Basic concepts of organic chemistry

Question 1

Define hydrocarbon

Answer 1

compound containing hydrogen and carbon only.

Question 2

define a saturated hydrocarbon

Answer 2

a compound containing single carbon-carbon bonds only.

Question 3

Define an unsaturated hydrocarbon

Answer 3

A compound containing one or more double carbon-carbon bond.

Question 4

What does the term aliphatic mean?

Answer 4

a compound which has its carbon atoms joined together as straight, branched or cyclic (non aromatic/ no benzene).

Question 5

What does the term alicyclic mean?

Answer 5

A compound which atoms are joined together in a (cyclic) ring structure, which is non aromatic (excluding benzene).

Question 6

What does the term aromatic mean?

Answer 6

Any compound which contains a benzene ring.

Question 7

Alkane structure

Answer 7

contain single carbon-carbon bonds.

Question 8

Alkene structure

Answer 8

Contains at least one double carbon-carbon bond.

Question 9

Alkynes structure

Answer 9

Containes at least one triple carbon-carbon bond.

Question 10

name the alkane groups.

Answer 10

1-Meth
2-Eth
3-Prop
4-But
5-Pent
6-Hex
7-Hept
8-Oct
9-Non
10-Dec

Question 11

Define homologous series

Answer 11

A series of compounds containing the same functional group with each successive member differing by CH2.

Question 12

Define functional group

Answer 12

A group of atoms responosible for the characteristic reactions of a compound.

Question 13

Describe alkyl groups and give their structural formula.

Answer 13

hydrocarbon side chains
C n H 2n+1

Question 14

Define General formula and give the example for alkanes

Answer 14

Simplest algebraic formula of a member in the homologous series.
Alkanes = C (n) H (2n+2)

Question 15

Define displayed formula

Answer 15

The displayed formula shows the realtive position of atoms and the bonds between them.

Question 16

Define the structural formula and give the example for Butane

Answer 16

The structural formula gives the minimum amount of detail to show the arrangement of atoms in a molecule.
Butane = CH3CH2CH2CH3

Question 17

Describe the skeletal formula

Answer 17

Simplified organic formula, shown by removing hydrogen atoms from alkyl chains, leaving just a carbon skeleton and associated functional groups.

Question 18

What is the alkane with 5 carbons?

Answer 18

pentane

Question 19

What is the alkane with 7 carbons?

Answer 19

heptane

Question 20

What is the alkane with 6 carbons?

Answer 20

hexane

Question 21

What is the alkane with 8 carbons?

Answer 21

Octane

Question 22

What is the alkane with 9 carbons?

Answer 22

Nonane

Question 23

What is the alkane with 10 carbons?

Answer 23

Decane

Question 24

What is a radical?

Answer 24

A species with an unpaired electron

Question 25

Define what occurs in homolytic fission?

Answer 25

A covalent bond is broken, each of the bonded atoms take one electron form the covalent bond's shared pair of electrons.

Question 26

Define what occurs in Heterolytic fission?

Answer 26

When a covalent bond is broken one of the bonded atoms takes both electrons, forming a negative ion, the other atom forms a positive ion.

Question 27

What are structural isomers?

Answer 27

Structural isomers are compounds with the same molecular formulae but different structural formulae.

Question 28

what does a curly arrow show? (double headed)

Answer 28

the movement of an electron pair

Question 29

What happens in an addition reaction?

Answer 29

Two reactants join together to form one product.

Question 30

What happens in an elimination reaction?

Answer 30

One reactant molecule forms two products.

Question 31

What happens in a substitution reaction?

Answer 31

An atoms/group of atoms on a molecule is replaced by another atom/group of atoms.