Topic 7: Organic Chemistry

• What is addition polymerisation?

  A reaction forming large molecules from monomers
• What functional group do alcohols contain?

  –OH
• Name the first four alcohols in the homologous series.

  Methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol
• What is the general formula for alkanes?

  C​n​H​2n+2
• What distinguishes alkenes from alkanes?

  Alkenes have a double bond
• What is the general formula for alkenes?

  C​n​H​2n
• What functional groups do amino acids contain?

  Two different functional groups
• How do amino acids react to form polypeptides?

  By condensation polymerisation
• What functional group do carboxylic acids contain?

  –COOH
• Name the first four carboxylic acids in the homologous series.

  Methanoic acid, ethanoic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid
• What is catalytic cracking?

  Breaking long-chain hydrocarbons using a catalyst
• What happens during combustion of hydrocarbons?

  Carbon and hydrogen are oxidised
• What are the products of complete combustion of hydrocarbons?

  Water and carbon dioxide
• What is crude oil?

  A finite resource found in rocks
• What is the origin of crude oil?

  Remains of ancient biomass, mainly plankton
• What is condensation polymerisation?

  Reactions involving monomers losing small molecules
• What is cracking in organic chemistry?

  Breaking down larger hydrocarbons into smaller molecules
• What does DNA encode?

  Genetic instructions for living organisms
• What are nucleotides?

  Monomers that make up DNA
• What are polyesters?

  Polymers containing the ester functional group
• What is a repeat unit in a polymer?

  Part of a polymer that repeats to form chains
• How does steam cracking work?

  Hydrocarbon vapour mixed with steam and heated
• What are the key processes in organic chemistry related to hydrocarbons?

  • Addition polymerisation
  • Condensation polymerisation
  • Cracking (catalytic and steam)
  • Combustion (complete and incomplete)
  • Fractional distillation
• What are the characteristics of homologous series?

  • Same functional group
  • Similar chemical properties
  • Gradation in physical properties
• What are the main types of organic compounds discussed?

  • Alcohols
  • Alkanes
  • Alkenes
  • Carboxylic acids
  • Amino acids
  • Esters
  • Polyesters
  • Polypeptides
• What type of resource is crude oil?

  Finite resource
• What is crude oil primarily composed of?

  Remains of ancient biomass, mainly plankton
• Where is crude oil found?

  In rocks
• What is a mixture in the context of crude oil?

  Two or more elements not chemically combined
• How can the substances in crude oil be separated?

  By physical methods including distillation
• What are hydrocarbons primarily made of?

  Hydrogen and carbon
• What is the general formula for hydrocarbons?

  C_nH_2n+2
• What are the first four alkanes?

  Methane, ethane, propane, butane
• What is the process of fractional distillation in crude oil processing?

  • Oil is heated in a fractionating column
  • Oil evaporates and condenses at different temperatures
  • Hydrocarbons are separated into fractions
  • Each fraction contains molecules with similar carbon atoms
• How does the fractionating column operate?

  Heated crude oil is piped in at the bottom
• What can the fractions from crude oil be processed into?

  Fuels and feedstock for petrochemical industry
• What fuels are produced from crude oil?

  Petrol, diesel oil, kerosene, heavy fuel oil
• What materials does the petrochemical industry produce?

  Solvents, lubricants, polymers, detergents
• Why do carbon compounds have a vast array of forms?

  Due to carbon's ability to form similar compounds
• How do the properties of hydrocarbons depend on their molecular size?

  Properties influence their use as fuels