The Basic Principle of Organic Chemistry

Question 1

What is the general formula?

Answer 1

This is an algebraic formula that can describe any member of a family of compounds.

Question 2

What is the empirical formula?

Answer 2

This is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element in a compound.

Question 3

What is the molecular formula?

Answer 3

This is the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule.

Question 4

What is meant by the structural formula?

Answer 4

This shows the arrangement of atoms carbon by carbon, with the attached hydrogens and functional groups.

Question 5

What is the skeletal formula?

Answer 5

This shows the bonds of the carbon skeleton only, with any functional groups. Hydrogen and carbon atoms aren’t shown.

Question 6

What is the displayed formula?

Answer 6

This shows how all of the atoms are arranged and all of the bonds between them.

Question 7

What is meant by homologous series?

Answer 7

This is a group of organic compounds that have the same general formula and functional group.

Question 8

What do consecutive members of homologous series differ by?

Answer 8

-CH2-

Question 9

What is the suffix for alkanes?

Answer 9

-ane

Question 10

What is the suffix for branched alkanes?

Answer 10

-yl

Question 11

What is the suffix for alkenes?

Answer 11

-ene

Question 12

What is the prefix for haloalkanes?

Answer 12

chloro-/bromo-/iodo-

Question 13

What is the suffix for alcohols?

Answer 13

-ol

Question 14

What is the suffix for aldehydes?

Answer 14

-al

Question 15

What is the suffix for ketones?

Answer 15

-one

Question 16

What is the prefix and suffix for cycloalkanes?

Answer 16

cyclo-…-ane

Question 17

What is the suffix for carboxylic acids?

Answer 17

-oic acid

Question 18

What is the prefix and suffix for esters?

Answer 18

alkyl-…-anoate

Question 19

What are the two types of carbon skeleton?

Answer 19

Aromatic and alphatic.

Question 20

What do aromatic compounds contain?

Answer 20

A benzene ring.

Question 21

What do aliphatic compounds contain?

Answer 21

They contain carbon and hydrogen joined together in straight chains, branched chains or non-aromatic rings.

Question 22

What is an alicyclic compound?

Answer 22

An aliphatic compound containing a non-aromatic ring.

Question 23

What do saturated organic compounds contain?

Answer 23

Carbon-carbon single bonds only.

Question 24

What do unsaturated compounds contain?

Answer 24

Carbon-carbon double or triple bonds or aromatic groups.

Question 25

What is an alkyl group?

Answer 25

This is a fragment of a molecule with the general formula CnH2n+1

Question 26

What does the main functional group tell you about the molecule?

Answer 26

Its homologous series.

Question 27

What does the longest continuous carbon chains show?

Answer 27

The stem.

Question 28

In what order should compounds be named?

Answer 28

In alphabetical order.

Question 29

What should be ignored when working out the alphabetical order?

Answer 29

The numbers in front of identical side chains/functional groups.

Question 30

What should be put in front of identical side chains or functional groups?

Answer 30

di-, tri- or tetra-

Question 31

What do isomers have in common?

Answer 31

They have the same molecular formula.

Question 32

What are isomers?

Answer 32

Two molecules with the same molecular formula but their atoms are arranged differently.

Question 33

What are the two types of isomer?

Answer 33

Structural isomers and stereoisomers.

Question 34

What is different about structural isomers?

Answer 34

They have a different structural formulas.

Question 35

What are the 3 types of structural isomer?

Answer 35

Chain, positional and functional group.

Question 36

What are chain isomers?

Answer 36

This is where the carbon skeleton is arranged differently.

Question 37

What are the chemical and physical properties of chain isomers like?

Answer 37

They have similar chemical properties but their physical properties are different.

Question 38

Why are the chemical properties of chain isomer different?

Answer 38

The molecules are different shapes.

Question 39

What are positional isomers?

Answer 39

This is where the skeleton and functional group is the same but the functional group is attached to a different carbon atom.

Question 40

What are the chemical and physical properties of chain isomers like?

Answer 40

The physical properties are different and the chemical properties might be different.

Question 41

What are functional group isomers?

Answer 41

This is where the same atoms are arranged into different functional groups.

Question 42

What are the chemical and physical properties of functional group isomers like?

Answer 42

These are very different.

Question 43

What is important to remember when looking at structural isomers?

Answer 43

Sometimes what looks like a structural isomer might not be because atoms can rotate around single carbon-carbon bonds.