the starting materials into the products of the reaction

Question 36

Radical

Answer 36

A highly reactive species that contains unpaired electrons

Question 37

Reforming

Answer 37

The conversion of straight-chain hydrocarbons into branched-chain and cyclic hydrocarbons

Question 38

Restricted rotation

Answer 38

Fixes the position of the atoms or groups attached to C=C atoms around a C=C bond in a set space

Question 39

Saturated

Answer 39

A compound containing only single bonds

Question 40

Simple distillation

Answer 40

Used to separate liquids with very different boiling temperatures

Question 41

Skeletal formula

Answer 41

Shows all the bonds between carbon atoms

Question 42

Stereoisomers

Answer 42

Compounds with the same structural formula and the same molecular formula but with the atoms or groups arranged differently in 3D dimensions

Question 43

Structural formula

Answer 43

Shows how atoms are joined together carbon-by-carbon

Question 44

Structural isomers

Answer 44

Compounds with the same molecular formula but with different structural formulae

Question 45

Substitution reaction

Answer 45

A reaction where an atom or group is replaced by another atom or group

Question 46

Termination

Answer 46

The formation of a molecule from two radicals

Question 47

Unsaturated

Answer 47

A compound containing one or more multiple bonds

Question 48

Aliphatic

Answer 48

An organic compound that consists of carbon chains. These may be straight chains or cyclical. All electrons are fixed in covalent bonds.

Question 49

Aromatic

Answer 49

An organic compound that contains a ring structure with delocalised electrons

Question 50

Homologous series

Answer 50

A series of organic molecules that have the same general formula (functional group) that differ in successive members by CH2

Question 51

Isomer

Answer 51

Organic compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structural formula (atoms are arranged in a different way)