Organic Definitions + Formulae

Question 1

What is an addition reaction?

Answer 1

A reaction where a molecule joins to an unsaturated molecule to produce a saturated molecule

Question 2

What are aliphatics?

Answer 2

Aliphatics are organic compounds containing C chains and branches

Question 2

What are aromatics?

Answer 2

Aromatics are organic compounds containing C one or more benzene ring(s)

Question 3

What is a carbocation?

Answer 3

A positive ion with the positive charge on a C atom

Question 4

What is a cyclic?

Answer 4

These are organic compounds containing C rings (not aromatic rings) also called alicyclic

Question 5

What is dehydration?

Answer 5

The elimination of water

Question 6

What is dehydrogenation?

Answer 6

The elimination of hydrogen

Question 7

What is an electrophile?

Answer 7

An electrophile is a lone pair acceptor

Question 8

What is an elimination reaction?

Answer 8

A reaction where a molecule is lost from a saturated molecule to form an unsaturated molecule

Question 9

What are free radicals?

Answer 9

Free radicals are species with an unpaired electron

Question 10

What are functional groups?

What are examples of functional groups?

Answer 10

The atom or group of atoms that are responsible for most of the chemical reactions of a molecule

Functional groups: hydroxyl, methyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino

Question 11

What is the homologous series?

Answer 11

A family of compounds with the same general formula and similar chemical properties.
In a series, each member differs by the addition of a CH2 group and there is a gradual change in physical properties

Question 11

What is hydration?

Answer 11

Hydration is the addition of water

Question 12

What is a hydrocarbon?

Answer 12

A molecule containing hydrogen and carbon only

Question 13

What is hydrolysis?

Answer 13

A reaction involving the breaking of bonds due to a reaction with water

Question 14

What is a nucleophile?

Answer 14

A lone pair donor

Question 15

What is organic chemistry?

Answer 15

The study of compounds containing carbon

Question 16

What does it mean for a molecule to be “saturated”?

Answer 16

This means a molecule that contains no double bonds

Question 16

What are stereoisomers?

Answer 16

Molecules with the same molecular and structural formulae but a different spatial arrangement of atoms

Question 17

What are two different types of stereoisomers?

Answer 17

E-Z isomers and Optical isomers

Question 18

What are E-Z isomers?
What are Optical isomers?

Answer 18

E-Z isomers are molecules which have different arrangements of groups around C=C

Optical isomers are molecules which are non - superimposable mirror images

Question 19

What are structural isomers?

Answer 19

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures

Question 20

What are the three different types of structural isomers?

Answer 20

Chain isomers, Position isomers and Functional group isomers

Question 21

What are chain isomers?

Answer 21

Structural isomers that differ by having a different carbon chain

Question 21

What are position isomers?

Answer 21

Structural isomers that differ by having the functional group in a different position

Question 22

What are functional group isomers?

Answer 22

Structural isomers that differ by having a different functional group

Question 23

What is a substitution reaction?

Answer 23

A reaction where an atom/group replaces another atom/group

Question 24

What is an unsaturated molecule?

Answer 24

An unsaturated molecule is a molecule containing double bond(s)