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Organic Chemistry 101 Trivia Quiz

This is a mix of basic questions related to organic chemistry, usually studied in high-school. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by Canaris. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Canaris

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
319,667

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1905

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the IUPAC (and also common) name for cyclohex-1,3,5-triene? Hint

cyclohexane

benzene

phenol

naphtalene

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Question 2 of 10

2. What catalyst is used during the hydrogenation of alkynes? Hint

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Question 3 of 10

3. Potassium permanganate is a stronger oxidizer than potassium dichromate.

True

False

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Question 4 of 10

4. What is glycerin? Hint

an alcohol with two hydroxyl groups

an alcohol with three hydroxyl groups

a type of sugar

all answers are incorrect

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Question 5 of 10

5. What are polyunsaturated compounds? Hint

compounds with less carbon atoms than normal

compounds with several missing oxygen atoms

compounds with two or more double bonds

compounds which lack hydrogen

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which catalyst is used to oxidize naphthalene into phthalic acid? Hint

phosphorus pentoxide

vanadium pentoxide

potassium permanganate

potassium dichromate

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Question 7 of 10

7. What metal ion is the oxidizing agent in Tollens' reagent? Hint

Cu+

Ag+

Fe2+

Fe3+

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Question 8 of 10

8. What does the fact that alcohols react with highly reducing metals (such as sodium) prove? Hint

alcohols are unsaturated

alcohols are basic

alcohols are acidic

alcohols are saturated

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Question 9 of 10

9. Chloroethylene is used to produce PVC.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of these alkynes has the lowest melting point? Hint

acetylene

1-pentyne

propyne

1-butyne

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the IUPAC (and also common) name for cyclohex-1,3,5-triene?

Answer: benzene

Benzene, also known as benzol, is the most common aromatic hydrocarbon. It can be extracted from crude oil or synthesized from acetylene. It is the base ingredient for hundreds of drugs and synthetic materials.

2. What catalyst is used during the hydrogenation of alkynes?

Answer: Ni

Without a metal catalyst, hydrogenation would require very high temperatures. The best catalysts for this type of reaction are platinum, palladium and rhodium but nickel is a much cheaper alternative (although less efficient).

3. Potassium permanganate is a stronger oxidizer than potassium dichromate.

Answer: True

Potassium dichromate is used to oxidize alcohols into aldehydes (or carboxylic acids in certain conditions). Potassium permanganate is stronger, so its reactions will result only in carboxylic acids. Also, permanganate can break double bonds in alkyl groups, which dichromate can't.

4. What is glycerin?

Answer: an alcohol with three hydroxyl groups

Glycerin, also known as glycerol (not to be confounded with glucose), has the official IUPAC name of propane-1,2,3-triol. It is widely used in the food industry as a humectant (because of its hygroscopic nature) to help preserve food by keeping it dry. Although not a sugar, it does taste sweet but it's also toxic in high quantities.

5. What are polyunsaturated compounds?

Answer: compounds with two or more double bonds

Saturated compounds don't have any double or triple bonds between carbon atoms. Double bonds increase the compound's degree of unsaturation by 1, triple bonds by 2. A polyunsaturated compound has a degree of unsaturation of at least 2 (meaning it can addition at least 4 hydrogen atoms).

6. Which catalyst is used to oxidize naphthalene into phthalic acid?

Answer: vanadium pentoxide

Vanadium pentoxide, when heated, will lose oxygen and help speed up the oxidizing process. Naphthalene is oxidized at around 350 degrees C, and results in carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.

7. What metal ion is the oxidizing agent in Tollens' reagent?

Answer: Ag+

Tollens' reagent is usually ammoniacal silver nitrate, but can also be other compounds, as long as there is an aqueous diamminesilver(I) complex. It was named after Bernhard Tollens.

8. What does the fact that alcohols react with highly reducing metals (such as sodium) prove?

Answer: alcohols are acidic

Since the hydrogen in the alcohol's hydroxyl group is switched with a metal, the alcohol acts as a hydrogen ion donor, which is exactly how acids work. The result of the above mentioned process are alkoxides, conjugate bases of alcohols.

Conjugate bases of weak acids are strong (and vice versa), so alcohols, being weak acids their alkoxides are strong bases.

9. Chloroethylene is used to produce PVC.

Answer: True

Chloroethylene is also known as vinyl chloride. PVC is its polymer, polyvinyl chloride.

10. Which of these alkynes has the lowest melting point?

Answer: 1-butyne

Acethylene melts at -82 degrees C, 1-pentyne at -90, propyne at -103. 1-butyne has the lowest melting point, -122 degrees.

Source: Author Canaris

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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