Topic 4 - Introductory organic chemistry and alkanes

Question 1

What is organic chemistry?

Answer 1

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing compounds, specifically focusing on hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

Question 2

Who was Friedrich Wöhler and what was his contribution to organic chemistry?

Answer 2

Friedrich Wöhler was a chemist who accidentally synthesized urea in 1828, demonstrating that organic compounds could be created from inorganic substances, challenging the belief that they required a “vital force.”

Question 3

What are hydrocarbons?

Answer 3

Hydrocarbons are compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms. They are the simplest organic compounds.

Question 4

Define the term “unsaturated hydrocarbon.”

Answer 4

Unsaturated hydrocarbons contain at least one double or triple bond between carbon atoms, examples include alkenes and alkynes.

Question 5

What is a functional group in organic chemistry?

Answer 5

A functional group is a specific group of atoms within a molecule that is responsible for characteristic reactions of that molecule.