Organic Chemistry - The Basics

Question 1

What is a homologous series?

Answer 1

Organic compounds that have the same functional group and general formula

Question 2

What are alkanes?

Answer 2

Straight chain molecules that contain only carbon and hydrogen atoms with single bonds

Question 3

Whats the general formula for alkanes?

Answer 3

CnH2n+2

Question 4

Whats the suffix for alkanes in nomenclature?

Answer 4

-ane

Question 5

What are the 2 types of carbon skeleton?

Answer 5

Aromatic and aliphatic

Question 6

What do aromatic compounds look like in their skeletal structure?

Answer 6

A benzene ring

Question 7

What do aliphatic compounds look like in their skeletal formula?

Answer 7

Straight chains, branched chains or non-aromatic rings

Question 8

What is it called when an aliphatic compound contains a non-aromatic ring?

Answer 8

Alicyclic

Question 9

What can saturated organic compounds contain?

Answer 9

Carbon-carbon single bonds

Question 10

What do unsaturated organic compounds contain?

Answer 10

Unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds, triple bonds or aromatic groups

Question 11

What is an alkyl group?

Answer 11

A fragment of a molecule with general formula CnH2n+1

Question 12

What does nomenclature mean?

Answer 12

Naming of organic compounds

Question 13

What is the stem in nomenclature?

Answer 13

the number of carbon atoms joined together in a continuous chain

Question 14

What is the stem for 1 carbon in a chain?

Answer 14

meth-

Question 15

What is the stem for 2 carbons in a chain?

Answer 15

eth-

Question 16

What is the stem for 3 carbons in a chain?

Answer 16

prop-

Question 17

What is the stem for 4 carbons in a chain?

Answer 17

but-

Question 18

What is the stem for 5 carbons in a chain?

Answer 18

pent-

Question 19

What is the stem for 6 carbons in a chain?

Answer 19

hex-

Question 20

What is the stem for 7 carbons in a chain?

Answer 20

hept-

Question 21

What is the stem for 8 carbons in a chain?

Answer 21

oct-

Question 22

What is the stem for 9 carbons in a chain?

Answer 22

non-

Question 23

What is the stem for 10 carbons in a chain?

Answer 23

dec-

Question 24

What is an isomer?

Answer 24

A molecule that has the same molecular formula but the atoms are arranged differently

Question 25

What are the 2 types of isomers you need to know?

Answer 25

Structural isomers and stereoisomers

Question 26

What are the 3 types of structural isomers?

Answer 26

Chain isomers, Positional isomers and Functional Group isomers

Question 27

What is a structural isomer?

Answer 27

A different structural arrangement of atoms so the molecular formula is the same but the structural formula is different

Question 28

What are the features of a chain isomer?

Answer 28

• skeletal formula can be arranged differently
• similar chemical properties
• physical properties will be different (e.g boiling point) due to change of shape

Question 29

What are the features of a positional isomer?

Answer 29

• the skeletal and structural formula could be the same only with the functional group attached to a different carbon atom
• different physical properties
• chemical properties may be different too

Question 30

What are the features of a functional group isomer?

Answer 30

• the same atoms can be arranged into different functional groups
• they have very different physical and chemical properties